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    (PG 122 minutes) Rated: 5 Stars
      

        Okay, at the risk of inflaming those who think the mention of God is against the Constitution, I’m warning you: This movie is about God, and I’m going to mention God a couple of times in this review. If you have a problem with that, STOP READING RIGHT NOW. Whew, now that that’s out of the way, let me tell you about this movie.
        {mosimage}Fireproofis the third film by Sherwood Pictures. You might not have heard of Sherwood. It’s not based in Hollywood, its corporate headquarters is a Baptist church in Georgia. The films are written, produced and filmed in the town of Albany, Ga. So, don’t expect high tech graphics or Hollywood pyrotechnics or any of that kind of stuff. There’s only one famous person in the movie — Kirk Cameron, who’s mostly known for his role as Mike in the TV comedy Growing Pains. More recently he has been seen in The Left Behind series of movies. Cameron, a born-again Christian, has traded Hollywood for his faith, and it looks good on him.
        The movie didn’t have a huge budget or promotional campaign, but it finished third over the weekend, having only played in 800 theaters nationwide. I think that alone says something about the movie.
        The movie tells the story of Caleb Holt, a fireman in the town of Albany. Caleb is married to Catherine, a public affairs person at the local hospital. The couple would seem to have everything: great jobs, two cars, nice house. But something is wrong and that something is tearing their marriage apart.
        The two are at the point of divorce when Caleb’s father steps in and makes Caleb promise to complete The Love Dare. It’s a 40-day program designed to save a marriage. Caleb accepts, although his heart isn’t in it. Over the next few days, he halfheartedly pursues the dares in the books. When he’s called on to do something thoughtful for his wife, he buys a handful of day-old flowers. When he needs to do something unexpected, he pours a cup of coffee. You see where this is going. It’s only when Catherine hits him in the face with these words, “I don’t love you,” that Caleb starts to take the dare seriously and we are introduced to the idea of selfless love.
        So before you think this is too preachy or too serious, let me throw out some of the other stuff. This film is funny. There’s one scene when the two are telling their side of the story to their respective friends. It’s a classic he said/she said. The theater was filled with laughter — but most of it was probably self-conscious laughter — we’d all been there, done that before.
        The movie’s tag line also speaks to an ideal that flourishes among the military — never leave a fallen man. But in this case, it’s never leave your partner behind. And while on the face of it, it’s talking about the firemen, in the subtext, it’s talking about your spouse. The movie drives home the point of never giving up on your marriage; never taking the easy way out; and ever, forgetting that love is a choice. I think everyone should have to see this movie before they get married and at least once or twice along the path of marital bliss.
        So you won’t think I’ve led you astray, there is some preaching. The movie, again, it’s made by a Baptist church, talks about the fact that if you can’t love yourself through God, you can’t love anyone else. There is a very moving evangelical scene in the movie, which made me think not only of my marriage, but also of my relationship with God; and it made me want to give both a lot more.
        This is a movie that will touch your heart and maybe even change your life.

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        {mosimage}The Fayetteville State University Homecoming Concert featuring T-Pain and guests Plies, Shawty Lo, Ace Hood and Hot Stylz, will be held at the Crown Coliseum on Friday, Oct. 17 at 7:30 p.m., according to FSU Student Activities Council and Diamond Life Concerts announced today.
        Tallahassee-based MC and vocalist T-Pain (born Faheem Najm) came up in a rap group called Nappy Headz but eventually went pro as a solo R&B artist. Recording artist Akon heard  the first release by T-Pain and took him under his wing with a contract on his Jive-distributed Konvict Muzik label. Produced and written mostly by T-Pain, Rappa Ternt Sanga was released in December 2005, led by the Top 20 single “I’m Sprung.” Top selling album Epiphany followed in June 2007. He is currently touting in support of his newest album, Thee Ringz.
        Tickets are $29.50 to $37.50 and are on sale now. Tickets may be purchased at the Crown Center Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster.com or by calling (910) 223-2900. The Crown Center main box office is located at the Crown Coliseum and open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. A limited number of tickets are available for $25 to FSU students with ID and may be purchased on campus at the Seabrook Auditorium only.
        The Crown Center features a 60,000 square-foot exposition center, a 2,400-seat theatre, a 4,500-seat arena and a 10,000-seat coliseum.  For more information on the complex, visit www.AtTheCrown.com.

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        Dear EarthTalk: Is using nitrogen to inflate my car’s tires really better for the environment than using air? And if so, how?                    
    — Roger Mawdsley, Abbotsville, BC

        Whether or not it makes environmental sense to inflate car tires with nitrogen instead of air is a matter of much debate. Proponents of nitrogen say the element is a smart choice for the environment primarily because it leaks from tires at a slower rate than air, so tires stay inflated longer at full capacity, which helps a vehicle attain maximum fuel efficiency, i.e. better gas mileage. According to the Get Nitrogen Institute, a Denver-based non-profit which advocates for replacing the air in our tires with nitrogen, under-inflated tires inadvertently are a big contributor to global warming as they cause drivers to waste fuel.
        Although auto experts recommend checking your car’s tire pressure weekly, studies show that the majority of drivers rarely if ever check to see if their tires are properly inflated and usually only add air when a tire is visibly low or beginning to go flat. A recent study by the European division of tire maker Bridgestone found that 93.5 percent of cars in Europe have under-inflated tires, wasting some 2.14 billion gallons of high-priced, polluting fuel every year. Analysts believe that a similar percentage of North Americans are driving around on under-inflated tires as well.{mosimage}
        While properly inflated tires certainly promote better fuel efficiency and are thus good for the environment, not everyone is convinced that filling tires with nitrogen instead of plain ol’ air makes a difference. Terry Jackson, who writes the influential “Driving for Dollars” column for the Bankrate.com Web site, points out that air is composed primarily of, you guessed it, nitrogen; some 78 percent of the regular air you put in your tires is nitrogen, with oxygen making up most of the remainder. “So going to pure nitrogen only squeezes out a small amount of the oxygen molecules that nitrogen proponents argue are so detrimental,” relates Jackson.
        Nitrogen proponents may quibble that it’s the oxygen in the mix that causes problems, though, as oxidization can start to degrade the rubber inside tires while corroding the interior of the wheels as well. But Jackson counters that tires and wheels will have been long worn out on the outside before any oxygen-induced interior damage causes them to come apart. Also, he adds that a lot of the leakage from tires happens because the wheel and the tire do not line up perfectly, and air (or nitrogen) escapes accordingly.
        Another factor, of course, is cost. Nitrogen-equipped service centers will fill up your tires with nitrogen for something like $10 per tire, which is a far cry from the couple of quarters (if even that) it takes to trigger the air machine at your local gas station. “When it comes down to a dollar decision, it’s hard to argue that spending as much as $40 for nitrogen in a set of tires is a good fiscal move,” writes Jackson.
        “Save your money and just keep an eye on your tire pressures,” he concludes.

    CONTACTS: Get Nitrogen Institute, www.getnitrogen.org; Bankrate.com, www.bankrate.com

    GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION? Send it to: EarthTalk, c/o E/The Environmental Magazine, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; submit it at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/thisweek/, or e-mail: earthtalk@emagazine.com. Read past columns at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/archives.php.

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        After more than 20 years reporting on, studying and writing about North Carolina government, I’ve commented on hundreds of separate news stories, political campaigns and policy issues. But if I had to summarize my overall “take” on our state and local governments, it would be that North Carolinians don’t get a good rate of return on the (excessive) tax dollars they pay.
        In our private lives, we all constantly shop for bargains. That’s not to say that we always choose the lowest-priced good. We look for the best value for the dollar. Sometimes that may indeed mean buying the least-expensive product. But other times, we’re willing to pay more to obtain a more valuable outcome.
        {mosimage}Lots of North Carolina politicians use this line of reasoning to justify their favorite new programs and, when it comes time to pay the bill, new taxes or fees. But to assert that a new educational program will improve student performance, a new health care program will save lives, or a new transportation bill will increase public safety or mobility is not to make it so. Perhaps the program has been tried elsewhere and found wanting. Perhaps there are good theoretical reasons to doubt that it targets the right problem. And after the fact, you have data with which to compare the predictions of politicians to actual experience.
        One of my John Locke Foundation colleagues, Joe Coletti, has just completed a study subjecting my “take” to empirical analysis. It consists of two parts: 1) how North Carolina compares to other states in the cost of government, and 2) how North Carolina compares in recent economic, educational, social, and other trends. If our costs were relatively low and our outcomes were relatively high, that might well constitute evidence that North Carolina’s state and local governments were making good use of our money.
        You know where I’m going with this, don’t you? Unfortunately for taxpayers, Coletti found precisely the opposite. North Carolina imposes a relatively high tax burden but has lagged, not led, the region and nation in most outcome categories. Some key findings:
        • North Carolinians pay twice as much in state and local taxes, adjusted for inflation, as they did in 1983. As a percentage of income, North Carolina’s tax burden now exceeds the national average and is one of the highest in the South.
        • While North Carolina experienced better-than-average performance in some economic and social indicators during the 1980s and early 1990s, more recent trends aren’t as favorable. After Jim Hunt and the General Assembly created major new initiatives in the mid- to late 1990s, and Mike Easley and lawmakers raised taxes to finance them a few years later, the state’s progress actually stalled.
        • Since 2000, North Carolina students lost ground in reading and underperformed other states in math. More than half the states posted more improvement in crime rates than North Carolina did. For much of the decade, our road system deteriorated in quality and congestion compared with regional rivals such as Florida and Texas. Economically, North Carolina experienced rapid population growth, but job creation and income growth lagged the regional and national averages, sometimes badly.
        None of this is to say that North Carolina is a bad place to live and work. Governments matter, but their performance isn’t necessarily decisive. While taxes are too high and the return on tax dollars is too low, our state has many other attractive amenities. At least until recently, North Carolina’s land, energy and labor costs have been comparatively low. These are tremendously important variables that both households and businesses consider when deciding where to move or expand. In addition, and in tacit recognition of the fact that North Carolina’s overall governmental costs are out of line, state and local officials have become increasingly willing to offer targeted tax breaks and generous subsidies to big businesses, largely exempting many from the excessive tax burden that smaller businesses and households must shoulder.
    What Coletti’s study shows is that progress in North Carolina has increasingly come despite rather than because of the policy choices of our politicians. Considering both governmental costs and outcomes, he came up with a letter-grade ranking of the rate of return that each state’s residents derive from the taxes they pay. Among the A states were Florida, Texas, and Tennessee. Virginia and South Carolina earned Bs.
    And North Carolina? We got a D. There are states where taxpayers get an even-worse deal than North Carolinians do, but not many.
    The good news is that our policymakers have plenty they can learn about government reform from the successes of other states — if they are willing.

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        Here is one more thing to watch out for during the time between now and Election Day.
        I want you to give attention to a group of people who hang around political gatherings and rallies. Their eyes shift from person to person, from candidate to candidate, and from table to table — wherever political paraphernalia is being distributed.
        Watch them as they lurk around. They are not perverts. They are not dangerous or evil. But watch for them giving every political person the once over.{mosimage}
        These strange people are button collectors. They want to come away with at least one sample of every button they see. For them, the bounty of times like these are the additions to their collections that hard fought election campaigns, like our current ones, make possible for them.
        Political button collectors are generally shameless in their efforts to secure buttons. If they cannot find freely distributed buttons at a candidate’s table, they will accost the candidate directly, sometimes persuading the candidate to part with his own button. Then, the collector, rather than wearing the button, secures it in his pocket and moves on to find another.
        Now for a confession. I am one of these people. At least I used to be, until about 25 years ago when I became a candidate for office and gave up collecting.
        Most of us, collectors and former collectors, enjoy seeing the collections of others. With every button there is a story. Most of the stories of the buttons bring life to the candidates they represent. Often, they help tell something important or interesting about the campaigns and the political battles in which the buttons were used.
        For instance, take the campaign button for 1972 U.S. Senate candidate Nick Galifianakis, who was running against Jesse Helms. “Helms” fits easily on to a button, but Galifianakis is a “button-full.” Meeting this challenge, the Galifianakis campaign came up with the idea of two buttons: “Galifi” and “anakis.” It was cute, got attention, and helped give a positive and laughing response to the “he is not like us” messages about his opponent that sometimes crept into Helms’s campaigns.
        Those Galifianakis buttons are a proud part of my collection. They are also one small item in a new exhibit of North Carolina-related political memorabilia at the Wilson Library in Chapel Hill. Using examples of political buttons and related items, “Soapboxes and Tree Stumps, Political Campaigning in North Carolina” guides the visitor through more than 100 years of our state’s election campaign history.
        The new exhibit is composed largely of items from the new “Lew Powell Memorabilia Collection.” Powell, an editor at the Charlotte Observer, is a different kind of collector from the ones I have described. He concentrated on earlier rather than current campaigns. As a result, he had to pay, sometimes big bucks, for historic buttons like some special ones in the late 1800s and early 1900s when North Carolina white Democrats were wresting control of the state’s government from a coalition of Republicans, African Americans, and Populists.
        An early badge associated with industrialist and philanthropist Julian Shakespeare Carr (for whom Carrboro was named) says “North Carolina Redeemed,” which refers, according the exhibit, to the effort by Democrats to break the Republican-Populist coalition.
        Among the many great buttons that caught my attention were an “Ah Lahk Ike” from the 1950s, a 2000 button with a photo of Michael Jordan in support of presidential candidate Bill Bradley, and a 2004 John Edwards button with a close up of Edwards’ face and a caption that said “Objects in the mirror are closer than they appear,” which was meant to suggest that Edwards was very close behind John Kerry and catching up fast.
        The exhibit runs through April 15. If you are a button collector, a political junkie or anyone with a passion for North Carolina history, don’t miss it.

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        {mosimage}For more than 200 years, MacPherson Presbyterian Church has been a part of the bedrock that supports the faithful in Cumberland County.
        And now, the church is looking to dig deep down into that holy shale and mine a tradition that dates back to the 1940s and 1950s — the ingathering.
        According to the written history of MacPherson Presbyterian Church, “An ingathering was a major undertaking used by many churches, particularly in the 1940s and ‘50s as a means of raising money. A combination of a latter day bazaar in which handmade crafts were sold at community feasts.”
        On Saturday, Oct. 18, the church will bring back those festive days of fellowship and good, honest commerce. On that day, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., bazaar items will be sold, including cakes, candy, pies, frozen soups, “MacPherson’s Own” homemade spaghetti sauce and vegetable soup, pick-up or take-out dinners will be available from 4-6 p.m., while sit-down dinners will be at the church from 6-7 p.m. Tickets are being sold in advance at the church office.
        Also on that day, there will be live music — with contemporary Christian and bluegrass from 1-5 p.m. — and an auction at 7 p.m.; auction items will include a beach house weekend, a china place setting, quilts and other items.
        All funds raised will go toward missions and the building program.
        More than the tangible results, the church also hopes to get back to the old ways of the ingathering which bound the community together in the past — a past that MacPherson Presbyterian Church member Ann Welch remembers well.
        “When I was a child, the farmers brought in cotton, hay and their wives made canned goods and crocheted and knitted... All types of crafts,” said Welch. “My father donated a decrepit mule, for which Joe McGrath paid a handsome $16. And he fed it so much that it floundered and died in a couple of weeks. We’re trying to get it back to what it was.”
        Not only will the ingathering feed the church’s coffers, it will offer the community a bit of history about the church — a church founded in 1800 and full of religious artifacts,  from a crystal and tin communion set to an old sound board used to amplify the preacher’s words in the days before microphones and sound systems.
        The church’s rich history extends to the graveyard, where church member Bill Kern said contains the resting places for many war veterans, including a number of Civil War vets. Among the markers is a huge, ornate marker for Confederate army hero Lt. Gen. Theophilis Hunter Holmes. resting side-by-side with Holmes is his wife, whom Kern said Holmes had exhumed and transferred at great expense from her original grave site in Governor’s Island, N.Y..
        “It’s a large stone,” said Kern. “After the war people didn’t have a lot of money, so he must’ve thought a lot of her.”
        Kern said Holmes paid his wife the ultimate compliment with the tombstone’s epitaph, which reads: “She Made Her Husband a Christian.”
        Just the kind of sentiment MacPherson Presbyterian Church hopes to renew with its Old Fashioned Ingathering.

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        Two downtown galleries opened the fourth Friday in September to host their two yearly competitions, the annual Photography Competition and the annual Nellie Smith Ceramic Competition. Both exhibits will remain in place until October and November for visitors to the Fayetteville Arts Council or the Cape Fear Studios.
        For the Annual Photography Competition the Fayetteville Arts Council decided upon the theme Unity in Our Community. In place until Nov. 22, 2008, Unity in Our Community was conceived as a complementary theme, opening during the weekend of the 30th International Folk Festival.                                                         Calvin Sims, the arts services coordinator for the Arts Council, commented on the results of the exhibit: “We were surprised at everyone’s interpretation of the idea of unity; what we learned is that interpretation of unity by photographers is very diverse. From processionals to amateurs, our gallery walls are filled with images that are as diverse as the Fayetteville community.”
       {mosimage}The gallery is filled with photographs that range from the emotional to landscapes; special moments to interpretations of the figure in an environment, the laugh of a child to the moment families are separated as they leave for Iraq. Sims commented, “Yes, the artist’s interpretation of a theme is broad, but it’s pleasing to see broad interpretation; after all, it is our similarities and our differences that unify us.”
        The juror for Unity in Our Community was Theresa Olier, a local photographer who owns her own business. Olier specializes in photographing children, family portraits and photographing on location.
        For the first place award, Olier selected Tearful Departure by Andrew Craft — a color photograph of a woman, arms around a child wearing red, she raises her hand to the open window of a bus, and her hand touches the extended hand of what is probably her husband.
        Second place went to Steve Kennedy for a digital color photo titled Water Fall in Brevard. Third place was tied between two digital photographs: A Mother’s Love by Stephanie Bruce and Show-Nuff by Jonathon Diaz.
        Diaz was one of five artists who participated from the art program at Fayetteville State University. Shane Booth, the photography professor at FSU encouraged his students to participate with their large format prints. The large prints were hung together at the Art Center; Booth’s influence was easily recognizable in the work of April Harmon, Katherine Ortiz, and Diaz. In the spirit of a competition, even Professor Socorro Hernandez from FSU exhibited two of her photographs of architectural cites on campus.
        Of the 23 artists who participated, many were familiar names from past photo competitions. Photographers like Sonja Rothstein and Alphonso Peppers were exhibiting in their usual highly competent and creative style.
        {mosimage}As well, many new photographers are showing us snapshots of their lives, a journey to foreign places and moments they interpret as unity in the community. With so much diversity in the subject matter, I asked Sims about the public’s response to the exhibit. He readily commented, “We have had very positive responses, every visitor to the gallery will find something they can relate to!”
        Upon leaving Unity in the Community, you can walk ablock down on Maxwell Street, behind the arts council, and visit the Cape Fear Studios to see the annual Nellie Smith Commemorative Ceramic Competition; this year it is their 14th competition, the exhibit will remain up until Oct. 22, 2008.
        Juror for the competition was Joyce Bryan, owner of Stone-Crowe Pottery outside of Pittsboro. A distinguished artist, Bryan has many years as a ceramic artist and an instructor of functional pottery at Central Carolina Community College.
        Pleasantly surprised, visitors to the Cape Fear Studios for the 14th Annual Nellie Smith Commemorative Ceramic Competition will find many artists exhibiting who do not live in Fayetteville and familiar local talent.
        Local talent includes artist Greg Hathaway, an artist and ceramic instructor. Hathaway earned a third place award in the functional category. Tall and graceful, Hathaway’s lidded vessel represents his proficient and diligent dedication to his craft and variety.
        The second place award went to Edge Barnes and first place to Mark Gordan. Best in show was awarded to John Garland, an artist who has been exhibiting his multicolored glazed vessels. Floral details and multi-firings are the hallmarks of Garland’s ceramic ware.
        Non-functional is the second category in the competition. Sun Jester by Darlene Cote won a first place award. Second place went to Cote for her Resting Dragon. Both works were medium to small in scale and figurative. Third place went to Orbit III by Mark Gordan, an abstract circular form with repeating yellow ochre projections.
        Visitors to the 14th Annual Nellie Smith Commemorative Ceramic Competition will not be disappointed, a variety of interesting techniques in the medium of clay are being exhibited. As well, prices have a range from the affordable to the more expensive.
        From the wood firing of ceramic ware to the finely glazed platters and vessels, the 14th Annual Nellie Smith Commemorative Ceramic Competition is one of the best in many years. And it is open to the public and free. Anyone interested in visiting the galleries, needs direction or the hours of operation can call the Cape Fear Studios at (910) 433-2986 and the Fayetteville Arts Council at (910) 323-1776.
        In addition, if you are interested in joining an art guild or art organization, both agencies have information for you. 

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        Having tried to stage this show for 15 years, the Gilbert couldn’t have found a better time for the premiere of Stephen Sondheim’s Assassins. With political drama taking center stage of a large majority of the American populous, snubbing even our most celebrated sitcoms to watch debates, seeing Assassins allows us to revisit history in the hope that surely, with all that we’ve learned, we won’t repeat it.
        The play opens with the number “Everybody’s Got the Right” sung by the Proprietor (with an excellent stern but tongue-in-cheek delivery by Paul Wilson), who hands out guns to the play’s collection of mal-intents. The song portrays them as frustrated American dreamers: “No job? Cupboard bare?/One room, no one there?/Hey pal, don’t despair--/ You wanna shoot a President?” Given today’s shaky economy, many viewing this play are sure to identify with these defeated dreamers who lash out at the ailing system that only pretends to serve us, just as I did. The American dream takes many on a loopy de loop spinning in circles that inevitably leave a few sputtering and crazy. The sputtering and crazy are seen here, in a tug of war for the American dream that leaves them flat on their backs yet gracing the pages of history books.
        The audience is then taken to the moment in which John Wilkes Booth (played captivatingly by Jonathan de Araujo) assassinates President Abraham Lincoln. Booth has the opening assassination, and as such, plays the devil on the shoulder of almost every assassinator henceforth. He does so with great relish, and Araujo’s capability as an actor allows the audience to see how Booth believes he was betrayed by history and violence of the Civil War. It is achingly beautiful to watch as he becomes the charismatic snake that leads all into their garden of demise.
        The production was replete with capable performances; however, a few went above and beyond. James Johnson’s Samuel Byck seethes with a terrifying lunacy that remarkably, makes sense. The line “You know the world is a vicious stinking pit of emptiness and pain,” carries its weight in irony when it comes from a man wearing a Santa suit. Caroline DePew, though in a smaller role, truly understands Emma Goldman’s belief in anarchy as a means of reason, and her lines “They make us servants, Leon. We do not make servants of each other,” to me, embodies the theme of the play in a memorable way. Lastly, Tim Kranz’s Guiseppe Zangara does much more than characterize desperation; he breathes it in a way in which I truly pity. 
        Assassins is criticized as a play that skirts the haunting moments of America’s history, and I tend to agree. From viewing Sweeney Todd, I expected disillusionment and terror going into the play, but was met with a pigeon-holed depiction full of humor. However, there is a moment in which the play digs deeper, that of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. After Oswald completes his deed, the song “Something Just Broke” allows the audience a moment of reflection on history without forcing us to look at in humor.
        The Gilbert has its limitations in producing such a large scale musical production, however, each actor’s adeptness and the quality of the lines and score allow us to revel in the humor of horror while pushing to pause and reflect post-show on how, while not excusable, the most terrifying acts in history are understandable. The play gently reminds its audience with the invocation of Arthur Miller’s “Attention must be paid” that those in power in America need not forget those in need, those who made them what they are.   
        As the sneer of Halloween draws near, and the interest of the election explodes, there couldn’t be a better musical production to take in. Check it out at the Gilbert Theater through Oct. 19t. Tickets are  $12. For more ticket information and showtimes, call 678-7186 or e-mail  gilberttheater@aol.com.

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         Marriage is a beautiful commitment if both parties are willing to give their all and of course, compromise. Compatibility or being “equally yoked” is an essential component. Oh how I, Shanessa Linette Fenner, long to be married one day to my African-American king.  To get married and live happily ever after is the dream for some women.   
        Tyler Perry’s current stage production The Marriage Counselorfrom Oct. 24-26.  Show times are Oct. 24 at 8 p.m., Oct. 25 at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Oct. 26 at 3 p.m. His tenth production profiles relationships, tells how in the end love conquers all and is a reflection of everyday living in today’s society.      
          {mosimage} Palmer Williams Jr. plays the character Floyd in the production as well as the character Floyd the barber in Tyler Perry’s House of Payne.  “Floyd is a character who is the father of one of the main characters,” said Williams. “I lost my house due to Hurricane Katrina and now living in my son’s house.” Williams added that his son is an accountant and taking care of the whole family.           
       The plot entails Roger Jackson, a hard working good man, who is an accountant. He takes care of his wife, Judith; his pop, Floyd; and his wife’s mom, TT.  Floyd and TT do not get along.  Judith is a professional Ivy League educated marriage counselor who gives marital advice everyday but cannot get her own marriage together.  
        The scene switches to the married couples seeking advice.  Dr. Jackson has the answer for everyone but a turn of events causes the marriage counselor to need some advice once a college friend drops by the office. “As the play unfolds the audience will see that even though Judith is a marriage counselor, she is still distracted just as other couples become,” said Williams. “There’s counseling going on, distractions from the past and other situations.”     
         Tyler Perry, the writer-director-producer-actor-composer-playwright, opened Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta in September 2007 which is one of the first movie studios in this country owned by an African-American. Perry was inspired by Oprah Winfrey to channel his creativity and talents through writing. He has had nine successful stage productions, two collaborations, five hit movies and one hit TV sitcom since 1997.  Some of his movies and plays include Daddy’s Little Girls, Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Why Did I Get Married, Madea’s Family Reunion, Madea Goes to Jail, Meet the Browns and more.  His current movie, The Family That Preys, is a must see and the title evokes a message that when “prey” turns to “pray,” good things are likely to happen.          
        “I encourage everyone to come out and enjoy this production,” said Williams. “It is a play that everyone can relate to.”   
        For more information or ticket information call 438-4100 or visit  www.tylerperry.com”   

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        As the political season rolls into the final stretch, Fayetteville State University is going to stir the political waters when they bring two very different political perspectives to Seabrook Auditorium to kick-off the annual Chancellor’s Distinguished Speaker Series.
        {mosimage}On Tuesday, Oct. 14, at p.m., Roland Martin and Michael Steele will face off in “A Spirited Discussion on Public Policy and Presidential Politics.”
        Martin is a commentator for TV One Cable Network, and also host of The Roland S. Martin Show on WVON-AM/1690  in Chicago. He can be heard daily from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. He is also a CNN contributor, appearing on a variety of shows, including Paula Zahn Now, Anderson Cooper 360, Lou Dobbs Tonight, and many others. Roland has recently acted as the fill-in host for Paula Zahn and hosted a CNN special called “What Would Jesus Really Do?” He is also a contributor for Essence magazine and posts a daily blog on Essence.com. 
        An insightful and provocative analyst, Martin has appeared numerous times on MSNBC, FOX News, Court TV, BET Nightly News, BBC News, National Public Radio, The Word Network, America’s Black Forum, American Urban Radio Networks, the Tom Joyner Morning Show and NPR’s News and Notes. His commentaries can also be read on CNN.com. Martin will take the liberal Democrat side of the debate.
        A self-described Lincoln Republican. Michael S. Steele earned a place in history in 2003 when he became the first African-American elected to statewide office in Maryland. His experiences as a successful elected conservative Republican African-American and his engaging speaking style have launched Steele into national prominence. His first major exposure was during an appearance at the 2004 Republican National Convention. Since then President George W. Bush chose Steele to be part of the U.S. delegation to the investiture of Pope Benedict XVI, and Steele has been an entertaining and articulate guest on cable political talk shows such as HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher and Comedy Central’s The Colbert Report.
        An expert on political strategy, fund-raising, PACs, and election reform, he is the current Chairman of GOPAC. He has served on the National Federal Election Reform Commission and the NAACP Blue Ribbon Commission on Election Reform. As a senior advisor to GROWpac, he advised House Republican Conference Chairman J.C. Watts (R–OK) on strategic and political issues. {mosimage}
        The Distinguished Speaker series is free and open to the public

  • Details
        {mosimage}Today’s music has a wide range of styles and influences. Some of it can be over the top. If you long to spend a quiet evening relaxing to music that makes sense and tells a story, then you don’t have to look any further than the Givens Performing Arts Center on the campus of The University of North Carolina at Pembroke.
        Each year Givens puts on one of the best shows in town when it brings its Nostalgia Series to the stage. This year’s series opened in September with the incomparable Glenn Campbell, and continues on Friday, Oct. 17, with the Commodores.
        The band formed at Tuskegee Institute in 1968, and went on to become one of the biggest funk and soul bands in the ‘70s and ‘80s. The group is best known for its ballads, “Remember,” “Easy” and “Three Times a Lady?” Those mellow sounds launched many a romance and were the centerpiece of a number of weddings.
        But just as the band could mellow you out, they can also rock you out — with hits like “Brick House,” “Say Yeah,” and “Too Hot Ta Trot.” “Machine Gun” the instrumental title track from the band’s debut album, became a staple at American sporting events, and is similarly featured in many films, including Boogie Nights and Looking for Mr. Goodbar. Another instrumental, “Cebu” (named after an island in the Philippines), later became a staple in the Quiet Storm format. Three albums released in years 1975 and 1976 (Caught in the Act, Movin’ On, Hot On The Tracks) are considered the peak of their harder funk period. After those recordings the group started to move towards softer sound.
        Originally known as The Jays, the band changed names over confusion with the O’Jays. To get their new name, they opened a dictionary and pointed. Band member William King noted, that it was sheer luck that the band wasn’t called the Commodes.
        The band is much different today than it was in its heyday; popular front man Lionel Richie left the band in the early ‘80s, and today, only two original members — Clyde Orange and William “WAK” King” — remain. The band performs 50 concerts a year, always to a sold-out house.
        The show at Givens begins at 8 p.m. Tickets are $40, $38, $20* / $12 child or student,
    $5 UNCP student and $15 for faculty or staff. For more information, visit the Givens Web site at www.uncp.edu/gpac/nostalgia.

  • Details
        “Step inside my house Babe / I’ll sing for you a song / I’ll tell you ‘bout where I’ve been / It shouldn’t take too long / I’ll show you all the things I own / My treasures you might say / Couldn’t be more’n ten dollars worth / But they brighten up my day.”
     — “Step Inside This House,” Guy Clark

        There’s a time capsule on Arsenal Avenue.
        It’s a white, Victorian mansion with its 13 rooms decorated as if the residents of the home simply disappeared on a cool fall day in 1917, leaving the artifacts and artifices of their existence untouched and unchanged for these 91 years — a child’s rag doll; a boy’s tin bugle; a Bible containing a lock of hair serving as a book mark in Acts. Lean in … listen to the old black-and-white photos lining the walls, speaking of days spent on the front porch watching the young men march off to the Great War, or carriages parading down Fayetteville streets when horse power really meant horse power.{mosimage}
        On Oct. 10-11, the public will get a glimpse into these days gone by when the Museum of The Cape Fear sponsors the 10th anniversary of the opening of the historic Poe House; the event will be from 1-5 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., on Saturday. Activities will include refreshments and games, crafts and cooking demonstrations. Admission is free.
        The Fayetteville landmark, built in 1897 by brick maker and former local politician E.A. Poe — a time also of unrest and inequity. The Poe House – donated to the state in 1987 and now a part of the Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex — is preserved with period-correct furniture and fixings from the 20-year period of 18 — full of memories come to life.
        “The house is a wonderful vehicle to interpret a time period,” says Bleazey, the Poe House’s education coordinator. “A hugely transitional time period … It’s a wonderful opportunity to talk about local servitude in a Jim Crowe era and women’s rights and the availability of education and employment opportunities for them.
        “And it’s a great old house full of ‘antiquey’ things,” adds Bleazey. “Everybody says ‘I remember or my mom remembers’ castor oil and chamber pots. It’s like a trip down memory lane for them.”
    Recently, one of those travelers was a member of the Poe family. Bleazey says one of the Poe’s granddaughters, now 93, sat on a sofa in the parlor and took a journey back to her childhood — a trip that gave some insight into the eating habits of Mr. Poe.
        “There were times she just glazed over and she was in that parlor as a young girl, sitting with whom she called ‘Mama and Papa Poe,’” said Bleazey. “And her voice got really deep and she said, ‘Oh, Papa Poe was so fat.’”
        A walk through the huge and well-stocked historic kitchen located separately from the main house — to protect the house from both the threat of fire and the oppressive heat generated by the leviathan black iron stove — gives gravity to Mr. Poe’s roundness, just as a trip through the daughters’ room gives depth to the connection between today’s modern teen and the blossoming divas of yesteryear.
        {mosimage}“We don’t have docents dressed in period-correct clothing doing guided tours,” said Bleazey, relating information about a recent school field trip. “You get to walk right in that room, which is very different from say, the Biltmore House, where rooms are roped off or there is Plexiglas to block you off.
        “We walked into the girls’ room and I told the children to look around, you might think you have nothing in common with these girls from 100 years ago, but look there’s a dresser — I bet you’ve got a dresser,” said Bleazey.  “You don’t have a fireplace, but what you do have is probably similar to what these children had almost 100 years ago. It takes history off the pages of a textbook and they (the children) can really see it for themselves.”
        For more information, contact the Museum of the Cape Fear at 486-1330.

  • Details
        Several years ago Dr. Eric Mansfield left the Army and started his private ENT practice in Fayetteville. Mansfield and his then partner, Dr. Edward Dickerson, agreed that they needed to give something back to the community. They were committed to the idea to offer a hand to others — and that commitment was the impetus for the start of the Fathers Foundation.
        The foundation, formed three years ago, offers scholarships to those who otherwise might not have the opportunity to continue their education. Since its inception, the foundation has helped a number of individuals — individuals like a high school student whose parents — one who was in prison, the other who was on crack — attend school. That young man was living in an apartment, taking care of his siblings and working a job. His drive and determination to succeed are what the foundation is all about.{mosimage}
        “None of us make it on our own,” said Mansfield. “We’ve all gotten a hand from someone. Fayetteville has been so kind and generous to myself and my family, so I feel obligated to help someone else.”
        During the first year of the foundation’s existence, the board awarded $10,000 in scholarships. This year, the third year, $30,000 will be given away. The scholarships are for all four years of a student’s education. Students must maintain a 3.0 grade point average to maintain their scholarship. But it isn’t just about giving money. During the school year Mansfield stays in contact with the students to encourage them, to let them know they aren’t in it alone. “We try to develop a relationship with them, so they know someone is rooting for them,” said Mansfield.
        He explained that the scholarships are awarded to people who have a compelling need and a compelling desire to succeed. “If a person has a 4.1 GPA, a strong family support system and scholarships out the wazoo, they will never get our scholarship,” said Mansfield. “We look at people who have financial difficulties. We look at their grades, other circumstances and a personal interview. We look at those compelling stories.”
        In addition to funding those scholarships, the Fathers Foundation also strives to bring a unique entertainment to the community at least once a year. This year the foundation is proud to present “Ballet Identity — Celebrating Individuality through Dance” on Oct. 10 and 11 at the Cape Fear Regional Theatre.
    Mansfield is excited about the ballet because it features a “homegrown” talent,” Monica Stephenson. “This is a local girl who has done well,” he said. “She attended the local dance schools — schools where people are told they’ll never make it. But she did. She has one of those compelling stories you never hear about. And she wants to come back and find more exceptional people and help them do well.”
        Stephenson, the daughter of local physician Dr. Shelby Stephenson and Alice Stephenson, has performed with the Los Angeles Ballet, the Dance Theatre of Harlem, the Washington Ballet, Ballet Black in London, Ballet New York and the Pennsylvania Ballet. She received her training from the Houston Ballet Academy and the North Carolina School of the Arts. She will be joined by a number of other talented dancers, many of whom she met at the N.C. School of the Arts.
        Tickets for the VIP reception and performance on Friday, Oct. 10, are $50. Tickets for the show only on Saturday are $25. Group discounts are available for the show on Saturday, Oct.11. For ticket information, please visit w or call (910) 574-8029.

  • Details
        {mosimage}Oktoberfest at Fort Bragg is a Fayetteville tradition. The 10-day fair brings the community out in droves to celebrate the cooler weather, and of course, the spectacle of the fair.
        The 2008 OKTOBERFEST, held at the Fort Bragg Fairgrounds will be held Oct. 9-19. The fair combines some really great things: rides, food, music and people. It’s a not to be missed good time.
        The OKTOBEFEST has at its center food — lots and lots of food. And, taking a looking at the name of the fair, it’s pretty obvious that a lot of the food will have a German flair. For those of you who crave sausages and kielbasa, you’re sure to leave with a smile on your face.
        Giving yet another nod to its namesake, there is the inevitable Beer Garden. Just remember, you are not in Europe, so you must be 21 to enjoy the adult beverages.
        If you really want to get a natural high, take a spin on one of the many rides that dot the fairgrounds. There are unlimited rides with the price of admission, which makes the fair one of the most economical events  in town.
    So we’ve covered, food and rides — now there’s music. The fair is known for its diverse live musical offerings, with this event focusing on a numbef of the talented musicians who call Fayetteville home.
        On Thursday, Oct. 9, the Holtz Hackren Band, a German band, will take to the stage at 7 and 9 p.m. On Friday, Oct. 10, the Soul Shakers, a variety band, will be on stage at 7 and 9 p.m.
        The Fifth, one of the area’s most popular rock bands, will put on three shows on Saturday, Oct. 11 at 5, 7 and 9 p.m. Sunday will pay tribute to country music, with Craig Boyd and Southland hitting the stage at 3, 5 and 7 p.m. Music resumes on Thursday, Oct. 1, with Dan Speller and his Bluespell blues band at 7 and 9 p.m. On Friday, the Time Machine Band is on stage at 3, 5 and 7 p.m. Morris Cardenas will rock the fairgrounds on Saturday, Oct. 18 at 5, 7 and 9 p.m. the Holtz Hackren Band will wind up the musical offerings on Sunday, Oct. 19 with three shows — 3, 5 and 7 p.m.
        The fairgrounds are publicly accessbile to the public from Bragg Boulevard via Howell Street. Gates open at 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sunday and Columbus Day (Monday, Oct. 13).
        Take advantage of Customer Appreciation Days, Mondays through Thursdays, 5-7 p.m. with admission at $5 for ages 3 and over. Children under 2 are admitted free of charge throughout the fair, and there is no charge for parking.
    Admission prices are as follows: Monday to Thursday, $5 for entrance between 5-7 p.m.; $10 general admission; $8 children ages 3-9; $8 military and Department of Defense civilians; $5 for handicapped invidividuals, seniors and non riders.
        Admission Friday to Sunday is $14 general admission; $12 children ages 3-9; $12 military and DoD Civilians; and $5 for handicapped invidividuals, seniors and non riders.
        For more information, call 396-9126 or 396-6126.

  • Details
        Relive favorite Disneyland® memories when Disney/Pixar’s The Incredibles meet Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and other beloved Disney characters while experiencing famed Disneyland attractions like the Haunted Mansion, “It’s a Small World” and Pirates of the Caribbean in the Disney On Ice spectacular, a Disneyland Adventure.
        A Disneyland Adventure, a one-of-a-kind, action-packed production, produced by Feld Entertainment, visits Fayetteville from Oct. 23 - 26 for six performances at the Crown Coliseum.
        {mosimage}As the park gates open, Disney characters fill the arena with excitement. Audiences swing with Baloo through the Jungle Cruise, fly like a space ranger through Space Mountain® with Buzz Lightyear and accompany Snow White and Cinderella during the Main Street USA® parade.  And just when things get a little too crazy, audiences help everyone’s favorite super family — The Incredibles — save the day. Disney on Ice is a fun family-oriented event that is sure to steal the hearts of children of all ages.
        Tickets for Disney On Ice presents a Disneyland Adventure are $13.50 to $19.50 for reserved seats and $26.50 to $36.50 for VIP and Rinkside seating and are on sale now. Group and military discounts are available. All seats excluding VIP and rinkside are only $12 for opening night. Additional fees may apply.
        Tickets may be purchased at the Crown Center Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster.com or by calling (910) 223-2900. The Crown Center main box office is located at the Crown Coliseum and is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
        Showtimes: Thursday, Oct. 23 at 7 p.m.; Friday, Oct. 24 at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 25 at 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Sunday, Oct. 26 at 2 p.m.
     

     

  • Details
        For 37 years, Fayetteville’s Vance Neal has battled the gas wars. {mosimage}
        The founder of Short Stop Food Marts, Neal possesses a perspective on the volatile nature of gas prices few men can boast. With 51 stores under his rein, he has an intimate knowledge of the ebb and flow at the pumps; and with more than three decades of retail experience, he has a very simple message for consumers who see red when they trade wads of green for precious gasoline: There’s no gouging on his watch.
        Neal recently opened his books to Up and Coming Weekly to show just how little profit his Short Stop convenience stores are making on inflated gas prices. Neal’s own records show that during the month of July, the Short Stop franchise sold approximately 2 million gallons of gasoline to consumers — yet made a profit of just 2.5 cents per gallon.
        “The general public, if you ask how them how much we make per gallon, I have heard in the neighborhood of 30 cents per gallon,” said Neal, speaking from his Arsenal Avenue office. “I don’t ever remember making 30 cents per gallon. The retailers, generally speaking, are reputable businessmen in the community and they are not out to gouge anyone.”
        When Hurricane Ike swept through the Gulf of Mexico in early September, threatening this nation’s oil supply, retailers across the nation raised prices sharply — some charging as much as $6 a gallon. Here in North Carolina, Gov. Mike Easley declared a state of “abnormal market disruption” and signed an order allowing Attorney General Roy Cooper to enforce the state’s anti-gouging law.
        The Consumer Protection Division of the attorney general’s office issued 26 subpoenas demanding information from gas stations in Cumberland, Buncombe, Craven, Guilford, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Montgomery, Anson, Ashe, Cherokee, Stanley, Transylvania and Yadkin counties asking them to explain why their prices were so high — these retailers reportedly sold gas for as high as $5.35 a gallon. Cooper’s office has received more than 4,300 complaints of gouging since Sept 12. The Circle B in Fayetteville was among those subpoenaed, reportedly selling regular gas for $5.49 following the hurricane.
        Neal refused to call out his competitor for gouging, saying the store’s owner may have simply “panicked.”
    Neal says that generally, when he gets a price increase from one of his fuel suppliers, he receives it in the form of a fax. On the day that Hurricane Ike hit, he received a fax from one of the companies showing the next load would cost $4.80 a gallon, plus 52 cents for road tax.
        “So, if we’d bought that product and put it in our locations and then in a few days didn’t sell that product, we would have had to drop our prices to meet the competition, otherwise, we would have sat there with a price out of the market,” said Neal. “And that’s generally the way the market works around Fayetteville.
        “We price according to the competition,” said Neal. “Locally, I noticed there was one competitor that went out of the market. He, being a small independent man, probably panicked. I know of one retailer from another city who got the same letter (from the fuel supplier) who said ‘I’m not going to buy it.’ He put bags on his pumps and just went home. He said he wasn’t going to ask his customers to pay that kind of price.”
    Neal said he and most other local retailers “sweated it out,” waiting for the prices to go down — which they eventually did.
        Neal said another factor adding to the hike in gas prices is the consumer, who he says also goes into a “panic” mode when there is a gas crunch.
            “People panicked and you had lines all over town,” said Neal. “In fact, the day that I had to go out of town, they were backed up in the streets buying and topping off. That creates a problem.”
            The demand got so high, in fact, that The Pantry posted signs at its 1,600-plus gas stations in 11 Southeastern states asking customers to pump only 10 gallons of gas each.
        Neal says that he’s just as upset as the consumer over the seemingly arbitrary price hikes in gasoline, but he says don’t blame the local retailer; instead, cast your eyes toward the real culprit: Big Oil.
        “About five years ago, when they (the oil companies) were buying each other out they eliminated all their competition,” said Neal. “So they can pretty much do what they want to. You haven’t got 12 fighting for the market share — you’ve got six, so they can do pretty much what they want to as far as pricing.”
        Neal says you also have to look at other factors affecting the cost of gas, such as the state and federal taxes on fuel. The nationwide average tax on gasoline is 47 cents per gallon. The federal tax on gasoline is 18.4 cents per gallon. The average state gasoline excise tax is about 18.2 cents per gallon. Other taxes add 10.4 cents per gallon to the average tax on gasoline. These other taxes include applicable sales taxes, gross receipts taxes, oil inspection fees, underground storage tank fees and other miscellaneous environmental fees. Adding these taxes and fees to the state excise taxes results in a volume-weighted average state tax of 28.6 cents per gallon. North Carolina has the 15th highest gas tax in the nation at 48 cents a gallon; California is first at 64 cents, while our neighbor, South Carolina, ranks 47th  at 35 cents a gallon.
        And then there are the credit card fees. Neal said VISA and MasterCard tack on approximately a 2 percent fee per gallon of gas.
        “So, if you got a $4 price for fuel, we have to give 8 cents a gallon to the credit card company,” said Neal.
        As far as the pricing among individual retailers, Neal explained that at each Short Stop, supervisors, or “runners,” travel the area to see what the competitors are charging, then report back to the home office.
        “We have to meet competition,” said Neal. “When it gets in a crunch, the shortage is chaotic and people don’t shop for gas — they’ll pay whatever is put on the pump. But that’s a situation where we (the retailers) have to live here and we’re going to have these customers for a long, long time. So we don’t want to make them mad … We try to do what is reasonable.”

  • Details

        My parents were both young children during the years of the Great Depression. I am not sure how much they actually remembered about it, but a few things they related still stand out in my mind. Both remembered people coming to their homes, one in Fayetteville and one in Kinston, begging for work. Sometimes men and women with children came begging for food. My grandmothers apparently kept some provisions in their pantries for this purpose. Both my parents remembered their fathers, one a physician and one an attorney, taking produce, chickens and other foodstuffs in payment for their professional services.{mosimage}
        By they time my parents grew up, married and were joined by my sister and me, the Great Depression was long past, and we were a young family of the 1950s and ‘60s. I do not remember anyone ever begging at our door. The Depression, though, clearly marked my parents. My sister and I probably did not understand why at the time, but we did chuckle behind our father’s back when he followed us from room to room in our house turning off the lights if no one was there. Even before there was a hint of an energy shortage, he jealously guarded the thermostat, lest anyone turn the heat up too high or the air conditioning down too low. Our mother had her own ways of economizing. My sister and I were probably teenagers before we realized that not every mother thought of spaghetti sauce as a way to use refrigerator leftovers.
        We thought all families had peas and carrots in their sauce.
        The words “Great Depression” have been tossed around quite a bit in recent weeks, as the world watched the United States recognize and try to come to terms with our financial crisis. It has been an agonizing process as Americans of my generation see our retirements go poof and young people see their dreams postponed. Many of us have some idea about what went wrong - “toxic” mortgages and other debt, frozen credit markets and the like, but almost no one, it seems, has an acceptable fix. No American wants to go any further into debt to foreign nations, but neither do we want to see our nation’s economy grind to a halt, with the inevitable job losses and vanishing resources.
        I do not think we are on the verge of another Great Depression. I think we learned a good bit from the first one and put instruments in place, like the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), to shield us from the worst consequences.
        At the same time, we did not learn enough — or maybe we just forgot — the lessons of human greed.
    Before the stock market crash of 1929, the United States did not have many business regulations. Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, people made astonishing fortunes in the largely unregulated business world. After the financial devastation of 1929, our government did take steps to reel in the excesses of some business activities, and over time life slowly settled down.
        Times were good again with the economic growth that followed World War II, and my parents and their contemporaries raised my sister and me and millions of other Baby Boomers in relative prosperity. As we Boomers grew up and started our families, a cry went up for less government regulation of business and industry, and probably rightly so in many instances.
        The fabulous business successes and glittering fortunes made in the late 20th and early 21st centuries were generated in vastly different business arenas, but they have common origins in creativity, entrepreneurship, and little government interference. No one told the captains of industry in 1880 that their employees should work a 40 hour week, and no one told the financial wizards of 2000 that people should be credit worthy and be capable of making a down payment before they got a mortgage.
        So here we are again, stewing in our own economic juices.
    None of us, even those who think they do, really know how all this is going to turn out and certainly not when we are going to feel — and to be — secure again.
        As a Baby Boomer, I hope my Echos are paying attention.
        I hope they are receiving the message that almost nobody deserves salaries in eight or nine or more figures, that few markets should ever be completely “free,” and that there really is no such thing as a free lunch or a free mortgage.
        I hope they are learning to read the fine print of every document they sign and to find out about the things they do not understand.
        I hope they are learning that even the most careful planning and execution can be swept away by forces outside one’s control and that the only safety net in such situations is to pay close attention.
        This is my take for all the Echos whose lives are stretching out before them, but I did not experience the Great Depression firsthand.
        I wonder what my parents would say to all this.

  • Details
        Man’s best friend now has a big playground in Fayetteville. The Riverside Dog Park, operated by Fayetteville-Cumberland Parks & Recreation, is now open. The park is located at 355 N. Eastern Blvd, also known as U.S. 301, across from the Cape Fear Botanical Garden.
        {mosimage}Dogs can roam within 6 feet high fenced areas at the 5-acre park. Small dogs under 25 pounds have a playpen of their own with three benches for owners. Larger K-9s have two sections to gallivant in, one with six benches, another with three.
        Parks staff constructed and landscaped the park, which includes two bridges, one connecting the parking lot to the park and another between the two large dog spaces.
        A committee, called Bark for a Park, raised approximately $20,000 for the park construction. The committee did research on rules and regulations and the setup of the park.
        Judie Stoddard, committee chair, thanked Liliana Parker, the original committee chair and current committee member, for her work and said a petition signed by 900 people helped give the dog a bone, so to speak. The committee presented the petition to the Fayetteville-Cumberland Parks and Recreation advisory board along with their proposal.
        To get to the park: Citizens coming from downtown or western Fayetteville will access the park from N. Eastern Blvd/U.S. 301/Interstate 95 Business by turning right onto the service road at the entrance to the botanical garden and going under the bridge and around the U-shaped service road.
        Residents coming from the other direction, from Eastover, Wade and Godwin, turn right onto the service road and then make a left.
        Rules — When you get to the park, remember to abide by these rules:
        • The hours are from dawn to dusk;
        • All dogs must be legally licensed and have current vaccinations. Tags must be securely attached to the dogs collar;
        •Owners are liable for any injury or damage caused by their dog and are fully responsible for the actions of their dog;
        •Dogs must be at least four months old;
        •Dogs in heat or that are sick or injured are prohibited;
        •No animals other than dogs may be brought into the dog park;
        •All dogs outside the enclosed fenced area must be on a six-foot maximum leash;
        •Dog owners must carry a leash and remain inside the fenced area within view and voice command of their dogs at all times;
        •Dogs showing aggressive behavior must be removed immediately. Owners must immediately leash their dog and leave the park;
        •Excessive barking is prohibited. Dogs barking excessively must be removed from the dog park;
        •Owners must collect and dispose of all dog waste. On-site containers are provided;
        •Smoking and food are not allowed in the park;
        •No more than two dogs per person are allowed on any single visit;
        •No spiked, pronged, pinch or choke collars are allowed in park;
        •Children accompanying dog owners must be strictly supervised and at least 12 years old to be allowed inside the dog park. Spectators should remain outside the fenced area;
        •The small dog enclosure is for dogs weighing less than 25 pounds;
        •Fayetteville-Cumberland Parks and Recreation staff has the authority to close the park for maintenance, weather related problems, emergencies and special events;
        •For emergencies, call 911.
        For more information about the park, call Stoddard at 484-6619.

  • Details
        The North Carolina State Fair is one of the most anticipated events of the fall season. For two weeks, North Carolinians celebrate their farm heritage with rides, food and entertainment — lots of entertainment.
    The 2008 N.C. State Fair entertainment lineup will bring a mix of country music stars, an R&B singer, Christian rockers, a television chef, and a North Carolina native to the stage in Dorton Arena.
        From Oct. 16 to Oct. 26, some of the world’s biggest music names will descend on North Carolina to provide the nightly entertainment at the fair.
        Kicking off the two weeks of entertainment is country singer Josh Turner. He will be joined later in the week by other country music stars, including Jason Aldean, Bucky Covington, Rodney Atkins, Joe Nichols and country mega stars Montgomery Gentry.{mosimage}
        Other performers include Christian rapper Toby Mac, Lady Antebellum and Heidi Newfield and Bobby Flay.
        Contemporary Christian singer Toby Mac will hit the stage on Saturday, Oct. 18, and will perform some of his biggest hits.
        World-renowned chef Bobby Flay will add some extra spice to the entertainment mix on Monday, Oct. 20. The host of  Throwdown! With Bobby Flay and Boy Meets Grill with Bobby Flay will be cooking up some culinary treats on stage in Dorton Arena.
        Rockingham native and American Idol finalist Bucky Covington will show his unique country-rock flair on Tuesday, Oct. 21. Covington will perform hits off his debut album, including “A Different World” and “It’s Good to Be Us.”
        Smooth R&B singer Mario, who appeared on Dancing with the Stars this year, will perform Thursday, Oct. 23, and Christian rock groups Skillet and Leeland will take the stage Friday, Oct. 24.
    All shows begin at 7:30 p.m. and doors open at 6:30 p.m.
        Tickets to the concerts, held nightly in Dorton Arena, range in price from $10 to $32. Tickets can be purchased oneline only at  www.ncstatefair.org through the start of the fair. Any concert tickets remaining after the start of the fair can be purchased at the Dorton Arena box office. Remaining tickets will likely be limited, so purchasing online and in advance is recommended. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 10.
        If you decide to take in one of these great concerts, plan on making a day of your visit to Raleigh and enjoy all of the wonders of the fair. This year’s fair is bigger and better than ever.
        Tickets to the fair are $7 for adults; $2 for children 6-12; children 5 and under are free; senior adults (65-years-old and up) are also free. Tickets for the midway are $1 per ticket. Sheets of 18 tickets are $10.
        For more information, visit www.ncstatefair.org.

  • Details
        Murder always makes for a fascinating story. It’s even better when it fleshes out some of America’s sordid history. Gilbert Theater’s opening production takes a look at those devilish folks who use guns rather than pens as a means of making history, i.e., the assassins of the Presidents of the United States of America.
        {mosimage}From John Wilkes Booth to Lee Harvey Oswald, creators Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman bend the rules of time and space, taking us on a rollercoaster ride in which assassins and would-be assassins from different historical periods meet, interact and ultimately inspire each other to harrowing acts in the name of the American Dream. In exploration of the dark side of the American experience, Assassins is bold, surreal, scary, yet still ridiculously funny.
    Director Marcela Casals is pleased with the outcome of the production. The feeling is that though the subject matter is dark, just when you think the play is belly up (pun intended) it slices a smile across your face from its sick wit.
        Originally, Sondheim and Weidman intended to explore the lives of assassins throughout history beginning with Brutus and Julius Caesar. Considering the massive number of murderers in history, they became overwhelmed and realized it better to shorten their scope. As the project developed, their task soon became clear — to dramatize the unpopular thesis that the most notorious killers in our culture are as much a product of that culture as the famous leaders they attempt and successfully murder.
        Casals noted that “It’s very funny, but it’s very dark,” said Casals. “Sondheim is very good at putting two things completely opposite each other together.”
        She said the play gives the audience the opportunity to see inside the heads of some very mad individuals. She explained that many of these individuals were either depressed or confused, while others thought they were doing a service to the country.
        “Through this musical, you get to see inside their heads and see how they got to that point. There is a lot of humor, even though there is a lot of darkness.”
        She noted that each of these individuals thought they were going to change the course of history. For some, like Wilkes Booth and Oswald, their names have become pieces of the American lexicon. For others, they simply had their five minutes of fame and then slipped away.
        She said that she had gathered a “fabulous” cast of men and women to fill the ensemble and the leads. “Their voices just blend beautifully,” she said. “They just sound fabulous.”
        She cautioned that the play does have some offensive language, but hopes that it does not put people off from coming to a performance. “It’s a part of our history,” she said. “And we hope that high school students and others who have a love for history will come and see the show.”
        Tickets for the show are $12. The play opens Oct. 2-19. The theater is at 116 Green St., above Fascinate-U Children’s Museum. Call 678-7186 or e-mail gilberttheater@aol.com for more information.

  • Details
        It’s too easy to focus on what’s wrong with our schools, so the people in the Westover School District are taking time to celebrate what’s right with their schools and their students. On Saturday, Oct. 4, Westover High School will host the 7th Annual Westside Festival from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.  {mosimage}
        “The Westside Festival was started by John Smith, who was the principal of Westover High School before me,” said Mark Smith, the current principal. “The purpose of the event is to get the community involved by celebrating the successes of all the schools in the Westover School District.” 
    Smith added that the event was not held last year and his students questioned him about why the event was not taking place.
        “It is an event that they like and enjoy,” said Smith. “It was heartwarming for me to hear this from them.”        
        Community officials, Cumberland County school board members and political candidates will be in attendance at the event. The Board of Elections will register voters for the upcoming election. Health professionals will be onsite to check blood pressure and blood sugar levels.       
        “My goal is to let everyone in Cumberland County know that Westover is a positive place,” said Erica Fenner, administrative intern at Westover High School. “Our students and dedicated staff are highly involved and we have great things going on at our school.”  
        Vendors will be on hand to sell their food and wares. Westover’s school clubs will also have tables set up with face painting, storytelling and games for the children. Popcorn, snow cones, homemade items and candy will be for sale.  
    The Westover High School marching band and cheerleaders will also be performing at the event.
        {mosimage}“Singing acts scheduled to perform include David Leathers Jr., Westover students, recording artist Quenita Todd along with the group, Truly Anointed and Westover’s gospel choir,” said Fenner. “The Westover students will have a talent show at the festival.” 
        Poet Val Jones will read poetry. The Pink Kat cheerleaders and a group of recreational cheerleaders are also slated to perform. Raffle tickets will be sold and the winner will receive a brand new car.   
        “Our goal is to build a family collegial atmosphere,” said Smith. “We invite Cumberland County and the surrounding areas to come out and have a good time with the Westover District.”   
        The vendor fee is $40. There will be a mandatory vendor meeting on Thursday, Oct. 2 at 6 p.m. in the Westover High School Auditorium. For more information call 864-0190.

  • Details
        {mosimage}The Cape Fear Botanical Garden’s fifth annual Heritage Festival will take place on Sunday, Oct. 5, from 1–4 p.m. in the Heritage Garden Complex of Cape Fear Botanical Garden come rain or shine. 
    “The purpose of Heritage Festival is to educate visitors on typical farm lifestyles from 1880-1920,” said Angela Dennis, marketing and development officer of Cape Fear Botanical Garden.  “It helps us meet our mission of education and promoting the enjoyment of nature.”  
        The community festival includes a “travel back in time” theme that features exhibits and demonstrations depicting typical farm life from 1880-1920. With an expected attendance of 1,000 people, the festival has been a tremendous success the last four years.  Other activities include hands-on games and activities for all ages, hay rides, pony rides, barnyard animals, exhibits of farm machinery and agricultural demonstrations including corn, tobacco and peanuts. There will be tours of the 1886 farmhouse, old general store, old corn crib and tobacco barn. These historical buildings were donated to the gardens from a family in Eastover. 
        The games include checkers, an egg race, marbles, jump rope, rolling candles from beeswax, digging for peanuts, corn husk figure making, finger cotton spinning, washing clothes on a washboard and other activities that add to the fun of the festival. The children get to make things from the materials from this time period and take them home.         
        The most popular part of the festival is the pony rides.
        “We ask for a $1 donation for the pony ride,” said Dennis. “The kids  love to ride the pony.”
        Typical farm animals will be on display for the children to pet. Families will also have the opportunity to enjoy a hay ride around the garden.   
        The crafts of sewing, tatting, spinning and basketry will also be on display. Vendors will have their displays set up to teach the public about these different crafts.
        “They will teach the students how to do basketry,” said Dennis.
        The Parsons, a local group, will perform live bluegrass music for the event.  Hot dogs, chips, popcorn and soda will be for sale. 
        “This is a great family activity,” said Dennis. “It is an opportunity to teach children about farm living.”            
        Cape Fear Botanical Garden is on 79 acres located at 536 North Eastern Blvd. Founded in 1989, the garden now boasts more than 2,000 varieties of ornamental plants and has several specialty gardens, including camellia, day lily and hosta gardens. 
        Admission is $3-$5 for adults and free for children under 12. Garden members, AAA members and military personnel admission is $3. For more information or to volunteer for the event call 486-0221 or visit www.capefearbg.org. 

  • Details
        There’s a sorry old saying: “Those who can’t do, teach.”
        Well, Karen Koonce, Cumberland County’s 2008 Teacher of the Year, burns that ugly proverb down to the water line by involving students, parents and fellow teachers in a learning process that is certainly “can do.”
        “She is a really, really hard worker,” said Betty Musselwhite — Koonce’s boss, principal and “mentor” at VanStory Hills Elementary. “She soaks up everything that is around her to help students, and she shares with fellow teachers.”
        {mosimage}Koonce, who teaches third grade at VanStory Hills was chosen from a group of eight finalists last week at a ceremony held at the Crown Coliseum, where she said teaching is all about “empowerment.”
        “When we empower teachers, we empower children,” Koonce told an audience of educators and their families.
        Despite reaching the pinnacle of her craft, Koonce didn’t figure out she was going to be an educator until late in life. She attended Wake Forest University believing she wanted to become a pediatric oncologist. But then, she hit a wall... a wall made of test tubes and beakers and autoclaves.
        “I thought I would be an oncologist,” said Koonce, “but then I took an introductory chemistry course and changed my mind about following a career in medicine.”
        While studying education, Koonce said a pair of professors impressed her so much that she decided to teach elementary school. She later obtained a master’s degree in education leadership from George Mason University.
        Koonce, who has earned her certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standard,  began her journey as a teacher in Prince George County, Md., where she figured out from the start she had something in common with her students: “I realized I had a lot to learn. But it didn’t stop me... I just worked harder.”
        Koonce and the other 84 candidates for teacher of the year assembled portfolios and were interviewed by a selection committee that included last year’s winner, Vickie L. Ferguson, a math teacher at Seventy-First High School.
        Before the award presentation, Superintendent Bill Harrison had encouraging words for all the teacher-of-the-year candidates.
        Harrison said he can remember the names of all of his teachers from his school days in suburban Philadelphia, however, “I can’t for the life of me remember who the superintendent was,” he joked.
    But Harrison said teaching is much more difficult than when he broke in as a student teacher back in 1974 — coincidentally enough, at VanStory Elementary.
        “We didn’t have children coming to school with the baggage that they do today,” Harrison said. “We should celebrate what you do every day.”
        Koonce will move on to a regional competition, with an eye toward the awarding of North Carolina Teacher of the Year laurels next spring.
        As the Cumberland representative, Koonce will receive $500 from the county school system, another $200 from the county education foundation, a gift certificate to use at Cross Creek Mall, a commemorative ring, a plaque and flowers.
        First runner-up was Heather Kurtz of Cape Fear High School and second runner-up was Richard Bailey of Jack Britt High School.
        But perhaps the greatest prizes endowed up on Koonce are the love and respect of her students.
        “We had so much fun the day after I won the award,” said Koonce. “I gave them a homework pass and we had doughnuts and decorated the classroom. It was great.
        “I was just shocked by this award,” added Koonce. “And I love teaching here at Vanstory... I’m in the place every teacher deserves to be.”

  • Details
        Ghastly ghouls, murder trials and legendary ghosts … Yes, it’s that time of year again. The Fayetteville Dogwood Festival is kicking off its annual fundraiser, Historic Hauntings: A Ghastly Ghost Tour. Tour dates for this year’s historic hay ride will be Oct. 16, 17, 18 and 23, 24 and 25. Tractors will depart at 6:30 p.m., 7 p.m., 7:30 p.m., 8 p.m., 8:30 p.m., 9 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. on all six nights.
        Board the hay ride at Liberty Point — 145 Person St., and prepare to explore downtown Fayetteville’s eerie past. {mosimage}The hour-long tour features ghostly reenactors and storytellers highlighting the history of Fayetteville and the spooky legends of our past. This year’s hay ride includes stops at many of Fayetteville’s historic sites, including the Transportation Museum, the Market House and Cross Creek Cemetery. After the winding tour through downtown Fayetteville, you will return to the boarding site for the finale, which takes place in Fayetteville’s oldest commercial building, Liberty Point.  This hay ride is safe and exciting for passengers of all ages.
        Tickets are $15 and must be purchased in advance. Tickets will be on sale during 4th Friday and at the International Folk Festival for a reduced rate of $13 — just look for our booth at both events.

    Hallows Eve Cemetery Walk
        This year will also feature a onetime Cemetery Walk through Cross Creek Cemetery on Thursday, Oct. 30.  City Historian Bruce Daws will take those who are interested in learning more about the people and events that have happened in the cemetery on an hour-long walking tour. Tickets for this event are sold separately by calling the Dogwood Festival office at 323-1934 and specifying the Hallows Eve Cemetery Walk. Tickets for this event are $10 and walking tours begin at 7 p.m., with the last tour at 9 p.m. All proceeds for this particular event go to the restoration of Cross Creek Cemetery.    
        The Fayetteville Dogwood Festival is a community organization committed to providing a variety of family-centered activities held downtown and around town. This is done to entertain, promote new business, enhance a positive community image, attract visitors, share cultural and recreational opportunities of our community, encourage unity through the celebration of our diversity, promote the education of our rich history and foster civic pride.
        For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Zack May at 323-1934 or visit the Web site: www.faydogwoodfestival.com.

  • Details

        {mosimage}Down on the Cape Fear River, the staff at Campbellton Landing is gearing up to make its first big event the first of many memorable events at the historic landmark. The landing, which was created by the late Sol Rose, was purchased earlier this year by Kevin Summers, a Raleigh restauranteur. Summers has big plans for the property and he plans to unveil them this month.
        Campbellton Landing includes a restaurant, outdoor store, grill and amphitheater. Summers will put all of those assets to use when he unveils Truman’s Pumpkin Patch on Saturday, Oct. 4, and the restaurant mid-month.
    Truman’s Pumpkin Patch is a collaborative effort between Summers, the corporate offices of Kidsville News! — whose mascot Truman lends his name to the event — Cumberland County Communicare and Docks at the Capitol.
    The event, which is open every weekend throughout the month of October, is designed specifically for families, according to Summers.
        “It is a family-friendly event,” said Summers. He added that there are going to be multiple activities going on throughout the day — pony rides, inflatable bounce houses and slides and a hay ride. Each child who purchases a ticket will also receive a free pumpkin. In addition to the children’s events, there will be a farmer’s market offering the obvious pumpkins, other fall produce and mums.
        If you spend the day at the river and find yourself hungry, there will also be food on hand. “We will be serving burgers and hot dogs, snow cones, cotton candy and popcorn throughout the day,” he explained.
    Burgers and dogs are also on the menu at The Riverside Grill, which is a new addition to the property. The grill, which is located inside The Riverside Outdoor Store, will be opening within the next week. The grill will serve breakfast and lunch and an early dinner. Summers said the fare will be fresh and simple.
        While you’re taking a break from the activities, you can sit a spell in the amphitheater and listen to the entertainment that will be on stage daily. Music ranging from country to blues to folk will be an integral part of the pumpkin patch, and every day at 3 p.m. there will be a Pumpkin Carving Contest. The winner of the contest will receive a gift certificate to Dock’s at the Capitol.
        Summers said the hay ride will give folks a pretty good view of the development. The ride, about 15 minutes in length, will parallel the river down to Lock’s Creek, where it will wind around the creek before ending at the amphitheater.
    “We’re doing a lot to beautify what’s already here,” said Summers. “We are building a nature trail and clearing some areas. Our goal is to get people outside to enjoy the river with entertainment and family-friendly events. We believe this project is going to be a really great addition to the community.”
        Summers said he and his supporters see the project, which is only in its initial development, becoming a centerpiece for Fayetteville. “We think it will help grow the east side of downtown and give the community something to be very proud of,” he added.
        The word community comes quickly to Summers’ lips. That’s why he sought out community partners for this event. Cumberland County Communicare is the event’s nonprofit partner. The agency is selling tickets and is keeping a percentage of ticket sales to help fund its work in the community. “What they do in our community — for children who are in need of guidance and support — made a lot of sense to us, and we wanted them to be a part of this event,” said Summers.
        The partnership with Docks made a lot of sense as well. The two companies share a common audience, families, and a common mission, entertainment. “Docks wanted to get involved and they were willing to donate a $5 game card for every ticket purchased,” said Summers. “We see that as a great value, because families are really getting their tickets for $3 with the game card for use at a later date.”
        Valerie Jackson, of Docks, is excited about the event and the partnership. “This event is really exciting because it is for children. It’s for families and we are a family entertainment center,” said Jackson. “This is a way for us to reach out to our community. And we are glad to support the efforts at Campbellton Landing and happy to see them join our community.”
        Summers said this is only the first of many events at the landing. There will also be a Christmas-themed festival later this year. Next year, when the site is up and running, local residents can expect to see a full calendar of events at the landing with everything from concerts to plays to festivals. In all, organizers are expecting to put on 30 to 35 events.
        The event runs Saturday and Sunday throughout the month of October. On Saturdays, Truman’s Pumpkin Patch is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m, and on Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. Tickets are $8 and can be purchased in advance at the Riverside Outdoor Store, Docks or through Communicare.
        For more information, call Docks at 423-6257.

    {mosimage} 

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