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         How many times have you walked down the sidewalk on your street and seen a stray piece of litter carelessly thrown there? How many times have you taken the time to stop and pick it up?
         How many times have you driven down one of the back roads of our community and seen an illegal dump littered with couches, washers and dryers and even commodes? How many times did you stop to try and help clean it up?
    That’s the type of questions that Bobby Hurst, chairman of Fayetteville Beautiful, might be asking on Saturday, April 18 at the kick-off of the Fayetteville Beautiful Spring citywide clean-up. Hurst, who heads up the non-profit organization, has overseen a number of these events, and he has watched them grow as more and more residents begin to take pride in our community.
         {mosimage} “Over time, you expect these kinds of events to dwindle,” said Hurst. “The first event is always huge, but people drift away and it doesn’t become as important. That isn’t the case with Fayetteville Beautiful.”
         In fact, this year’s event is expected to be the largest event ever. There are many factors that have added to the success of the event, but the main factor is community involvement.
         “We’ve got churches and civic groups participating. We’ve got Boy Scouts from all across the county involved. There are school groups, and there are families – all working to make our city better,” said Hurst.
         This year’s event is getting a shot in the arm through the involvement of the Church of the Latter-day Saints. According to Anna Molgard, the director of public affairs for the area churches, the church participates in an annual Day of Service across the country. In Cumberland County, the church decided to adopt Fayetteville Beautiful as its service project. That means that more than 300 members of the area churches will come out in force to participate in the event.
    “We are joining with congregations from our church throughout the Southeast United States in a day of service,” said Molgard. “We decided to partner with Fayetteville Beautiful after we talked with the mayor’s office.”
         Molgard said she called the mayor’s office to see what needs the city had.  She was looking for an event that could accommodate a large number of volunteers, and that would make a big impact on the community.
         “Service is a big part of our church and our faith. This is the largest scale project that has been done in this area in the last several years,” she said. “We are glad to serve and join our friends and neighbors to clean up our city and make it a better place for us all to live.”
         Quality of life is one of the main reasons Fayetteville Beautiful was initially formed. The city recognized that people want to live in a safe, clean community. That was one of the agenda items that came out of the first Fayetteville Futures study. Hurst, who became the trash czar for the community, began building a group of volunteers and put the plan into motion.
         He noted that many people do not understand the impact litter has on a community. He related that just recently the county hosted individuals who were looking to locate a business here. As the delegation pulled up to the county’s business park, economic developers were shocked to find an illegal dump at the entrance.
         “They didn’t even want to go in,” said Hurst. “It made a real impact on county leaders, and they are hoping to either join us or start a similar program of their own.”
         He noted that during past clean-ups many of these illegal dumps were eradicated; only to be refilled by county residents. In the weeks leading up to the April 18 event, Hurst and members of his committee will tour the community to find areas of high-concentration litter. These high-litter areas will be targeted by the committee during the clean-up.
    Mayor Tony Chavonne is excited about the event. “We have two citywide clean-ups each year, but there’s something exciting about the spring event,” he said. “Maybe it’s all the color or the newness of the season, but we always have a wonderful turnout for this event, and we look to this event to be the most successful so far.”
         Hurst said that many organizations that adopt roads will also take part in the event. He said over the past several years a great partnership has developed between his organization and the N.C. Department of Transportation.
    “Really, we’re all working for the same goal: a cleaner community,” said Hurst.
         This fall, the organization will turn its attention to the Cape Fear River and its banks. Hurst said this event will not have as many youth participants due to the nature of the event. “We’re actually going to have people in boats cleaning the water,” he said.
         But, for now, Hurst is still actively seeking volunteers. If you’re interested in pitching in and helping clean up the community, visit the organization’s Web site at www.fayettevillebeautiful.com. Volunteer organizers will assign             you a location, and you can pick up your bags and gloves at the kick-off.     

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         There are some pretty amazing things on the Internet, some good, some bad and a lot that are just useless and mediocre. In the really good category would be the Flip My Landscape competition on local radio station WKML’s Web site. If this event brings to mind shows like Extreme Home Makeover, Flip this House, DIY and Designed to Sell, then you are right on the money.
          {mosimage} In the spirit of bettering the community, Cape Fear Landscape and Lawncare of Fayetteville owner, Garrett Fulcher and his sponsors, are offering up to a $5,000 landscape makeover to each winner of the competition, and the chance to have the entire experience broadcast on Time Warner Cable’s Channel 9, and we aren’t just talking sod and a few hostas either. Fulcher’s company deals in things like outdoor kitchens, retaining walls, outdoor lighting and custom pavers too. Set your DVR’s and mark your calendar, the first episode airs on Saturday, April 4 at 10:30 a.m. 
          So how did this traffic-signal installer and landscaper decide this was a project he wanted to initiate? “I was just sitting around thinking of something I could do to give back to the community because they’ve been so good to me,” said Fulcher. “I wanted to kinda give back a little bit to them and do it in a profession that we are good at, so we came up with the idea of flipping someone’s landscape.”
           The Cape Fear Landscape crew has already done a few makeovers, but none of them have been filmed or aired yet, although each one has surely been a blessing to the recipient. 
           “We’re looking for people who are down and out or are disabled and can’t do it any more,” said Fulcher. One of the winners  is a dual military couple. The husband has just returned from his fifth deployment and the wife is on her first deployment right now. “They just didn’t have the time to keep things up and he wanted to surprise her. He just wanted something nice for her to come home to.”
           While the bulk of the digging, planting and installing is done by Fulcher and his crew, there are plenty of local sponsors who are pitching in — Hubbard Pipes, Accubrick, Custom Pavers, the Fayetteville Guard, Thurman Trucking, Highland Paving Co., Horne Farms, Ican, Up & Coming Weekly, Vista Outdoor Lighting and Twin Oaks Nursery. Fulcher said that the response has been so good that the plan is to keep doing make-overs and wowing the community as long as the sponsors are willing to hang in there with him. When someone drives by a home that has used Cape Fear Landscape and Lawncare of Fayetteville, Fulcher’s hope is that people who see it will automatically know that his company has been there, and that the people who live there will enjoy the outdoor living spaces that they’ve created for years to come. 
           “We want people to know that when you need landscaping you need to be calling Cape Fear Landscaping,” he said.  “I mean we do it all from  one end to the other. We do outdoor kitchens, custom walkways, drive ways, sod, irrigation, landscape lighting. We do it from one end to the other; if it has got anything to do with the outside of your house we can do it.”
           While the first round of competition has closed, it is not too late to enter for the second round. Entries are being accepted until April 5. They will be posted on WKML’s Web site Monday, April 6 - Thursday, April 9 until 11:59 p.m., when the next Flip My Landscape winner will be chosen by popular vote. Visit www.wkml.com to enter and find out about the contest rules. Even if you don’t enter you can still vote and help choose the next prize recipient.

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         Fayetteville is looking for a few good men — and women — who are truly interested in making a difference in the community. And on Saturday, March 28, county leaders are hoping those folks will join them at the Crown Coliseum to participate in Greater Fayetteville Futures II, a community action plan.
         Greater Fayetteville Futures II is an offshoot of a 2001 project that bore the same name. Greater Fayetteville Futures was, according to Fayetteville Mayor Tony Chavonne, the “first honest assessment of our community.”
         “That’s when we acknowledged that we didn’t have the economy to create the jobs we needed to build our economy,” he said. “It was recognition that we were not where we needed to be.”
    {mosimage} At that time, the group tackled three major goals: image, a unified vision for economic opportunities, and leveraging the military’s presence in the community for greater economic opportunities. From that project came a unified economic development presence in the form of the Chamber, the development of the History, Heroes and a Hometown feeling slogan and a closer examination of economic opportunities tied to the military that are not service-related.
    Key to the success of the first Fayetteville Futures was the involvement in the process by a wide segment of the community. It is, in fact, an action plan for the future. When the group convenes this month, it will focus on 10 objectives that will help the community reach its 2020 Vision: Greater Fayetteville will be recognized as a top 10 place to live in the Southeastern United States for all with safe neighborhoods, cultural opportunities, a model education system, well-connected and a strong, vibrant local economy.
         The 10 objectives are:
         VO 1: Create a model education system that supports and networks workforce readiness and sustainable innovations.
         VO 2: Effectively implement the community’s economic development strategy.
         VO 3: Ensure safety and security for all.
         VO 4: Expand and develop services that lead to a better living environment.
         VO 5: Leverage the region’s defense technology assets.
         VO 6: Increase/improve traditional and non-traditional connectivity infrastructure (transportation and information technology.)
         VO 7: Improve and sustain health services and wellness
         VO 8: Grow and sustain a “green” community.
         VO 9: Communicate our community story.
         VO 10: Sustain and grow cultural and recreational opportunities.
         Over the past several years, several studies have been conducted throughout the community to help guide the direction and firm up the 2020 vision. Chavonne said the community has the information it needs to meet the vision, now it’s time for people to “roll up their sleeves” and do the work to get the community where it needs to go.
         To do that, community leaders pulled up the original Fayetteville Futures model and put it back on the table. According to Chavonne the reason the first project was so successful was that it was “inclusive.”
         “It’s an action place, not a white-paper exercise,” he noted. “We already have the benefit of the reports. We know what we need to do, and now we need to energize the community on these action items.
         Kirk deViere is helping facilitate the process. He explained that during the meeting at the Crown, citizens will get an overview of the objectives and the mission, and then they will have the opportunity to break down into smaller groups and explore objectives in a more depth. “Citizens will get a chance to plug into two objectives,” said deViere. “They will then discuss a series of initiatives and create project teams with definite, measurable goals. Each initiative has a one-year time for completion.”
         That’s when the ball is squarely in the hands of the community. Once the project teams are created, they become responsible for setting their meetings, creating their plans and working to meet their targets.
         “This is a completely action focused, action-based project,” said deViere. “The community has the direction, the resources have been spent and a blue print is in place. It now becomes a community playbook.”
         He noted that there is a wide spectrum of the community involved from large stakeholders in the education, healthcare, governmental and other agencies, to individual citizens. “People who make up the community are represented at the table to put the final shape on what we are going to do,” he said.
         Chavonne said that cross-segment of the community will help to look at the bigger picture and seeing how issues are not one dimensional. “Crime rates aren’t just an issue with the city,” said Chavonne. “They impact across the community in a number of ways. If we all work in a collaborative way we can find an answer.”
         He was adamant in that this is not a “study to study” our community. “Through this process we will have specific steps to move our community forward,” he said.
         deViere said at the end of the year, a community scorecard will be issued letting the citizens see what has been accomplished. “This is a very open process. We will use a variety of means to keep the community informed so that they can gauge how we are doing,” he said.
         But, both men pointed out that it begins with the community. The meeting is open to the public and the process is community driven. “We need people to be energized about the process, roll up their sleeves and make a difference in our community,” said Chavonne. “We want to find people who will engage and move forward.”
         The event begins sat 9:30 a.m. at the Crown and runs through noon. For more information, visit the organization Web site at www.GreaterFayettevilleFutures.org .

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         Did you hear the one about the tap dancing biochemist? No?
    Actually, it’s no joke … On March 21 at Methodist University’s Reeves Auditorium there will be a tap dancing biochemist hoofing across the stage, along with a molecular geneticist, a software engineer and a second-grade teacher. This seemingly disparate group of professionals make up the Footnotes Tap Ensemble, a nonprofit, Research Triangle-based professional tap company dedicated to bringing tap to the masses.
         {mosimage} Co-founder Mimi Benjamin — who works as a physician when she’s not treading the boards along with the other members of Footnotes — says everyone in the troupe holds down a “day” job, though their real passion is the dance.
    “All of our dancers work regular jobs,” said Benjamin, who founded Footnotes in 2005 with former dance school classmate Robin Vail, “but they find time to put their careers on the backburner to entertain and educate people about tap dancing.”
         Benjamin says dance fans that show up at Methodist on March 21 will be treated to a display of old-fashioned tap done in the style of some of the legends, including a tribute to Bill “Bojangles” Robinson.
         “We will perform three different types of tap,” said Benjamin. “We’ve worked hard to preserve the old historic dances. Among the ones we’ll be doing is ‘New Lowdown,’ made famous by Mr. Bojangles, himself.
         “We’ll also be doing ‘The Walkaround’ that was previously performed by the great Henry Robinson,” said Benjamin. “We also have dances we’ve commissioned from contemporary choreographers Dorothy Wasserman and Lane Alexander, as well as our own compositions. People are usually very surprised at the variety of what makes up tap dancing.”
         In addition to bringing some of their own dance creations with them, Footnotes will also bring its own band, consisting of a pianist, bassist, drummer, singer, banjoist and sax player/flautist.
         And while Footnotes will certainly bring the noise, Methodist brings a little something special itself that will contribute mightily to the performance: “The floor on that stage (Reeves Auditorium) is just legendary,” said Benjamin. “It’s got a great reputation as being an extraordinary wood stage.”
         In addition to a widespread reputation for its dancing abilities, Footnotes is also well known for its educational programs, bringing tap classes and workshops into communities across the region — workshops and classes that attract a broad spectrum of participants.
         “There are so many different styles of tap that can be performed in conjunction with so many different types of music,” said Benjamin. “I mean, when we hit the stage we have to appeal to all ages, from 4 to 80. And a lot of these folks get into dance after seeing us perform or attending one of our workshops.”
         The show is scheduled for March 21, 8 p.m., at Reeves Auditorium is entitled “Live Rhythms,” and if you want more information about how you can catch it “live,” call (919) 475-5444 to purchase tickets; tickets are $10 — $5 for students, seniors and NCDA members.
         You can also check out the Footnotes Web site, www.footnotestapensemble.org, for more information about the organization as well as a schedule.

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    Match Dot Con
      A woman wrote me on an online dating site. Her profile said she was 42. I’m 37, which isn’t a big age difference, so we went out. We had a blast and were planning to go out again when she e-mailed and confessed she’ll be 49 in August. She seemed really cool, had a great sense of humor, and looked older than 42, but was definitely still cute. Should I be worried she might have other surprises in store?  
    — Numbers Racket

      A seasoned shopper on an online dating site doesn’t just wonder if everybody’s lying, he expects it. People will tell you right in their profile that honesty is extremely important to them — then sandwich that claim between more fudge than you can buy in one of those candy stores you see in the mall. And, because men and women have different hard-wired preferences for what they seek in a partner, they lie about different things. Men tend to lie about their height and income. Women are likely to lie about their age and weight.
     {mosimage} Deception has always played a big part in romantic marketing. Mascara is a lie. Wearing a slimming color is a lie. Frankly, deodorant is a lie, but let’s hope the masses continue to embrace olfactory dishonesty. Online, people can get away with much more. When they create their dating profile, they aren’t lying to somebody’s face, they’re lying on a resume they’re sending off into the ether. And, they aren’t doing it as themselves, but as GolfBeast or ChocolateLuvr89. So, you see “Husky dude with most of his hair and a quirky sense of adventure...” — instead of “Male-pattern-balding, out-of-shape weirdo, teetering between thoughts of suicide and mass murder, seeks model.”
      Many of these hyperbolists seem to forget that there’s going to be some point of reckoning. Or, they keep telling themselves they’re planning on losing the weight or rolling off the couch and looking for a job.
      As for Miss 42-and-counting, try to have a little compassion. Guys tend to go for younger or much-younger women, and guys on dating sites do searches with an age cutoff, which means she never gets the chance to be judged for her looks instead of her age. Regarding your worry that she might have “other surprises” in store, consider it a good sign that she confessed her real age after the first date. If you don’t think she’s too old for you, keep dating her, and see whether she seems inclined toward convenient dishonesty. There’s a good chance you’ve heard the worst of it.
      (c)2008, Amy Alkon, all rights reserved.

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      Over the past year, controversy has swirled over the Myrtle Beach Spring Rally. The City of Myrtle Beach has enacted new laws and regulations that seek to limit the activities of the bikers including a new helmet law. The city has made it plain that they do not welcome the idea of the Spring Rally, but its voice seems to be falling on deaf ears.
      Last week the Carolina’s Harley Davidson Dealers Association announced that it will hold its spring rally May 15-16 in New Bern.
      “This new venue will allow us to get back to basics and offer our existing and new customers a rally experience they will appreciate without restrictions and with the ability to enjoy the freedom of riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle,” said Mark Cox, the association president.
      {mosimage}With all eyes focused on New Bern, the city’s officials have thrown a warning flag.
      Tom Bayliss III, the mayor of New Bern, said that he was told the dealer rally will draw less than 4,000 “older people” and their families to the historic port city. The current plan calls for the rally to be set up outside the city limits at the fairgrounds. Bayliss said that an influx of thousands of bikers, the number that usually hit the Grand Strand during Bike Week, would not be welcome or easily accommodated in the smaller locale.
      “We couldn’t handle it. There’s no way in the world,” said Bayliss, who is also a rider.
      He pointed out that the city lacks the sheer number of hotels needed to accomodate the influx and the entertainment venues needed to enterain the attendees. Unlike Myrtle Beach, which is a resort town geared toward providing entertainment to its guest, New Bern is more of a sleepy coastal town. It’s historic streets are not known for the wildness that usually ensues at bike week.
      It is that rowdiness that has led to the restrictions by the Myrtle Beach government. Last year a Coastal Carolina University student was killed during one of the many rallies that occurred at the beach in a dispute over a parking space.
      While many of the Carolina’s bike enthusiasts are still planning on making the trek to Myrtle Beach, city officials breathed a sigh of relief following the announcement by the association.
      “The issue for the city has been that we’ve had two or three … back to back motorcycle events that occupied 20 straight days and that’s too much. So, we’re not going to be in the rally business in May,” Mark Kruea, a city spokesman said.
      Earlier this year, the city and its chamber of commerce lauched a Web site stating that bike rallies were over in the city. It remains to be seen whether bikers will honor the city’s wishes or not. The question to be answered locally is: When May rolls around, where will you be?
      Please send your comments and feedback on the issue to editor@upandcomingweekly.com

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      I thought it would be somewhat comical to send our regular movie reviewer Heather Griffiths to review the Jonas Brothers movie. But, as Heather is more at home with slasher flicks than boy bands, I started to rethink my plan. Then, as I thought back to the terror she had at merely being in the same multiplex with all of the die hard Hannah Montana fans, I decided it would probably not only be cruel, but downright mean to ask her to review this movie.
     {mosimage} So, since my 8-year-old son thinks he is one of the Jonas Brothers, and since their latest CD now holds slot number 5 in my car’s CD changer and since I will admit it I can now sing along with the CD, I decided to take one for the team (and get cool points with my son) and take in the flick.
      I’ll be up front. If you are over the age of 13, you’re going to want to run screaming into the night after the first five minutes of the movie. If you are between the ages of 8 and 13, you are going to be in a state of bliss that can only be compared to an ice-cream induced coma. If you’re in that target age group, you’re gonna love this movie. (Parents: You’re going to have to endure it. I suggest meditating before going.)
      The Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience is exactly what the title says. It’s outtakes of the brothers’ latest concert tour. You see them getting their 4 a.m. wake-up call, and being kept in line by their bodyguard/rapper. You see Joe, the cute Jonas Brother, and also the player of the three, chatting up the chicks and inciting little girls to frantic screams. (Hey Joe Jonas, I’m still mad because you dumped Taylor Swift via a text message. Swift, by the way has a cameo in the movie.)
      You see Nick and Kevin (the curley-haired Jonas Brothers) hitting some hot licks on their guitars. And, there’s even some 3D effects. You would think with the movie being made by Disney the effects would be awesome. Think again. There’s only so many times a guitar pick can be shot at you before it becomes old. But hey, the kids loved it.
      The movie wasn’t made with cynical adults, looking for deep storylines or intricate characters. It was made for the kids who have sent these three guys zooming to the top of the pop charts. It is in the same vein as the recent Myley Cyrus movie and even the High School Musical machine.
      For the adults though, some of you may take exception to the movie’s awkward attempt to put the brothers in the same light as the Beatles. You’ll see what I’m talking about if you watch the movie (or even look at the movie poster), but they’re just kids. Don’t run out and protest or burn their records.
      It’s innocent. It’s harmless, and the brothers try to set a good example by sporting their abstinence rings and by being very up front about their views on teen sex. (This earns them some hard knocks from comedians, but I say good for you Jonas Brothers.)
      So for those reasons, I would sit through the movie again, and yes, when it comes out on DVD, I’ll probably be coerced into buying it. There are worse things I could do.

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      Luck, leprechauns and lots of beer.
      That’s what many Americans think of when considering March’s best known and best loved holiday— St. Patrick’s Day. We don green to avoid pinches or perhaps eat a slice of corned beef — slight nods to the Irish on a day that is, for most of us, little more than an excuse to drink green beer.
      But if you sit down with an Irishman and talk about St. Paddy’s Day (not Patty’s, by the way, as there is no such name in Ireland) you might find that luck and leprechauns don’t have a lot to do with a day that is more about faith and friends than four-leaf clovers (which also do not exist in Ireland — shamrock is the preferred term).
      {mosimage}Such was my discovery when I sat down with one of Fayetteville’s best-loved entertainers, Paddy Gibney. Gibney is the owner of Paddy’s Irish Public House on Raeford Road. Though he originally hails from Dublin, Ireland, he has made Fayetteville his home since the ‘90s and has been entertaining audiences with Irish folk music almost as long.
      When passing by Paddy’s, it’s almost impossible to miss the bright green sign. While many bars in the Fayetteville area appeal to customers by advertising $2 drink specials or football on every channel, Paddy’s pub takes a different approach. In fact, their message is not about luring people in, it’s about keeping people out. The current message reads, “No Wankers” and if you do happen to find football on any of the TVs, it will be the English version.
      The sign was my first clue that the Irish go about the business of entertaining, and perhaps life in general, with a refreshing air of authenticity. And when it comes to the celebration of the Irish holy day, St. Patrick’s Day, that authenticity is expressed in ways most Americans completely overlook.
    Gibney embodies this authenticity in his personal and public life. A man of faith, Gibney will begin March 17th by attending mass. He’ll end the day at his bar. To some, this might seem a contradiction. While he admits that some of his most popular songs are not for the “faint-hearted” he also professes that he thinks that if Jesus were to visit Fayetteville, Paddy’s pub would be the kind of place Christ might like to visit, and if he did, Paddy hopes that he’d feel welcome. Religious commentary might not be what you would expect to find in a bar, but in Gibney’s words, “faith and religion are not the same thing.”
      Gibney lives out his faith in the way authentic faith ought to be demonstrated — quietly. While most of  Gibney’s fans might assume that this talented entertainer and his musical partner, violinist Bill Ayerbe, would have plans to party into the wee hours on St. Paddy’s night,  what they might not realize is that these musicians have plans to serve in several places in the community during the earlier hours of St. Patrick’s Day. Paddy and Bill will spend the morning teaching elementary school students about St. Patrick and the afternoon entertaining the elderly at Village Green Retirement Community.
    But you won’t hear Paddy and Bill singing their own praises for their good works later that evening. Though the talented duo have plans to perform at 5, 7, 9 and 11 p.m. at Paddy’s pub, their songs will be sung to entertain the crowd, not draw attention to themselves.
      In addition to entertaining throughout the evening, Gibney will be serving corned beef and cabbage to his customers, a meal that he says he rarely ate in Ireland, but is symbolic of the Irishman’s struggle to survive in this country. Clearly, Gibney’s success is proof that the Irish have not just survived but thrived, and have a thing or to to teach us — not about leprechauns but about the struggle for peace and prosperity — a struggle that both Irish-Americans and native Irish know all too well... And about learning to appreciate what we’ve been given.
      And that’s what “No Wankers” is really all about. Paddy welcomes all people from all walks of life into his bar, on St. Paddy’s Day or any time of year, but desires that his customers show courtesy and appreciation to one another, the staff, the musicians and themselves. Those who cannot comply, need not enter.
      So if you’re looking for a place to show off that green on St. Paddy’s Day — and you have an appreciation for good music, genuine people and, yes, lots of beer — then Paddy’s is the place to be.

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      God City Artist is the name of a growing collective group of African-American artists from Charlotte. The artists formed God City in 2005 due to their appreciation of art and hip-hop culture. The group, which exhibits extensively in the region, opened with an exhibit in Rosenthal Gallery on the campus of Fayetteville State University during the month of February.
      The exhibit, God City Artist, will remain in Rosenthal Gallery until March 20, 2009 and includes work by the following artists: Antoine “Raw” Williams, Donovan Lyons, de` Angelo Dia.15.18, John Hairston Jr., Tamika Elise and Jen Woods. 
      {mosimage}The exhibit is a colorful collection of paintings and prints. The works submitted by each artist contributes to a collective body of work that is unified, each work complimenting one another in addition to their own individuality.
      The art of Williams is mainly composed of mixed media that includes spray paint. Prophet vs. Profit and His-Story are two 48” x 30” paintings that greet the viewer. These two works set the tone for his style. 
      Prophet vs. Profitis a painting of a male in front of a yellow and white background accompanied by graffiti stencils of smiling faces at the top and stenciled bug shapes at the bottom. The bright colors in his work compliments his subject; while the graffiti stencils balance the composition and create spatial tension.
      His-Story shows another male, illustrated in pencil, wearing headphones with a blue background, white paint splattered around him. The white tone of the splatters is an important element in the work and creates an overall pattern of harmony.
      Donovan Lyons is exhibiting two political-oriented paintings. Black Ties: Bushed and Black Ties: Obama 365. The latter shows President Barack Obama in a yellowish outline, three-quarter view, in front of a map of the United States. The many variations of blue in this painting are visually stimulating. Yet the painting is flattened; the outline around him does little to bring Obama towards the viewer. Obama’s center position in the composition directs the focus of the painting.   
      Dia.15.18 collaborated with Woods and Elise for three mixed-media works on canvas. The painting titled Gravity is Dead You See…is abstract and emphasizes circles without being overly repetitious. The color choice is mostly bright colors with limited tones of black. The colors evoke movement due to their many directions in the same work. 
      The God City Artist exhibit would not be complete without Hairston and his series titled My Favorite Ladies. The series is composed of five 48” x 60” paintings of women he has dated. In the work titled Incense, Blogs, and Conscious: Rap Lyrics Can Only Bring So Much Change, he shows an African-American female donning an afro-puffed hairstyle. In her hand, it appears she is holding a Molotov cocktail.
      Hairston paints detail in most of the female forms; however, from the waist down, the figure is clearly incomplete. Shown only as heavy strokes, the female’s legs are easily an eyesore, disrupting the flow of the figure in its environment.  
      In the painting titled Being for the Benefit of Mr. Green, a green-colored female has a spray paint can in her right hand. The lady stands in front of a background partly composed of a darker green. Hairston uses color to move the figure spatially closer to the viewer from the background. The background itself holds its own interest with a variation of line making marks across the surface.
      Although Hairston’s series has its painterly flaws; the females depicted in the series have enough detail to make a near complete set that is pleasurable to view.
      The artists have achieved their goals of inspiring change through unity and challenging the viewer. The beauty of God City is that each artist presents us with their own voice and way of expressing harmony. Their use of graffiti elements in the different works unifies the exhibit and moves the viewer from work to work. 
      Rosenthal Gallery, on the campus of Fayetteville State University. The exhibit is free to the public. For information call (910) 672-1057.

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      There is something distinct and almost Norman Rockwell-ish about the Hamont Grill and Steakhouse. Maybe it is the worn linoleum floor that has seen repeat customers, out-of-towners and GIs passing through over the years. Perhaps it is the paisley vinyl on booth benches, where families, business associates and young couples have broken bread together. Maybe it’s the wall by the cash register where pictures, certificates of appreciation, and newspaper articles collected over the years are displayed.
     {mosimage} Surely, all of these things are part of the charm that makes up the old time diner atmosphere; however, the people who frequent the establishment also help to make the down-home scene complete.
      On the day I visited there was a toddler having lunch with his “mimi,” while a few seats away two older ladies lunched and chatted animatedly with a middle-aged man at their table. A group of what seemed to be business associates huddled over a nearby table working out what seemed to be very serious business plans.
      My favorite was the customer who yelled to the chef “Your onion rings are horrible!” as she grinned at the waitress, handed her an empty plate and wiped her mouth with a napkin. Noticing my dismay, she said with a wave of her hand, “I’ve known him forever. I can say that. Actually, they are quite delicious... You should try them.”
      I didn’t make it to the onion rings this time, although they are on my list. Instead, I treated myself to a glass of water, Greek salad, a gyro with fries and a piece of Baklava for dessert. The salad was all that I was hoping for: lettuce, onion, kalamata olives and a ton of feta cheese with a brightly flavorful vinaigrette dressing. My gyro was a toasty warm piece of pita bread, open-faced on the plate with seasoned meat, lettuce and a few tomato slices. The creamy white tziziki sauce was in a separate small bowl. I happily spread the sauce on the bread, piled on veggies, folded the pita in half and treated myself to the medley of flavors that blends so well. The fries were crispy on the outside and feather-soft inside, not too greasy — just perfect for dunking into the puddle of ketchup on the side of my plate. The baklava was the perfect ending to my meal. The layers of paper-thin dough layered with nuts crunched delightfully when I bit down and a drop of honey dribbled onto my chin sending me reaching for my napkin.
      If the food was exactly what I was hoping for, the service only enhanced my experience. The waitresses were fast and friendly and seemed intent on serving their customers good food, giving them a cheerful smile and keeping their beverage glasses full. I am sure that it can be hard to find that balance between providing good service and being a bother to your customers, but the waitresses at the Hamont Grill have it down to a science.
      Even if you are not a fan of Greek food, don’t let that stop you from giving this gem of an eatery a try. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner and offer a wide selection of food choices at decent prices. My entrée cost $8.99 and left me feeling full and completely satisfied. I was in and out in well under an hour, well-fed, well-served and ready to finish up my day.

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      As the Crape Myrtles begin to bloom, thoughts turn toward spring and the great outdoors. Every spring, I try to learn a new sport, from canoeing to rock wall climbing, I have tried everything and this year will be no different. This year, I have decided to tackle the somewhat illusive sport of golf. I will do this with the help of the PGA Golf Professionals at Stryker and Ryder Golf Courses.
      {mosimage}Golf has been a favorite past-time in America for years and its not surprising that it is a multibillion dollar a year business. Golf is a fun way to network, socialize and simply enjoy a great day outside. My husband has been golfing for a good portion of his life. He enjoys it immensely but for me it just seems so impossible to learn. This year I have two great mentors and their staff willing to help me overcome my fear of looking stupid — hopefully without tearing up the greens in the process. The PGA Golf Professionals at Stryker and Ryder Golf courses are working hard this year at the Spring Golf Clinics to train everyone from amateurs, like myself, to more advanced skill levels, the wonderful game of golf.
      With the help of the Spring Golf Clinics I will finally be able to grasp the game of golf. The clinics are available to all military and government identification cardholders 18 and older, both men and women, The clinics include unlimited range balls and instruction by a PGA golf professional and a knowledgeable staff. Classes are small and fill up fast, so early registration is encouraged.
      Robert Taylor is the golf pro at Ryder which is a beautiful golf course set among tall Carolina pines and rolling hills. Ryder has several water holes, which come into play. The greens are small and undulating. The fairways are tree-lined and hilly. The bunkers are well positioned and, at times, deep. While not long in length, Ryder is very challenging for all skill levels. Jeff Johnson is the PGA professional for Stryker, which was designed by Donald Ross and features a large clubhouse, a well-stocked golf shop and new locker rooms. This state of the art facility is sure to please even the biggest critics of golf.   Both facilities offer a pro shop and a very knowledgeable staff answer all of your questions.
      The main reason I go to Stryker and Ryder is the staff. The staff does everything they can to make me feel comfortable when I visit. They take time to break things down into terms I will understand. That’s why Stryker and Ryder Golf Courses are my (and my husband’s) “First Choice.”

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      If you’re a Gone with the Wind buff or simply enjoy a good story,  you’ll want to be present for Sanford’s Temple Theatre presentation of Ron Hutchinson’s Moonlight and Magnolias from March 12 through March 29.
      “The production is a true story based on the making of the epic movie Gone with the Wind,”  said Peggy Taphorn, producing artistic director of Temple Theatre. “It is really funny comedy and has a lot of dramatic moments.”
      {mosimage}Taphorn added that there are references to the racism in Hollywood that was going on at this particular time.        
      Moonlight and Magnolias is set in  1939 and legendary producer David Selznick is frustrated with an unworkable script and has shut down production of his new epic Gone with the Wind. Desperate to make this film work, he sends for famed screenwriter Ben Hecht and director Victor Fleming. Selznick locks himself, Hecht and Fleming away for five days with nothing but peanuts and bananas to fuel them until the ailing script is restored. The show follows the trio as they create the blueprint for one of the most successful and beloved films of all time. 
      The cast members are Michael Brocki, who plays David Selznick; Tim Brosnan as Ben Hecht; David McClutchey plays Victor Fleming; and Peggy Taphorn will play Miss Poppenghul, Selznick’s secretary.   
      The Temple Theatre is a nonprofit cultural center for Lee County and the surrounding region offering professional and children’s theater to the area as well as touring groups and special events. The theater produces eight MainStage and four Black Box productions per season ranging from musicals to dramas.  It is an intimate setting that consists of 333 seats, an advanced communication network, a computer controlled lighting and sound system and an old-fashioned orchestra pit.      
      The Temple Theatre is located at 120 Carthage St. in historic downtown Sanford. Tickets are $20 for adults, $16 on Thursday nights and $10 for students. There is a discount for the military and Lee County educators. The theater is equipped with an assisted listening system and is accessible to people with disabilities. For more information call (919) 774-4155. 

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      Residents of Cumberland and Robeson counties are in for a treat as the Cumberland Oratorio Singers, along with the Fayetteville Symphonic Band and the Methodist University choirs, hit the road March 20-21.
      The group, under the direction of Michael Martin, the director of choral activities and music education at Methodist as well as the Oratorio, will perform one concert at Methodist University and one at Robeson Community College. The concerts will feature Vincent Persichetti’s Celebrations. The concert at Methodist on March 20 will be held in Reeves Auditorium. The Robeson Community College concert will be held in the A.D. Lewis Auditorium on March 21. Both performances begin at 7:30 p.m.
      A special highlight of this concert will be George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue featuring Dr. Scott Marosek, music professor of piano studies at Methodist. Accompanying Marosek will be the Fayetteville Symphonic Band. The band is a community instrumental group consisting of both student and adult musicians from throughout the region. Currently, the band consists of approximately 65 musicians, and is open to all interested wind, brass, and percussion players and is conducted by Dr. Larry Wells, Director of Instrumental Studies at Methodist University.

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      Mark your calendar for Friday, March 20, if you’re in the market for love.
      Or rather, Love, Sweet Love.
      The play Love, Sweet Love — produced and directed by Cassandra Vallery — will be at Highland Country Club and marks the 12th Annual Evening at the Theater … the chief fundraiser for Cumberland County-based nonprofit healthcare provider Better Health.
      “We’ve been receiving a good number of donations despite the poor economy,” said Judy Klinck, executive director for Better Health. “But there is still an urgent need for funds to help us provide our services for the community.”
      Better Health was founded in 1958 by a group of citizens who were concerned that the indigent could not afford their medications. From that simple starting point Better Health has bridged the gap in healthcare for 50 years.
      Better Health became a United Way agency in 1959 and was incorporated in 1991 as a nonprofit organization under federal law 501(c)3. The agency expanded to become a full time, full service agency governed by a volunteer board of directors.
      Among the many service sit provides:
    •Prescription medications;
    •Vision exams/eyeglasses;
    •Emergency dental extractions;
    •Orthotics & prosthetics;
    •Medical supplies;
    •Medical equipment;
    •Gas assistance to out-of-town medical appointments;
    •Diabetes monitoring clinics with education session;
    •Glucometer training;
    •Exercise classes for diabetics;
    •Diabetes and blood pressure screening;
    •Diabetes supplies;
    •Foot care clinics;
    •Vision screening for eye disease.
      “We were founded in 1958 to help the poor who left the hospitals and couldn’t afford follow-up care or medical supplies,” said Klinck. “Unfortunately, there’s still a great need for our services here in Cumberland County.”
      Klinck says the production of Love, Sweet Love was a resounding success last year, drawing about 250 theater-goers. This year’s show, which kicks off at 7:30 p.m., will include hors d’oeuvres, spirits and “festive sweets,” as well as some familiar faces.
      “The same local cast has performed Love, Sweet Love the past several years,” said Klinck. “They’re very talented and very enthusiastic and do a great job.”
      For more information about the 12th Annual Evening at the Theater, call 483-7534, or check out the Web site, www.betterhealthcc.org.

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      Kevin Summers has accomplished a lot in the past few months. He’s opened not one, but two successful restaurants. He’s held one grand slam Halloween event, and now he’s pulling out all the stops to open the 2009 season at the Sol Rose Amphitheatre in a style that he thinks would make Rose proud.
      “I think Sol Rose would be very pleased with our plans for the season. I’ve talked to people who knew him well, and knew what he was doing down here and they say he would be really happy to see what we are doing,” said Summers.
      Hoping to kick the concert season off in style, Summers and friends are hoping to start an annual tradition with the first annual Shamrockin’ St. Patrick’s Day celebration at Campbellton Landing on Saturday, March 14.
      “I really wanted to have a fun first event to kick of the season,” said Summers. “From what I understand there hasn’t been a big St. Paddy’s Day celebration in town since Bennigan’s closed. So we’re hoping to take advantage of the first taste of spring fever that everybody’s getting, incorporate it with good food, music and Guinness and have a great party.”
     {mosimage} The idea for Shamrockin! came from within the Up & Coming Weekly family. Kidsville News! Editor Joy Kirkpatrick first suggested the idea for the event to Summers long before Christmas. After discussions with Up & Coming Weekly’sPublisher Bill Bowman, the event started coming together.
      “This is the kind of event our community wants and needs. Up & Coming Weekly is proud to be a part of,” said Bowman. “This music, food and fun ‘gathering at the river’ is the type of entertainment venue that uplifts the entire Cumberland County community. We are proud to be the host sponsor for the event along with our friends Healy Wholesale and Pepsi. We are also excited about the valuable media partnership that has been formed by Kevin and Campbellton Landing with Q-98 and Rock 103, which will really help to bring this event to life. Fayetteville and Cumberland County deserves this concert.   When business works together we can do some really great things in the community. We will support this effort throughout the year.”
      While this event is open only those who are 21 or older, Summers said that wouldn’t always be the case.
      “We have 15 to 20 events planned for the season, with an eye to eventually having 25 to 30 events each year, and most of those events will be family events,” he said. “But this one is not.”
      Shamrockin’ will feature the music of The Breakfast Club, a perennial favorite at Fayetteville After Five. For those not in the know, The Breakfast Club is the longest established ‘80s music tribute band in the United States. The band, formed in 1993, plays some of the greatest songs of the ‘80s and usually has the crowd on its feet.
      Performing with The Breakfast Club will be a local favorite DL Token. It wouldn’t be a St. Patrick’s Day party without some Irish music, so Summers has managed to lure Paddy Gibney away from Paddy’s for a set.
      “It’s going to be an absolute blast,” said Summers. “We’re going to have a lot of different food, beer, wine, a margarita station, a Red Bull and vodka station — a little something for everyone’s taste.”
      The food will be typical outdoor stadium fare — ranging from hamburgers and hot dogs and other nibbles. If you want a little more for dinner, Locks Creek and The Riverside Grill will be open so you can grab a bit before or during the event.
      Summers hopes people will get in the spirit of the day and wear green, after all, on St. Patrick’s Day everybody’s got a little Irish in them.
      With the hopeful success of the event, Summers is already looking at upcoming events. In May, the Cape Fear Regional Theatre will take over the amphitheatre for its annual River Show. This is the 25th anniversary of the River Show and the CFRT is pulling out all of the stops. Encore will be a look back at all of the shows that have made the event so successful. The event is slated for May 15-24.
      In the coming months you can expect to see some other great events like a beach music festival, a wine event, a world beer festival, concerts by some up and coming acts and some concerts by some acts that are in their second run.
      “Look for the kind of performances that you could expect to see in an intimate venue designed for 2-3,000 people,” said Summers.
      But while you’re thinking about the upcoming events, don’t forget Shamrockin’. The event will kick off at 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 14, and run until 11 p.m. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at Lock’s Creek or The Riverside Grill or online at Campbelltonlanding.com. Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the gate. There is a 10 percent military discount; however, those tickets can only be purchased at Locks Creek or The Riverside Grill. For more information, check out the ad on the back page of this edition or visit www.campbelltonlanding.com.

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    Imagine being selected as one of the best two players of all time in a major university athletic program that has existed more than 100 years.
    That is the honor bestowed upon Fayetteville’s Chris Cammack. The Fayetteville High School graduate and retired local businessman joins college roommate Mike Caldwell and their coach, Sam Esposito, in comprising the inaugural class of the brand-new N.C. State Baseball Hall of Fame.
    {mosimage}The trio was recognized at halftime of the Florida State-N.C. State football game at Carter-Finley Stadium in October. Induction ceremonies will be held prior to a Wolfpack home baseball game later this season. Plaques of Cammack, Caldwell and Esposito will be mounted at the main gate to Doak Field, home of the Pack baseball team.
    “I’m obviously flattered,” Cammack said of his Hall of Fame selection, “especially being one of only two players in the first class. Going in with Mike … well, that’s just the best. That is really special.”
    Cammack and Caldwell roomed together all four of their years at N.C. State, and they were coached all four years by Esposito, who had a 10-year career as a major leaguer. As freshmen, Cammack and Caldwell led the 1968 Wolfpack to its only College World Series appearance in school history.
    “That season is my fondest memory,” Cammack said. “Nothing has ever surpassed that year. It was magical. We weren’t expected to do much; talent-wise, we were about the fourth-best team in the Atlantic Coast Conference. We had to win the regular-season conference championship to go to the regionals, and we did that on the last day of the season. We ended up coming in third in the World Series.”
    Cammack, a third baseman, batted .351 and drove in 19 runs as a freshman. For an encore, he set a State record which still stands by hitting .429 as he led the ACC in batting and with a .500 on-base percentage. He was named the ACC Player of the Year for his efforts.
    A career .362 hitter, he was a four-time All-ACC first-team selection, one of only four players in conference history to be accorded that honor. Making it more meaningful is the fact that, in those days, voting for the all-conference baseball team was done by the league’s players. Being chosen by one’s peers is the ultimate honor.
    Cammack was named an All-American his first two years and should have been selected as a senior, when he batted an ACC-leading .381 with four home runs and 20 runs batted in, both career highs. He felt it was his best all-around season, one in which he finished second in ACC Player of the Year voting to Caldwell, his roomie.
    The two remain extremely close.
    “He has been my best friend all these years,” Cammack said. “Actually, most of us from that 1968 team are close. We stay in touch with e-mails and phone calls. We had a 40-year reunion at State last year, and all but two players from the team w“Mike and I have talked about this (the HOF induction), and it means more to us than anything. It’s not just the Hall of Fame, but being the first two players chosen. (Current State baseball coach) Elliott Avent told us the vote of the committee was unanimous. They took a lot of time and looked at the statistics of players from way back.”
    Surprisingly, Cammack never played professional baseball. He was drafted by the Washington Senators out of high school, was picked by the Philadelphia Phillies in the winter draft during his junior year at N.C. State and was taken by the Baltimore Orioles in the spring draft following his junior season.
    “I was not going to sign early,” he said. “I had told my parents that I would finish college. I went to college to get my degree, and I got my degree. That’s what people did back then.
    “After I graduated, I was ready to sign. I talked with Washington again, and they had me over a barrel. I had no bargaining power. Their offer was not what I thought it should be, not after the year I had just had for State. So I didn’t sign.
    “I had always wanted to play major league baseball, but when it was over, it was over. I have no regrets. I have had a good life. I am blessed.”
    Cammack made his mark in basketball at Fayetteville High School. He scored 23 points in the North Carolina 4-A championship game in 1966, helping the Bulldogs and Coach Len Maness to their second straight state title. He was inducted into the Fayetteville Sports Club Hall of Fame in 2007.
    A retired independent insurance agent, Cammack operated his own business the last 15 years of his career. He still lives in Fayetteville.

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      March may very well be the beginning of the 2009 party season. From St. Patrick’s Day parties to the impending Dogwood Festival, this month has a little something to offer everyone. For lovers of art and music, the Fayetteville Museum of Art is planning a party that will definitely make its mark.
      On Thursday, March 13, the museum will host the premier party for its new exhibition: Raw Identity. The exhibit, which features the works of Harry McDaniel, J.J. Ohlinger and Doug VandeZande, focuses on the deconstruction of traditional portraiture to reveal the raw identity beneath.
    McDaniel, a sculptor from Asheville, explains that his work is “diverse in materials, style, technique and content.”
      {mosimage}In his artist statement, he notes, “It is difficult to explain the diversity, except to say that I love to experiment and I am drawn to new challenges. I work with wood, metals, cement, plastics, and found objects. Some of the threads that tie my work together are humor, a fascination with curves, motion (or implied motion), and an interest in the human condition. My sculptures can roughly be divided into two parts — decorative works and social commentary.”
    His decorative works include freestanding sculptures, wall pieces and mobiles, which range in size from tabletop pieces to 55’ long mobiles. The works are curvy, abstract, distorted geometric forms.
      “A significant amount of my artwork has included the human figure in one form or another. My work has included life-size figures, portions of figures and installations using mannequins,” he said. “I find something particularly compelling in life-size human figures. They tend to create a strong presence in a room regardless of the style or material. We are ‘programmed’ (psychologically if not biologically) to relate to the human form in certain ways. When a viewer encounters a figurative sculpture he brings a certain familiarity which at least for a moment, allows him to feel a likeness to the sculpture. The viewer also feels his difference of course, and from this contradiction he must draw some meaning.”
      Ohlinger,  a native of Nebraska, and VandeZande focuses on the human form as well. Both are celebrated artists who have shown throughout the United States.
      The artwork will be complemented by the music’s of the Chapel Hill folk duo Birds and Arrows. The husband and wife team comprised of Pete and Andrea Connolly offers a new twist on folk music.
      Their work thrives on “the relationship’s intimacy, spinning songs from domestic images like the blue flickering flame of a gas burner and the trove of persistent memories that remain like love’s kindling.”
      The party begins at 6 p.m. at the museum, and offers ligh hors d’oeuvres and bar beverages. A gallery talk with the artists will begin at 7 p.m. The party is free and open to the public.

  • Details

      Tanking stock markets, home foreclosures and rising unemployment aside, we Americans cannot seem to get enough of things Obama.
      We have learned about our president’s penchant for scrimmage basketball and his ironclad attachment to his Blackberry — the current version having been put on security steroids by an ultra cautious Secret Service.
      We can hardly wait to see what the First Lady is wearing. The unveiling of her official portrait in a sleeveless dress and ladylike pearls generated a national debate over the propriety of bare limbs in the White House. I am old enough to remember that Jacqueline Kennedy was also fond of the sleeveless look.
      Then there are the little girls, Malia and Sasha, whose inaugural outfits upped the stock price of the company who made them.
    It seems, though, that the First Parents are firmly set on making their daughters’ routines and daily lives “normal.”   
      Being fascinated by all things Obama myself, I devour every article on life in the White House I can find, and there are plenty. Recent ones have reported that the First Lady has given instructions to the White House staff that the girls are to make their own beds. Bedtime is 8 p.m. sharp, and they must set their own alarm clocks and get themselves up and dressed for school on time. What’s more, when the First Mutt finally arrives, it will be Malia and Sasha strolling him on the grounds, rain or shine, with the requisite plastic bags at the ready in their pockets. The president and First Lady are presumed to be nowhere in sight. If what my children refer to as “parental units” are not available, their maternal grandmother is living in to make sure the girls’ lives are just so.
      All of this reading made me think of my own childhood in Fayetteville. I know my sister and I had household responsibilities, although I am a bit hazy on exactly what they were. The one I do remember well was taking care of my dog, Angel, a Pekingese I received for my ninth birthday. This involved feeding him and keeping him clean, a task which was much harder in pre-leash law days when dogs roamed the neighborhood just the way the children did, sometimes with us, sometimes on their own.
      {mosimage}Anyone who thinks a Pekingese is a Paris Hilton, teacup sort of pet has never known one. Ten pound Angel was the leader of a pack of neighborhood pooches which included Dalmatians, Weimaraners and a hefty German shepherd. Angel was simply oblivious to the fact that he looked like a girlie dog, and he was always dirty and matted.
      Angel’s personal hygiene was complicated by the fact that a 9-year-old was not only not particularly interested in washing and brushing him, but not very good at it either. My patient mother and I had many “discussions” on this topic and Angel had many less than sparkling clean days; eventually, I got the idea that he was my dog and my responsibility.
      I also recall that my sister and I had set bedtimes, because I cheated on this regularly. I was an under-the-covers-with-a-flashlight reader and I learned to sense when my mother was coming down the hall. In retrospect, she and my father probably chuckled over my bad habit, but she always confiscated that flashlight and I always found it the next day.
      All of this reminiscing made me ponder the critical importance of routine and structure in the lives of young children. As much as I procrastinated about washing and brushing Angel, and even worse cutting the mats out of his soft under hair, I learned that having a pet is more than just snuggling with him and giving him a biscuit. And as much as I wanted to read one more chapter, I was secretly relieved some nights when my mother made that decision for me and I could drift safely off to sleep.
      A friend has taken in foster children for years. Many of these children arrive in her home having had both difficult family situations and next to no structure in their young lives. They are shocked to their little cores when my friend announces “homework before anything else” and pulls the plug on television, video games, computers and the like to meet the assigned bath and bed times. Some newcomers rebel, even kick and scream, but every single one of the children she has fostered has adapted and thrived in the daily structure of her household for the duration of their stays.
      Malia and Sasha strike me as smart little cookies, and I suspect they are going to read with flashlights, fudge on the pooper scooping, and otherwise push their limits — not to mention their parents’ tolerance levels in ways we will never know.
      I salute and admire their parents for keeping the lights low in the White House fish bowl and for striving for normalcy, whatever that is in any American family.
      They will not be sorry, and neither will their beautiful girls.

    Contact Margaret Dickson at editor@upandcomingweekly.com 

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      Parking has always been an issue and problem in historic Downtown Fayetteville. No matter how many times it’s discussed, the problems plaguing the downtown merchants are always articulated and acknowledged but solutions are never forthcoming.
      Well, at this writing a solution may be on the horizon. The Fayetteville City Council is considering (and hopefully approving)a plan to initiate paid parking on downtown streets and parking lots. This is surely a step in the right direction.
      {mosimage}Currently, the existing two hour free parking privilege downtown is pretty ridiculous as a tool to draw visitors and commerce to our city’s center. First, the two-hour limit really doesn’t leave much time for guests, tourists and visitors to enjoy city venues, shop or dine. Second, the constant presence and visibility of McLaurin’s Parking Police, better known as the “ticket Gestapo,” creates an intimidating and negative atmosphere as they walk and stalk city streets relentlessly in search of wayward parking violators. With pencils, pads and computers in hand, these motivated revenue vultures are not necessarily the best image for a downtown trying to build a warm, inviting, friendly and economically vibrant business model. Even many of the downtown  merchants and business owners cannot blame potential customers from staying away. And, they are.
      However, a new day will dawn if this new parking plan is adopted with a $4 per day maximum parking fee. I like it and it can be the “real deal” if, of course, the program is implemented correctly and with dignity. We shouldn’t get over zealous in the enforcement of this new plan. The thought of a daily crew out towing cars and applying restraining boots on the car tires of parking violators is as unpleasant as the sight itself. Again, stalking parking violators is not a viable way to raise revenues for the city or create goodwill.
      Downtown Fayetteville is beautiful and should be a fun and enjoyable destination. The new parking plan presents a great opportunity for downtown merchants and businesses to market and promote their services to the community. They can say “Com on down, and stay all day (for only $4 bucks)!” How cool is that? In addition, the Downtown Alliance, in conjunction with the Chamber of Commerce has an opportunity to launch an aggressive marketing campaign promoting the virtues of downtown, taking full advantage of the new parking opportunities. There’s no end to the ways they can promote downtown — but it needs to be fun! They can promote “shop local-shop downtown;” run contests, validate parking tickets, have prize drawings, do cash give aways and provide “bounce backs” to promote and build traffic and loyalty. Most importantly, brand downtown as a “fun” place to give those who venture downtown a reason to return.
      Ultimately we need a parking deck (in the correct location). Until then, let’s make it as easy and fair as possible for people to come visit and enjoy downtown Fayetteville.
      Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly. Now available online.

    Contact Bill Bowman at bill@upandcomingweekly.com

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    I think my wife of 20 years is trying to kill me. She’s insisting we need her late mother’s dishes. We have a perfectly good set of everyday dishes, plus plates with ugly hand-painted fruit, other expensive dishes, boxed-up Fiestaware, and fancy china that’s been packed away since our wedding. We already possess over four dozen plates, and we’re just two people, and never have people over. The dishes are only the latest addition. Our house is exploding with stuff: hundreds of books that will never be read, shelf upon shelf of glassware that’s never used, a basement of children’s toys that haven’t seen the light of day for years. Is there something imbedded in female DNA compelling women to hoard things?  — Terrified

    It must be tempting to give her an ultimatum: “Bring one more teacup into this house, and I’m renting a bull.” Unfortunately, she’s unlikely to respond by chucking plates at you. And, as you’ve surely observed, plying her with reason only makes her cling to all that crockery that much more tenaciously. That isn’t because she’s a woman. Hoarding seems to be a human instinct — one we share with squirrels.
    Hoarders tend to be “perfectionistic and indecisive,” says hoarding expert Dr. Randy O. Frost. Because they’re afraid of making mistakes, they have difficulty assessing whether they’ll have future need for, say, those {mosimage}Richard Nixon-head salt and pepper shakers. Frost explains that saving allows them to avoid making a decision, and to avoid the chance that any decision will be the wrong one. For Frost and his colleagues, mere “hoarding behavior” like your wife’s crosses the line into a “clinical” hoarding problem when living spaces can no longer be used as intended, and when there’s “significant distress or impairment in functioning.” Frost’s study didn’t say how the woman recognized she had a problem, but I’m guessing it was hard to deny once her kids had to climb out the window to catch the school bus.
    Because you and your wife aren’t likely to end up like a 43-year-old Bronx man — trapped for two days under an avalanche of a decade’s worth of newspapers, magazines, and junk mail — she isn’t likely to go for the cognitive behavioral therapy that’s helped some clinical hoarders. Probably your best appeal comes out of the work of 18th century economist Adam Smith, who noted that sympathy compels people to put others’ interests first. Tell her you understand these things are meaningful to her, but you’re unhappy and feeling smothered, and ask how can you work together to change that.

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      Though India is recognized as a world leader in promoting the health benefits of urine, its dominance will be assured by the end of the year when a cow-urine-based soft drink comes to market. Om Prakash, chief of the Cow Protection Department of the RSS organization (India’s largest Hindu nationalist group), trying to reassure a Times of London reporter in February, promised, “It won’t smell like urine and will be tasty, too,” noting that medicinal herbs would be added and toxins removed. In addition to improved health, he said, India needs a domestic (and especially Hindu) beverage to compete with the foreign influence of Coca-Cola and Pepsi.

    Government In Action
      After 50 years’ separation following their adoptions by separate families, identical twins Rosabelle Glasby of Australia and Dorothy Loader of Malaysia were reunited in September 2008 after a years-long search by Glasby, and she applied to bring Loader to Australia under the country’s family migration policy. However, in January, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship ruled that, under the law, Loader is not related to Glasby (in that the adoption wipes out birth status).

    Change We Can Believe In: In December, the city council in Brighton, Mich., passed an ordinance making it illegal for anyone to be “annoying” in public, “by word of mouth, sign or motions.” Violators can be ticketed and fined.

    States That Need Better Training in Arithmetic: Two Maryland officials (reportedly new on the job) made a simple error in addition in 2007 (in estimating counties’ property values) that was revealed in January 2009 to have cost state offices $31 million in overpayments, according to a Washington Post report.
    In October, the Dallas school district was forced to lay off 375 teachers to ameliorate an $84 million deficit caused by a massive math error in the budget, according to a report by WFAA-TV.
    Earlier, He Could’ve Gotten a Mortgage, Too: In a December test of the laxness of New York City’s property-ownership office, a New York Daily News reporter walked out of the city’s register of deeds with title to the $2 billion Empire State Building. His fake purchase document, with a fake notary public stamp and a fake “witness” signature (of “Fay Wray,” star of the original “King Kong”), took 90 minutes to convert to an official deed, which of course came as a great surprise to Empire State Land Associates, to whose shocked representative the reporter “returned” the property the next day. 

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      Click the Image for UCW's Online Edition!

        Like a wheel of fortune, recent events surrounding the 2009 Cumberland County Fair — scheduled for Sept. 10-20 at the Crown Center Complex — have seemingly left the very name of the fair in the hands of fate.
        Robert E. Lee, a resident of Linden and a Goodyear retiree, formed a nonprofit corporation called the Cumberland County Fair on Dec. 24. 2008, apparently taking possession of the name of the agricultural fair which Cumberland County has put on since 1992.
        {mosimage} Lee’s filing through the North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State has set up what something of a showdown between the county and Lee: Cumberland County Attorney Grainger Barrett mailed a letter to Lee on Jan. 28 informing him that he should “cease and desist” from attempting to use the name Cumberland County Fair, as the county “owns and asserts exclusive rights to the trademark and name Cumberland County Fair.”
        Lee maintains the county does not own the name, since it has never incorporated the title. Lee says he discovered the county had never incorporated the name in December after he went before the Crown Civic Center Commission and presented a proposal to take over the operation of the fair. For the past 11 years, Hubert Bullard, the fair manager, and the Ohio-based company J&J Amusements, have overseen the fair. Bullard’s relationship with the county was terminated in October 2008, following an incident in which several Crown employees, including then Crown CEO Paul Beard, were implicated in alleged unethical behavior. Bullard petitioned the Civic Center Commission to extend his contract through this year’s fair, but the commission voted against the request.
        Lee, who helped coordinate the fair when it fell under the auspices of the Cumberland County Jaycees, threw his hat into the ring when the commission denied Bullard’s request.
        “I was just trying to do a good thing for the county because they had never incorporated the title, which is illegal according to Article 45 of the North Carolina state statutes on agricultural societies and fairs,” said Lee, “and they shot me down.”
        Complicating matters is the fact that Lee plans to start his own fair in early September, pre-empting the county’s event. Lee told Up & Coming Weekly that he is indeed planning on putting together a fair in “early September,” though he has no set dates, location or name for the fair. However, a document received by the publisher of Up & Coming Weekly from an alleged associate of Lee said the event will be called the Cape Fear Regional Fair and will be held at the Fayetteville Motor Speedway, though no specific dates have been announced. Several telephone calls to Fayetteville Motor Speedway concerning the status of the proposed fair were not returned by press time.
        Barrett not only refutes Lee’s claims that the county is required by state law to incorporate the name Cumberland County Fair in order to use that title, but also notes that it is illegal, according to some of the same statutes cited by Lee, to hold a competing fair 30 days before or after an established county agricultural fair.
        “We (the county) have filed for and received a permit every year to operate an agricultural fair,” said Barrett. “It is illegal to call yourself a fair if you are not an agricultural fair. The Cumberland County Fair has been promoted and put on and licensed by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture since 1992.”
        Barrett is referring to Article 45, statute 106516.1, which states that not only must a carnival or similar amusement receive a permit from the county’s sheriff, “no permit shall be issued if he (the sheriff) shall find the requested exhibition date is less than 30 days prior to a regularly advertised agricultural fair. Exhibition without a permit from the sheriff of the county in which the exhibition is to be held shall constitute a Class 1 misdemeanor.”
        On Jan. 8 — several weeks after Lee filed to incorporate the name Cumberland County Fair — Lee was mailed a letter by Crown Center Interim CEO Karen Long informing him that his proposal to take over operations of the fair had been turned down by the commission and that the fair contract had been awarded to J&J Amusements. According to the letter, the Crown Center is “currently in discussion with them (J&J Amusements) regarding the possibility of expanding both their role and that of the Crown Center staff for the 2009 fair.”
        Lee says that by using a company located outside Cumberland County to operate the fair, the Crown Center is taking money away from the county.
        “They need to use more local vendors so we can keep that money here,” said Lee. “And besides, the fair is supposed to be providing money for charities and such and not one dime has been given to the 4H or anyone else here in Cumberland County.”
        Bullard — who is working as a consultant with J&J Amusements for the 2009 fair — argues that the fair was never set up to make a lot of money, but to reward the citizens of Cumberland County by recognizing the hard work of the agricultural community.
        “The county fair is a showcase for local agricultural education and the livestock programs,” said Bullard. “These folks, both young and old, use the fair to show what a good job they’ve done over the year; that was our goal and I think we achieved it.”
        Bullard adds that attendance has grown from the first year of the fair from 8,000 to more than 50,000 at the 2008 event.
    Long added that the fair does contribute to the local economy.
        “Some of the local counties don’t have agricultural fairs and so those folks come to our fair and spend money here,” said Long. “Also, the vendors and the people who work for the fair spend money in our restaurants and hotels.”
        Barrett said the county is currently negotiating with Lee and his lawyer, Andy Dempster, about the use of the name Cumberland County Fair and hopes to avoid legal action.

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      The success of this wholly unremarkable movie is frankly surprising. Over a month after its initial release it is still hovering near the bottom of the box office top 10 list. I freely admit I don’t get the appeal. Male lead Kevin James is just not that funny, his mustache is really irritating, and his sad sack shtick doesn’t strike me as all that side-splitting. I am not even really sure why he rates this kind of indulgent vanity project. It works (barely) as a Die Hard satire, but completely falls flat in the cop comedy genre (Dragnet. Hot Fuzz. Bad Lieutenant. Now there are some funny movies about cops that made me laugh out loud). 
      Once upon a time, Paul Blart (Kevin James) wanted to enter the New Jersey State Police Academy. He ran the course well, only to pass out due to hypoglycemia. See, in the original Die Hard, it was the broken glass and cut-up feet that “die hard” had to cope with; here it is a sugar problem.  The similarities will continue.
      {mosimage}Blart lives with his mother (Shirley Knight?  What has she been doing since As Good As it Gets?) and daughter (Raini Rodriguez, who is playing this role with far too much pose and maturity). He supports his little family with a mall security job at a really awesome mall which has BOTH a Teavana AND a Rainforest Café. Unfortunately, he gets no respect, despite taking his job three times as seriously as everyone else. Over an introductory dinner, the exposition fairy sprinkles plot points throughout the dialogue, setting up the character relationships and weaknesses.
      Blart is assigned to train Veck Sims (Keir O’Donnell, who is scheduled to appear in five movies this year). During their special time, Blart meets and fixates on a kiosk owner, Amy (Jayma Mays…OMG it’s CHARLIE from Heroes!). She seems to be pretty into him, which is kind, but not at all believable. She invites him out for drinks with the rest of the mall employees, including that guy from Old School, that guy from The Wedding Singer, and that guy from For Love or Money.
      The action kicks into gear (a little too late in the movie, honestly) on Black Friday, when a group of robbers codenamed for Santa’s eight tiny reindeer (and Rudolph) seize the mall while Blart is playing in the arcade. Again, just like in Die Hard, Blart has outside assistance (only through a cell phone instead of a walkie-talkie). His partner, Pahud (Adhir Kalyan) assists him at several crucial moments.
      The robbers are planning to use the mall’s credit card records to steal $30 million, although I may have dozed off while they were explaining exactly how that was supposed to work. The unlikely hero (except, since this is a movie, obviously he is the likely hero) manages to take out the bad guys (and one bad girl), but will he get his dream girl? 
      If nothing else, it seems like Happy Madison productions tried to make a nice little family comedy without being too mean about it (fat jokes aside).  The humor is a little crude but not over the top, and the family scenes are nicely written even if they seem a little too forced. But the narrative is very inconsistent, the timeline confusing, and the character motivations are completely puzzling. So, three stars for making me smile, but there’s really nothing else exciting to talk about.

    Contact Heather Griffifths at editor@upandcomingweekly.com

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      What started out as a husband/wife team playing weddings and store openings years ago has blossomed into a lively, entertaining family business of champion fiddlers and world-ranked step dancers.
      On March 20, at the Carolina Civic Center in Lumberton, you’ll get to see the fruits of that union when the Hunt Family Fiddlers perform their eclectic mix of Celtic, bluegrass and inspirational tunes.
      {mosimage}Despite their success, making it big in show business was not the aim of the band, says band matriarch Sandy Hunt. She says the progression from small time to world class was just a byproduct of the family’s love of music.
      “My husband and I, we just loved music,” said Hunt. “We played music at the house and then we would always play for local hospitals and nursing homes and then our name started to spread.” 
      Once the family started to grow, the kids became a part of the band — all seven of them. Their musical progeny range in age from 10 to 19. You can see performance videos as well as read the bios of the whole clan at the Web site, www.huntfamilyfiddlers.com.
      “I am the music teacher,” said Hunt. “When they were all kids growing up I taught them to play music —now that they are older, their dad has taught them to play guitar.”
      The  group decided to implement Riverdance-style step dancing into the act when Hunt received a call from a dance school.
      “I had an Irish dance school call and ask if I would teach their dance students how to fiddle,” said Hunt. “I told them that I would teach them how to fiddle if they taught us how to dance. So we just joined together and brought music and dance together — and what a blessing that has been to our family.”  
      While raising a family can be trying under any conditions, the Hunt Family’s faith plays a role in coping with such an unconventional lifestyle.
      “There is a lot that goes into a family... but our family is strong in our faith and we hold onto our hope,” said Hunt. “You can go a long way just being kind to each other; kindness can send people very far and that is the message we are always trying to send to the younger kids in our family.
      “Try to say good things, try to do good things and if you are talking about other people, remember the words on your lips,” said Hunt. “Life can be hard — you need to see the value of the days that you do have.”
      The show starts at 8 p.m. and the tickets are $15. Carolina Civic Center is located 315 Chestnut St. in downtown Lumberton. Call the Carolina Civic Center at 738 – 4339 or go to www.carolinaciviccenter.com for more information.

      Contact Stephanie Crider at editor@upandcomingweekly.com

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      Let the Battle Begin!
      Those were the words spoken by Belinda Cashwell, director of media services for Cumberland County Schools, to kick off the second and final day of the 16th annual Cumberland County Schools Battle of the Books Middle School Competition.
     {mosimage} While the ‘battle’ took place Feb. 25-26 in Fayetteville State University’s Shaw Auditorium,  the war is far from over. The first place team, John Griffin Middle School, will go on to compete against 12 other counties in the Region 4 competition in Tabor City on March 11. Before that, the final state competition, representing the top teams of 100 counties in North Carolina, will be held on May 8 at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
      Finishing second to John Griffin Middle School was Hope Mills Middle School, while Max Abbott Middle School took third and Pine Forest Middle School placed fourth. Pine Forest was also tabbed as Most Improved.
      John Griffin Middle School has won the Cumberland County competition in previous years and has placed second and fourth overall at the state level.
      All 16 of Cumberland County’s middle schools competed in the Battle of the Books competition. This year’s event covered a list of 28 books, with teams consisting of six to 12 students plus coaches from each school. During this year’s two-day competition, teams answered questions developed by the state, earning two points for a correct title and an additional point for a correct author. Overall, 960 questions were asked. Teams were allowed to challenge a question if they felt they had given the correct answer.   Of the four challenges presented over the course of the two-day competition, three resulted in correct points being awarded. 
      In preparation for the event, Cathy Storkamp, coach for Douglas Byrd Middle School, had her students meet every school morning and once or twice a week after school to practice by staging a “mock” competition.  Deneen Stanley, one of the coaches for Lewis Chapel Middle School, said that her team practiced during the school week and in January started meeting on Saturday mornings at Books A Million. 
      All teams were recognized and awarded for participation with medallions.

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