Sunset Boulevard (1950), one of the most iconic and haunting American film noirs, returns to the big screen for a special 75th anniversary screening at the Cameo Art House Theatre on Saturday, Aug. 23 at 4:30 p.m.
This cinematic masterpiece, directed by Billy Wilder and co-written with Charles Brackett and D.M. Marshman Jr. is widely regarded as one of the greatest achievements in the history of Hollywood. It is a bold, darkly satirical look at the inner workings of the film industry and the psychological toll of fame and rejection. At its core, Sunset Boulevard is a story of ambition, delusion and tragedy.
The film features a stunning performance by Gloria Swanson as Norma Desmond, a once-glorious silent film star who has become a recluse in her decaying Los Angeles mansion. Norma clings desperately to the illusion that she is still beloved by the public and destined for a triumphant return to the screen. When Joe Gillis (William Holden), a struggling screenwriter, stumbles into her life, she sees him as the perfect person to help revive her career. What begins as a professional arrangement quickly descends into a twisted and claustrophobic relationship built on manipulation, loneliness and despair.
Swanson’s portrayal of Norma is one of the most powerful in cinematic history. She embodies the character with equal parts grandeur and fragility, delivering iconic lines such as “I am big. It’s the pictures that got small.” Her performance is not just memorable, it’s unforgettable. Holden's cynical, weary screenwriter serves as the perfect contrast, a man trying to survive in a town that chews up dreams and spits them out.
Adding further depth to the film is the eerie performance of Erich von Stroheim as Max, Norma’s devoted but mysterious butler, who harbors secrets of his own. Von Stroheim, himself a once-celebrated director of the silent era, adds a meta-textual layer to the film’s already rich narrative, blurring the line between fiction and reality. Named after the legendary street that winds through Los Angeles and Beverly Hills, Sunset Boulevard is a film about the myths of Hollywood. We see the dreams it sells and the people it leaves behind. It is a cautionary tale about the cost of celebrity and the isolation that can come from living in the past.
The film was a commercial and critical success upon its release and has only grown in esteem over the decades. It received 11 Academy Award nominations and won three, including Best Screenplay, Best Art Direction and Best Score. In 1998, the American Film Institute ranked it the 12th greatest American film of all time, and it has since been selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
For film students, writers, actors and creatives in the community, Sunset Boulevard is essential viewing. It’s a masterclass in screenwriting, acting, direction and visual storytelling. Billy Wilder’s writing is sharp and layered, packed with metaphor, irony, and unforgettable dialogue. Swanson’s performance offers a complex, vulnerable look at a woman caught between glory and ruin.
It’s a movie that remains as relevant as ever, particularly in today’s celebrity-driven culture. It poses questions that are still being asked: What happens when fame fades? What do we become when we are no longer seen?

When Richard Meadows first joined LIFE St. Joseph of the Pines, he was fresh out of the hospital, struggling with mobility, vision problems, and a growing sense of isolation. Today, he walks confidently without a cane, enjoys a vibrant social life, and feels healthier and more independent than he has in years.
Richard’s journey began when his son and daughter-in-law realized he needed more support at home.
“We found LIFE St. Joseph of the Pines by chance,” he recalls. “My daughter-in-law got in touch with someone from the program and walked me through what it was like. I was interested right away.” One of the first things that impressed him was the facility itself. “It was all on one floor, no steps! That was a huge plus for me.”
LIFE St. Joseph of the Pines is a PACE program -Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly- designed to help seniors get the care they need while continuing to live in the comfort of their own homes. Participants receive support with daily tasks like bathing, dressing, and getting to appointments at the LIFE wellness center. Each person is paired with a team of healthcare professionals who create a personalized care plan, including doctor visits, nursing care, therapy, medication management, and more. By combining medical care with social support, the program helps seniors maintain their independence and stay connected to their community.
At the heart of the program is the wellness center, a one-stop shop for care and connection. Participants access essential health services and take part in activities designed to enhance emotional and social well-being. From chair yoga and pet therapy to dance classes and arts and crafts, recreational therapy plays a key role in improving the quality of life
For participants like Richard, this comprehensive, personalized care model has been transformative. “When I came here, I had a hard time moving around and used a cane,” he recalls. “But the therapists helped me put that cane away. It was all about the will of my mind.” With the help of physical therapy, he built strength and confidence. “They helped me learn what I can do and what I can’t. Now I can get in and out of bed on my own—something I couldn’t do before.”
The benefits didn’t stop there. With support from the nutritionist and medication management team, Richard found relief from chronic stomach pain. “A month ago, I didn’t know what to eat and had pain. Now, I feel so much better.” He also received vision care that revealed and treated cataracts, dramatically improving his sight.
But for Richard, the greatest impact has come from the relationships he’s built. “My favorite part is how social it is. I’ve made so many new friends,” he says with a smile. “Before I joined, I was a little bit miserable. I had the blues. But now, I feel like I can do things on my own. I feel so much better.”
Richard’s story is a testament to the holistic, compassionate care that LIFE St. Joseph of the Pines provides. “I would love to tell everyone what the program has done for me. Now I can see, I’m better at walking, and I get so many benefits. I just want to say thank you.”
When asked what he would say to someone considering the program, Richard doesn’t hesitate: “You’re missing out, you need to join.”
To learn more about LIFE St. Joseph of the Pines, call 910-429-7223 or visit lifestjosephofthepines.org today.

 (Photo: Richard Meadows is a resident at LIFE St. Joseph of the Pines. Photo courtesy of LIFE St. Joseph of the Pines)

The Harmon’s Deutsche Kuche German Kitchen has cuisine for the crisp, cool days of fall, soon heading our way. German cuisine has similarities to Southern cooking styles.
The menu features Frikadellen, a flattened meatball that can be seasoned with onions, garlic, nutmeg, parsley, mustard, salt, pepper and breadcrumbs. The Frikadellen are sometimes called “the original hamburger.” The unofficial story is told of a man from the German city of Hamburg who migrated to New York City to make Frikadellen for a local food fair.
He decided to sandwich the meatball between two pieces of bread, so the customers can hold them and enjoy them while it is still hot. His Frikadellen became exceedingly popular, and the people started referring to them as hamburger sandwiches.
The food truck also serves bratwurst, a combination of pork and veal and enjoyed with brotchen (a roll) with mustard and sauerkraut. Schnitzel, another Deutsche Kuche staple, is similar in preparation; both are braided and fried cutlets. The key difference is the type of meat. The Southern dish is usually made with beef, not veal and served with gravy.
Katrina Harmon shares her perspective and passion about Harmon’s Deutsche Kuche.
“Harmon’s Deutsche Kuche (German Kitchen) is a food truck that was established in July 2024. We are based in Fayetteville, but serve other areas. My husband Mark and I are the owners,” she said. “Mark brings his German heritage, being born in Stuttgart to a German mother and American father. The Military brought this family to the States at a young age. His mother continued to make German meals they were accustomed to, along with receiving care packages from his Oma in Germany.”
“I am a native North Carolinian,” Katrina said. “I have two decades in the medical service industry and a lifelong passion for cooking and baking. Mark is at the window while I am cooking.”
“We decided to start a food truck to fulfill Katrina’s passion for cooking,” they said. “Mark has two decades of experience in the food industry. We decided to go with German cuisine because of the limited authentic German offerings. Most German restaurants try to Americanize the dishes. We are bringing true German flavors. We utilize family recipes and import many of our ingredients from Deutschland.”
Germany’s cuisine is not just about nourishment, but about creating a sense of togetherness. Taste and see authentic flavors, ingredients, and meals without a passport to Germany at the Harmon’s Deutsche Kuche, German Kitchen.
To find where they'll be parked throughout the week and to peruse the menu, visit their website at https://harmonsdeutschekuche.com/

(Photo: Harmon's Deutsche Kuche serves German cuisine all around Fayetteville and the surrounding areas. Photo courtesy of Harmon's Deutsche Kuche)

The recently opened Cedar Creek Market, LLC, in southeast Fayetteville, is a one-stop shop for all things fresh—from meats and produce to pantry and skincare products. In collaborating with area farmers, makers and creators and selling their own pastured and pasture-raised meats, owners Channing and Brandon Perdue also champion all things local. This mantra includes supporting local agriculture and agribusiness and educating others on all facets of farm life, long-held missions of this urban farm family.
While the marketplace is new for the Perdues, the couple's time in Fayetteville began 17 years ago when the Army made the city their first and longest-held home. Starting their family jump-started their interest in raising and eating fresh foods, and their goals accelerated in 2018 with the purchase of a 1940s, 10-acre homestead near downtown Fayetteville. On the small acreage, the Georgia natives planted gardens, raised a few heads of livestock and embraced sustainable living.
When Channing decided to homeschool their four children, she found great satisfaction in teaching them where their food came from and involving them in farm projects. Soon, the Perdue house and farm became a neighborhood hangout, where “everyone wanted to get their hands in the dirt and learn,” she said.
In 2021, the budding entrepreneurs turned their backyard efforts into Farms Helping Families Corp., “to start sustainable farms to help feed our community and enrich agricultural knowledge,” according to its mission statement. With Brandon in full-time active duty, Channing spearheaded the efforts and began hosting classes and community events. Lessons on goat milking and home chicken processing, farm-to-table dinners, farm tours, children’s activities and more ensued.
“We just started growing our own food and sharing with the community,” Channing said. “And, you know, a year or so into it, people started asking me questions about how to process chickens and how to raise goats and pigs. They wanted to know how to make cheese and yogurt and how to grow a garden. So, we started teaching classes. Then, it was just our home farm, just 10 acres and a few animals. We raised meat for ourselves and would sell and split a half a hog or half a cow with another family. We grew and canned our own vegetables. And then COVID happened, and everybody wanted to learn more.”
The Perdues expanded with the addition of nearly 400 acres in Cedar Creek, growing Farms Helping Families and creating a burgeoning market clientele. They acquired Charolais, Hereford and Angus cattle, Guernsey-Normande cross dairy cows, Berkshire pigs, various chicken breeds, meat and dairy goats, turkeys, ducks and horses. The farmers obtained certified roadside market certification and began working with a USDA-approved meat processor.
What they then offered through Farms Helping Families, including finished beef and pork bundles, whole chickens, eggs, raw milk and fresh produce from local growers, continues and culminates in Cedar Creek Market, LLC, on a bigger and broader scale. Located at 1304 Cedar Creek Road, the new venue opened for business in July, with a grand opening and ribbon-cutting held Aug. 9.
Channing is a self-taught farmer who credits the classes she has taken through the Cumberland County Cooperative Extension, North Carolina State’s Agricultural Institute and the Soldiers to Agriculture program for helping her get where she is today. While no longer homeschooling the couple’s children, Ashlyn, Wyatt, Georgia and Mavrick, respectively ages 16, 13, 10 and 7, she imparts education in everything she does at home and work.
“This is a teaching farm,” she explained. “We’ll hold more classes and hands-on programs to help people learn about animal husbandry, wildlife and plants, nature, how to take care of land and things like that.”
And, as far as the education of one’s kids, a parent’s role never ends. “Here, they learn (many farm things) they will never experience in school,” she said.
Food insecurity is also important to Channing; it’s a subject she plans to tackle more as Farms Helping Families transitions to becoming the teaching-and-serving-families nonprofit arm of Cedar Creek Market, LLC.
“Food is not getting cheaper, and the cost of living is not either,” she said. “So, one way we can battle this is by teaching people how to grow their own food and become more sustainable.”
Right now, however, the option to pick up fresh, seasonal veggies, ethically sourced, all-natural meats in a variety of cuts, homemade jams, jellies and sauces, farm-fresh eggs and everything-included dinner bundles, plus recipes, is something Fayetteville can sink its teeth into.
The market also partners with numerous local and regional organizations and farms to widen its circle and support other small businesses. Such pairings stock Cedar Creek Market’s shelves with honey, jams, sauces, ornamental plants, lotions, goats’ milk soap, local art, fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs and more. One very popular collaboration includes made-from-scratch pasta dishes, sauces and fresh bread from Gusto Napoletano Pizzeria and Italian Restaurant.
Outside the commercial arena, affiliations with the NC State Extension/Cumberland County Extension Soldier to Agriculture STAG Program, DOD SkillBridge, the Cumberland County Schools ICON Summer Internship Program and Veggies for Vets, among others, help the Perdues give back and contribute to the community.
Something new is always on the horizon at Cedar Creek Market, LLC. Coming this fall, stay tuned for the market’s six miles of horse trails to open—BYOH!
Connect with Cedar Creek Market, LLC at https://cedarcreekfarmersmarket.com/ or on socials @CedarCreekMarketFayettevilleNC.

(Photo courtesy of Cedar Creek Market LLC Facebook page)

At 9 a.m. sharp, the coffee is hot, the breakfast is ready, and the chairs at SouthLight’s Fayetteville office begin to fill. Veterans in worn ball caps, firefighters still smelling faintly of smoke, and police officers between shifts gather around the tables. For the next two hours, uniforms and job titles fade away, replaced by conversation, laughter, and a sense of shared understanding.
It’s called Buddy Check, and at SouthLight Fayetteville, the program is offered twice each month: once for veterans and their families, and once for first responders, including law enforcement, fire personnel, EMS, and telecommunications. Both groups are led by Wade Adair, a U.S. Army combat veteran and SouthLight’s veteran peer support specialist.
Adair brings his own story to the role. A decorated Operation Desert Storm veteran, he understands the unique challenges faced by those who serve.
“This is a space where people can breathe,” he said. “No paperwork, no judgment—just connection, resources, and someone ready to help.”
Modeled after the national American Legion Veteran Buddy Check concept, SouthLight’s gatherings are designed to strengthen peer networks while providing direct access to community resources. Attendees are welcomed with coffee and breakfast, then invited to share whatever is on their minds, whether it’s trouble securing housing, navigating benefits, finding counseling, or simply feeling isolated.
The meetings are intentionally informal, but they’re also highly productive. Adair works the room like a mission commander, listening closely, taking notes, and quietly pulling out his phone to connect attendees with the right people before the session ends.
“If someone needs a ride to a doctor’s appointment, we work on that now. If someone’s paperwork is stalled, we find the right contact. We don’t wait,” he said.
Adair has been outspoken about one of the biggest hurdles veterans and first responders face: delays in care and communication. In a recent phone interview, he didn’t mince words.
“I would change the amount of time it takes to deliver services and the communication,” he said. “If there is a delay or any type of issue or a reply that is needed, it has to be delivered with urgency and importance. If we can’t, we have to communicate that and provide an immediate alternative solution. Especially with those that are unhoused, those needing immediate treatment or help. That time frame in which the Veteran or anyone needing help is idle and hears nothing, is a time frame that can create a crisis. And that is unacceptable. And that goes for all of us providing services.”
For Adair, those words are more than a critique; they’re a call to action. He uses the Buddy Check platform to close those gaps in real time, ensuring no one leaves without a plan or a next step.
The dual focus on veterans and first responders is intentional. “We’ve all seen and done things the average person hasn’t,” Adair said. “That shared experience is what makes these gatherings powerful. Whether it’s a soldier, a police officer, or an EMT, there’s an understanding in the room that doesn’t need explaining.”
SouthLight’s First Responders Buddy Check meets monthly at the Fayetteville office, located at 439 Ramsey Street. Dates for the remainder of 2025 include: Monday, Aug. 25; Thursday, Sept. 25; Friday, Oct. 24; Tuesday, Nov. 25; and Friday, Dec. 19.
The Veterans Buddy Check follows a similar schedule, with upcoming dates including: Thursday, Sept. 11; Friday, Oct. 10; Tuesday, Nov. 11; and Thursday, Dec. 11. Each session runs from 9 to 11 a.m., with coffee and breakfast provided.
Family members are welcome at both programs, and no registration is required.
Adair encourages anyone eligible to attend, whether they’re seeking help or simply looking to connect.
“Sometimes just showing up is the first step toward getting back on your feet,” he said.
For more information about either program, attendees can contact Wade Adair at 984-389-6682 or adairw@southlight.org, or call SouthLight Fayetteville at 910-830-0990.

A tradition over 150 years in the making will kick off on Aug. 29 at the Crown Complex with a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by the Greater Fayetteville Chamber. The ribbon cutting will mark the start of a week filled to the brim with festivities celebrating talent, agriculture, food, business and entertainment for the whole family. With competition galore, rides enough to satisfy any thrill-seeker, endless agricultural education, and sensory-friendly days to make the event accessible for all, there’s no reason not to grab a friend and “Buzz on over to the Cumberland County fair!”
The beloved community gathering is what Gary Rogers, Director of Marketing at the Crown Complex, calls a “longtime tradition” that “really brings the community together for fun, exciting times, and that showcases what our community does.” He added, “We have a very cool theme with our bees and honey and the importance that they play in our local farmers and grocery stores.”
This year’s theme, determined jointly by the Cumberland County Co-operative Extension and North Carolina Cooperative Extension, is an ode to the region’s indispensable pollinators. Visitors will immediately notice not only the bees and honey in the Cumberland County Cooperative Extension’s Exhibit, but Pooh bear fans will be excited to see their favorite bee and honey-lover playing a key role in the Cooperative exhibition.
County Extension Director Lisa Childers says visitors can expect to see Pooh’s home, a tree with a red door, as part of the exhibit.
“I always choose a theme that's fun, light-hearted, but also will grab the attention of a child,” Childers explained. “I want kids to understand the importance of bees and all pollinators and how we need those to have food production.”
She says the exhibit is designed to prompt children’s curiosity and includes a scavenger hunt. The scavenger hunt prompts will be easy and accessible while teaching kids about agriculture in the Cumberland County area, and how bees impact farming and the food that they purchase
at the grocery store.
“I can’t take these kids on a farm, but I can bring pieces of the farm to them,” Childers shared.
Anna Deaton, Marketing Manager at the Crown Complex, says parents love the educational aspect of the fair, especially when it’s a topic their kids may not interact with regularly.
“We're really just talking about the importance of bees in agriculture, while making it fun for kids to learn about that and really have a hands-on experience and learn about some topics and also dive into topics that they might not get to interact with every day,” she explained. “We also pride ourselves on having that educational aspect that parents love for their kids to have before they go and have fun out on the rides and eat some good food.”
In addition to the Cumberland County Cooperative Extension’s agricultural exhibit, they will also host a petting zoo, a “Little Ewe” photo op for children too young to show animals, a play area where kids can play games and receive free books and competitive exhibits.
The competitive exhibits highlight community members who have a special food or craft item they want to show off.
“The community is invited to bring their famous pie, their pound cake, their canned goods, crafts, paintings, photography, you just name any kind of craft item,” Childers shared. She said that winners who place Best in Show for the competitive exhibits will be considered for the State Fair.
The petting zoo is a chance for kids and adults alike to interact with animals they wouldn’t normally see in everyday life.
“It's a really sensory opportunity for them to get to feed and potentially pet the animals. I personally love that,” Denton shared. “Who doesn't love a cute, fuzzy little animal?” Childers said that when the kids purchase feed for the animals and get to participate in feeding them, it’s often their first time doing so.
“Oftentimes, kids only see these animals in books they read, or maybe on TV, but they've never actually seen them in person.”
Once visitors have explored the agricultural and educational aspect of the fair, they can venture on to vendors, rides and food.
“We have a variety of local food trucks that will be there with just your awesome, traditional, fried, greasy, delicious food,” Rogers said.
For many, the exhilarating rides are the highlight, and Rogers says they’re proud to partner with Big Rock Amusements to bring visitors those opportunities.
“Big Rock Amusements is probably one of the best in the country, as far as facilitating not only safety, but a great opportunity for enthusiasts when it comes to exciting, thrilling rides,” he said.
According to crowncomplexnc.com, the fair will have around 26 different rides, including the classic Giant Wheel and Grand Carousel. With 6 rides and 2 mazes intended specifically for children, and a roller coaster made to accommodate individuals of a certain height that can ride with adults, no one gets left out of the fun. There will also be at least 12 adventure rides, including the Zipper, Air Flyer, Zero Gravity, YoYo, The Beast, and the Sizzler. An Unlimited Rides wristband can be purchased for $32.
Deaton says several days focus on accessibility and giving back to the community. Opening day is free admission for military and first responders with a valid ID. Sensory-friendly times, which include limited rides with no music or lights, are from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. each day. Tuesday, Sept. 2, is a Day of Giving which benefits Second Harvest Food Bank. Attendees can bring six non-perishable food items to donate.
“Visitors love that, because they're doing something good, and then they get some fun out of it. So it really benefits everyone in our community,” Rogers said.
Childers says one of the highlights of the fair is seeing people return year after year and watching kids grow excited about agriculture.
“Over the years, the impact I’ve seen is that we have a lot of kids who were raised in a community where they didn’t have a lot of experience in agriculture, but after volunteering at the fair, we’re seeing kids even more excited about the agriculture industry.”
She’s seen some kids for whom the fair piqued an interest in agricultural careers they weren’t aware of before.
“It is a great opportunity for all ages, all areas of our community, to come together, and of course, not only once, but for nine straight days. So, you get to learn, you get to have fun, and you get to experience life with your family and friends in a way that has been a tradition for many, many years,” Rogers shared.
The Cumberland County Fair runs Aug. 29 to Sept. 7. Tickets can be purchased online or during the Cumberland County Fair's operation hours at the Box Office in front of the Crown Theatre.
Standard admission is $11, but information about daily specials can be found at crowncomplexnc.com/events or call 910-438-4100.

(Photos: The fair brings food, fun and games for the whole family. Livestock barns are also available for those wanting to experience the opportunity to see animals. Photos courtesy of Anna Deaton, Crown Complex)

The North Carolina Triathlon Series will bring athletes from across the region to White Lake this September. The series is a weekend of competition steeped in tradition and community spirit. The White Lake Fall International Triathlon will take place Saturday, Sept. 6, followed by the Double Sprint Triathlon on Sunday, Sept. 7, at The Grand Regal at Goldston’s Beach.
“Goldston’s Beach was where it all began, and now, almost three decades later, it’s still the heart of White Lake triathlon weekends”
A Rich History on the Water’s Edge
The event traces its roots back to a chance meeting in 1995, when the race’s founder, then a Wilmington sporting goods store owner and avid triathlete, met 67-year-old Jack Riel. Riel, in remarkable shape and working as an extra in films shot in Wilmington, struck up a conversation about the triathlon shirts hanging around the shop’s walls.
Intrigued by the sport and eager to show off his hometown, Riel invited the store owner to visit White Lake. Standing on the pier at Goldston’s Beach, the organizer was struck by the lake’s beauty. Within a year, plans were in motion, and in May 1996, the first White Lake Triathlon took place.
Riel quickly became the heart of the event’s post-race festivities, famously performing karaoke, complete with a sound system on the pier and delivering renditions of “New York, New York” that became the stuff of local legend.
“Jack negotiated karaoke into the event agreement,” the organizer recalled. “It was pure Jack; he brought joy and personality to the races.”
Riel passed away in 2008, but his influence remains woven into the fabric of the event. His son, Tom Riel, now serves on the Elizabethtown City Council, while Jake Womble, who was present at that first race, operates the family business at Goldston’s Beach.
The Grand Regal: A New Name for a Familiar Landmark
Formerly known simply as Goldston’s Beach, the venue has been rebranded as The Grand Regal at Goldston’s Beach, still maintaining its historic charm while offering updated amenities. The venue’s deep connection to the triathlon community makes it an ideal setting for the fall races.
Competitors can expect a scenic course, a supportive crowd and the crystal clear waters that have long been the lake’s hallmark. Organizers say the lake’s clarity and mild temperatures make it one of the most inviting swimming venues in the Southeast.
More Than Just a Race
While the competition draws seasoned triathletes and weekend warriors alike, the event has always been about more than finishing times. Families and friends gather for the weekend, enjoying the beach, local dining, and the camaraderie of the sport.
“It’s a community celebration,” the organizer said. “Athletes come for the challenge, but they stay and come back year after year for the people and the atmosphere.”
Registration and Participation
Both events are open to individuals and relay teams. Organizers encourage early registration, as the races are expected to draw strong participation from across the Carolinas and beyond.
Whether competing in the grueling International distance or the fast-paced Double Sprint, athletes will be part of a tradition nearly three decades in the making.
From its origin story involving a chance meeting and a boat tour, to the karaoke nights led by its colorful co-founder, the White Lake Triathlon has carved out a unique place in North Carolina’s endurance sports scene. And this September, the tradition continues right where it all began.
Race Details and Schedule
The White Lake Fall International Triathlon will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday. Participants will swim 1,500 meters, cycle 28 miles on surrounding roads and finish with a 10-kilometer run.
The Double Sprint, starting at 8 a.m. Sunday, offers a unique twist, a 375-meter swim, 1.5-mile run, 18.5-mile bike ride, another 1.5-mile run, and a final 375-meter swim all before crossing the finish line.
Packet pickup for the International race will be available Friday, Sept. 5, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday morning from 6 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. Double Sprint participants can collect packets Saturday evening from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., or Sunday morning between 6 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. All packet pickup will take place at The Grand Regal at Goldston’s Beach, 1608 White Lake Drive, White Lake, NC. To register, visit https://findarace.com/us/events/white-lake-fall-international-double-sprint

The Standing Light Foundation will present Skin Confessions Fashion Show on Saturday, Aug. 30. Skin Confessions is a fashion show honoring people experiencing chronic disease while also celebrating Psoriasis Month. The show will be held at 159 Maxwell St., from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Vendors and sponsors are welcome by contacting Standing Light Foundation via email, https://thestandinglight foundation@gmail.com. General admission is free. For more information and tickets, contact https://facebook.com/events/s/skin-confessions-fashion-show/141735823424708. The VIP experience includes food, drinks, a swag bag and exclusive seating. Live music and vendors are available with general admission. The sponsors of the event are The Standing Light Foundation, KLS Properties, and Chefs Kiss Photography.
The Standing Light Foundation provides resources and healing spaces through creative awareness and community development with a focus on mental health, chronic illness, and domestic violence. Their core message is Shining Light, Building Hope, Creating Change.
August is National Psoriasis Awareness Month. This month is dedicated to raising awareness about psoriasis, a chronic autoimmune condition that affects millions worldwide, according to Skin Care Physicians of Georgia. The goal is to educate the public, dispel old myths, and encourage those people experiencing psoriasis to seek proper care and support. Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease that causes raised, red, scaly patches on the skin. It is caused by an overactive immune system and is not contagious. While there is no cure, various treatments can help manage the symptoms and improve the quality of life.
The local statistics of Cumberland County concerning the prevalence of psoriasis are unavailable. The general prevalence according to the United States is three percent based on 2020 census. The percentage translates to 75.5 million adults who live with this condition.
Takieyah Mathis, mom, wife, author, business owner, public speaker, court mediator, podcast host and founder of The Standing Light Foundation, is also a person experiencing Psoriasis.
“After high school, I was thriving as a fashion model until the onset of psoriasis changed everything. When psoriasis came, I felt the need to start hiding,” she said. “My diagnosis is Psoriasis. I have experienced it since 2016. It is a complicated and inspirational piece of my life. When I got diagnosed, I did not think about major skin conditions or my hair. My hair started falling out everywhere.
“I moved back to Fayetteville and worked at a fast-food restaurant. The manager of the fast-food restaurant asked me to cover my face with makeup. I said, ‘I cannot.’ She gave me a disgusted look. I did not go back; I slowed down on the modeling,” she said. “I accepted it is ok to be alone. No one has to accept me. No one has to love my skin. My husband is more than accepting of my skin. He is my confidence-building source.
“We have two beautiful sons. My sons bring a different love to my life. My sons are so loving. My sons are great motivation for advocacy. I did not know about a whole community of people like me. I started telling people about psoriasis. I have been blessed to be a voice for a lot of people. I have been receiving awards, being an honored hero of the Psoriasis Foundation. Being an Honored Hero changed my life. I did not think of myself as a hero for anybody but myself. I am glad I did not give up on myself,” she said. “I did not stop for moments, feeling misunderstood or overlooked. Even if you do not have a chronic disease, do not give up on yourself.”
Come to a bold, emotional, empowering evening of the intersection of fashion and advocacy: models living with psoriasis, eczema, and other chronic diseases strutting down the runway. Celebrate Psoriasis Awareness Month at the Skin Confessions Fashion Show on Saturday, Aug. 30. Family-friendly, vendors, music available with general admission. For tickets and more information, contact https:// facebook.com/events/s/skin -confessions-fashion-show/411735823424708.

The Alzheimer's Association-North Carolina is holding a Paint the Park Tailgate outside Segra Stadium on Friday, Aug. 29 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
The tailgate will feature fun activities for the family before the Fayetteville Woodpeckers' Paint the Town Purple game. Tickets to the game are not required to join in on the tailgate. To RSVP to the tailgate, visit https://tinyurl.com/FAYWalkKickOff2025
The Alzheimer's Association-North Carolina is gearing up for the Walk to End Alzheimer's taking place on Oct. 25, in downtown Fayetteville. The tailgate is an opportunity for the Association to talk to people about signing up for the walk.
"The tailgate will be casual, an opportunity to connect with other participants and get the tools needed to help people recruit their Walk team and raise funds for the cause," said Kara Harrington, senior director of marketing and communications, Alzehimer's Assocation-North Carolina.
"Our kickoff event is an opportunity to build the excitement for our Walk to End Alzheimer's - Fayetteville event on October 25. People can get registered if they haven't already, enjoy meeting other participants and receive the tools they need to help them raise money for the cause and recruit their Walk team," she said. " The tailgate is a social event - free to attend and while at the stadium, you are not required to attend the Woodpeckers game in order to participate."
The game will also be promoting Alzheimer's awareness, for the sixth year in a row. Players will be wearing purple jerseys that will be auctioned off, with the proceeds going to help fund the 2025 Walk to End Alzheimer's-Fayetteville. The night will conclude with an all purple fireworks show. The game starts at 7:05. Tickets can be purchased at https://www.gofevo.com/event/Alzheimersawareness21
"The Fayetteville Woodpeckers have hosted an Alzheimer's Awareness Night at the ballpark for several years now called Paint the Park Purple. This annual event gives a portion of ticket sales to the Alzheimer's Association, players wear special jerseys and attendees learn more about local resources and support available through the Alzheimer's Association. We will also have a Tribute Fence on the 3rd base plate side, where people can honor and memorialize their loved ones impacted by the disease," Harrington said. " We like to host a Walk kickoff event each year and turning Paint the Park Purple - Alzheimer's Awareness Night with the Fayetteville Woodpeckers was a perfect way to do it since so many in the community attend the game."
Harrington said she hopes the tailgate party and game bring, "A better understanding of how much Alzheimer's and other dementia impacts the community, particularly caregivers. We are also in an era of treatment and research is moving us closer to our mission to one day end Alzheimer's. We want people to feel supported, and also have hope that we will one day see that happen."

(Photo courtesy of Walk to End Alzheimer's -Fayetteville Facebook page)

Starting this September, hundreds of American flags will once again rise in solemn tribute on the parade grounds of the Airborne & Special Operations Museum, part of Fayetteville’s annual Field of Honor display. Stretching from Sept. 11 to Nov. 11, the visual memorial offers a space for reflection, remembrance, and community unity.
This living exhibit, organized through the Airborne & Special Operations Museum Foundation in partnership with Cool Spring Downtown District, allows individuals to sponsor flags in honor of military members, first responders, and loved ones past and present. Every flag includes a customized dedication tag—some noting names, others carrying brief but meaningful messages.
Renee Lane, the foundation’s executive director, believes the timing of the display is as significant as its purpose.
“We’ve built the display to begin on 9/11 and conclude on Veterans Day. Those two dates mark moments that changed lives and shaped the spirit of our country,” she said.
Fayetteville, often called the “City of Military Glory,” is home to Fort Bragg, one of the largest military installations in the world. In this city, military service isn’t distant or abstract; it’s part of daily life. Lane says the Field of Honor represents that shared history and pride.
The field itself becomes a gathering place throughout its run. Some visitors come to quietly walk among the rows, others gather in prayer or conversation. The flags, arranged with care by volunteers, ripple in the wind, creating a moving sight both day and night.
“It’s a moment of stillness,” Lane said. “When you stand there, surrounded by those flags, you feel connected to something larger than yourself.”
The flags are sponsored by people from all over the country. Lane said adoptions have come from as far away as California and Maine. Each $50 donation not only secures a flag and personalized tag but also supports the museum’s educational programs and preservation work. Though the museum never charges admission, its mission to honor and tell the stories of elite military forces requires year-round support.
“Every flag helps sustain our work. But more importantly, every flag carries a name and a memory,” Lane said.
As a Smithsonian-affiliated institution, the museum sees thousands of visitors each year. The Field of Honor helps bridge generations, offering a tactile and emotional experience that speaks to both young visitors and lifelong residents. The display will remain open to the public 24 hours a day during its two-month span. Organizers say early mornings and twilight hours are especially popular times for visitors seeking solitude and meaning. After Nov. 11, sponsors may take their flags home or donate them back for future use. Lane encourages early sponsorships, as the display tends to reach capacity.
“Some people come to see one flag,” she said. “Others come to stand among them all. Either way, they leave changed.”

(Photo: The Field of Honor at the Airborne and Special Operations Museum is a poignant reminder of those who served. Photo courtesy of Airborne and Special Operations Museum Foundation Facebook page)

The end of summer is in sight as school begins Monday, Aug. 25 for traditional students in the Cumberland County School System. The back-to-school season is filled with expectation, excitement and stress for kids and parents. From the school bus to the new attendance policy, here is what parents need to know:
1. CCS’ New Attendance Policy- It is imperative for each student to show up to school each day on time. The updated policy clarifies attendance expectations, outlines documentation procedures and reinforces the importance of being present every day to support student success.
2. School Bus Safety- Only authorized school personnel and students are allowed on the school bus. Unauthorized individuals may face criminal charges for trespassing or impeding the operation of a school bus.
3. Family Engagement and Volunteer Opportunities- CCS remains committed to partnerships with families and community members through expanded volunteer pathways and school-based engagement efforts.
4. Alongside Mental Health App- Middle and high school students will continue to have access to mental health wellness resources and self-guided support.
5. Infinite Campus (Student Information System)- Infinite Campus is a user-friendly platform to monitor attendance, grades and more.
6. Safety & Security- CCS continues its commitment to safe learning environments with Weapons Detection Systems in place, Raptor Security, Say Something Anonymous Reporting System and more.
7. Language Support Line- Non-English-speaking families can receive multilingual assistance through a dedicated support line designed to make communication easier.
8. Student Code of Conduct- Each student is given a student code of conduct that outlines CCS’ behaviors and consequences. The student should read and discuss the code of conduct with their parents.
9. Cell phone policy update- This new policy indicates that students are not allowed to display, use, turn on or make visible any personal devices (phones, earbuds, smartwatches, etc.) during instructional time. Devices must be turned off, put away out of sight and not easily accessible (kept in backpack or locker). Elementary students are not allowed to use their devices all day during bell-to-bell instruction. Use is only allowed when authorized by an Individualized Education Program, 504 plan, health plan, approved in advance for assistive, safety or translation needs or authorized by school staff for emergencies.
Middle and high school students can use their devices during their lunch periods, between class transitions, or with prior teacher approval for instructional purposes. Device usage is permitted on the buses before and after school. However, bus or school staff may restrict use if it creates safety concerns. Audio must be played with earbuds or headphones at a reasonable volume.
10. New clear bag policy- Beginning Friday, Aug. 22, CCS has implemented districtwide clear bag procedures for athletic events. Each person may bring one clear bag no larger than 12 by 15 by 3 inches. Small clutches, one-gallon Ziploc bags, diaper bags and medical bags will be allowed. Coats, blankets and strollers are allowed as long as storage compartments are left open and empty.
For the back-to-school guide visit www.ccs.k12.nc.us/btsg. For more information visit www.ccs.k12.nc.us.

Cumberland County
There’s a new sheriff in town! On Aug. 11, the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners appointed Major Johnathan Morgan as Sheriff to complete the unexpired term of Sheriff Ennis Wright. Wright retired on June 30 after serving since 2017. Morgan will serve through December 2026.
He was one of nine candidates who submitted applications for the appointment. The majority spoke at the meeting, each declaring their qualifications and desire for the post. The other candidates included Joseph Bailer, James Barnes, James Black, former City of Fayetteville Police Chief Kemberle Braden, Brian Delrosario, Terry Ray, Ronald Starling and LaRue Windham.
Cumberland County Commissioner Chair Kirk deViere released a statement, which included the following: “Our primary goal throughout this process has been to ensure a smooth transition and continuity of operations within the Sheriff's Office. The Board of Commissioners collectively felt that Major Morgan's experience and understanding of current operations and procedures make him uniquely positioned to maintain the high standards of public safety our citizens expect and deserve.”
He also thanked all of the candidates for their commitment to public service.
The board opened the application process on July 15 with an Aug. 4 deadline. Requirements for the position included being at least 21 years old and having voted in Cumberland County without prior felony convictions.
At their Aug. 14 meeting, the County announced a North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management Grant for $500,000 for Rhodes Pond Improvement and Renovation Project. The project includes enhancing the park by improving the parking area and trail, as well as renovating the restroom facilities, to support overall park operations and improve visitor experience. Rhodes Mill Pond is adjacent to state game land where people can hunt deer, raccoons and ducks.
Another topic of discussion was an emergency management overview of the County’s flood monitoring network and public alerting capabilities in light of recent flooding events in Texas and North Carolina. Both events have “underscored the urgent need for reliable, real-time data to support decision-making around high-water events,” according to Garry Crumpler, the interim emergency services director.
The board also pulled the Request for Qualifications/Proposals for modernization and renovation of the Crown Theatre and Arena and the County Courthouse Parking Lot for future use by their September Infrastructure Committee for more discussion.

City of Fayetteville
On Aug. 11, the Fayetteville City Council voted to pull a rezoning request at the intersection of McArthur Road and Stacy Weaver Drive for a public hearing on Aug. 25. The request was for a new 7-11 convenience store with fuel sales. The request was for consent to approve based on the Zoning Commission and Professional Planning staff recommendation. Reasoning included that the property aligned with the Future Land Use Plan and the Unified Development Ordinance, that the permitted uses and development standards for the district are appropriate for the site, given surrounding zoning and land uses, and there are no anticipated negative impacts to public health, safety, morals or general welfare.
Some concerns from residents included an increase in traffic and safety issues. According to city records, the property has had commercial activity since 1995. The intersection also has a public library, a grocery store and a Circle K convenience store.
In other news, the Fayetteville Regional Airport hosted 27 local students from grades 7 through 12 to learn about careers in the aviation industry during the Aviation Career Education Academy. The two-day immersive program included interactive workshops, aircraft demonstrations and presentations from the Civil Air Patrol, NASA and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

About the Greater Fayetteville Chamber
Advocacy is a cornerstone of the Greater Fayetteville Chamber. Every week, the Chamber dedicates staff to attend City of Fayetteville and Cumberland County meetings, as well as monitoring updates on the state and federal levels. We monitor legislation locally, statewide and federally to protect our community’s business interests.
With 91% of U.S. adults recognizing a Chamber of Commerce's impact on growth, membership ensures a strong voice shaping policies, driving economic success, and building a thriving business community—together. To learn more, visit www.faybiz.com or email jmclaughlin@faybiz.com.

(Photo: Cumberland County Commissioner Chair Kirk deViere, left, Commissioner Henry Tyson, new Cumberland County Sheriff Johnathan Morgan, and Commissioner Pavan Patel pose for a photo at Sheriff Morgan's swearing in ceremony. Photo courtesy of Cumberland County NC, Government's Facebook page)

Guiding Light was a 15-minute radio soap opera in 1937. In 1952, it moved to television as a fifteen-minute show, expanding to thirty minutes in 1968, becoming a one-hour show on November 7, 1977. Guiding Light aired 57 years until its cancellation in 2009.
A lot of us grew up with Guiding Light. I remember Mother watching it regularly from the early ‘50s. We knew the families. The Spauldings and the Chamberlains were prominent.
Kim Zimmer, who played Reva Shayne, was the longest-running cast member. She was on the show from 1985 until her final retirement in 2008. Reva was beautiful, naughty and nice, at the center of many of the plots.
On Guiding Light, we got a taste of the wild side. There were illicit marital relationships, stolen identities, embezzlements, out of wedlock children. Revenge out the wazoo. People came back from the dead, only to get killed again. There were corrupt businesses, a lot of grift and deceit. People were in and out of jail. Family squabbles filled the storyline. There was much back-stabbing and running around. No one went unscathed.
Guiding Light was an hour of life in another world, one with a dark underbelly, that provided entertainment in its twists and turns of beautiful people, some of whom were on very dark paths. Thankfully, it was only an hour, and we could turn it off before it swallowed us.
The television soap opera had no real-world consequences.
We are living in a soap opera world today. There is no turning it off. There are real-world, real-life consequences that a lot of us did not sign up for.
The dirty dealing, revenge, and meanness of life 24-7 is sad and wearying. The revenge policy is shocking, and the treatment of immigrants is abhorrent. Taking portraits of Obama and Clinton off the walls of the White House is just plain silly and immature. Joe Biden’s portrait will likely never see the light of day.
The soap opera plot is acted out every day in a gilded Trump world. Many of the Cabinet and other heads of state are made-for-television actors. More than a few are, in fact, television personalities. Hot off the airwaves of FOX and Newsmax. They are talking heads with zero experience in governing, making decisions for the pleasure of Trump and in the hope of getting clicks. They play to every fifteen-minute news cycle.
David Brooks recently wrote an article about how most of the world is more optimistic than Americans are today. American hope and optimism after WWII stabilized the world and the world economy for the past 75 years. All the problems were not solved, but people felt like we were on an upward trajectory of prosperity and opportunity for all Americans.
Today, we live somewhere between Alice in Wonderland and Hunger Games. We are falling down the rabbit hole into an uncertain future.
Every news cycle brings new drama. Sending National Guard troops to patrol Washington, DC is this week’s show. There is no unrest in DC requiring additional policing. There is, however, a Black Democratic woman who serves as Mayor. Reason enough.
Guiding Light had provocative sexual innuendo. The actors in the Trump soap opera were not play acting. Jeffrey Epstein’s story is dirty business, predatory porn on a grand scale. Young women exploited and abused by powerful men, possibly including the president. If he weren’t in the files, why would he protest seeing them released? Me thinks he doth protest too much!
Every day that the Epstein files are not released, another swipe of bad governance appears to attempt to distract us from the reality that the Epstein drama is bad.
We are finding it hard to change channels on this drama.
What can we do now? We cannot turn off and tune out.
Now is a time for bold braveness. Don’t wait for the other guy to take on the drama. Be the force you want to see. Be the voice you want to hear.
Who are the ones that will be our Guiding Light? We need some heroes in our search for tomorrow.

Editor’s note: Lib Campbell is a retired Methodist pastor, retreat leader, columnist and host of the blogsite www.avirtualchurch.com. She can be contacted at libcam05@gmail.com

The likely Democratic nominee for North Carolina’s Senate race next year, former Gov. Roy Cooper, led likely Republican nominee Michael Whatley by six points in the first independent poll commissioned after the two men announced their campaigns last month.
Of course he does. Cooper has been on statewide ballots for decades. Whatley, a first-time candidate who chairs the Republican National Committee, isn’t as well known.
On the other hand, Cooper’s 47% to 41% margin in the latest Emerson College poll isn’t particularly impressive. North Carolina is a closely divided state. Setting aside Josh Stein’s remarkably good fortune last year, most of our statewide races have been and will continue to be decided by small margins.
So, Cooper’s six-point edge in the poll isn’t what caught my eye. It was the partisan breakdown of the Emerson College sample: 36% Republican, 33% unaffiliated, 31% Democrat. If I got in my time machine and went back 30 years to chat with 1995 me, he’d say the sample was badly skewed and suggest I toss it aside. Democrats rank third in party affiliation, behind Republicans and independent? No way, my dark-haired, wrinkle-free doppelganger would insist.
And he’d be dead wrong.
It’s true that, with regard to voter registration, the state’s former majority party hasn’t yet fallen so far. As of last week, 30.6% of North Carolina’s 7.6 million voters were registered as Democrats. Republicans made up 30.4%. Unaffiliated voters already comprise a plurality at 38.4%.
The underlying math has an inexorable logic, however. We don’t have to go back 30 years to see it. Half that time will do it. In 2010, Democrats made up 45% of the electorate. Republicans were 32%, independents 23%. Since then, the independent category has grown by 1.5 million and the GOP by nearly 350,000, while Democratic registrations shrank by more than 450,000.
Sure, it will still take several months for the Ds to slip to third place. But the 2026 election is months away, more than a year away. By then, the streams will have crossed.
Democratic activists are right to feel trepidation about this. But Republican activists ought to restrain their glee. Despite these registration trends, GOP candidates for governor have won precisely one election in the past 30 years. Democrats currently hold half of North Carolina’s 10 statewide executive offices. Within a few years, the Republican majority on the state supreme court could disappear. In federal elections, North Carolina leans red, yes, but not by much. (I prefer a different color coding for the Tar Heel State, a reddish purple known as “flirt.”)
And, to return focus to the Senate race, Cooper starts the 2026 contest with an edge over Whatley even with Democratic registration lower than Republican registration!
That’s because unaffiliated voters aren’t necessarily, or even usually, undecided voters. Many are Democratic or Republican in all but name. In North Carolina, each party starts with a base of support north of 40%. To win, they must maximize turnout and contest the small but decisive share of swing voters truly up for grabs.
The conventional wisdom used to be that Republicans were somewhat more likely to turn out than Democrats, and thus enjoyed a structural advantage in midterm elections, when overall turnout tends to be lower.
Now the conventional wisdom is that because the rise of Donald Trump scrambled the party coalitions, with high-propensity suburban voters shifting blue and low-propensity rural voters shifting red, Republicans have lost that structural advantage. Lower overall turnout is good for Democrats, it’s posited.
I never bought the conventional wisdom in the first place, having searched for and failed to find any consistent relationship between midterm turnout and partisan outcomes in past North Carolina elections. So I’m not prepared to accept the new conventional “wisdom,” either, without more evidence.
If public sentiment turns against the party in the White House, as it often does, Roy Cooper might well win. Registration trends are hardly the only ones that matter.

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

“Study abroad” is a term most would associate with universities; however, that is not always the case. There are a number of North Carolina Community Colleges that offer study abroad programs, and FTCC is soon going to join those ranks.
There are many benefits to study abroad for students. For some, studying abroad may provide the first opportunity for international travel and exposure to diverse cultures, which can foster personal and professional growth. Academically, studying abroad provides a unique opportunity to observe course objectives in different settings, thereby enriching one's understanding of those topics.
We are currently in the process of developing a faculty-led STEM study abroad program. In June 2023, FTCC was awarded a grant from the IDEAS Program of the U.S. Department of State that provided funds to scout three field research stations in two countries. In June of 2024, we traveled to the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences, where we participated in a workshop that explored hands-on activities and research opportunities available for students.
This involved snorkeling to identify coral and fish, microplastic sampling from a nearby beach, assisting with a plankton tow, and experiencing various cultural activities.
In July of 2024, we traveled to Belize with our first stop being the Belize Zoo Tropical Education Center in central Belize. Here, we were able to participate in birding and bird banding, have a behind-the-scenes, day-and-night tour of the Belize Zoo, visit the Runaway Creek Nature Reserve, and visit Xunantunich, a Mayan archeological site. The purpose of these trips was to get firsthand experience with each field station and make international connections to develop the study abroad program.
The first study abroad trip is planned for the summer of 2026 and will be associated with a section of Bio 112 General Biology II. For this first trip, students will be visiting both field stations in Belize and will get to participate in all the activities we trialed. Upon return, students will have the opportunity to present their findings in a campus-based symposium. In the summer of 2027, the goal will be for the class to visit Bermuda and then rotate between the two countries every year.
This program will offer a truly unique opportunity for students that may include a lot of firsts: visiting another country, flying, snorkeling, research, and much more. When students participate in studying abroad, they grow academically and personally and receive an experience with a lasting impression about their time at Fayetteville Technical Community College.
Are you ready to learn more about study abroad opportunities at FTCC?
Contact instructor Krissy Smith by email at smithkri@faytechcc.edu or by calling 910-678-8296.
Or reach out to instructor Kerri Donohue via email at donohuek@faytechcc.edu, or by calling 910-486-7393.

Nobody’s going to argue when I say that our country is in a complicated place these days. You can feel it in the news, around the dinner table, even in the grocery store line. And I don’t think anyone would argue with this either: families are complicated, too. Now, mix those two things together—a complicated country and a complicated family—and it gets even trickier. Especially when the folks around the table see the country through different lenses. That’s when things get really complicated.
Are our modern day families so torn up by political differences that gathering around the kitchen island without an argument around the daily news is more and more uncommon? Is our country now so divided and passionate that we are headed towards another civil war?
I hope not on both counts.
In Measure of Devotion, a new novel by Raleigh native Nell Joslin, these complicated, age-old family dynamics play out for the Shelburne family during the Civil War in South Carolina. At first glance, this might seem to be just another Southern novel about the war.
But Joslin is not just telling a Southern story. She weaves a universal narrative that applies to us today. The Shelburnes’ saga is rooted in the past, but echoes powerfully right now.
Susannah and Jacob Shelburne live in secessionist South Carolina but are quiet abolitionists. Their servants are no longer enslaved, and the Shelburnes consider them their friends and equals. They do not press their anti-slavery beliefs on others, but subtly oppose the widespread Southern culture. Speaking out publicly would put them in danger in their community, so they push back in subtle ways.
As I was pulled deeper into the story, a question gnawed at me. Why were the Shelburnes not more outspoken? Jacob acknowledges early in the novel, “I confess that in this way I am living a lie. But I know no help for it. Though I cannot say I love my state, I do love my home and my farm…. It is a Gordian knot.” The Shelburnes struggle to parent their teenage son Francis, a Confederate sympathizer. Francis only grows more defiant and joins the Confederate army. The metaphorical Gordian knot is tightened by Susannah’s struggle to save her son after he is wounded fighting for a cause she abhors.
How does a beloved son come to embrace a culture his parents spent their life resisting? Part of the answer lies in time and place. He grows up in a world where many voices around him lift up those very values, even glorifying slavery and war. And like adolescents in every era, he’s itching to push back against his parents.
“You think I’m a child. Christ, I cannot wait to be rid of this house and everyone in it,” he tells Susannah as he prepares to war.
Sound familiar? Maybe your child didn’t use those exact words. Maybe you didn’t. But chances are, at some point, you’ve heard something close—or said something just as sharp in your own teenage years. It’s part of the long, complicated story of growing up and breaking away.
That old metaphor of the Gordian knot still holds power today. We’re living in a time when the tangles of belief, identity, and loyalty feel impossible to sort out. And it’s not just in the headlines—it’s close to home. We’re neighbors to, and sometimes parents or grandparents of, people who see the world in ways we can’t quite understand. The bonds of family and community haven’t gone away—but they’ve gotten more complicated.
If you are struggling with the news of today’s front pages, or if you are disagreeing with a loved one, pick up Measure of Devotion. Joslin, via Susannah, reminds us that these complicated struggles—between family, identity, and belief—aren’t anything new. And, spoiler alert: there are no perfect endings to these struggles.

The bar will be loaded, the music will be loud, and the energy will be electric as Girls Gone Rx celebrates 13 years of Competing for a Cure — and this year, the event is coming to town Saturday, Aug. 23 at Tarheel Crossfit on 1530 N. Bragg Blvd in Spring Lake.
Founded in 2012, Girls Gone Rx has become more than just a fitness competition. It’s a movement built on empowerment, community, and philanthropy, with women across the country lifting each other up, literally and figuratively, in the fight against breast cancer.
This year’s anniversary event will feature all-female teams of three, competing in four workouts across two divisions. While the workouts promise to challenge even the fittest athletes, the real goal is connection and competing for a cause.
“This isn’t just about the leaderboard,” organizers said. “It’s about celebrating strength, pushing limits, and supporting a community that uplifts women in and out of the gym.”
Two Divisions, One Cause
Teams can register under one of two divisions:
• RX Division: For seasoned athletes who tackle daily work out of the days without scaling and are confident with advanced movements like pull-ups, double-unders, handstand pushups, and Olympic lifts (squat snatches or cleans at 95 lbs or more).
• BAM Division (Badass in the Making): Designed for newer athletes who are just entering the competition scene, may still be learning Olympic lifts, and typically scale workouts.
No matter the division, every team competes for the same reason: to raise funds for Compete for a Cure, a nonprofit organization benefiting breast cancer research and support services.
As part of the event, each team will create a fundraising page, and the amount raised will contribute to the team’s overall event score, adding a charitable twist to the competitive spirit.
Inspiring a Community
From personal records to high-fives, Girls Gone Rx has built a reputation for being one of the most inclusive and inspiring competitions in the fitness world. The events focus on camaraderie over comparison and a goal to create a safe, empowering space where women can test their limits and grow together.
Teams that register will receive a unique referral link, and if four teams sign up using that link, the original team’s registration fee is waived.
“Bring all your friends,” organizers encouraged. “The more, the mightier.”
Registration is now open. For more information, visit Instagram.com/GirlsGoneRx. Follow and watch the competition on Instagram @GirlsGoneRX

Joseph Kabbes calls himself an “unconventional academic.” He serves as an instructor and manager at the Fayetteville State University Planetarium and Observatory, a career he pursued following a surprising pivot.
Working as a software developer during the beginning of his career, Kabbes felt something was missing. He sensed a latent desire to delve into the world of astronomy - a field that had fascinated him since his youth. So, he went back to school where graduate work in astronomy eventually landed him in a teaching role and the realization that this was what he loved.
Now he spends his days teaching, grading, managing tours and renovations, and sharing his passion for astronomy with students and adults of all ages.
With 5,000 students visiting the location annually for tours and summer camps, there's always something going on and always something that needs to be updated. Current renovations center on the observatory, which will now bring the whole facility up to date, since planetarium renovations were completed several years ago.
The planetarium and observatory first opened in 1980. At that time, Kabbes says they didn’t have computers and everything in the facility was completely manual. The first major renovations to the facility began with the planetarium in 2018. The COVID-19 pandemic delayed the project’s completion, and the planetarium didn’t reopen until 2022. But the work was a success and according to Kabbes, “that renovation allowed us to go from an old, old mechanical star ball to a fully digital projection system.”
Now, their focus has turned to updating the observatory, a task that Kabbes says is necessary because of mechanical and structural failures at the facility. These updates entail replacing the observatory dome and tearing out the entire original telescope and mount.
Funding for these changes came from a variety of sources, and Kabbes says that his business experience with startups from his software engineering days equipped him with a resourceful angle on renovations.
“That’s just kind of the mentality you get into,” he shared, “Other than occasional grants for big ticket things, we really do try to be self-sufficient in our revenues.”
The dome replacement was covered by Title 3 grant funds and previous grant funding had already equipped them with a new telescope. Everything else, he said, is funded by revenue that the planetarium generates. The updated observatory will be computer-controlled, unlike the original manual controls, and will have the capacity for remote operation.
Kabbes said many in the community don’t even realize the planetarium and observatory exist, but when they step inside, reactions range from “wow!” to “that felt like a trip!” especially when viewing the planetarium demonstration. He said this visual display is incredibly high resolution, partly because of a mistake.
When renovating the planetarium, they’d ordered digital projectors that were typical for the 30-foot dome the space featured. But, when the order was fulfilled and delivered, their chosen projectors weren’t available, and they ended up receiving 10, 4k digital projectors; the kind that would typically be used on 60 or 70-foot domes. The result? The high-resolution projectors in the comparatively small dome project exceptionally crisp imagery.
“As best as I can tell, we’ve got more pixels per square inch on our dome than any other planetarium in the world right now,” Kabbes shared, “It just yields a really wonderful sky viewing experience.”
The projection resolution, along with their 6,500-watt sound system, makes the facility especially conducive to engaging tours; tours which Kabbes laughingly explains are, "basically me explaining science with bad jokes.”
Planetarium tour topics for elementary and middle-school students typically include an overview of the solar system with time for questions and discussions. For adults, topics cover a wide range, including black holes, the NASA Artemis Program, exoplanets, dark energies, dark matter, and other “obscure” topics if Kabbes senses there’s interest.
Both the planetarium and the observatory serve as places where young students with an interest in STEM subjects can broaden their understanding of the fields.
“They realize they like STEM, but they don’t realize all the different things that are out there in terms of different engineering fields and science fields,” said Kabbes.
For FSU students, once the observatory reopens, they can attend summer internships and gain first-hand experience in research projects.
“It's a really important tool in helping STEM students stay in college,” Kabbes explained, sharing that freshman and sophomores sometimes lack experience-building opportunities. “There are some things we can do in observational astronomy with the observatory that will allow them to participate in some research programs, and get some experience with that. I'm looking forward to getting that spun up as well.”
Kabbes says he also hopes to launch an astronomy club that will provide members with regular opportunities to experience what the observatory has to offer.
“They'll actually be able to come to the observatory and see it in action, and see the images that come from that. So they’ll be able to get a feel for how that whole process works.”
He’s looking forward to introducing visitors to the improved viewing experience and educational opportunities.
“I try to make space and complex concepts understandable to just about everybody. So, if you want to come learn about space, this is the place to come in the area.”

A new school year presents a wealth of opportunities for students. At the dawn of a new school year, students have a chance to further their academic careers, student-athletes may be given a shot at making a team or moving up to varsity, and extracurriculars provide a chance for personal growth outside the classroom.
Despite all that a new school year represents, students may need a little extra motivation to get excited about going back to campus once summer winds down.
A relaxing and largely obligation-free summer vacation can be tough to give up, as can mornings without alarm clocks. Parents recognize that kids might not be enthusiastic about the return of early mornings and sessions in the classroom. In such instances, parents can try the following strategies to get kids excited about a new school year.
• Make the first day special. The first days can be challenging, regardless of a person's age. Professionals with years of experience in their field still feel first-day jitters when they begin a new job, so youngsters can be excused if what seems like a lack of excitement is really just nervousness about a new school year.
Parents can calm those nerves by doing something to make the first day special. Skip the standard cereal and prepare a home-cooked breakfast or let kids buy lunch at the school cafeteria instead of packing a PB&J in their lunchbox. A little something special on the first day can go a long way toward getting kids excited about going back to school.
• Emphasize new subjects. As children advance through school, they are typically exposed to more engaging subjects or challenged in ways that help them build on previous years' work. Emphasizing new subjects or opportunities can increase kids' excitement to get back in the school year swing of things.
If a youngster likes playing an instrument, emphasize how the new school year is an opportunity to get better, play alongside other students and take a talent to new heights. If students are old enough to take subjects they've long been interested in, such as a foreign language, make a point to emphasize how that opportunity has finally arrived.
• Create a school calendar. Schools typically make their yearly schedules available prior to the first day of school. Parents can peruse those schedules alongside their children and make a calendar noting special days.
Mark down field trips, special events involving parents and students, school performances where kids get to act or sing on stage, and other notable moments during the school year. Kids are bound to grow more excited about a new year when they see a year's worth of fun events marked down on a calendar.
• Host a late summer get-together with friends. A late-summer pool party or play date with various friends can remind youngsters that they're about to see their friends every day. That might be enough to make young students jump out of bed on the first day of school.
Students might be less than excited about the end of summer vacation and the dawn of a new school year. But there are many things parents can do to get kids excited about going back to school

Great golf supporting even greater causes arrives in Fayetteville Saturday, Aug. 23, with the 38th Annual Fayetteville Rotary Club-hosted Walker Family Golf Classic. Registration at the host course, King's Grant Golf & Country Club at 347 Shawcroft Rd., Fayetteville, is from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m., with the tee-off at 8:30 a.m.
Since 1986, the Fayetteville Rotary has hosted the annual Walker tournament, originally the Fayetteville Rotary Father-Son Golf Championship of Cumberland County. Over the years, the Classic has expanded to include fathers and daughters, grandfathers and grandsons, mothers and daughters, mothers and sons, brothers, nephews and uncles, and other family duos. Today, the Walker, renamed in 2015 for the event's founder, former Rotary Club President Joe Walker, welcomes a wider variety of players.
FRC Director and Chair of the Tournament Committee Tim Richardson explained the tournament’s foundation.
“It originally started as a true father-son golf tournament, almost identical to the tournament (now the Carolinas Parent Child Championship) held annually by the Carolinas Golf Association, the CGA, in Pinehurst. They use many courses because it's such a big event. And Joe Walker played in it with his sons. He loved it so much, and he thought it would be a great thing for us to have here in Cumberland County, and that the Rotary Club could do it. So that's how it started,” he said. “And even before Joe's death, we said, you know, there are so many people that have loved playing in this tournament and golf in general, we're going to change the format and make this a family golf championship. So, if your team (of two) is of a family relation, you can play.”
The links are also open to all ages. Younger players and well-seasoned players are eligible for the oldest and youngest team awards, determined by the combined age of the team. The furthest-traveled team receives another prize. Even though entries must be amateur golfers who are legal residents of Cumberland County, non-residents can play with a qualifying teammate. According to Richardson, players come from across North and South Carolina, and sometimes even further, to join.
A trophy and prize presentation and a cookout catered by ScrubOaks Restaurant are slated after the 18-hole, alternate-stroke tournament. Winners and runners-up in each of five flights will be recognized. While teams in the lowest handicap division will compete for the championship, higher divisions will compete for flight prizes.
Last year, the father-son team of Chuck and Chad Mohn took first place overall, and the team of David and Anthony Knight placed second overall. The tournament raised over $26,000 to support annual service projects. The 2023 Walker Family Golf Classic saw the father-son team of Brian and Sutton Drier achieve a three-peat as they earned their third straight tournament title. The team of Johnny Taylor and Timmy Parker placed second overall. The 2023 tournament raised over $23,000 for the Fayetteville Rotary Club’s annual service projects.
As for this year, Richardson floated some big names in area amateur golf who plan to take to the greens on Aug. 23.
“Thomas Owen is going to be playing this year with his dad. Thomas has won the Cumberland County Golf Championship and the Highlands Country Club Golf Championship,” Richardson shared. “Billy West is going to be playing with his son. And of course, Billy has been the Cumberland County Golf Champion many times, and also the Highland Country Club Champion. So, we have several really good players playing in the field.”
Other special players who turn out year after year are members of the tournament's namesake family. Mark, Todd and Brian Walker, sons of the late Joe Walker, and their children carry on the tournament tradition their dad and granddad started. Last year, Joe’s wife, Melba, was among the spectators who cheered them on.
Richardson’s son-in-law, Greg Whitley, joins him in the round and enjoys the camaraderie of the day.
He said, “I have been on boards for and played in a lot of the charity tournaments in Cumberland County. What sets the Walker apart is the fact that it’s family-oriented. Unlike most other tournaments, the Walker pairs family members and allows you to spend some time with family on the golf course. I appreciate that they’ve expanded beyond the initial father-son format to allow and encourage family members--blood, marriage or otherwise--to spend some great time together!”
Whitley said a joke or two with family is par for the course.
“The pairings with other family teams are very enjoyable, and a little good-natured family ribbing after a bad shot is always good for a lighthearted laugh,” he quipped.
Whatever the score is at the end of the day, and no matter who takes the trophy, Cumberland County is the real winner.
“This is the major way that we raise the funds that we put back into the community. The Walker Classic is our largest fundraiser,” Richardson said.
The Fayetteville Rotary Club supports many local nonprofits and service organizations, including Rick's Place, Better Health of Cumberland County and Habitat for Humanity. The circa 1920 club also champions children and youth through many different initiatives. From coordinating the Fayetteville Christmas Parade and bringing the traveling Morehead Planetarium to schools to funding scholarships, achievement programs and quality of life projects, Rotary members fulfill the club’s service mission with pride.
Highlights from 2024-25 included celebrating the Fayetteville Christmas Parade’s 25th anniversary, delivering $16,000 in cash and tuition credits to four Methodist University students for the Lowdermilk Achievement Awards and selecting 15 local high school students for Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) program participation. The Fayetteville Rotary invested over $50,000 in this community last year alone.
And Rotary’s reach extends to both the region and the world. Examples of global goodwill include the club’s support of a Rotary Peace Fellow from Gaza beginning his fellowship at the Duke-UNC Rotary Peace Center and donations to communities in the Bahamas. Closer to home yet across the state, the Fayetteville Rotary supported Hurricane Helene recovery and the Boys and Girls Home of Lake Waccamaw, and much more.
The Fayetteville Rotary Club is part of Rotary International’s District 7730. Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide, who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations and help build goodwill and peace in the world. There are approximately 1.2 million Rotarians, members of more than 29,000 Rotary clubs in 161 countries.
To get into the swing of things and enter the Walker Family Golf Championship, visit the Fayetteville Rotary Club website at https://fayettevillerotaryclub.org/walker-family-golf-classic.php and download the entry form. The form plus the $150 per team fee is due by Aug. 15. Entries will be limited to 44 teams, and the fee includes the greens fees and cart for both players and all festivities. Game on!

(Photos: Above: The Fayetteville Rotary Club has put on the Walker Family Tournament since 1986. Pictured are Fayetteville Rotarians Maureen Running, Magda Baggett, Bonnie Dawdy and Shawn Johnson.
Bottom: Rotarian and tournament Chair Tim Richardson teamed up with son-in-law Greg Whitley, along with Sean Aul from Tile, Inc. Photos courtesy of Carolyn Justice-Hinson)

On the corner of Hay and Hillsboro Streets in downtown Fayetteville stands a quiet witness to history. Rooted in the soil for over two and a half centuries, the sprawling Virginia live oak known as the Liberty Tree has withstood storms, progress, and time. But on Aug. 16, 2025, the tree will do more than stand, it will speak.
That Saturday, the Airborne & Special Operations Museum Foundation will host a public commemoration honoring the 250th anniversary of the Liberty Tree, an event deeply tied to one of North Carolina’s earliest acts of defiance against British rule. The day also marks the 85th National Airborne Day, a tribute to the first U.S. Army parachute jump in 1940, and celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Airborne & Special Operations Museum, a fixture in Fayetteville’s cultural and military identity.
While each of these milestones could command its own spotlight, together they form a powerful triad of remembrance—connecting revolutionary ideals, modern military innovation, and the enduring strength of community.
A Tree with a Story
In June of 1775, fifty-five local patriots signed the Liberty Point Resolves, pledging their lives and fortunes in support of the Continental Congress. As local lore holds, they nailed their resolution to the oak tree now known as the Liberty Tree, a bold declaration made more than a year before the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Though the exact tree from 1775 cannot be confirmed, this live oak standing strong in the Museum’s Garden is a designated symbol of that era.
“The Liberty Tree is a symbol of liberty and defiance,” said Renee Lane, Executive Director of the ASOMF. “Its strength over the past 250 years mirrors the strength we see today in the U.S. Army and in the soldiers we honor here every day.”
This year, the Foundation will place a permanent historical marker at the Liberty Tree to ensure its story is not lost in the noise of urban life.
“I’m not sure many visitors even know the tree’s significance,” Lane added. “That’s why we’re putting the marker in place so that the public can understand what it stands for, and what it meant then and now.”
Honoring Heritage Through Innovation
The day’s significance extends beyond the colonial era. Aug. 16 also marks National Airborne Day, a day proclaimed by President George W. Bush in 2002 to commemorate the first official U.S. Army parachute jump in 1940. The 85th observance will be felt keenly at the museum, especially after recent years saw commemorations paused due to the pandemic.
“This day represents both innovation and legacy,” said Maj. Ryan Bryson, a key figure in organizing the event. “Airborne tactics transformed how we fight. That spirit of adaptation still defines the paratroopers serving today.”
Bryson noted that Fayetteville, home to Fort Bragg, houses the largest population of paratroopers in the world.
“It’s only fitting that we celebrate this day here,” he said. “And not just as soldiers but alongside the community that has always supported us.”
This year’s celebration aims to reintroduce the community to the airborne world in unforgettable fashion, with interactive displays on the museum grounds that include Black Hawk helicopters, new military vehicles, and gear demonstrations. Attendees will engage directly with soldiers, try on parachutes, explore modern equipment, and even climb aboard aircraft.
“We want the public to see what our soldiers use, how they train, and who they are,” Bryson added. “It’s a rare opportunity for civilians to not just observe, but participate.”
Capt. Mistrangeol, another key contributor to the event planning, emphasized that “these interactions humanize the force. People see a uniform and forget the individual inside it. This day lets us bridge that gap with curiosity, conversation, and shared pride.”
The Museum at 25
The Airborne & Special Operations Museum opened in 2000 through efforts led by Gen. (Ret.) James Lindsay and the ASOMF. In 2005, the U.S. Army assumed official oversight of the museum, and today it serves not only as a repository of military history but as a dynamic community hub for education, reflection, and commemoration.
Inside, the museum houses immersive exhibits detailing the history of airborne and special operations from World War II to today. Jim Bartlinski, museum curator, shared that several new and rare artifacts will be unveiled in conjunction with the celebration.
Among them: a never-before-displayed balloon suit belonging to Gen. William C. Lee, widely regarded as the father of the airborne.
“It’s a significant addition,” Bartlinski explained. “It helps visitors connect to the origins of airborne training, where we came from, and how far we’ve gone.”
The museum will also feature a temporary exhibit on Special Forces and the Montagnards in Vietnam, a project curated in collaboration with the JFK Museum on Fort Bragg and six students from Jack Britt High School. “It’s a moving story of partnership and resilience,” Bartlinski said. “We’re proud to bring it to light.”
Another key highlight includes wreckage from Mogadishu’s Black Hawk Down mission, one of the museum’s most powerful displays.
“These artifacts tell the story not just of conflict,” Bartlinski said, “but of sacrifice, survival, and strength.”
Liberty Then and Now
As the morning ceremony begins at 8 a.m., the Liberty Tree will become more than a backdrop; it will be a central figure in the day’s narrative. With the marker dedication, its story will finally be shared in an enduring way, inviting reflection on liberty not just as an 18th-century ideal, but as a living, breathing call to action.
In today’s divided climate, the Liberty Tree offers a symbol of unity grounded in shared values.
“The patriots who signed the Liberty Point Resolves didn’t have all the answers,” Lane said. “But they stood together when it mattered. That’s a lesson for any era.”
This theme is reflected in Camp Flintlock, a colonial living history experience hosted on the museum’s grounds from 8:30 a.m. to noon. Children and adults alike will be able to try quill-and-ink writing, tomahawk throwing, musket demonstrations, and marching drills, offering a hands-on glimpse into the world of early American revolutionaries.
“Out the back door, you’ll see 1775,” Lane said. “Out the front, it’s 2025. The contrast is powerful and it’s intentional.”
A Day for the Public
Organizers are clear on one point: every event is free and open to the public.
“This isn’t just for the military,” Capt. Mistrangeol said. “It’s for families, students, history buffs, anyone who wants to learn, remember, or just be part of something meaningful.”
Maj. Bryson echoed that sentiment: “We see this day as a chance to pass the torch. Today’s paratroopers are writing the next chapter, and we’re inviting the community to be part of that story.”
He added, “Events like this are how we honor the past, but also how we build the future. High standards, enduring values, and an unwavering commitment to service that is the airborne spirit.”
A Day to Remember
The Aug. 16 commemoration blends historical reverence with immersive experience, creating a celebration that spans generations. Whether you come to hear the boom of a musket, tour the interior of a Black Hawk, or learn about a little-known tree that helped birth a nation, you’ll find something that speaks to your sense of place and purpose.
For a city like Fayetteville, shaped by military roots and civic pride, it is a day that reminds us not only of where we’ve been, but of where we’re going.

(Top Photo: The Airborne and Special Operations Museum in Fayetteville. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Natalie Pantalos.  Bottom Photo: U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Jesse Robbins, U.S. Army Parachute Team, makes a parachute landing at the Airborne and Special Operations Museum in Fayetteville, North Carolina, 14 Aug. 2021. The event was held in celebration of National Airborne Day. U.S. Army photo by Megan Hackett)

Fayetteville Millennials and Fayetteville Next Advisory Commission are hosting the Second Annual Fayetteville Next Field Day at the Rick Herrema Foundation “Rick’s Place,” located at 5572 Shenandoah Drive. The festivities kick off on Aug. 23 at 10 a.m. and last until 2 p.m.
This is a playground for grown-ups. Potato sack races, inflatable games, vendors, tug of war, yoga, water relay races and team competitions will be held. Music, food trucks, prizes, and refreshments will be shared and enjoyed by all. General admission is free. Advanced registration is required, and can be done by visiting https://www.fayettevillenc.gov/City-Council/Boards-and-Commissions/Fayetteville-Next-Advisory-Commission. Team registration check-in is from 8 a.m. to 9:45 am. The games start at 10 a.m. Each team must have at least five members of the minimum age of eighteen and share the same color shirt.
The partners of the Second Annual Fayetteville Next Field Day are The Drip Bar, Fayetteville Next Advisory Commission, Fayetteville Woodpeckers, Hottest D.J. Ricoveli, and RHF Rick’s Place.
The Fayetteville Next Advisory Commission was established to attract, retain and engage Fayetteville residents between the ages of 19 and 39. The Commission is dedicated to improving the quality of life for the young adults through targeted event programming and community outreach, making Fayetteville a “desirable place to live, work, and recreate for this generation,” according to the City of Fayetteville, Boards and Commissions.
Mario Benavente was the first chairperson and founding member of the Fayetteville NEXT Advisory Commission.
“I am always conscious of the fact I owe my hometown my talents and simply contributing my time, talents and more to the greater good for my community I call home,” he said.
The Fayetteville NEXT Advisory Commission holds monthly meetings. The next meeting will be held Aug. 21, at 6:30 p.m. at the Fayetteville Cumberland Youth Council Building, located at 725 W. Rowan Street.
The millennial presence of Fayetteville is a factor in the partnership with Fayetteville Next. The millennials are more than a handprint on the future of Fayetteville; this population is a full-body engagement group.
The Second Annual Fayetteville Next Adult Field Day will be held Aug. 23, Rick’s Place,. Get ready for a day of games, food, music and friendship. This is the day to let loose, laugh loud, and play hard. Be there with grown-ups at play.

Runners, veterans, and history enthusiasts will lace up on Saturday, Aug. 30, for the Triple Nickle Remembrance Run, a 5.55-mile race held on the Liberty Trail at Fort Bragg to honor the enduring legacy of the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion, America’s first all-Black airborne unit.
Organized by the Tau Gamma Gamma Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., the run begins at 8 a.m. near the Fort Bragg Fairgrounds off Watson Street. Registration is open to the public through RunSignUp.com, and participants can choose between an in-person experience or a virtual run that allows them to honor the Triple Nickles from any location. Race timing will be provided by Run the East, LLC, and participants will receive official bibs, finisher medals, and race shirts.
The symbolic 5.55-mile distance pays homage to the numerical designation of the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion, nicknamed the “Triple Nickles.” Their groundbreaking role in military history has gained renewed attention on social media in recent years, with military heritage organizations and veteran influencers sharing stories of the battalion under hashtags like #TripleNickles, #555PIB, and #LegacyRun.
Established in 1943, the Triple Nickles trained at Fort Benning and Fort Bragg, breaking barriers at a time when segregation was still enforced across the U.S. military. Although they were never deployed overseas during World War II, the battalion played a vital role in a lesser-known domestic mission: Operation Firefly, which saw them deployed as “smokejumpers” to combat wildfires in the Pacific Northwest caused by Japanese balloon bombs. With over 1,200 jumps, the 555th contributed both to national defense and wildfire containment efforts.
In 1947, the unit was officially integrated into the 82nd Airborne Division. Their example of professionalism and excellence contributed to the momentum behind President Truman’s desegregation of the armed forces in 1948, making the battalion’s legacy a cornerstone of military civil rights history.
The 2025 Remembrance Run is one of several initiatives promoted by Omega Psi Phi to highlight the contributions of African American service members. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Tau Gamma Gamma Scholarship Fund, which provides financial support to high school seniors in the Fort Bragg and Fayetteville area.
On the official RunSignUp event page, organizers encourage families, community members, and service members from all branches to participate. Participants without base access must obtain a visitor pass from the All-American Gate Visitor Center, which is free but required to enter the installation.
Virtual participants can register through Aug. 30 and complete the 5.55-mile run from anywhere in the world. Organizers have emphasized inclusivity and accessibility across their event postings, including shared updates on Omega Psi Phi’s local chapter Facebook page and other fraternity channels.
Registered runners can expect to receive their race packets, medals, and shirts by mail. The run adds to a growing calendar of commemorative athletic events at Fort Bragg, such as the “Run, Honor, Remember” 5K held earlier in May.
These events are part of a larger cultural movement that fuses fitness with historical remembrance and community service.
In recent months, the Triple Nickle Remembrance Run has also been spotlighted on veteran-centric event platforms such as AllEvents, which lists the run among key commemorations of military heritage in North Carolina. Promotional materials call the run a “ceremony in motion,” designed to keep the memory of the 555th Battalion alive through movement, reflection, and unity. While the event has drawn attention from across the Southeast, it carries particular significance at Fort Bragg, one of the original training sites for the battalion.
By retracing some of the physical ground walked and run by the Triple Nickles more than 80 years ago, participants form a living tribute to their courage and service.
Those interested in joining the run, donating, or learning more about the battalion’s history are encouraged to visit runsignup.com and follow @TGGOmegaPsiPhi on social media for updates. Event-day announcements, commemorative moments, and participant highlights are expected to be shared across Facebook and Instagram throughout race weekend.
As Aug. 30 approaches, the Triple Nickle Remembrance Run stands as more than a race; it is a call to remember, honor, and continue the work of those who paved the way for equality in uniform.
Every mile run is a step forward in carrying their story into the future. For more information on the Remembrance Run, visit https://runsignup.com/Race/NC/FortBragg/TripleNickleRemembranceRun.

(Photo courtesy of Triple Nickle Remembrance Run Facebook Page)

North Carolina State Board of Elections Executive Director Sam Hayes is setting off on a mission to correct 103,000 North Carolinians’ voting records from which some information is missing.
He maintains that the process, dubbed the Registration Repair Project, will not remove any eligible voters from the state’s voter rolls.
According to the state elections board, 103,270 North Carolina registered voters have records that lack either their driver’s license number, the last four digits of their Social Security number or an indication that they have neither.
Last year, this missing information became the stuff of headlines, lawsuits and the high-profile election protest of Republican Court of Appeals Judge Jefferson Griffin, who lost his bid for state Supreme Court to the incumbent justice, Democrat Allison Riggs, by 734 votes.
In April, the North Carolina Supreme Court declined to remove ballots from the count based on missing identification numbers; they said the state elections board, not voters, was responsible for a faulty voter registration form that didn’t make it abundantly clear that this information was required.
While Griffin lost, the issue he raised remains salient for a newly Republican elections board and the U.S. Department of Justice, which promptly sued the state board over alleged violations of the federal Help America Vote Act’s voter registration provisions.
Thursday, Hayes told reporters that a process he unveiled in late June to gather these missing identification numbers had begun in earnest.
“We must put this issue behind us so we can focus our attention squarely on preparations for accurate and secure municipal elections this fall,” he said.
The plan to collect missing information
There are two groups of voters under Hayes’ plan.
The first group includes registered voters who have never provided a driver’s license, the last four digits of their Social Security number or an affirmation that they lack both. The state elections board has asked county election boards to check their records for these numbers, in case they were provided but not correctly entered into the voting system.
In early August, the state elections board will send letters to the remaining voters in this group requesting the missing information. If affected voters do not comply, they will vote provisionally in future elections. The elections board will create a flag on these voters’ records for poll workers.
The second group includes registered voters whose records do not show that they’ve provided an identification number, but have shown additional documentation at the polls proving their identity and eligibility under HAVA. These voters may vote a regular ballot.
However, the elections board will still send them a letter in a second mailing asking for the missing identification number to bolster the state’s voter records. Even so, if they do not oblige, they still will not be at risk of being disenfranchised, NCSBE General Counsel Paul Cox said.
County election boards have already made progress, and their work will continue as the mailings go out, Hayes said.
Voters can check to see whether they’re on the list of those with missing information by using the Registration Repair Search Tool. If voters don’t want to wait for the August mailing, they can submit an updated voter registration form using their driver’s license through the online DMV portal or visit their county elections board in person with their driver’s license or Social Security card.
“We anticipate the number of voters on the list will decrease quickly as word spreads about this important effort,” Hayes said.
The State Board of Elections unanimously approved the plan last month, despite some concerns from Democrat Jeff Carmon about putting up an extra obstacle for voters because of a problem with missing information that the voters didn’t cause.
“It’s hard to understand starvation if you’ve never felt the pangs of hunger,” Carmon said. “It’s the same situation with voting obstacles. Your perspective of an obstacle may not be the same as someone who’s consistently had their identity and their validity questioned.”
Nonetheless, Carmon and fellow Democrat board member Siobhan Millen ultimately voted in support of the plan.
Same ballot, different rules
Normally, when a voter casts a provisional ballot, the county elections board determines whether their ballot counts by the post-election canvass, held nine days after an election.
Voters may have to provide documentation or information to prove their eligibility to vote in order to be accepted.
The same process applies to the 103,000 affected voters, with a catch. Their vote may be accepted for federal contests, but not state contests, due to a difference in law.
According to the DOJ’s interpretation, the National Voter Registration Act requires all provisional votes of “duly registered voters” to count, Cox said.
But the state elections board has interpreted the state Supreme Court and North Carolina Court of Appeals’ decisions in the Griffin case as requiring a driver’s license, the last four digits of a Social Security number or an affirmation that a voter has neither before accepting their votes in state and local contests.
Under a recent election law change, county election boards have three days to validate and count or reject provisional ballots.
But sometimes, mismatches happen during validation due to database trouble with reading hyphenated names or connecting maiden and married names, for example, Cox said. The board has designed a “fail safe” in case this comes up.
When there’s a mismatch during the validation process, state law allows voters to provide additional documentation — like a driver’s license, bank statement or government document with a voter’s name and address — to prove their eligibility.
“A big chunk of these voters will have already shown HAVA ID, and that’s because in the past, when this information was not supplied, the county boards would still require these voters to show that alternative form of HAVA ID when they voted for the first time,” Cox said.
Poll workers will ask provisional voters to provide this additional documentation so that they can mark it down for later, if validation doesn’t work, he added.
Democrats threaten countersuit
Last week, the Democratic National Committee threatened the state board with litigation if they went ahead with their plan regarding those with missing information.
The letter claimed that the plan would remove eligible voters from the rolls illegally.
Hayes disagrees. In his view, he’s just following the law.
“It’s not the fault of the voters,” he said. “But at the same time, we’re required by the law to go back and collect this information, which should have been done at the time, and it certainly should have been done in the intervening time.”
He also clarified that North Carolina’s photo voter ID requirement won’t suffice for the impacted voters. They still have to vote provisionally so that their identification numbers can go through the validation process, he said.
As for whether his fully fleshed out plan will appease the DNC?
“We hope so,” Hayes said.

Wes Jones, MD, remembers the day in 1983 when he decided where his medical career would unfold. As he was finishing a gastroenterology fellowship at Duke University and considering a number of places where he might begin his practice, a colleague told him he might want to check out Fayetteville. He added it to his list of cities to explore and set out for a drive with his wife, Lucy.
“We saw a sign for Fayetteville to the right, but I missed the exit,” he said. “And then a short while later, I saw another sign for Fayetteville, and this one pointed to the left.”
With all signs literally pointing to Fayetteville, they had a look around and soon felt right at home.
“And we just knew that's where God wants us to be,” he said. “So I've been here since ‘83.”
After nearly four decades of practice at Cape Fear Valley, Dr. Jones retired in 2020. And late last year, despite a very active lifestyle, the doctor became a patient.
“It began with some numbness on the top of my foot,” he said. “I thought my shoe wasn’t on correctly, so I adjusted that and did fine the rest of the day.”
But the next day, the numbness was back. Over the next few days, it spread to his ankle and up to his mid-calf. This was not a good sign.
“The MRI showed lumbar stenosis with severe compression in the lower spinal canal,” Jones said. “Given my symptom progression, I was concerned about becoming paraplegic.”
Soon, Jones was evaluated by Charles Haworth, MD, at Cape Fear Valley Neurosurgery. The two were already well acquainted.
“He’s a good guy,” Dr. Haworth said. “He’s a go-getter and just a real optimist. He’s not a complainer. I was alarmed that he was in this condition and still trying to carry on.”
Three days later, Dr. Jones was in surgery. Dr. Haworth spent hours carefully clearing the overgrowth that had compressed the nerves, fusing the affected vertebrae to return sensation and function to Dr. Jones’ legs.
“That was the Monday before Thanksgiving,” Dr. Jones said. “And I was out of the hospital on Wednesday, which is pretty remarkable for a five-hour procedure. The next day, I was outside with a walker. I used that for a week, and a month later I was walking four or five miles.”
This was his usual routine before the surgery, and he was glad to be back at it. But as the weeks went by, Dr. Haworth worried he might be overdoing it.
“We always tell patients we want them to do some walking,” Dr. Haworth said. “And I knew he was doing a mile or two at the beginning, but then another friend told me he was doing three miles a day, and then he’s up to five or six or seven. And it’s like, how many people his age do anything near that?”
Dr. Jones felt fine but agreed to scale back to three or four miles a day, at least until they could confirm at a three-month follow-up that all was well.
“And the X-rays were completely unchanged from the ones right after surgery,” he said. “Dr. Haworth was very pleased with that, so I could keep walking as far as I liked.”
As his remarkable recovery continued, Dr. Jones was surprised by how many people assumed he’d gone out of town for his surgery.
“People have this mindset that you have to go to Duke or UNC for the best,” he said. “But as a doctor and now a patient, I can tell you I don’t think I would have gotten better care there than what I got at Cape Fear Valley. There’s just not a lot of reason to go so far away.”
Dr. Haworth agreed and said Dr. Jones has been a large part of Cape Fear Valley’s evolution into a robust, thriving health system.
“He's given so much back to the hospital and now to the medical school,” Dr. Haworth said. “He's just a very special, unique person in the community.”
Dr. Jones said he wants people to know that symptoms like his are not to be ignored. He had powered through many years of back trouble, keeping the discomfort at bay with plenty of walking, swimming and yoga.
“It’s one thing to have back discomfort that comes and goes,” he said. “But once you have a neurological symptom like numbness, and it’s spreading, that is a big red flag, and you need to get it checked out.”

(Dr. Wes Jones had a remarkable surgery and recovery at Cape Fear Valley Health. Learn more at capefearvalley.com Photo courtesy of Cape Fear Valley Health)