Among the bustling goings of downtown, there is a serene retreat that transforms the mind, body, and soul, from entrance to exit. Blissful Alchemist, located at 414 Ray Avenue, is a space like no other in the area.

A boutique, a hair salon, a tanning salon, a yoga and meditation studio, a salt room, a holistic health cooperative, and an event space, there is not much that this place doesn’t do or provide. On March 2nd, from noon to 2 p.m., Blissful Alchemist is hosting a Yoga and Sound in the Salt Room, an elevated yoga experience utilizing three services found in the space. This occasion was masterfully crafted to release tension and uplift the soul, not to mention the physical benefits of movement in the salt cave. Everyone is invited to this class, whether they are new to yoga and sound bowls or those practicing for years. This class can be modified for anyone. The cost of the class is $14. Those interested can secure their spot online at https://www.blissfulalchemists.com/s/appointments.

For those unfamiliar, yoga, in its Western practice, is an intentional movement of the body to release negative feelings and has proven physical benefits. Sound bowls, which can be considered musical instruments, are metal or crystal bowls that resonate sounds at different frequencies depending on how they are played.

Salt caves are man-made versions of the natural phenomena of water dissolving rock salt, creating a cave. The use of salt caves has proven to improve respiratory health, the immune system, mental health, skin health and some recurring minor issues like sinusitis and congestion. Information on all services can be found and booked via the website.

Blissful Alchemists was co-founded by Brittany Campbell. An Ohio native, entrepreneur, and military wife, Campbell has dedicated time to creating a cooperative space for other women-owned businesses to thrive.

“Blissful Alchemists was created between my business partner Carolyn and I. We wanted to bring together parts of different aspects of our life. I began with beauty. She began with spirituality. And we knew together that the mind, body, and spirit are just so important and all together. You’re not going to feel good on the outside unless you feel good on the inside,” Campbell said. “Community is so powerful that we knew that by bringing more people together, the more that we could really help and do. When you come together, you become so much more powerful and connected as a tribe. And I think we have gotten so far away that, it was time to bring it all back together… we have all the beauty treatments you need and also are incorporating so much spirituality, yoga, breath work, meditation, reiki and acupuncture, to be able to fuel our emotional bodies, our spiritual bodies, our physical bodies and it’s just been a dream unfolding, with a lot of challenges but the community is building and growing. People are coming in and knocking on our doors looking and seeking for a spiritual place to be...we are a beacon of light.”
Blissful Alchemists isn’t just one individual business, it’s a collective of businesses and brands, housing 20 diverse and brilliantly talented women.

“Giving women the power to create their own financial freedom, I think that is a huge thing. We have over 20 women in here and over half of them are their own business owners. When you come together you can thrive. When you can lean on one another. Being solo I think can be so lonely and being in the entrepreneurship world can be lonely, so you feel like you are crazy and you feel like you can’t do it. When you are connected to people who are experiencing the same things, it can be beneficial,” Campbell said of why the space is important to her and the community.

There are still 7 spaces available for rent and those interested should inquire onsite. Campbell’s passion for helping other women be successful business owners extends far beyond creating Blissful Alchemists. She also has a clothing line, Babes Support Babes, that completely funds sick, family and maternity leave for those women in the collective. The hope is for the brand to expand and allow Campbell to fund other women business owners.

Just a few months ago, Katryna Kukhar, a Ukrainian ballerina, was performing on a stage in Kyiv. Multiple times during the performance, an air alarm would go off. The dancing would stop, and everyone would find their way to the bomb shelter. At some point, the performance would begin again. Shortly back into the performance, they would be met with another air alarm.
“We had six air alarms per day,” Kukhar said. “It was a very difficult time.”

Kukhar explained that despite the war and all that comes with it, the people of Ukraine still crave the things that bolster Ukrainian culture. To her, keeping the culture alive is one of the best "home front weapons."
“People in Ukraine still want to go see performances,” explains Alexander Stoyanov, a fellow danseur and Kukhar's husband. “ … It’s just a small piece of Ukrainian life now.”

Kukhar and Stoyanov are part of the Grand Kyiv Ballet that will grace the stage at the Crown Theatre on March 7 for Giselle. For these two ballerinas, there are a few important things in life — their love for one another, their two children, ballet and Ukraine. Like the ballet they are about to perform, the main plotline of their life is a love story.

“Katryna was already working in the National Opera. I just came from ballet school. First day when they opened the door, I saw her and fell in love,” Stoyanov said.

He decided from then on he would bring her sweets everyday to convince her of his love. He recounted that this lasted about a year.

“He would like to kill my body,” Kukhar says laughing.

In the upcoming ballet, Kukhar plays the main character, Giselle, and Stoyanov plays Albert, the leading male role. For both of them, this is a role they have played many times all over the world in countries stretching from Europe to South America to the United States.

During their tours, Kukhar and Stoyanov felt it was necessary to share information about the war in Ukraine with others.

“For us, it was an important mission because not all countries in the world really know all the truths,” Stoyanov said.

Before the war, the couple said they had plans for five years or more into the future. The changes in their country and the uncertainty from the war has changed a lot of that.

“We had plans for our children’s lives. We had plans for our life. When it started, all our plans disappeared,” Stoyanov said. “We now live just for the near future. We don’t know what will happen with the world tomorrow.”

“Everyone is waiting for peace,” Kukhar said. “It’s a very complicated question for us now.”

For now, the duo plans to remain in the United States with their two children and continue doing ballet. The hope is to share Ukrainian culture, art and with that, ballet. They feel Giselle will bring a taste of Ukrainian ballet and a great story.

“We would like to bring some positive emotion for people,” Stoyanov said.

This is what they are hoping for during the tour of Giselle — positive emotion. Stoyanov said they would love for people to come for the two hours to watch a piece of Ukrainian art through its ballet dancers.

“They must have a rest. They must relax. We’d like to touch their heart, their soul, deep inside. This is our main goal,” Stoyanov said.

“Theatre is like a church. People come for their soul,” Kukhar said.

Giselle is a story about a peasant girl who falls in love with a nobleman disguised as a commoner. Stoyanov describes it as a story about life and about love.

“This is the best, magic love story. It’s full of drama. It’s full of mystery. Most magnificent classical ballet in all the world," said Kukhar.

For Stoyanov and Kukhar they said they can draw a lot of parallels from this story and the situation in their home country. In particular, Stoyanov details a moment of resolution in the story, an emotional moment and the dawning of a new day.

“In the sunrise, all bad things disappear,” he said.

“It’s very important for us to bring belief in the future,” she said.

For more information about Giselle, visit www. crowncomplexnc.com. Tickets are on sale and range from $48 to $88. The show will only be performed on March 7th at 7 p.m.

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper is on a tear, and it is a righteous one, both for its goals and for his well-justified anger. A product of a North Carolina public education himself both in his hometown of Nashville and at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Cooper has no doubt about the value of public education. Now unfettered by an impending 2024 political campaign of his own, Cooper is not mincing words about what has happened to North Carolina’s once-vaunted public education. His office refers to the situation as a “public education crisis.”
And it is.

Cooper, like many other North Carolinians, wants our state to invest in public education, instead of cutting it. Yes, education is expensive, whether it is public or private, but a lack of education is even more costly. Next to my family and my friends, nothing in life has meant more to me than my education. It has helped me understand the world we live in and brought me great joy as I learn, and I know many people feel the same way. Over the last decade, however, North Carolina legislators have concentrated on tax breaks rather than investments, and while the numbers are still big for educational investment at all levels, our growing state—now 9th in the nation—is slipping behind by almost every measure. We spend proportionally less per student and likewise for teacher pay. The Governor supports an 18-percent teacher pay raise over the next two years in an attempt to get North Carolina back to being respected nationally for our public education.

Cooper, like many other North Carolinians, including this one, wants public money to go to public education. Neither he nor millions of others are interested in spending public money to send children to private schools, no matter what their family income. The current policy does just that under the attractive banner of Opportunity Scholarships, but it breaks my heart and makes me angry to know that tax dollars paid in by some of our lowest-income citizens are indeed going to send children of some of our wealthiest residents to private schools. Who on God’s green earth thinks that is morally right or even makes sense to spend $ 4 billion in public money over the next decade on private schools?

Cooper, like many other North Carolinians, wants public schools to teach factual history and ideas that have been recognized and discussed by scholars over time. He is not interested in advancing a political agenda that stresses one point of view and excludes others, nor is he concerned that today’s students’ feelings can be hurt by assessments of historical events and movements in which they played no role.
The bottom line is that most of North Carolina’s children do attend public schools, almost 9 out of 10 of them. If they are not well educated and do not become thriving and productive adults, the rest of us, including those of us educated privately, will struggle in a state that made the wrong funding choices for North Carolina’s overall future.

Governor Cooper put it this way in an interview with WUNC.

“There is no question this is a long-term battle because it is going to be a long-term fix. We need to highlight the positives of public schools, which are numerous, and on top of that understand that they are operating on shoestring budgets and won’t stay good if we don’t provide the proper funding.”

The Governor is correct, and we ignore his advice at our peril.

Many residents in Fayetteville and Cumberland County have difficulty understanding the concerns raised by school board members and some residents regarding the recommendation that the new E.E. Smith High School be relocated and constructed on a 90-acre track of beautiful tranquil land on Fort Liberty. Land, I might add, that is being donated by the U.S. Army, saving Cumberland County taxpayers tens of millions of dollars.

My question is: what's not to like about that? Stryker Golf Course is a practical and convenient location for a new and much-needed Cumberland County high school. A technologically advanced, state-of-the-art E.E.Smith high school, beautifully centered on land originally landscaped and sculptured by the world-famous golf course designer Donald Ross. The school is dedicated to one of Fayetteville's most renowned educators and statesman, Dr. Ezekiel Ezra Smith.

I can only surmise that those who oppose Stryker Golf Course as the location of this new high school facility are conflicted and confused between sentimentality, history, fiscal logic and community responsibility.

Dr. Ezekiel Ezra Smith was a remarkable man: newspaper publisher, soldier, diplomat, pastor and three-term president of Fayetteville State University until he died in 1933. I learned much about this local educational icon from Heidi Beasley, Director of the Fayetteville History Museum, when I visited E.E. Smith's home at 135 Blount St.

Smith's newly renovated home tells the story of Dr. Smith's massive contribution to education at all levels. It is an impressive Fayetteville historic asset now on the National Register of Historic Places. Undoubtedly, those generations who graduated from E.E. Smith High School have a strong sentimental connection to the home of the Golden Bulls at 1800 Seabrook Ave.

The good news is that the facility is not going away. The proposed Fort Liberty site is a more practical 21st-century location with easy central access to the educational needs of Fayetteville, Fort Liberty, and Cumberland County children. The Fort Liberty school and location reflects a modern, thought-out educational vision with many additional and substantial benefits to the Fayetteville, Fort Liberty, and Cumberland County community.

It will significantly benefit our economic vitality and solidify our partnership with our military neighbor. After all, Fort Liberty wants the best educational facility for its soldiers and military families. The new state-of-the-art E.E. Smith High School will be just that.

Fort Liberty donating the land will save Cumberland County millions of dollars allowing the county ample finances to construct a facility equipped with the latest educational technology to inspire 21st-century creativity and innovation. The new high school will speak volumes of our long-term educational commitment to the children in our community; modern technology, spacious modern classrooms, and multi-purposed sports facilities will all be on a plot of historic land, creating a serene educational environment with room to grow and expand.

With all these advantages and circumstances, it's hard to imagine why anyone would oppose such a lucrative opportunity and partnership with Fort Liberty. Truth be known, the majority of students currently attending the existing E.E. Smith High School would prefer the latest in STEM education to assist them in preparing for college and future careers over historical sentimentality.

A note of caution to Cumberland County Commissioners and CC School Board members: time is of the essence when discussing and considering the need and location for this new high school. Fort Liberty wants a new high school, which is needed now.

It will take years to build, and the longer the project is delayed, the costlier it will become. Who will say how long Fort Liberty's generous offer will be available? With the vastness of the installation and proximity to Hoke, Harnett, and Moore Counties, we surely don't want to risk having them investigate other options to achieve their educational objectives.

Think of the millions of federal dollars Cumberland County education would lose if we were not educating their children. Cumberland County Commissioners and the Board of Education need to prioritize responsible stewardship of taxpayer money and our children's academic future.

Besides, think of the goodwill, publicity, and worldwide notoriety Fayetteville and Fort Liberty will receive from having the only educational institution designed and built on a 78-year-old Donald Ross golf course named after the area's most respected and renowned statesman and educator, Dr. Ezekiel Ezra Smith.

In closing, I want to say I'm incredibly proud and grateful to the Orange Street School Historical Association for their ongoing efforts to preserve the history of that neoclassical circa 1915 structure. The Orange Street School is the city's oldest educational building and the original E.E. Smith High School. This 109-year-old building is also on the National Register of Historic Places. Our Cumberland County Commissioners have a tremendous opportunity and responsibility to preserve and honor the memory of Dr. Ezekiel Ezra Smith, one of Fayetteville's most significant Black educators and community leaders.
By partnering with Fort Liberty to construct a new E.E. Smith High School on Stryker Golf Course, they will ensure the educational futures of generations to come while making thousands of E.E. Smith alums proud that they participated in securing their school's position in Fayetteville and Cumberland County's educational history books.

Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

Fred Chappell, former North Carolina Poet Laureate and longtime professor at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro died on January 4 at age 87.

To celebrate his contributions, I have revised a column I wrote in 2009 about his book of short stories, “Ancestors and Others: New and Selected Stories.”

Asserting that his novels and short stories were equally as great as his poetry could get you in trouble with Chappell’s adoring poetry fans. They will think of him always as North Carolina’s Poet Laureate, even though his term ended in 2003.

Chappell was one of the rare poets whose excellence is celebrated both by his fellow poets and a significant public following.

There is no denying that he was a great poet.

But when he turned his poetry-tuned wordsmithing to his inventive, imaginative, and place-based stories, something even better than his poetry was the result, as demonstrated in his 2009 book, “Ancestors and Others: New and Selected Stories.”

That book collected a variety of 21 stories. “Variety” is an insufficient description of the different experiences that Chappell gives his readers, taking them from the North Carolina mountains of the recent past to Sweden, France and England centuries ago; from North Carolina’s “good old boys” to the composer Haydn; from Newton’s theories to how to kill a deer.

After reading each story, I wanted to call some friend to say, “Fred Chappell wrote a short story especially for you.”

I want my hunting friends Doug Lay and Wendell Merritt to read “Tradition,” which takes its hero from his group into a deer blind so cold, as described by Chappell, that this reader started to shake.
For Peter White, former director of the North Carolina Botanical Garden, “Linnaeus Forgets” is perfect. Chappell takes us to Sweden in 1758 where Carl Linnaeus, the designer of plant classification systems, discovers a plant that houses a community of thousands of tiny human-like creatures.

My former minister, Bob Dunham, could read the short story, “Judas,” and maybe explain Judas’s comment that Jesus was “simply goofy, a nut…. That was the whole trouble, you know. His kind of Madness is contagious.”

Retired music UNC Chapel Hill professor Tom Warburton and former New York Philharmonic lead oboist Joe Robinson would delight in “Moments of Light,” in which Haydn’s visit to Herschel’s (the discoverer of Uranus and also an oboist) observatory led to the composition of “The Creation.”

The despair that follows the loss of a best friend in a deadly accident as described in “Duet” would be familiar to a psychiatrist like the late Dr. Robert Bashford, who would have understood the power of the friend’s music at graveside to give comfort and relief.

The appearance of three genetically reconstructed Civil War soldiers in “Ancestors” would thoroughly entertain Civil War enthusiast Alan Stephenson.

The North Carolina Collection’s former director Bob Anthony could identify with the librarian in “The Lodger.” A dead poet tries to infiltrate and take over the librarian’s life.

Cliff Butler, a retired pharmacist who grew up in Dunn, could follow the country furniture store delivery team hauling a new freezer, the surprise “Christmas Gift” for a farmer’s wife, who had ironed tobacco leaves to get high bids of the buyers for her husband’s crop.

It was easy to tag Chappell’s stories as aimed at prospective men readers. But Chappell appeals to women, too, especially those who want to understand men and their crazy doings and firm friendships. Some stories are aimed right at women, as in “Gift of Roses,” the poignant tale of a blind woman who rescues heritage roses. Greensboro’s Margaret Arbuckle, who once tried to save an ancient rose bush from the advancing waters of Lake Norman, might also understand.

A few weeks before Chappell’s death, my family also lost a great poet and chronicler of mountain life, my brother, Mike Martin, who also died at age 87. While I will miss both of them, I will always be grateful for their opening doors for me to see the world in richer and deeper ways.

Editor’s Note: D.G. Martin, a retired lawyer, served as UNC-System’s vice president for public affairs and hosted PBS-NC’s North Carolina Bookwatch.

Get glammed! Get your stylish hat and outfit ready! Come party in style and with a purpose at the Fort Liberty Area Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.'s 15th Annual Big Hat Brunch. The event is set for Saturday, March 16, at the Iron Mike Conference Center, 2658 Rock Merritt Ave. on Fort Liberty. The event runs from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.

The Big Hat Brunch is one of the chapter's defining events. It debuted in March 2010 as an annual scholarship fundraiser. The event has risen in popularity year after year, attracting many attendees, including notable community leaders. Some of The Big Hat Brunch's previously featured themes include Community Diamonds, which acknowledged outstanding female local leaders; From Brunch to the Ballot Box, motivating attendees to the polls; and Moving Forward in Unity with NC State Senator Val Applewhite, who served as last year's keynote speaker.

This year's Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. BHB theme, expected to draw 500 attendees, is "Continuing the Legacy, One Scholarship at a Time." La’Tanta (L.T.) McCrimmon, APCO's Governor Director of Legislative Affairs, will deliver this year's keynote speech.

"We're focusing on continuing the legacy of our sorority," said Shelia Wilson, this year’s committee chair.
The event has a meaningful purpose, as the chapter's "party with a purpose" motto ensures that eligible high school students receive financial assistance to attend college. The Big Hat Brunch has raised over $75,000 in scholarships to give to deserving high school students each year, contributing to reducing the cost of college expenses.

Wilson also announced that this year's event will commemorate the tenth anniversary of the 2nd Lt Lisa Nicole Bryant scholarship. "We present this scholarship, biannually, to a Fayetteville State University student," she shared.

Bryant, a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, was on temporary assignment at Fort Bragg (now Fort Liberty), as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Army. She had a promising career before her tragic death on July 10, 1993, at the age of 21, in a Fort Bragg residence hall. “The chapter will be honoring the story of the Princeton University graduate, and she will never be forgotten”, shared Wilson.

When asked about the essence of giving back to the community while preserving the legacy of the Big Hat Brunch, Wilson responded, "It feels like this is the service that we signed up for—to be able to be part of a legacy that continues to help, academically, for our students and to help make the burden of college fees a little lighter."

In addition to presenting scholarships, the event will include vendors, a purse auction, the infamous hat parade, music, food, and much more.

The committee's behind-the-scenes work, according to Wilson, is likened to planning a big party with a purpose. It's a fun, stylish party while supporting high school seniors and Bronco students' academic financial needs so they can make a global impact in their professional endeavors.

To attend the event, purchase tickets through PayPal for $63.00 (including PayPal fees) at dst.fbaac@gmail.com. Civilians are welcome to attend the event, but will need a visitor’s pass to gain access to the installation. Guests can get a pass through the Visitor Access Center at the All American Gate on Fort Liberty, or online by visiting FORT_LIBERTY_VISITOR_PASS_REQUEST_USING_ONLINE_PRE.pdf (armhttps://home.army.mil/liberty/application/files/6816/8372/2450/FORT_LIBERTY_VISITOR_PASS_REQUEST_USING_ONLINE_PRE.pdf y.mil).

For more information, contact dst.flaac.bhb@gmail.com or 910-551-4708.

In a world where conflict is domestic and global, organizations that spread a message of love and hope are much needed and received. His Outreach Worldwide, or HOW, is a local faith-based nonprofit that aims to share God’s word and love through its children’s publication, Sharing Jesus with Children Around the World, and in outreach ministries based all over the world. This February marks the 15th anniversary of the two-time Up & Coming Weekly Best-winning community staple. Located at 3013 Raeford Road, HOW has been committed to its global ministry since the idea was hand-delivered by God in a dream to Founder and Director, Lynne O’Quinn.

“For years I had been teaching Bible school to children, which I loved. For years I had been praying that God would give me a way to reach the children of the world with the gospel of love of Jesus Christ. I was working on a Bible study and sitting at the computer every day and I was reading the scripture and working on that. That was the Jesus Bible Study…and every day I would sit there and pray for God to give me a way to reach His children all over the world,” O’Quinn said. “I went to the beach and I had my two grandsons at that time… and I had them by myself for two weeks. We had a great time… I really was tired. By the time the whole family came that last weekend, they got the kids, I went to bed and I told my husband not to dare wake me up. I was sleeping until noon if I wanted to sleep until noon. I was that exhausted. I went to sleep and God, of course, had other plans for me… During the night, I had this dream. And I’m not one to ever remember dreams… I was in this space that was all white and there was one desk in the middle of this space and I ran in. I threw everything down on the desk and sat down. This shimmery figure was standing there beside me and I looked and said I’m so sorry I’m late. And he said it’s ok, what matters is that you’re here now.

"I think that, of course, was in reference to past life. Where I wasn’t following Him like I should. I then remember He handed me this piece of paper. I don’t recall a face. It was just a shimmery figure. Jesus. He handed me this piece of paper and said this is your assignment. And I read it and said, I can’t do this. I don’t remember what it said…but I handed it back to Him and He said no you don’t understand. This is why you are here. This is your assignment. Handed it to me, and the minute I took it back, I woke up. I heard Him say, get up and go write. People ask me how it sounded. All I know is that night, when I was so tired, and still dark outside, it was commanding enough to make me get out of bed and go. There is that three-second window when you can roll back over and go to sleep. I think, had I done that, none of this would be here now. I got up and went downstairs. I remember I got a piece of paper, a pen, made coffee, because it was still dark outside. I was sitting there like what am I doing, sitting here… The words just started coming and coming and coming and coming. And those were the words, to that little book, Sharing Jesus with Children Around the World. I couldn’t write fast enough. I just started writing all the words down. Not one word has been changed in that book. When I finished I had a manuscript of that book.”

God has been the driving force behind the outreach. Only weeks after sitting and writing the now global children’s ministry book, it spread beyond O’Quinn’s wildest imagination, a sign that this was truly her assignment. “Within one week’s time, the book was on every single continent,” O’Quinn said.

The book has been translated into over 100 languages. His Outreach Worldwide has expanded beyond the book and has now established ministries in several countries around the world. They focus on not only sharing God’s love but also supplying communities with clothing, food, and education. HOW has started establishing churches in its base countries, and they now have 4 in Honduras. The churches are run mainly by those who grew up in the ministry, continuing the work of the outreach for generations to come. Those interested in giving to HOW can do so by visiting their website http://www.hisoutreachworldwide.org/.

Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier de La Fayette, or as he’s better known throughout history, the Marquis de Lafayette, is a historical figure whose personal history and ideals are deeply connected to the history of Fayetteville.

Known to most as a hero of the American Revolutionary War, Lafayette was a French aristocrat who, at the ripe age of nineteen, traveled across the sea to offer his aid and services to the Continental Congress at the precipice of the birth of the United States of America.

Spurred to action by his core beliefs of human rights, civil liberties, and man’s equality under God, Lafayette would go on to play a crucial role in America’s victory in the Revolutionary War against Great Britain, from being wounded at the Battle of Brandywine, to aiding in the defeat of Charles Cornwallis at the siege of Yorktown.

This man, Lafayette, is the foundation of an organization actively working to mold our community in line with his ideals for the betterment of everyone. The Lafayette Society, founded in 1981, was conceptualized as a way to honor and uphold the values expounded by Lafayette.

Those ideals are generosity, patriotism, leadership, support of human rights for all and opposition to slavery and oppression. Though many cities and towns share his namesake, our humble city of Fayetteville is the only one he personally visited during his time in our country. This fact emboldens those who support and share in his beliefs to inspire and connect with other like-minded individuals in the pursuit of emulating the characteristics that marked Lafayette as a legend of the revolution.
Working within our shared community, the Lafayette Society endeavors to educate the community on its history deriving from the Marquis de Lafayette. Guest lectures, celebrations and helping in the organization of educational events and activities across the city are only a few of the things that the Lafayette Society does for our community.

“The Lafayette Society was founded over 40 years ago by Martha Duell. She recognized that the city of Lafayette was, in fact, named after the Marquis de Lafayette, she understood what the Marquis de Lafayette meant to America and its formation, his role, which was working with Washington during the revolution and his ideals for humanity. So, she formed the organization,” said Dr. Gwenesta Melton, current board president of the LaFayette Society.

Duell was widely regarded as a model citizen within our city who strove to uplift and unite our community for the sole reason of altruism. Truly, it appears as though the torch of humanity shared by Lafayette was passed down throughout the ages to inspire us once more. This sentiment, shared by Dr. Melton, is a core belief of the organization in its pursuits to laud the tenets of Lafayette’s vision of America’s future society.

“I became more interested the more I read about him [the Marquis de Lafayette]. He was a champion of freedom, he opposed slavery and oppression, and he was really adamant about human rights and women’s rights. That really resonated with me. Here’s a visionary that was ahead of his time. This was the epitome of diversity, inclusivity, giving everyone an opportunity, and doing it yourself. That’s what got me extremely interested in him. Even his leadership qualities as such a young person really resonated with me as well. That’s how I got involved,” said Melton.

The Lafayette Society has established itself as an organization of individuals with a shared belief in what our country was founded upon. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That all people were created equal and that these rights are unalienable.

These ideals, shared by the Marquis de Lafayette, have continued to inspire people to this day. Their goal to educate and inspire, not only those currently residing in our shared community but also the next generation, are a hallmark of Fayetteville’s rich history in diversity, opportunity and unity that truly promote the legacy of those who gave their all in the pursuit of these ideals.

They believe that through education and spreading awareness of our shared history and values that we may come together for the sake of each other. That we may uplift each other and support one another in our times of struggle and hardship. As it was in the past, Up & Coming Weekly loudly proclaims with many others, “Vive Lafayette!”

The LaFayette Society will be hosting their annual meeting and luncheon social on Sunday, March 3 at 12:30 p.m. at SkyView on Hay St. Attendees will hear a talk on the similarities between the military during LaFayette's time and now. For more information on The Lafayette Society, their upcoming events, next year’s bicentennial celebration, or to get involved yourself, please visit their website at https://www.lafayettesociety.org/. U&CW’s coverage of The Lafayette Society, their plans and events will continue as we get closer and closer to the 200th year celebration of Lafayette’s Farewell Tour on March 4th and 5th, 2025.

The former state auditor of North Carolina, Beth Wood, never lost an election. She clinched the Democratic primary for the elected office in 2008, defeated a Republican incumbent that fall, and then won reelection in 2012, 2016, and 2020.

Wood never lost an election — but she did lose her job, thanks to a series of disastrous decisions that began with a hit-and-run incident in December 2022 and ended with her resignation from the post a year later. Jessica Holmes, an attorney who formerly chaired the Wake County Board of Commissioners, was appointed by Gov. Roy Cooper to replace Wood, and will stand for election this fall.

Six Republicans are vying for the chance to displace Holmes from the office of state auditor, one of the 10 elected executives who form North Carolina’s Council of State. The state auditor conducts financial and performance audits of state and local agencies and departments. Although not necessarily a high-profile office, it’s one of the most important in state government — and is best held by an independent-minded leader, not a partisan loyalist or glad-hander eager for higher office.

Charles Dingee is a small-business owner and activist who previously chaired the Wake County Young Republicans and the 13th District GOP. He says his commitment to fiscal responsibility, openness, and public service make him the strongest candidate for state auditor. Dingee pledges to “work tirelessly to ensure that government agencies are transparent in their operations, and that all financial transactions are open to public scrutiny.”

A former member of the Greensboro City Council, Jim Kee has worked as a farmer, real-estate developer, sales manager, and nonprofit director.

“Community service has always been a passion for me,” Kee says. “With two terms of city council experience, I understand what it takes to find solutions, how important it is to work together and navigate the complicated governmental agencies to help get things done.”

Another candidate in the race is Anthony Wayne Street, who goes by Tony. A Wilmington native, Street ran for the same office four years ago, winning the GOP nomination despite media coverage of a series of criminal charges against Street, including stalking. He lost the 2020 general election to Wood by about 94,000 votes.

Jeff Tarte is a former IBM sales executive and management consultant with extensive experience in data analytics and forensic investigative work. A former mayor of Cornelius, Tarte served three terms in the North Carolina Senate and has served on numerous boards and commissions.

“We all recognize there is an endless supply of waste in state government,” Tarte says. “Under my leadership, utilizing pragmatic data forensic approaches in conjunction with advanced technologies, I will help mitigate the problems of waste, fraud, and abuse in our state agencies.”

A fifth candidate for the nomination is Dave Boliek. A former prosecutor and longtime attorney in Fayetteville, Boliek serves on the UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Trustees and previously chaired that board as well as the board of the Southeast Regional Area Health Education Center. In a recent interview with the Raleigh News & Observer, Boliek said there were “too many administrators in our public schools, universities and state agencies” and argued there were “many places where services and management are redundant and can be consolidated.”

The final Republican candidate is Jack Clark, a certified public accountant and budget staffer at the North Carolina General Assembly. He formerly held auditing positions at the private companies Grant Thornton and Parexel. “I will set a tone that our department wants to ensure taxpayer money is being used effectively and efficiently,” Clark told the News & Observer. “Candidates with too many personal ties, or too strong a personal agenda, won’t be best suited to find these unfair transactions.”

Dingee, Kee, Tarte, Boliek, and Clark maintain campaign websites where you can read more about their backgrounds, endorsements, and positions on issues pertinent to the office of state auditor. Early voting for North Carolina’s March primaries begins on February 15.

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).

The Lenten season marks a period of 40 days when faithful Christians prepare for the glory of Easter Sunday. Easter commemorates the miracle of Jesus Christ's resurrection, which is foundational for the Christian faith.

Lent is a season when Christians reflect and prepare to celebrate Easter. Lent is a period of spiritual purification that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Thursday. Fasting, giving alms and prayer are some of the hallmarks of Lent.

Many Lenten traditions are well known, but others are not. Here is a glimpse at some of those traditions.

The first "Lent"

Lent is based on the 40 days that Jesus spent in the desert in preparation for his public life. Matthew 4:1-11 shares that Christ was led into the desert by the Holy Spirit for a period of fasting and prayer, where He constantly encountered the devil and his temptations. Lent also mirrors the period of time (40 days) that the Israelites spent on their journey from slavery in Egypt to the promised land of Israel.

Black fasts

While certain Lenten restrictions have lightened up a bit in recent years, it once was the norm to consume a single meal per day of bread, water and herbs after sunset on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, which was known as a black fast. During the other days of Lent, no food was allowed until 3 p.m., which Christians believe was the hour of Our Lord's death.

Pinatas for Lent?

The Lenten tradition of hitting a papier-mache creation filled with candy originated in Italy. Eventually the idea was picked up by the Spanish and brought to Mexico, where the familiar pinatas now known to partygoers across the globe appeared. Professor Michael Foley, author of "Dining with the Saints," says the original pinata had seven cones to represent the seven deadly sins.

Hitting the cones and defeating the sins revealed the heavenly reward in the form of candy.

Prayerful pretzels

In the early Middle Ages, when other foods were not allowed during Lent, pretzels became popular. The twisted shape of the pretzels was associated with arms entwined in prayer.

Hot cross buns

Hot cross buns are synonymous with Easter. Although they may predate Christianity and might have been a tradition adopted to make Christianity more relatable to the masses, one legend suggests they originated with a twelfth century Anglican monk.

This monk reportedly baked the buns and marked them with crosses in honor of Good Friday. These yeasted sweet rolls have since become a popular treat on Easter weekend.

Lent precedes Easter each year and is full of time-honored traditions.

“Empowering women in small business and entrepreneurship can positively impact communities. Women entrepreneurs can create jobs, drive innovation, and contribute to economic growth. They can also help address societal challenges and promote social change through business” according to Linkin.com.

The North Carolina Center for Economic Empowerment began as a Women’s Center in 1990. Sylvia Gooding Ray’s original vision of a Women’s Center evolved into NCCEED. This organization was established as a non-profit on the premise of referral services to women, low-income, and socially and economically disadvantaged members of society. Sylvia Gooding Ray served as director for thirty years.
Sylvia Ray Gooding served as board member of the North Carolina Council for Women. She also was Board Trustee for Fayetteville State University. She was the recipient of the Fayetteville National Organization of Women, 21st Annual Celebration of Women of Distinction during the Susan B. Anthony Birthday celebration in 2020, according to Michael Futch.

Gooding was an early organizer of the Equal Rights Amendment legislation during the 1970s and 1980s. She served in the capacity of Staff Member of ERA Countdown Campaign in North Carolina from 1981 to 1982. One of her skill sets was fundraising. She collected over one million dollars in financial support to address homelessness in Fayetteville and Cumberland County.

“She was a woman of courage and strength who worked to bring solutions to women experiencing hardship. She believed in God; she believed in second chances. She believed all people given the right support can achieve anything. We will continue to honor her legacy,” according to the NCCEED website.

The Women’s Business Center evolved into the Center for Economic Empowerment and Development in 1999, as “a regional multi-service resource and advocacy center that promotes growth, economic empowerment, productiveness, and well-being of women and men through counseling, education, information, and programs,” according to NCCEED website.

The current Executive Director is Suzy Hrabovsky.

Her current accomplishments as the current Executive Director include receiving grant funds for persons facing evictions and the Small Business Administration PRIME program provided in North Carolina. The Fayetteville Women’s Business Center is the sole Women’s Business Center in the United States to receive one million dollars for SBA assistance for small business loans.

NCCEED gives the community the tools for success. The tools for success are Self-Sufficiency and Housing, SBA Women’s Business Center, Credit Counseling, Financial Literacy, One-to-One Consulting, Small Business Loans, CEED Micro loans, Training, Pop-up restaurants, Commercial kitchen space, Food Truck Commissary spaces and retail spots.

The services and training will embed within the individual “strong leadership skills, integrity, risk-taking, serial innovators, confident but not egotistical, recognition of strengths and growth areas, competition, and understanding the value of peer networks,” according to Minority Business Development.
NCCEED gives individuals the tools to invest in their business concept. Start-up and seed money for a business dream can be a challenge.

More information is available at NCCEED- Center for Economic Empowerment & Development, 230 Hay Street, Fayetteville, or by phone at 910 323-3377, or at https://www.ncceed.org.

Time to spill the beans. There's no point beating around the bush about it. Fasten your seat belts because Up & Coming Weekly is about to give you the best bang for your buck. Defined as "an expression in the usage of a language that is peculiar to itself either in having a meaning that cannot be derived from the conjoined meanings of its elements," by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, idioms, or turns of phrases as some might know them, exist around the world in varying ways to express the everyday shared experiences between people.

One such expression is "It's all Greek to me." As it would appear, most languages and cultures across the globe have a phrase or way of saying they don't understand something or that a particular concept is entirely foreign. If you were Russian, you might instead say, "Eto dlya menya kitayskaya gramota," which roughly translates to "This is Chinese writing to me." Meanwhile, those in China might instead say something akin to, "This is ghost writing to me," indicating that the person has no hope of understanding whatever is being discussed. Coming around to Europe, a German might say, "Das kommt mir spanisch vor," meaning, "That sounds Spanish to me."

It goes to show that even in something trivial, like expressing our lack of understanding, we inadvertently come closer to one another through that shared and common experience. But what other idioms exist in different languages that we might also understand? Here are some interesting and fun variations of common sayings that you can use to express those vague feelings that arise in everyday interactions.

"A chattering bird builds no nest."
A popular idiom and proverb used by Cameroonians and Ugandans, the phrase expresses the futility of words before actions. We might use the common saying, "Talk is cheap." Both go to express the fact that talking about something is less important than actually doing the work.

"I think my pig whistles."
This phrase in German is a way to express one's surprise or indignation at something thought extremely unlikely or seen as impossible. Our variation on this phrase would be, "When pigs fly," which similarly expresses one's belief that something is near impossible.

"Gold coins to a cat"
A Japanese phrase meaning to give something useful to an unappreciative audience. However, we might know it instead as, "To cast pearls before swine," which indicates that a certain action or expression to a specific group of peoples is futile or meaningless because the audience either does not, or cannot, appreciate what is being shown to them.

"To not have hairs on one's tongue."
In Spanish, this is one way to say that someone speaks bluntly or is direct with their approach and words. Our culture might instead say someone "is a straight shooter" or "they don't know how to bite their tongue."

Whether it be a turn of phrase, a common saying, or just a unique expression of a common occurrence, idioms exist across all cultures, languages, and societies to add a sense of comedy, brevity, and sometimes simplicity to express the understanding of complex or common experiences. Though we might express things in different ways, U&CW agrees that we all seem to be cut from the same cloth.

A Yellow Beanie Project is excited to share the news of their upcoming production of The Vagina Monologues by V, previously known as Eve Ensler. The staged reading of V's play will be directed by Claudia Warga-Dean The performance will take place on two nights at two different locations and are free to the public:

— Friday, March 8 at 6 p.m. at Dirty Whiskey Craft Cocktail Bar at Dirtbag Ales in Hope Mills

— Saturday, March 9 at 7:30 p.m. at The Arts Center of Fayetteville/Cumberland County in Downtown Fayetteville

A Yellow Beanie Project started in 2020 during lockdown due to CoVID by Michael Curtis Houck. With a lack of live theater and events, A Yellow Beanie Project, like many creatives, turned to producing digital work.

“I started producing digital work with free release on YouTube and social media, offering a stipend, however small and whatever I could afford, to local artists. This was mostly experimental spoken word and monologues. During our first year, we also staffed and produced two short films,” Houck explained.

After positive feedback from the artists he had worked with, Houck believed there was a future for his organization and in 2022 he obtained a 501(c)(3) status and has been operating as an arts-focused non-profit for two years, mostly focused on life events.

Even though A Yellow Beanie Project’s next event is a live theater play, Houck feels that his organization is more than just a theater company.

“We also don’t want to be pigeonholed as a theater company; we’re multidisciplinary. Our board is made up of millennial-aged professionals with experience in theater, music, dance, filmmaking and literary forms. To date, we’ve produced and released (live or digital) 9 projects. Only three have been theater projects (Party at Jay’s, Rocky Horror Show, and Frankenstein). The Vagina Monologues will be our 10th project, and our 4th theater project,” said Houck.

The Vagina Monologues is a compilation of personal narratives that explore various aspects of the female experience. Originally written in 1996, this play garnered significant acclaim for its profound impact.
The relevance and importance remain intact as new monologues are included to illuminate the global challenges women encounter. For instance, in 2003, the monologue titled "Under the Burqa" depicted the life of an Afghan woman living under Taliban rule. In 2004, "They Beat the Girl Out of My Boy...Or So They Tried" recounted Ensler's encounters with women whose gender identity differed from their assigned sex at birth. The year 2004 also marked the first-ever all-transgender performance of the play.

A Yellow Beanie Project took on The Vagina Monologues as their next project after several actors had inquired if there were any theaters planning to do it in the region for the spring because they were looking to audition. After some research and concluding that no one in the area was making plans for the play, it was suggested to the board that it be the next production.

“While it has been our model to have me, our creative producer, lead most of the artistic projects during our start up, I turned this one over to someone who can lead the project with a viewpoint in line with the content. One of our board members, Claudia Warga-Dean is taking the reins here,” said Houck.

This is not the first time Warga-Dean has collaborated with A Yellow Beanie Project. Back in 2022 she and Houck co-directed Party at Jay’s, an immersive experience based on The Great Gatsby. Warga-Dean has also co-directed and directed a number of plays at FTCC, Gilbert Theatre, and at Gray’s Creek High School where she taught theatre arts for 9 years.

Both Houck and Warga-Dean believe that The Vagina Monologues are still relevant to perform today and has kept up with the cultural changes affect woman as well as keeping a spotlight on the sexual harassment and violence women, unfortunately, continue to encounter.

“The script has had revisions over the years as, especially as it has been attached to the V-Day movement, a global initiative to end violence against women. In 2024, The Vagina Monologues continues to provide a platform for amplifying diverse voices, challenging ongoing societal stigmas surrounding sexuality and gender, and advocating for inclusivity and empowerment for all individuals. We are thrilled to have a cast diverse in age, race and gender expression. To add to the 2024 relevance, we’ve brought on two guest speakers who will speak before the show, Adirenne Trego and Dominique Jeanette Womack, two brilliant local figures,” Houck explained.
Warga-Dean holds the same conviction.

“It isn’t fiction. It is a show developed by drawing on interviews that the playwright conducted with over 200 women. With all the reports of sexual harassment and sexual violence becoming known, it is evident that this play speaks truth. Actors will line up to audition and the audience will come out to see it. It is performed annually to bring attention to V-Day, a global movement to end violence against women and girls. This play has been performed all over the world and it will continue to be performed. It is timeless because the truth of what it says has impacted so many,” said Warga-Dean.

To conclude, we asked Warga-Dean about the visual representation of femininity in the year 2024.

“That’s a tough, complex question. It is hard to pin down and define. I will say, I learned so much from my students when I was teaching. Just how outspoken they are and how unwilling they are to fall prey to social conventions, especially social conventions surrounding gender. I think, in 2024 we are realizing that gender is a personal journey, and it is not so black and white. It is not neatly packaged. Maybe that’s it. It’s unique to the person,” explained Warga-Dean.

She also believes that the A Yellow Beanie Project’s production of The Vagina Monologues will reflect the changing definition of what it means to be a woman or female in today’s world.

“Absolutely! That’s what we should strive to do as theater artists. Everyone’s stories should be told.

Luckily, I am working with the wonderful Michael Houck, and he is such an advocate for inclusion, and we have a theater community who is a part of that belief as well,” said Warga-Dean.

To get tickets to The Vagina Monologues visit A Yellow Beanie Project website at: https://www.ayellowbeanieproject.com/. To learn more about V-Day visit: https://www.vday.org/.

It’s that time of year again. With the voting cycle underway, the timeline for preparing to vote is getting shorter and shorter. Specifically with the primaries, who you want, or can, vote for can be confusing.
Candidates are dropping out of the race one after the other. However, a couple have remained stalwart in their endeavors to be elected as President of the United States. Here’s how you can make sure you’re ready and able to vote in this year’s upcoming primary election.

Make sure you’re registered to vote.
The most important part of voting is making sure one is registered to vote. Anyone can register to vote online, in person at the DMV or via mail so long as they do not have any court orders preventing them from doing so. Same day registration is available for early, in-person voting for this primary election in North Carolina. Registration for the 2024 general election on Nov. 5, 2024, must be completed by Oct. 11, 2024.

Make sure you vote on time.
The second most important part of the voting process is ensuring your ballot is cast on time and within the deadlines laid out by the local board of elections overseeing the voting procedures and ballot counting.
To this end, here are the current state dates and deadlines for votes to be cast in the upcoming North Carolina primaries. If you or someone you know is active-duty military, these dates and deadlines may change depending on their current duty station or assignment. Please have them reach out to their company’s executive officer for more information.

• Feb. 15, 2024: In-person early voting began; same-day registration is available.

• Feb. 27, 2024: Absentee ballot request deadline (5 p.m.).

• March 2, 2024: In-person early voting ends (3 p.m.).

• March 5, 2024: Primary Election Day.

• March 5, 2024: Absentee ballot return deadline (7:30 p.m.).

Make sure you know where to vote.
Knowing the locations where one can vote may make things a challenge for new or interested voters who may not already be familiar with the process. Be sure to bring a valid ID. For a list of acceptable state IDs, visit https://www.ncsbe.gov/voting/voter-id.

For early voting, these are the sites that will be open from February 15th to March 2nd:

• Cliffdale Recreation Center
6404 Cliffdale Road, Fayetteville, NC 28314

• College Lakes Recreation Center
4945 Rosehill Road, Fayetteville, NC 28311

• East Regional Library
4809 Clinton Road, Fayetteville, NC 28312

• Gray’s Creek Recreation Center
2964 School Road, Hope Mills, NC 28348

• Kiwanis Recreation Center
352 Deavers Street, Fayetteville, NC 28303

• Smith Recreation Center
1520 Slater Avenue, Fayetteville, NC 28301

• Spring Lake Multipurpose Community Center
245 Ruth Street, Spring Lake, NC 28390

• Stoney Point Recreation Center
7411 Rockfish Road, Fayetteville, NC 28306

For complications with disabilities, health, or age, there are voting procedures in place to allow curbside or assisted voting for those interested and unable to safely engage with the in-person voting process.
For this information and more, please visit the North Carolina State Board of Elections website at https://www.ncsbe.gov/. Up & Coming Weekly encourages everyone able to participate to vote and have their voices heard. Happy voting, and we hope to see you at the polls!

Within the intricate web of healthcare, there exists a group of unsung heroes—Medical Laboratory Technicians. These skilled professionals work diligently behind the scenes, conducting analyses on patient samples to provide accurate and reliable information that physicians use to make informed decisions about patient care.

At the heart of medical diagnostics lie the meticulous efforts of MLTs. These technicians are responsible for collecting, processing, and analyzing patient samples with precision. The accuracy and reliability of laboratory results are fundamental to the diagnostic process, making MLTs indispensable contributors to the healthcare system.

One of the hallmarks of MLTs is their commitment to precision and quality control. These professionals adhere to rigorous standards to ensure the accuracy and reliability of laboratory tests. Regular calibration and maintenance of laboratory equipment are routine tasks, and MLTs are adept at troubleshooting issues to guarantee precise test outcomes. Quality control measures implemented by MLTs contribute to the overall reliability of diagnostic results, instilling confidence in the healthcare professionals who rely on this information.

While MLTs work predominantly in laboratory settings, their impact extends beyond the confines of the lab. These professionals collaborate closely with physicians and other healthcare providers to understand the specific testing requirements for individual patients. Effective communication is key as MLTs provide insights into laboratory results, aiding in the interpretation of findings and contributing valuable information to the overall decision-making process for patient care.

Fayetteville Technical Community College’s Medical Laboratory Technology program equips students with the skills and knowledge essential for a fulfilling career in medical laboratory science. Students engage in educational experiences that combine theoretical knowledge with hands-on practical training where they apply their learning in real-world settings, working alongside experienced professionals in clinical laboratories.

The MLT program is proud to introduce a specialized certificate in clinical diagnostic testing designed for high school seniors. This program provides an opportunity for young and aspiring individuals to kickstart their journey into the dynamic field of medical laboratory science. The program offers the unique advantage of enabling students to work in the lab while pursuing their associate degree in MLT after high school graduation.

While the MLT program prepares students for immediate entry into the workforce, it also creates pathways for further education. Graduates may pursue advanced degrees or certifications, enabling them to specialize in specific areas of medical laboratory science. This flexibility allows individuals to continue their professional development and opens doors to leadership roles within the healthcare sector.
Are you ready to learn more?

Please contact us today. We are eager to help you start your next chapter through a career in the medical laboratory field.

For more information, please contact FTCC’s Allied Health Advising Center at 910-486-3928 or by email at FTCCAHAC@faytechcc.edu

Get ready to be transported to Spain at the Fayetteville Symphony's fundraiser "A Night in Spain" on Thursday, Feb. 22 at Studio 215. Attendees will be treated to an exclusive performance by Concertmaster Fabián López, and his accompanist Inara Zandmane.

Violinist Fabián López possesses an exceptionally impressive background. He has extensively traveled throughout various regions including the United States, Europe, China and South America, establishing himself as a renowned soloist, chamber musician and instructor.

In his capacity as a soloist, he has showcased his talent alongside orchestras in the United States, Spain and France, such as Real Orquesta Sinfónica de Sevilla, Hebert Springs Festival Orchestra and Orquesta Filarmonica de Málaga. Moreover, he has held the position of concertmaster for the Greensboro and Asheville Symphonies in North Carolina.

Inara Zandmane has performed regularly with López. She is renowned as one of North Carolina's top collaborative pianists. She has shared the stage with notable artists including Dmitry Sitkovetsky, Augustin Hadelich, Ray Chen, Sergei Antonov, Yura Lee, Martin Storey, Paul Coletti, Ian Clarke and Branford Marsalis.

In addition to her regular performances with the Blue Mountain Ensemble, she also frequently collaborates with saxophonist Susan Fancher in duos.

The incredible pair will showcase their talent against the backdrop of Studio 215. Situated in downtown Fayetteville, Studio 215 is a delightful venue featuring exposed brick walls, high ceilings with arch beams, indoor balconies, and a captivating spiral staircase.

With its modern industrial charm, the space provides an intimate setting for this special occasion, and ample parking is available.

Attendees will be further transported to Spain with a fantastic array of delicious food from The Downtown Market of Fayetteville and exquisite wines from Leclair's General Store. The culinary offerings will include a generous charcuterie table accompanied by flavorful Spanish-inspired dishes such as garlicky shrimp, patatas bravas, croquettes, and chorizo balls.

The wine selection will feature a diverse range of albariño, tempranillo and cava sourced from vineyards in Spain.

The doors will be open at 6 p.m., allowing guests to enjoy drinks, small bites, and socializing. The performance is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m.

General Admission tickets are priced at $75, while a VIP Table for two with preferred seating is available for $250. To purchase tickets, please visit the website fayettevillesymphony.org. All proceeds from ticket sales will go towards supporting the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra.

Military families with loved ones who have special needs face a variety of unique challenges, especially considering they also have to relocate regularly. On top of their particular circumstances and frequent uprooting, many don’t know where to find necessary resources and often have no idea where to start looking.

When they find the services their loved one requires, there are often long waitlists and seemingly insurmountable checklists to fulfill before acquiring those services. It doesn’t take long for all those challenges to add up and lead to feelings of frustration and isolation from the rest of the community.

The Army Community Service Exceptional Family Member Family Support program links active-duty military Families with loved ones with special needs to medical, educational, and recreational resources available within the community to help alleviate those challenges and foster a connected community.
EFMP Family Support collaborates with agencies throughout the local community to address these barriers to bring accessible resources and educational/recreational activities directly to Families.

The ACS EFMP Family Support office is collaborating with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, NC Assistive Technology Program to host an Adaptive Recreation and Gaming Resource Fair from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., April 12 at the Smith Lake Recreation Center.

The event offers opportunities for families with disabilities to connect with others and get hands-on experience with the latest technology in adaptive recreational activities and gaming. The Resource Fair is open to individuals of all ages and disabilities, as agencies around the community will have adaptive activities for every family to try.

Attendees will experience activities and displays, from video games and dancing to fitness activities such as hand cycling and martial arts, to fishing/hunting, therapeutic animals, and much more.

“Our families deserve every opportunity to get and stay connected within the community,” says Amy Melendez, Exceptional Family Member Program Manager. “Supportive adaptive environments like this promote community integration and help reduce the ongoing challenge of social isolation among individuals with disabilities.”

In addition to the Resource Fair, Fort Liberty’s EFMP Family Support program provides other outlets for Families with special needs through numerous educational, awareness and adaptive recreational activities specially adapted to their needs.

These services offer unique opportunities for family members to build social connections, experience inclusivity, improve mobility and fitness, increase self-confidence and reliance, enhance cognitive skills, and bond through shared disabilities and experiences. These experiences ultimately enhance the entire family’s well-being, standard of living and quality of life.

Opportunities range from classes to recurring events such as support groups and sensory-friendly story time at the library.

For more details on events or to register for the Resource Fair, visit FortLibertyACSEFMP.TimeTap.com or call EFMP Family Support at 910-643-9642.

The wide-ranging impact and reach of mental health issues garnered considerable attention during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the virus as well as mandates designed to reduce its spread led to increased feelings of anxiety and isolation. Since then, life has returned to normal for billions of people across the globe, but many people, including seniors, continue to experience mental health issues.

The Pan American Health Organization reports that at least one in four older adults experiences a mental disorder such as depression, anxiety or dementia. And those figures will likely only grow, as population estimates indicate seniors will make up a greater percentage of the global population in the years to come. Seniors dealing with mental health issues may feel helpless, but there is much they can do to safeguard their mental health.

Socialize regularly.

A 2019 study published in The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences found that older adults who socialized with people beyond their circle of family and close friends were more likely to have greater positive moods and fewer negative feelings. Unfortunately, a significant percentage of older adults report feeling isolated from others. According to the University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging that was conducted in January 2023, one in three older adults reported infrequent contact (once a week or less) with people from outside their home.

Speak with a mental health professional.

Among the more troubling aspects of the mental health crisis affecting seniors is that the PAHO reports two-thirds of older adults with mental health problems do not get the treatment they need. Speaking with a mental health professional can help older adults in myriad ways. Such professionals can identify the issue that is prompting seniors to seek help and offer suggestions that can improve overall health and quality of life. Roundstone Insurance notes that reliance on digital behavioral health tools, including telehealth, was turned to both during the pandemic and ever since, and seniors can utilize such services if they have limited mobility and/or no one to help them make it to in-person appointments.

Volunteer.

Many older adults are retired, and while ample free time may have seemed like the ultimate reward after a lifetime of working, many retirees experience a void once their life no longer has the structure that work can provide. According to the independent nonprofit HelpGuide.org, retirement depression can compel retirees to feel as though they miss the sense of identity, meaning and purpose that came with their jobs, which can make some feel depressed, aimless and isolated. Volunteering can help fill the void created by retirement, and the positive mental health effects of volunteering are well-documented. According to the Mayo Clinic, studies have shown volunteering increases positive, relaxed feelings and gives volunteers a sense of meaning and appreciation.

No one is immune to mental health issues, including seniors. But older adults can take various steps to address their mental health and improve their overall health as a result

Ain’t love grand? Just in time for Valentine’s Day, here’s another story of the course of true love which never runs smoothly. This story will probably not appear on the Hallmark Channel.

However, as another fine leisure service of Up & Coming, enjoy Grimm’s Fairy Tale of the Goose Girl. Spoiler Alert: If you don’t know this story, go read the book. Trigger Warning for Snow Flakes: Contents of this story involve identity theft, an ungrateful servant, a talking horse, violence involving said horse, a flock of geese, a mean kid named Conrad, and a barrel of not fun.

 

 

You have been warned.

Once upon a time, there was a widowed Queen* (*not a Drag Queen) and her lovely Princess daughter. The Princess grew up to be a great beauty. On her 15th birthday, it was time to marry her off to a Prince as life spans were much shorter then.

The Prince lived far away in the Great Woods. The Queen prepped the Princess for her journey with a maidservant and a talking horse, Falada. As a good luck charm for the Princess, the Queen pricked her finger to let three drops of blood drip onto a handkerchief. Being a dutiful daughter, the Princess tucked the handkerchief into her dress for the road to romance.

It was a hot day. The Princess became very thirsty after a long ride. She asked her servant to fetch her some water in the golden goblet the Servant was carrying. In the first sign of trouble, the Servant refused to get water for the Princess, telling her to get it herself.

The Princess, being a Princess, had never had to get her own water. She was shocked but somehow managed to get her own water from the spring. The Princess thought “Dear Lord!’ The 3 drops of blood replied: “If your Mother knew this, it would break her heart.” Gentle reader, you didn’t know that blood drops could speak, did you? Now you do.

They rode on a few more miles. Princess got thirsty again. Servant refused to fetch water. This time the handkerchief fell out of Princess’ dress into a stream and floated away. Uh oh. When Princess tried to get back on her horse, Falada, Servant said “Wait a minute, Missy! That horse is mine. We are going to switch clothes and I will be the Princess and you will be the servant. If you don’t agree I will kill you here.”

The Servant made Princess swear a mighty oath she would never reveal what had happened.

When they got to the castle, the Servant was received as the Princess. This switcheroo predated the movie “Trading Places” where Eddie Murphy switched with Dan Aykroyd.

To keep Falada from spilling the beans about the switch, the Servant got the Prince to cut off Falada’s head. The real Princess arranged to have Falada’s severed head nailed to a gateway she would pass each day. The Fake Princess suggested to the Prince that the real Princess be assigned to work driving geese each morning as a Goose Girl. This was a lousy job as her Goose boss was a male chauvinist pig named Conrad.

Conrad had a hair fetish. He tried to pull out strands of the Goose Girl’s golden hair. The Goose Girl said some magic words and each day the wind would blow away Conrad’s hat. Conrad would spend the day chasing his hat instead of pulling her hair. Falada’s head commented each day on how the Princess’ mother’s heart would break if she knew of her plight.

Frustrated, Conrad squealed to the King about what Falada’s head said. The King hid by the wall to watch Falada speak. The King summoned the Goose Girl to the palace to explain. She told him she had sworn an oath not to tell anyone. The King told her to get into an unheated iron stove and tell her story to the stove. The King listened outside the stove, so technically she did not break her oath. The King believed her story and restored her to her rightful position.

They had a royal banquet to celebrate. The King asked the fake Princess a hypothetical question about what should be done to someone who had done all the bad things the Servant had done.

The Servant, being not too bright, said such a person should be stripped naked and put in a barrel studded with nails on the inside. Then the barrel should be tied behind two white horses and dragged until she was dead. This was what is now known as a “Gotcha question.”

The King ordered the Servant into a barrel and dragged through the streets until she expired. The real Princess and the Prince were married and lived happily ever after. No talking horses were injured during the telling of this story. Now you know why this story will never be on the Hallmark Channel.

Happy Valentine’s day.

February is Black History Month, and there will be no shortage of activities for the public to participate in to immerse themselves in the culture and history of African Americans. Our People: The Black Influence in Contemporary Culture exhibition is one event no one should miss.

The Arts Council of Fayetteville Our People exhibit will run from Jan. 26th to March 2nd. Admission is free to the public. The exhibit can be viewed during gallery hours, Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday noon to 6 p.m., and Sunday 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Community members, churches, schools, and everyone in between are welcome to come enjoy the masterpieces of current black artists. This year’s exhibit jurors are Brandon Dean Johnson, Bryane Broadie, Makayla Binter and Bob Pinson, Arts Council of Fayetteville’s CEO and President.

Our People: The Black Influence in Contemporary Culture is a colorful, beautiful and sincere visual homage to black culture from black artists, a Black History Month exhibition that focuses on the grace, accomplishments and subject of current black artists.

“Our People is really contemporary, modern, and I refer to a phrase, forward-looking exhibit, in the sense that we really wanted to give flowers and also just acknowledge the artists. The artists that are making art right now are going to have stuff in museums and the history forward. So instead of focusing on the things that have already happened, we want to acknowledge the present and the future. I would say that a lot of the art and just the type of art that’s in the exhibit and just the way that you can interact with the exhibit is really in that same modern style,” said Miles McKeller-Smith, Director of Public Relations at the Arts Council.

Our People is a highly anticipated exhibit that has taken time, blood, sweat, tears and a little clarification to create the wonderfully magical experience the public has to look forward to. It is, for the most part, thanks to the work and dedication of the curator.

McKeller-Smith said, “First and foremost I think it’s important to bring up the Curator, Collyn Strother. He is a Fayetteville native and also a Fayetteville State Alumni and he’s an artist that has chosen to really do what he does here, and build a community here. When he had the opportunity to curate this event you could tell he really just took the
torch and ran with it.”

The Opening Reception was one for the books on Jan. 26th. An opening reception befitting of its show, the community came out to support Our People and the wonderful artists that are being featured, including local artists Lauren Falls and Chayla Walker. After an artist-only private reception, the gallery officially opened its doors for the public to view the exhibit. DJ Fudgee kept the ambiance of the night going, while Hip-Hop Collective The Social Contract stopped through for a performance. A night of celebrating black art wouldn’t be complete without spoken word. Keith Sowell held it down phonetically.

A celebration to start a celebration, community members have the entire month to take in the art of Our People: The Black Influence in Contemporary Culture.

Professional photography is a thriving global business and Fayetteville doesn’t have a shortage of local premier photographers. Studio SM2 is adding to the talent and artistic eye of Fayetteville, located at 100 Hay Street Suite 704 in downtown.

Owner Jesus Sebastian Martinez, preferably referred to as Sebastian, is from Sincelejo, Colombia, and moved to the United States three years ago with his wife Lina, after studying business administration and graphic design. Unlike some photographers who have chosen to just shoot one style, Martinez is a photographer of many talents.

His photography skills range from professional headshots to high fashion; whatever the need, he has it covered. His enormous smile and keen eye for the “best side” of every client, make sessions with Martinez one-of-a-kind, comfortable experiences.

Photography isn’t the only service offered at Studio SM2. The studio offers videography and content creation services for individuals and businesses looking to take their social media presence to the next level, providing quality videos, creative direction and behind the scenes content. The studio is located within the Keep It Cute K Content Space, making it ideal for capturing photographs and video, in various beautifully decorated spaces.

”I accompany entrepreneurs in the creation of their businesses. I advise them and help them achieve what they want if they need a design, digital content, photographs, or ideas, because before delivering a final product, I am interested in people exploring and enjoying the process,” Martinez said.
Studio SM2 is a business born of pure artistic passion.

“I remember that when I was a kid, I liked photography, and more than taking photos of myself, I liked taking photos of other people. I remember that my mom had a roll black camera that was very old, then she changed it to a gray one, and I spent a lot of money taking photos of everything, of course she didn’t know…

"When I had my first digital camera, I found out the topic of videos and I started making videos and editing them, but I always did it for myself, to remember or to have memories and stories to tell. When I was 15, I had an advanced camera. The truth is that I took photos of everything that was interesting to me and that told me a story,” Martinez said.

“When I started studying Graphic Design, photography classes were my favorite and I began to find out more tools for photography,” Martinez said of his love for photography. When it comes to job experience, Martinez is well-equipped in his knowledge of creating content for clients and shooting stunning photos. While in Columbia, he racked up quite a resume working for companies like INSPIRA and even launched his educational project for children called +Inclusion. The United States was not in Martinez's original plan, but he has found a new mission and purpose here.

“I never imagined myself living in America and my English is not the best. But in my almost three years of living in this country, each experience has been enriching and rewarding. I have been able to connect with amazing people who have given me great learnings…I want to start creating learning spaces for the Latin community.

"I want to provide photography classes, content creation workshops, video editing workshops, social media workshops, and other creative workshops. I feel that there is a lot to contribute to the Latin community and I think this is the moment.” Martinez said.

Not a man to not give credit, Martinez is adamant that the secret to his success is his incredible wife Lina, a local ESL teacher. “She has been my model at 2 a.m. when I have wanted to take photos. Furthermore, she is my unconditional support, she is a beautiful woman, with surprising charisma and an adorable person. She is my right hand at Studio SM2 and we are always looking for new ideas.”

Lina is the driving force behind Sebastian, from helping him capture behind the scenes footage, to creative directing and translating. Studio SM2 is currently taking clients and Martinez has high hopes for the future of the studio.

“I want that Studio SM2 would be a famous space and brand in Fayetteville. I don’t want it to just be a space to take photographs, I want it to be known as a space to meet and connect with other people. I want people to feel comfortable, and safe and discover their best version in this space. I want Studio SM2 to be recognized as a unique experience, for our attention to small details to make a difference and to highlight that we want to show the best in each person,” Martinez said.

To book a session or view work, visit the studio website at https://studiosmtwo.my.canva.site/myportfoliostudiosm2.

This Valentine’s Day, feel your blood chill and your spine tingle in sync with the chug of a tractor motor. Experience true terror in the hay fields of Clinton this sensual season with the team behind Hollerin’ Haunts Hayrides at their My Bloody Valentine event held annually at their farm in rural North Carolina.

From the passionate performers, to the spooky sights and décor, Hollerin’ Haunts Hayrides hopes to bring attendees and spectators a fun and festive fright for all ages.

“We basically want to have the best hayride in the U.S. That’s our goal. That’s our ultimate goal. We’re not going to stop working and building until we get to that,” said Jerry Johnson, a team member behind Hollerin’ Haunts Hayrides.

The My Bloody Valentine horrifying hayride has been around since the beginning. Since it’s inception, the hayride has evolved to the point where it now has eighteen different scenes, sets, and scaled buildings meant to elevate the experience for thrill seekers.

Many secret spooks await at this year’s My Bloody Valentine as well. According to Johnson, the team has worked extremely hard to put together a brand-new scene that will be sure to have you walking, or running, like an Egyptian. For the sake of secrecy, that’s all we can say on the matter. If you would like to uncover the ancient horrors and witness the passion behind the pursuits to petrify, you’ll just have to see it for yourself. Unknown frights aside, Johnson also shared some of the other scenes included in the hayride and walkthrough.

“The hayride is definitely our main attraction. Our other event is our ‘Halfway to Halloween’. We also do an event where we allow vendors to come out. We do a ‘Zombie Prom’ and all kinds of different stuff like that. Basically, whenever the customers come, they get to mingle with the actors before it starts. Anytime there’s a Friday the 13th, we also do a walkthrough on the backside of the property. We have another whole path just for that,” Johnson said.

“You can come out for yourself and experience it. You’ll get a much better feel for it rather than writing or reading about it. For us, having the hayride is a huge advantage. Anybody can ride on the hayride.”

While its first performance has already passed, you can catch the next hayride on Saturday, Feb. 17. The event is planned to run between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. Johnson and the crew invite all those interested in horror culture, haunted houses, haunting events and hayrides to come out and join them for an evening filled with fear, fun, and adrenaline pumping encounters.

For more information on how to attend and where to buy tickets for this and future events at Hollerin’ Haunts Hayrides, please visit their website at https://www.hollerinhauntshayride.com/my-bloody-valentine/

With the temperatures dropping, staying warm and safe are challenging factors for unhoused individuals. When temperatures drop in winter weather, there comes an increased risk of hypothermia, frostbite and other cold weather injuries. To alleviate this, states, cities and counties have developed and established facilities known as warming centers in key locations within public property. These warming centers exist to assuage the hardships and risks to individuals' health from prolonged exposure to extremely cold temperatures. Paired with them are White Flag shelters; these exist as overnight facilities meant to protect people from having to sleep outside in sub-freezing temperatures.

While widely unknown, these unsung facilities have been thoughtfully developed to provide relief from increased cold weather injuries during the winter months.

"In general, warming centers are strategically located in public buildings located around the County, such as Library locations and recreation centers, with the goal of providing people who need them with options closer to where they are located,” said Lou Cherry, Communications and Outreach Coordinator for the Public Information Office, Cumberland County.

Being public facilities, warming centers are always open to the public at their corresponding locations within regular business hours. It is only when the weather drops low enough to warrant risk to the public are warming centers more actively advertised to those who might be unaware and in need within the communities they serve.

"Warming centers have no regulated standards and are operated within county and/or city facilities that meet building code standards as warming centers are not intended to shelter individuals overnight," Cherry stated.

"County facilities are maintained by the County, primarily through our Internal Services Department or departmental facilities staff. City facilities are maintained by the City," he said.

While uncommon, understanding and trusting the procedures set in place in times of emergency helps to facilitate the distribution of aid. Cherry stated that there was a department for handling such events.
"Facilities are instructed to alert Emergency Management if any overcrowding issues arise,” he said.

In most cases, emergency management departments are designed with the purpose of developing plans, contingencies and frameworks to alleviate the risks, hazards and vulnerabilities present in the regular operating procedures of the facilities they're overseeing. This includes plans for shortness of resources, equipment malfunctions and overcrowding to list a few.

Warming centers exist as a community staple to alleviate the suffering and health risks faced by people who are stuck outside during dangerously cold weather. While open to anyone who may be in need, these important facilities largely provide a safe and warm space for a local community's unhoused population during winter months. With locations in public facilities such as local libraries, parks and recreation centers and county department buildings, established warming centers give these people a moment of respite from the harsh and damaging temperature drops frequent during cold fronts. When paired with White Flag shelters providing unhoused people a safe and warm place to sleep during these cold weather crises, these two necessary public facility amenities help to reduce cases of life and limb-threatening cold weather injuries. These are just two examples of essential functions maintained by funding and oversight by local county governance.

If you or someone you know is at risk of being out in the cold this winter, please share with them these locations of Cumberland County's warming centers.

• Headquarters Library - 300 Maiden Lane, Fayetteville, NC 28301

• Bordeaux Community Library - 3711 Village Drive, Fayetteville, NC 28304

• Cliffdale Regional Library - 6882 Cliffdale Road , Fayetteville, NC 28314

• East Regional Library - 4809 Clinton Road, Fayetteville, NC 28312

• Hope Mills Community Library - 3411 Golfview Road Hope Mills, NC 28348

• North Regional Library - 855 McArthur Road, Fayetteville, NC 28311

• Spring Lake Community Library - 101 Laketree Boulevard, Spring Lake, NC 28390

• West Regional Library - 7469 Century Circle, Fayetteville, NC 28306

• Cumberland County Department of Social Services lobby - 1225 Ramsey St., Fayetteville, NC 28301

• Fayetteville Area System of Transit (FAST) Transit Center - 502-598 Franklin Street, Fayetteville, NC 28301

• Cumberland County Parks & Recreation - 121 Lamon Street, Fayetteville, NC 28301

• Cumberland County Public Health Department - 1235 Ramsey St., Fayetteville, NC 28301

• Cliffdale Recreation Center - 6404 Cliffdale Rd., Fayetteville, NC 28314

• College Lakes Recreation Center - 4945 Rosehill Rd., Fayetteville, NC 28311

• Eastover Recreation Center - 3637 Pembroke Ln., Fayetteville, NC 28312

• E. E. Miller Recreation Center - 1347 Rim Rd., Fayetteville, NC 28314

• G. B. Myers Recreation Center - 1018 Rochester Dr., Fayetteville, NC 28305

• John Dover "J.D." Pone Sr. Recreation Center at Gray's Creek - 2964 School Rd., Hope Mills, NC 28348

• J.S. Spivey Recreation Center - 500 Fisher St., Fayetteville, NC 28301

• Kiwanis Recreation Center and Honeycutt Park - 352 Devers St., Fayetteville, NC 28303

• Cumberland County Lake Rim Recreation Center - 1455 Hoke Loop Rd., Fayetteville, NC 28314

• Massey Hill Recreation Center & Park - 1612 Camden Rd., Fayetteville, NC 28306

• Pine Forest Recreation Center - 6901 Ramsey St., Fayetteville, NC 28311

• Smith Recreation Center - 1520 Slater Ave., Fayetteville, NC 28301

• Stedman Recreation Center - 175 Circle Dr., Stedman, NC 28391

• Spring Lake Recreation Center - 245 Ruth Street, Fayetteville, NC 28305

• Spring Lake Senior Center - 301 Ruth Street, Fayetteville, NC 28305

• Stoney Point Recreation Center - 7411 Rockfish Rd., Fayetteville, NC 28306

• Westover Recreation Center - 267 Bonanza Dr., Fayetteville, NC 28303

•Dorothy Gilmore Therapeutic Recreation Center (Gilmore Therapeutic Center) - 1600 Purdue Dr., Fayetteville, NC 28304

• Bill Crisp Senior Center - 7560 Raeford Rd., Fayetteville, NC 28304

• Fayetteville Senior Center - 739 Blue St., Fayetteville, NC 28301

•Tokay Senior Fitness Center - 328 Hamilton St., Fayetteville, NC 28301

While the holiday season was a special time for celebration and cheer, the New Year is one for reflecting on the past and looking to the future. There have been many challenges over the first year of the 118th Congress.

Still, one thing has never faltered: my unwavering commitment to serving you and our community. With the 2024 legislative session in full swing, I look forward to continuing to advance the best interests of our entire region, the military families who call our community home, and our nation.

Tackling critical issues head-on and finding common sense solutions has always been my focus as your Congressman. In a race to beat the deadline, Congress passed a short-term deal to keep the government funded and prevent a shutdown.

While it is not a perfect deal, it ensures that our troops and their families have the resources they need. It also allows House Republicans to continue advancing our agenda and fighting for conservative policies - like proven measures to secure our border.

Due to the disastrous immigration policies of the Biden Administration and the Democrats, we have seen the worst crisis at our Southern border in history. In December alone, more than 300,000 illegal migrants were encountered at the border.

This is three times the population of Moore County. This crisis is not just impacting border communities, this is impacting every community.

Record numbers of illegal immigrants are crossing into our country every day, overwhelming cities nationwide, draining resources and costing taxpayers billions.

To make matters worse, liberal states, like California, have gamed the system to provide Medicaid benefits to illegal immigrants at the expense of hardworking taxpayers. Not only is this against the law, but it further incentivizes more illegal crossings at our border and puts citizens who truly depend on the program on the back burner.

That is unacceptable, which is why I recently introduced the Protect Medicaid Act. This common-sense bill will help protect your tax dollars from being used to subsidize illegal immigrants’ health care costs and ensure the most vulnerable among us can get the care they need.

The absence of a secure border has posed a serious threat to the safety and security of communities nationwide.

We have seen a significant influx of deadly drugs, especially fentanyl, being smuggled into our interior and robbing countless innocent lives.

Just this month, a man in Cumberland County was busted trafficking more than 1,600 rainbow fentanyl pills, which usually are targeted to children.

While President Joe Biden continues to ignore the devastating consequences of his failed open-border policies on our nation, the Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing recently to address just how bad the crisis has gotten.

One thing was clear from the testimony: the urgent need to close our border. House Republicans passed H.R. 2, the strongest border security legislation to help solve this crisis. Yet, Senate Democrats refuse to take up this important bill.

Their inaction — combined with Biden’s open-border policies - are continuing to worsen this crisis. But we will not stop fighting for solutions.

As a dad and your Congressman, I am also committed to defending the right to life — endowed by God and enshrined in our Declaration of Independence.

As a Christian, I firmly believe that life begins at conception and that family is the foundation of American life.

Before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, more than 60 million unborn children had lost their lives to abortion over the past 50 years. Since the Court’s ruling, countless innocent babies have been saved.

However, the annual March for Life in our nation’s capital recently served as a reminder that the fight to protect the sanctity of life is not over.

In Congress, I have advocated for all methods of protecting life and mothers, encouraging adoption, boosting resources like pregnancy centers, or fighting to stop the administration from imposing unconstitutional mandates on small businesses that go against their beliefs. Rest assured, I will never stop being a strong voice for the voiceless.

A new year brings new opportunities to get our nation back on track and secure a brighter future for every American.

By working together, I am confident that we will do just that.
Until next time.

The 2024 national Girl Scout Cookie Season commenced on Jan. 9th, marking an opportunity to show support for these young girls as they acquire important entrepreneurial and life skills such as goal setting, interpersonal abilities and financial management.

While Girl Scout cookies are undeniably delicious on their own, they also make a great accompaniment to beer! If you're a fan of delicious treats and a cold brew, then you're in for a real treat! Girl Scout cookies and beer pairing is the ultimate combination for those looking to indulge in the perfect sweet and savory experience. When it comes to pairing Girl Scout cookies with beer, the possibilities are endless.

 

Thin Mints

These minty chocolate delights pair beautifully with a rich and robust stout. The smooth, velvety texture of the beer complements the crispness of the cookie, creating a sensational taste sensation that will leave your taste buds wanting more.

Beer Suggestions:
• Shooter McMunn's from Lost Rhino Brewing Company
• It's My Island from Pocock Brewing Co.
• Shaft House Stout from Dostal Alley

 

Trefoil

For those who prefer a lighter cookie, the trefoil is a perfect choice. These buttery shortbread cookies are best enjoyed with a refreshing pilsner or lager. The light and crisp flavors of the beer enhance the subtle sweetness of the trefoil, creating a harmonious balance that is simply irresistible.

Beer Suggestions:
• Happy Amber from MadTree Brewing 2.0
• ESB from Hillman Beer
• Bull Kelp ESB from San Juan Island Brewing Co.

 

Caramel deLites/Samoas

These coconutty caramel delights are a fan favorite, and they deserve an equally impressive beer pairing. The richness of an amber ale or brown ale perfectly complements the decadence of the Samoa. The caramel notes in the beer enhance the caramel flavor in the cookie, while the slight bitterness cuts through the sweetness, creating an unforgettable taste experience.

Beer Suggestions:
• Potter's Clay from Four Saints Brewing
• Amber Ale from Full Sail Brewing Company
•Fat Tire Amber Ale from New Belgium Brewing

 

Peanut Butter Patties/Tagalongs

The Tagalongs are all about that perfect balance of sweet and salty. The creamy peanut butter filling adds a rich and nutty flavor, while the smooth chocolate coating provides just the right amount of sweetness. A hoppy IPA can provide a refreshing contrast to the sweetness of the chocolate coating.

Beer Suggestions:
• Hazy Little Thing IPA
from Sierra Nevada
• IPA from Goose Island
• 90-Minute IPA from Dogfish Head

 

Do-si-dos/Peanut Butter Sandwich

This cookie features a crisp and buttery oatmeal exterior, with a smooth and creamy peanut butter filling in the center. It's a match made in cookie heaven. For those who enjoy a rich and indulgent experience, try pairing your cookie with a stout or porter. The dark roasted malts in these beers complement the nutty flavors of the peanut butter, while the slightly bitter finish helps to balance out the sweetness of the cookie.

Beer Suggestions:
• Special Double Cream Stout from Bell's Brewery
• Breakfast Stout from Founders Brewing Company
• London Porter from Fuller's

 

S’Mores

This delectable treat is inspired by the beloved campfire snack, double dipped in a creamy icing before being enveloped in a scrumptious chocolate coating with a graham cracker sandwich that is filled with a combination of chocolate and marshmallow. For a delightful pairing, instead of opting for a sweet or roasty stout to accompany the chocolate, graham cracker, and marshmallow, try a tart and fruity sour.

Beer Suggestions:
• Sour Brainless on Peaches from Epic Brewing Company
• Kriek Ale from Cascade Brewing
•Blackberry from Upland Brewing Company
•Passion Fruit Sour Ale from Breakside Brewery

 

Lemonades

These tangy delights are best enjoyed with a light and citrusy wheat beer. The zesty flavors in the beer enhance the refreshing lemon taste of the cookie, creating a flavor combination that will make your taste buds dance with delight. It's like a summer picnic in every bite.

Beer Suggestions:
• Oberon American Wheat Ale from Bell's Brewery
• Sunny Little Thing Citrus Wheat from Sierra Nevada
• LightSky Citrus Wheat from Blue Moon Brewing Company

Whether you're hosting a cookie and beer pairing party or simply looking to treat yourself to something special, pairing these beloved cookies with beer is a surefire way to elevate your snacking game. So grab your favorite box of Girl Scout cookies and crack open a cold one - it's time to indulge in the ultimate sweet and savory pairing!

If you need help finding Girl Scout Cookies in your area use the Girl Scout’s Cookie Finder:
https://www.girlscouts.org/en/cookies/how-to-buy-cookies.html