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Harley Davidson riders are pretty loyal to their bikes. So it seems only fitting that the Cape Fear Harley Davidson would be just as loyal to their customers. On Saturday, May 3, the Fayetteville business will sponsor its annual customer appreciation day to show just how much their customers, and the men and women of the U.S. military mean to them.
The day-long event will feature a bike show, a fashion show, a Dyno Shoot-Out, a stunt show, free food and a mini-carnival for kids. And that’s not even half of what the staff of Cape Fear Harley Davidson has planned.
Duke Durham, the parts manager, said the open house is an annual event that not only the community, but the staff of Cape Fear Harley looks forward to. The first event was held in May of 1991, when the dealership moved into its headquarters on Sycamore Dairy Road. Since then, the first Saturday of May has been dedicated to telling the community how proud Cape Fear Harley is of being a part of the community and to thank the community for its continued support.
“It’s a really big event,” said Durham. “We have something for everyone and it’s just our way of saying thanks.”
One of the big events of the day is the annual bike show. The show is open to the public. There is a $10 entry fee. Bikes will be judged in seven classes and there will be a Best of Show title awarded as well. The bike show will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
If your bike isn’t quite up to show standards, you might want to stop in at the bike wash sponsored by the Steel Angels, a women’s motorcycle organization. Funds raised by the bike wash will benefit charity.
Of course, even if you are not a biker, you might want to check out the Ill Conduct Stunt Show, which features bikes performing jumps, wheelies and burn-outs. The show is scheduled for noon and 2:30 p.m. Or, if you do own a bike, you might want to participate in the Dyno Shoot Out. The shoot out, sponsored by Cape Fear Harley Davidson Racing č the store’s in-house drag racing team č would be a favorite of TV’s Tool Man, because it judges the bike with “more power.” There is a $25 entry fee for this event, and the bike with the biggest pull takes it all.
And of course, we did mention food č hamburgers and hot dogs will be served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. There is no charge for the food. Kids playing in the carnival area will also be offered the sugar rush of cotton candy.
Everyone knows that any bike event is not complete without music, and the Cape Fear Harley staff has you covered there, as well. Fayetteville rockers Motorjunkie will be on hand throughout the day to get your motor running. The band will perform at 11 a.m. and again at 1 and 3 p.m.
There will also be a bike giveaway, as well as other smaller giveaways throughout the day. So what are you waiting for? Head down to Cape Fear Harley Davidson where they won’t only tell you they appreciate your business, they’ll show you.
{mosimage}For almost six years, the soldiers and airmen who call Fort Bragg and Pope Air Force Base home have been in a continual state of deployment. Fayetteville and its surrounding communities have gotten into the rhythm of deployments. They have watched their neighbors and friends pack their rucks and leave to defend our nation; and in the interim, helped watch over the families left behind. And in some small, private ways, they’ve welcomed their neighbors home upon their return. On Saturday, May 10, the Braxton Bragg Chapter of the Association of the United States Army, or AUSA, is holding a very large, very public Welcome Home Heroes party at Festival Park, and you’re invited. The party, one part pure patriotism and the other part pure country, features country music sensation Lonestar. The event is free and open to the public. The brain child of Fayetteville music men Terry Shea and Morris Cardenas, the concert has been months in the making. Shea and Cardenas grew up in Fayetteville and take great pride in calling themselves military brats. One night, while talking about news reports concerning the care of wounded soldiers, the idea of doing something to honor the city’s veterans started getting kicked around. As the conversation began to take root in their minds, their thoughts obviously turned to what they know best – music. To give the idea wings, they knew they were going to have to find a partner, and that’s when AUSA came into the picture. Cardenas explained that putting on an event the size and magnitude of the upcoming concert takes a lot of people and a lot of organizational skills. They knew they could find it within the ranks of the AUSA membership. They first approached Col. (Ret.) Jim White, an AUSA member who heads up the Wounded Warrior program for the association, with the idea. White grabbed the idea and ran with it. “He called us and said, ‘I want to do this thing,’” recalled Cardenas. “We could not have made this happen without him.” “Col. White heard our vision and supported it,” said Shea. “He told us it cost just a little more to go first class, and that’s what he wanted for the troops. Whenever we would get in a rut, he would motivate the troops and get us going.” Other than cutting through the paperwork required to use Festival Park, the biggest thing the group had to tackle was finding a band. Both Cardenas and Shea had ideas about what kind of musicians they wanted to play, but wanting doesn’t always make it so. A couple of times they thought they were close with musicians like John Rich and Charlie Daniels but other commitments caused conflicts. They hit the jackpot when they started pursuing Lonestar. “The guys in Lonestar do so much for the troops,” explained Shea. “We went after them because of their involvement with the troops. If you look on their Web site, you’ll see all of the military awards they have received for their efforts. They are very in tune with what it is we are doing here. They are with us in wanting to honor our service members, and that’s what is going to make this show so exciting.” You only have to mention the word troops to Lonestar lead guitarist Michael Britt to get his attention. Britt, along with Keech Rainwater and Dean Sams, are the original members of the band that formed in Nashville in 1992. “We can’t wait to get there to Fayetteville,” said Britt, in a recent telephone interview. “That’s going to be a fun show. We love playing for the troops. Knowing this is a welcome home for the soldiers who have been serving those 12 to 15 month deployments make it even more important and a lot bigger.” The band is looking forward to doing a USO tour sometime in the future, but see this as an opportunity to say thanks to the soldiers here at home. “We are huge supporters of the military,” said Britt. In the opening days of the war, the band’s song I’m Already There captured the spirit of families who are separated. The song written about the band’s travels touched a special place in the hearts of deployed soldiers and their families. “When we recorded that song, it wasn’t with soldiers in mind, we were talking about our own separations from our families while we toured, but we are proud that it meant something to our military families,” he said. “Our soldiers are out there risking their lives and their families are here – they truly are the unsung heroes of our nation.” He said the show will have special meaning to the band’s new front man Cody Collins because his sister recently joined the Marines. “It’s going to be a very special event and memory for him,” said Britt. Britt and his wife are both actively involved in the “Adopt a Platoon” program. “For the last four years we’ve participated in that program,” said Britt. “We’ll head out to the store and buy a lot of stuff and box it up and send it over to the soldiers. We have sent a huge amount of packages overseas. It’s a big commitment, but we think it’s very worthwhile.” So while the concert will give the band an opportunity to offer its thanks to the troops, it will also give them a chance to introduce Collins, who took the place of former front man Richie McDonald, and introduce a new, edgier sound for the band. Britt said the band had been pigeonholed as the “poster boy family band” after a string of hits like Mr. Mom, My Front Porch Looking In and Amazed. The songs written by McDonald were the type of songs the band’s former record label pushed them to record. But they were not in keeping with what the other members of the band wanted to do. “All along there was some internal fighting,” acknowledged Britt. “There was conflict because that wasn’t what the rest of us wanted to put out, but it was what Richey wanted.” He said McDonald’s style was more relaxed, while his band mates wanted to put out the kind of music they first started playing when they came together – music with more of a rock edge. “As John Rich (of Big and Rich and a former band member) used to say, ‘It’s country music delivered through a shotgun,’” said Britt. Last year, McDonald left the band, opening the door for the band to change direction and embrace the music they had long been wanting to record. Britt said that the band hopes the new music’s edgier sound won’t alienate their fans, and asks that they give it a chance. A single, hitting the airwaves now, Le Me Love You, is getting positive play and reviews from fans. A new album is also in the works. “We mainly want to get people to see us and hear us,” he said. “For a while, we were not enjoying what we were doing. But now, we are having fun playing, it’s actually like being a teenager in a garage band.” But Britt said long-time fans don’t have to worry about hearing their favorites. The band will perform the majority of their hits during the concert, but don’t expect to hear Mr. Mom. "That song was about Richey’s family, and it seems insincere to play it,” said Britt. “We don’t want Cody to imitate Richey – we want him to be Cody. And we think people are going to like that.” The afternoon’s events will kick off at Festival Park at 2 p.m., with a parachute jump by the 82nd Airborne Sport Parachute Club, patriotic music by choirs and speeches from military leaders and local community leaders. At 5 p.m. Cardenas’ band, Borderland, will take the stage and will play until 6:30 p.m. “We’re really excited about opening for Lonestar,” said Cardenas. “We see this as an opportunity to give something back to the community and to our troops.” He noted that it was even more special because the band’s drummer, Cornell Young, is a retired Special Forces soldiers. “We’re going to put on the best show we can as our gift to the soldiers,” he said. Lonestar will hit the stage at 7 p.m. “We want all of our soldiers to come out and we want local residents to come out and show their support of our troops,” said Shea. “It’s going to be a great night for Fayetteville.”
{mosimage}The trailers for Forgetting Sarah Marshall (112 minutes) did not offer much in the way of originality. They looked exactly like every other Judd Apatow movie, with a little bit of classic Steve Martin thrown in for flavor. But then I discovered that Apatow regular Jason Segel scripted this particular rom-com, and relative newcomer Nicholas Stoller directed. Without Apatow, is Sarah Marshall worth paying money for? After the first fifteen minutes in the theater, my answer is yes, absolutely! This is one of the movies that will appeal to groups of guys, groups of women looking for something to do after lunch, and couples looking for the middle ground between Harold and Kumar and 27 Dresses. Everyone in the theater laughed in most of the right places (although the guys behind me seemed focused on working out their ex-girlfriend issues, using less than polite terms to describe Sarah Marshall, played by Kristen Bell).
We begin with composer Peter Bretter (Segel) waiting for his girlfriend, television star Sarah Marshall (Bell) to arrive home. He is a guy’s guy, starting his mid-afternoon with a mixing bowel full of cereal, which he claims is salad when Sarah calls to tell him she is coming over. After the break up scene (which will either read as unsettlingly real or patently false, depending on what kind of relationships you get involved in), Peter has a series of one night stands culminating in hysterics at his day job. He decides to head to Hawaii, only to find out Sarah is already there with the man she left him for, the pretentious Aldous Snow (Russel Brand). He stays, and gets to know a simply gorgeous Rachel (Mila Kunis╔was she always this pretty?), who is working on some bad relationship issues of her own. Amidst several worthy subplots, Wyoma and Darald (played by Maria Thayer and Jack McBrayer) are the standout. They play repressed and naĢve just marrieds, and the scene where Aldous uses oversized chess players to demonstrate to Darald what he should be doing with Wyoma is hysterical. The real winner of the movie is A Taste for Love, the Dracula puppet musical that Peter is shown working on throughout the movie. The Jim Henson Creature shop supplied the puppets and Segel the lyrics, which must be heard to be believed. In fact, Sarah Marshall almost received the coveted five star rating on the strength of the puppet scenes alone.
Overall, this is a lighter movie than Knocked Up, but has wider appeal than Superbad. Stoller does an impressive job of capturing the honeymoon tourist side of Hawaii, and exploring the dynamics of the service industry there. Plenty of fun, more than a little bit of nudity, and the cast plays well off of each other. However, the script does seem a little bloated with subplots, and if Segel had trimmed some flashbacks, and completely left out surfer dude Chuck (Paul Rudd), the pace would improve immeasurably.
N.C. State Rep. Margaret Dickson (D-Cumberland) has been selected to serve on the newly created Joint Study Committee on Military and Veterans’ Affairs. Representative Dickson will serve the 18-member committee, which includes seven House members, seven Senate members, Rear Admiral (Ret.) L.F. “Ferg” Norton, New Hanover County, and Lt. Col. Christopher R. Canipe, NCARNG (Ret.) Guilford County. The committee has been asked to study: •The definition and use of the term “veteran” and “disabled veteran” throughout the North Carolina General Statutes and whether those definitions must be consistent with corresponding federal laws. •The availability of continuing education, training, and other employment services to veterans and their dependents seeking employment assistance. •Examine the re-entry process for service members who return to civilian life after being engaged in an active theater. •The ability of North Carolina’s mental health system to provide care and services to military personnel. •The availability of services provided by federal, state, and local governments that offers veterans employment counseling and other support services. •Education issues relating to military dependents, including dependents that are transferring into North Carolina schools from other jurisdictions. •Compatible development issues facing the state’s military installations. •The extension of state benefits and privileges to veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom consistent with those currently granted to veterans of World War I, World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. The committee will submit a final report on the results of its study, including any proposed legislation, to the members of the Senate and the House of Representatives, on or before Dec. 31, 2008. FAYETTEVILLE SECURES PRESERVE AMERICA GRANT On April 7, officials from the City of Fayetteville and the Fayetteville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (FACVB) learned the city was awarded a $150,000 Preserve America Grant. The FACVB applied for the grant on behalf of the City of Fayetteville, and is providing matching funds. “Preserve America Grants help weave cultural and national heritage into the economic, educational and social fabric of communities by promoting heritage tourism,” said Deputy Secretary of the Interior Lynn Scarlett, who announced 43 Preserve America Grants on April 7. The purpose for the funded project, titled Culturally Connecting America’s Hometown: Fayetteville/Cumberland County Wayfinding Initiative, is to plan, design and implement a complete wayfinding signage system throughout the county, with an emphasis on historic and cultural resources. Preserve America funds will be used to hire a consultant and to implement a portion of a strategic plan for the program. The consultant will assess the navigational needs of visitors to our county, identify the appropriate signage system for our market, seek input from the public, determine the necessary location, placement, number, design and content of such signs and to reach a consensus on the final plan amongst all stakeholders. 2008 CENSUS DRESS REHEARSAL With the presidential election taking place in 2008, U.S. citizens will choose the direction that America will take for the next four years. Before that though, Fayetteville residents have an opportunity to participate in another federal event that could have more of a local impact. Citizens can do that by filling out U.S. Census Bureau Dress Rehearsal forms they have received in the mail and sending them back in the provided envelope. The information on the questionnaire helps the community better its chances at receiving funding for public projects. Census counts are used for congressional representation, legislative redistricting and the distribution of $300 billion in federal, state and local money every year. The census ensures that power and money are fairly distributed. A complete count means everybody counts — in different words— more participation helps chances for improving quality of life.
{mosimage}On May 31, at 11 a.m., Festival Park is going to come alive with the sound of music. This day-long music festival, sponsored by Chapter C of the Special Forces Association, is going to go far to show that art isn’t the only thing that lives in Fayetteville. For one day, music will not only rule, it will reign.
The association, which is comprised of current and former members of the United States Army Special Forces, has put together a lineup of local talent, as well as international talent, that is sure to please just about everyone. Local musicians have volunteered their time and talents to raise funds to help take care of injured soldiers and to take care of the families of those who have fallen in the line of duty. All proceeds from the show will go into the association’s benevolent and scholarship funds, which are used to support Special Forces families.
One of the performers who has volunteered his time is fairly young, but he’s already made quite an impression on the Fayetteville music scene. Ethan Hanson, a hugely talented singer/songwriter, is a regular on the Fayetteville music scene. He has been playing in the area since he was 15. His first gigs were at the Coffee Scene and other area open mic nights.
Ethan (as he is known on stage), made his first professional appearance at the Highlander Pub, a Haymont institution, the summer after he completed his sophomore year in high school. Armed with homemade business cards and a demo CD, he played his first gig and found that he truly liked life in the spotlight.
That love of performing has seen him move out of the Fayetteville music scene, relocating to perform in Chapel Hill, Raleigh and at festivals all over the state. But, he still has a loyal following in Fayetteville.
Known for a bluesy, acoustic rock sound, Ethan plays popular songs, but he also fills his lineup with his own songs. He said that he uses a lot of different elements to create his own blend of music. His writing style is not ordered, instead, it’s more free-flowing. When he comes up with a melody he likes, he runs with it.
His music can be found on two self-released CDs, and he is currently working on a third, which is due to be released this year. In an interview with Roy Barnes last year, Ethan noted, “If you feel good about yourself, you don’t need to be famous. It would be nice to get my message out to a lot of people, (but) I wouldn’t want to take anything away from what I do with my own music. The most important thing is the journey, not where you end up.”
In recent years, Ethan has shared the stage with some people who know a little about fame. In 2006, he was one of the acts that opened for Hootie and the Blowfish at The Dogwood Festival. In 2007, he opened the show for JoJo, and at the 2008 festival he appeared on The Rock Shop stage along with a number of national bands.
Ethan is one of six local acts that will perform at the SF Association event. The headliners will be Bad Company. Tickets for the event are on sale now for $17 at www.specialforcesassociation.org. They can also be purchased the day of the show for $20. Enjoy a day packed full of music and fun and show your support for the men of the Special Forces.
{mosimage}Dear EarthTalk: What makes those so-called “new urbanism” housing developments popping up around the U.S. more environmentally friendly than regular old suburban neighborhoods? -- Rusty Spinoza, Galveston, TX
The husband-and-wife team of town planners AndrÄs Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk are typically credited as the founders of new urbanism, a style of community design that embraces mixed use (commercial and residential) development in pedestrian-friendly and green space-rich neighborhoods č much like the old neighborhoods many baby-boomers remember before suburban sprawl made us all slaves to our cars.
Duany and Plater-Zyberk formulated their new urbanism principles while living in one of the Victorian neighborhoods of New Haven, Conn., while they attended graduate school in architecture at Yale. Their neighborhood included corner shops, front porches and a variety of attractive and well-designed housing and commercial structures č planting the seed of an idea that has now swept the U.S. and beyond.
The prototypical new urbanist community is Florida’s Seaside, which Duany and Plater-Zyberk began designing in 1979 for the 80-acre coastal parcel’s developer, Robert S. Davis. Their plan took the best elements of a handful of graceful southern cities like Key West, Charleston and Savannah to create a community based on the tried-and-true concept of walkable, self-contained neighborhoods. Besides 300 homes, Seaside contains a school, a town hall, an open-air market, a tennis club, a tented amphitheater and a post office č everything anyone could ever need in a town, and all within a five minute walk.
According to the non-profit Smart Communities Network, Seaside works as a community because of its design: “Mandatory porches are set close enough to walkways to enable porch sitters and passersby to communicate without raising their voices. The streets are all interconnected; creating a network that eliminates ‘collector’ routes and reduces congestion.Walkways crisscross the development to encourage walking and biking, while narrow streets serve to reduce traffic speed.” Building fronts are a uniform distance from the curb and all streets are tree-lined to further the community’s “sense of place.”
Other examples of new urbanist communities include: Stapleton on the outskirts of Denver, Co., Seabrook on the southern coast of Washington State; Melrose Arch in Johannesburg, South Africa; Alta de Lisboa near Lisbon, Portugal; and Jakriborg in southern Sweden. Meanwhile, the idea has caught on in New Orleans, where developers are styling new communities in the wake of Hurricane Katrina based in part on the principles of new urbanism.
According to the Web site NewUrbanism.org, being green is central to the concept of new urbanism, where houses tend to be compact and on small lots. And many developers are incorporating green building design and alternative energy generation into their plans for these communities. Furthermore, proponents say that building densely settled, walkable communities instead of road-intensive suburban developments cuts down on the need to drive, thus further reducing the carbon footprint.
{mosimage}Farmer Wants a Wife (Wednesday, 9 p.m. CW) cooks up a reality-show fantasy about city women finding true love with a hunky farmer. Matt is right out of central casting, with a square jaw, chivalrous manner and 200 acres in the middle of Missouri. The women clomp through his fields on high heels, hoping to be the fish-out-of-water he chooses. They take hay rides, engage in farmwife competitions and giggle inanely. None of them can fairly be called a city slicker. Even Matt’s chickens seem more urbane.
If all of the contestants are stupid onFarmer Wants a Wife, one of them is stupid and scary.
“I fight for men like they do in the Middle East,” says Josie. “Before someone blows me up, I blow them up.”
Even suicide bombers might find that a sick metaphor for courtship. But Josie is just getting warmed up. She calls the lone black contestant “low class and ghetto,” suggests that the farm be burned down for the insurance money, and urges Jews and Christians to band together to bring on Armageddon.
Farmer wants a psychopath?
Secrets of the Dead
Wednesday, 8 p.m. (PBS)
Escape from Auschwitz details one of the most extraordinary tales of heroism from World War II, and I’d wager few people have heard it. Rudolph Vrba and Alfred Wetzler were Slovak Jews imprisoned in the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz. Escape was impossible, as had been proven many times, but these two had the brains and guts to beat impossible odds.
The Germans had fooled the world about the death camps’ purpose, and Vrba and Wetzler wanted to get out and broadcast the truth. Their ingenious plan involved hiding inside a woodpile in a work area outside the camp gate. They smeared themselves with gasoline-soaked tobacco to mask their scent from the Nazi dogs. They stayed still for three days of intense searching, imagining the torture in store for them if discovered. Then they snuck out of the woodpile and headed south through occupied Poland, dodging Nazis for 85 miles. Miraculously, they crossed the Slovakian border and revealed the horrors of Auschwitz to the authorities.
No one believed them.
Folks, if you’re ever approached by two desperate men with shaved heads, prison garb, the stench of gasoline and numbers tattooed onto their arms, please give them the benefit of the doubt.
Ringo Starr: Off the Record
Friday, 11 p.m. (HBO)
Every second of the Beatles’ career has been chronicled in innumerable books, articles and documentaries. But now, 40 years later, someone has just thought to ask Ringo Starr for his view of the matter. The underachieving drummer tells fellow English rocker Dave Stewart what it was like to sit behind three of the most important men in rock.
Will Ringo shed light on the Beatles’ greatest music? No, but he will take us deep inside the two songs he wrote for the group. “I’d like to be/under the sea” č how did he come up with that?
The Shell Seekers
Saturday, 9 p.m. (Hallmark Channel)
It’s your basic Hallmark Channel movie about an old woman coming to terms with her life. But this one stars Vanessa Redgrave, and that makes all the difference. Redgrave redeems the sentimental story of Penelope, who tries to make peace with her selfish children following a heart attack. First, there’s the actress’ sheer presence. Just standing in the middle of the screen, Redgrave commands your full attention. Then there are her glances, which speak volumes. Then there are her line readings, which reveal all the subtle shadings of the human heart.
If you were a third-tier TV movie director who’d lucked into Vanessa Redgrave in your cast, wouldn’t you train the camera on her at all times? Maddeningly,The Shell Seekerskeeps cutting to flashbacks featuring some wooden actress as the young Penelope. I’ve never hated the past so much in my life.
{mosimage}There are a couple of sure signs that summer is on the way in Fayetteville. The first is The Dogwood Festival, and the second is the Fort Bragg Fair.
Held each spring, the Fort Bragg Fair is a Cumberland County tradition. Residents of Fort Bragg and Cumberland County come together to celebrate one of childhood’s favorite memories č a community fair. Yes, there are rides. And yes, there is music, and of course, there is the requisite food that takes the toll on everybody’s resolutions to eat more nutritiously. But none of that seems to matter. The Fort Bragg Fair is all about having fun č and acting like a kid č no matter how old you are.
The fair runs May 1-May 18 at the Fort Bragg Fair Grounds, located off of Bragg Boulevard. The fair features a wide variety of carnival rides, as well as the above mentioned food. Everything from funnel cakes to Polish hot sausages to barbecue and ice cream are on tap. So don’t worry about getting dinner after work, just grab the family and head over to the fairgrounds, where you won’t quite get a square meal, but you’ll get plenty to eat. Just remember: rides first, food last.
This year, as in years past, unlimited carnival rides and free entertainment are included in one low admission price. If your spirit of adventure runs more toward a nice paddle boat in a small pool, there is also a non-riders ticket. There will also be several special customer appreciation nights, with reduced prices, as well as a special Mother’s Day admission, with each mother admitted for $5 when accompanied by a child.
Entertainment has always been a central part of the Fort Bragg Fair. This year is no different. An array of musical styles will be showcased throughout the week, with country, rock, Latino, blues and variety bands all taking to the stage throughout the fair’s run.
Admission: Monday-Thursday, 5-7 p.m.: $5 for ages 3 and over; after 7 p.m., $10 general admission, $8 for children ages 3-9; $8 for military and Department of Defense civilians; $5 for handicapped non-riders; and $5 for senior citizen non-riders who are 50 and above.
Friday ą Saturday, 1 p.m.: general admission, $14; children ages 3-9, $12; military and DoD, $12; handicapped non-riders, $5; and senior citizen non-riders over the age of 50, $5. Children under the age of 2 are admitted free throughout the fair and parking is free.
The fairgrounds can be accessed from Bragg Boulevard via Howell Street.
For more information, call 396-9126.
Eastover’s Civic Club President and festival co-chair Sara Piland has had a hand in the planning of Eastover’s Heritage Day celebration every year since its inception. She loves the sense of community it brings to the town. "It is a time each year that brings our community together for fun and fellowship and I think it strengthens our community," said Piland. "It bonds our community." Piland, along with her co-chair Barry Dugan, have been very busy ensuring that everything is just right for the festival and its attendees. The Eastover Civic Club, which is the sponsoring organization for Heritage Day, has been a part of the community for more than 50 years. "Four years ago we decided to do a Heritage Day and now it has evolved into an annual event and it has become quite popular," said Piland. With more than 100 volunteers ready to make it a special day, Piland noted, “It seems to get bigger and better every year.” May 3 is the big day, with festivities ramping up at 10 a.m., with a parade and exhibits. "It’s what you call a walking and golf cart parade," said Piland. The exception to that would be the Mustangs (of the automotive persuasion) that will be included. "Anyone who has a Mustang that would like to come out to Eastover that day and then park their car for display — they are invited to do that," she added. Lafayette Ford is sponsoring that event, called "Show Your ‘Stang." After the parade, there will be an opening ceremony where special guests are recognized and everyone is officially welcomed. "Our most special guest this year is state Rep. Rick Glazier. He is in the North Carolina House of Representatives," said Piland. "He is the legislator who represents our district and the one who successfully managed our incorporation effort. We just became incorporated in July 26, 2007." There are more than 60 vendor and exhibit spaces reserved right now, promising to be one of the biggest vendor/exhibit showings so far. Part of that exhibit area is going to include some activities related directly to Eastover’s heritage. "For example, we’ll have the Cumberland County Agricultural Extension Service. (They) will be doing an exhibit on the Longleaf pine and the importance of the turpentine industry to our area in years past," said Piland. "They’ll also do an industry exhibit on tobacco and what tobacco used to mean to our community because that’s also part of our heritage." Another event, a first this year, is a flag retirement ceremony. "Anybody who has a United States flag or state flag that they would like to retire (they can no longer use it because it’s worn), they can bring it and the local Boy Scout troop will be retiring those flags on Heritage Day through a ceremony," said Piland. Of course, no festival is complete without food — and there will be plenty. There will be barbecue plates for $6, and homemade cakes and pies too, along with some raffles and a silent auction. One of the raffles is for a quilt and another is for an original painting by Charles McLaurin, who happens to be the mayor, but who is also an artist. The featured performers that day will be gospel quartet Stillwater. They will perform at 1 p.m. "We always have a big crowd around 1 p.m. Everybody loves to come and listen to Stillwater sing," noted Piland. Two of the elementary schools will also have student groups performing as well. "t really is going to be a great day. We are especially celebrating this year the incorporation of of Eastover," Piland said, adding that there will be an exhibit space recounting the journey of the town’s incorporation. “"We have some commemorative coins that have been very popular and those will be available that day, too." Parking and admission are free, just come to the community center in Eastover. There will be events and exhibits going on until about 3 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23 Fayetteville Farmers Market Downtown in the AIT parking lot Freedom, Families, and Fresh Local Food! For more information, visit our Web site at www.downtownfayettevillemarket.com THURSDAY, APRIL 24 The 5th Annual Recycled Art Show The Re-Store Warehouse, 205 Forsythe St., Free Call 321-0780 for more details or visit www.restorefaync.org FRIDAY, APRIL 25 Fayetteville-Cumberland Crimestoppers BBQ 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. 2800 Raeford Rd., Harris Teeter parking lot Fee: $6.00 Bloom & Boom Kickoff Party 7-10 p.m. Featuring Eddie Money and closing out the night with Fireworks. Midway rides open at 5 p.m. with $15 all you can ride, Friday only! Budweiser Clydesdales 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. 400 Block of Hay Street, in front of Huske Hardware House Hay Day for Missions Hay Street United Methodist Church front lawn and fellowship hall 320 Hay St. Free An Evening of Music and The Big Read 7 p.m. Headquarters Library, 300 Maiden Lane Free SATURDAY, APRIL 26 Dogwood Street Festival Noon - 10 p.m. Featuring arts and crafts vendors, live entertainment, the Partnership’s KidStuff, midway rides, and much more! Stop by the Dogwood Festival Merchandise and Information tent to pick up your official Event Guide and to purchase this year’s poster and fine art print. Budweiser Clydesdales 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. 400 Block of Hay Street, in front of Huske Hardware House
Hay Day for Missions 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Hay Street United Methodist Church front lawn and fellowship hall, 320 Hay St., Free Hogs and Rags Spring Rally 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Airborne & Special Operations Museum, Fee: $40 www.hogsandrags.com 17th Annual YMCA Dogwood Festival 10k and Fun Run 8:30 a.m. Fayetteville Family YMCA, 2717 Ft. Bragg Rd., Fee: $20 Must pre-register online or by calling 323-0800 For information call 323-0800 or visit us at www.fayettevilleymca.org 7th Annual Habitour Bike Ride Fayetteville Area Habitat for Humanity 8 a.m. 310 Green St., Fee: $25 Registration Fee Registration begins at 7 a.m. at 310 Green St. For more information, call (910) 483-0952 Spring Plant Sale 10 a.m - 3 p.m. Cape Fear Botanical Garden, 536 N. Eastern Blvd., Free www.capefearbg.org Not Your Ordinary Dog Show {mosimage} 11 a.m. Tallywood Shopping Center, Raeford Rd. Fee: Donations Only www.fapspet.org 2008 Chancellor’s Scholarship Gala 7 p.m. Crown Exposition Center, Crown Complex Fee: $150 Beethoven & Stravinsky 8 p.m. Reeves Auditorium, Methodist University Fee: $22, $18, $8 www.fayettevillesymphony.org SUNDAY, APRIL 27
Dogwood Street Festival 1 p.m. - 6 p.m. LaFayette Ford Classic Car Show Noon – 3 p.m. *NEW LOCATION* Maiden Lane, in front of the Cumberland County Public Library
TUESDAY, APRIL 29 Arthur LIVE! “Arthur Tricks the Tooth Fairy, 7 p.m. Givens Performing Arts Center at UNC Pembroke, One University Dr. Pembroke, NC Fee: $20, $18, $15/$12 child or student Call for more information, (910) 521-6361 or 1-800-367-0778 or visit our Web site at www.uncp.edu/gpac FRIDAY, MAY 2 Cumberland County Seniors Beauty Pageant 7-10 p.m. Fee: $5 Contact the Council on Older Adults for information on how to nominate your beautiful senior at 484-0111. MAY 9-10 9th Annual W.O.M.E.N.’s Expo: The Tribute to Mom Cross Creek Mall Free Register for free today at 868-7471 or email ColorMeAngel@aol.com
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Those wishing to get their groove on while contributing to a worthy cause will be able to do both at Fayetteville State University’s 2008 Chancellor’s Scholarship Gala, scheduled for Saturday, April 26, at 7 p.m., at the Crown Exposition Center in the Crown Complex. Held in conjunction with the Dogwood Festival, this marks the fifth year of the gala, which is highlighted by the Sen. Tony Rand Scholarship Dinner. All proceeds go to an endowed scholarship in Rand’s name. The cost for the black-tie event, which includes a four-star dinner provided by Master Chef Jason Forrest of Aramark Gourmet and entertainment from nationally renowned recording artist Stephanie Mills, is $150. Tickets are sure to sell out fast according to Ben Minter, FSU’s director of marketing and events, as the gala attracts a host of FSU alumni, as well as teachers and administrators from the school. “Alumni make up a majority of the guest list,” said Minter. “This is one of FSU’s biggest, if not the biggest, fund-raisers, and the alums come from all over the country for this event.” Minter estimates last year’s crowd at somewhere between 800-1,000. He expects more of the same with the gold record-selling R&B artist Mills on the bill. Mills’ biggest hit to date was the Reggie Lucas-produced Never Knew Love Like This Before. The single became a No. 12 R&B and No. 6 pop hit in 1980, even reaching No. 4 in the United Kingdom. “We’ve always had good talent at the gala,” said Minter, “including Ashford and Simpson and Jeffrey Osbourne.” Dinner is scheduled to start at 7:15, with Mills coming on stage shortly after the start of dinner to perform for an hour to an hour-and-a-half, followed by a few words from dignitaries at 8:45. The Greensboro-based dance band Sweet Dreams will start up at about 9 p.m., and play, as Minter says, “until.” Minter says this will also be the first gala for newly elected FSU Chancellor James A. Anderson. For tickets or more information, contact the FSU ticket office at (910) 672-1724.
Man cannot live by bread alone — or funnel cake, for that matter. If you’re looking to satisfy your appetite or thirst and want to shift gastronomic gears from the traditional Dogwood Festival fare, Hay Street United Methodist Church is offering a program Friday, April 25, from 5:30-10 p.m. entitled “Hay Day for Missions.” The program, in conjunction with The Dogwood Festival, offers homemade desserts and hot or cold beverages at the church’s Fellowship Hall. There will also be food for the soul and the heart with entertainment provided by Christian Jazz combo, Kia Walker and Friends, followed by a silent movie complete with organ accompaniment as it was originally presented in the theater. The film is the 1927 war epic, Wings, which was the very first Academy Award winner for Best Picture. The fun will continue Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the church, located at 320 Hay St., with carnival games, arts and crafts and face painting for the kids; sandwiches and snacks will be available for all ages and indoor bathrooms for Hay Day participants. All profits from sales and donations go toward enhancing local mission projects and supporting both long- and short-term mission teams. Dave Edwards, chairman of Hay Day for Missions, says the fun and fellowship is a way to introduce the community to the 200-year-old Hay Street United Methodist Church. “For the past three years we have conducted a rummage sale event, but this year we are exploring new ways of better using our new facilities,” said Edwards. “One of the main goals for this year is to invite guests to the church to see what we have. “We want the people in the community to know what we are doing at Hay Street UMC,” said Edwards, “to help others in the name of Jesus and show what we have to offer in the way of facilities and family programs to any who would like to worship and share fellowship with us.” For more information, call Hay Street United Methodist Church at (910) 483-2343.
Fayetteville’s annual celebration of spring is just around the corner. The dogwoods are getting ready to bloom and local residents, tired of cold winter days, are just itching to get outdoors and soak up some sun and enjoy one of the best weekends of the year – The Dogwood Festival. And organizers of the event have just one word to describe the upcoming festivities, “Fantastic!,” said Carrie King, the executive director of the Fayetteville Dogwood Festival. “There is not doubt we are going to have a great festival. This year’s event has a stellar lineup and we are ready!” Celebrating its 26th year, the festival continues to grow and is on its way to becoming one of the largest events in the Southeast. More than 100 arts, crafts and food vendors will fill the streets around Festival Park while local and national headliners are set to grace the main stage throughout the weekend of April 25-27. The festival was founded in 1982 by former Fayetteville Mayor Bill Hurley, along with several other city leaders. Their goal was to improve the image of the city and to create a unified force for community events. Hurley dubbed the city the “City of Dogwoods,” and Fayetteville residents have been celebrating the bloom and the fun it brings since then. From its humble beginnings, the event has grown, with last year’s festival bringing more than 150,000 people downtown over the three-day period. Economically, the event pumps more than $2.5 million into the city’s economy. Until 2000, the event was spread over a 10-day period; organizers decided to streamline the event and what they came up with was three action-packed days of fun. The move to compact the festival into three days didn’t change the basic premise – the festival would offer “something for everyone.” That holds true this year. If you are looking for arts and crafts, look no further. Visitors can expect to find virtually every kind of arts and crafts vendor possible. Vendors signed up to participate include pottery, paintings, jewelry, sculptures and much more. Once you’ve shopped ‘till you’ve dropped, be sure to follow your nose to the highlight of most festivals – the food court! You can expect to find some of your favorite foods on hand: gyros, funnel cakes, ice cream, ribbon fries and pineapple chicken will all be on the menu, as well as many of your other favorites. In addition to all the arts and crafts that adults love, the Partnership’s Kidstuff, presented by the Partnership for Children of Cumberland County, will feature a Sea Lion splash show, the all new Toddler Zone, which is an inflatable maze of castles and tunnels that the toddlers will love, face painting, interactive games, and the Partnership for Children’s Stage where kids get a chance to showcase their many talents as well as see some of the other amazing ensembles from around the county perform. Sponsor booths will be located on the Festival Park promenade and will feature fun giveaways and much more. You can even stop by to meet and greet with some of your favorite television and radio personalities. The Budweiser Clydesdales will be on hand on Friday, April 25, and Saturday, April 26, on the 400 block of Hay Street, located in front of the Huske Hardware building. These icons are celebrating their 75th Anniversary and will be on display Friday night and throughout the day on Saturday. Music has become an essential staple during the weekend festivities, and that hasn’t changed. The 2008 Dogwood Festival has a wide array of diverse musical offerings to fill the springtime air in Festival Park. Local favorites like Joyner, Young & Marie, DL Token and In That Tone will be on hand, but so will regional performers Swampdawamp, Hot Sauce and Rough Draft. If that isn’t enough, national headliners Eddie Money and Vanessa Carlton will also put on rocking shows. Although The Dogwood Festival celebration centers around April 25-27, a whole host of events have occurred before that date and will continue after. On Thursday, April 24, the Restore Warehouse will host a Recycle Art Show and early Friday, April 25, the Fayetteville-Cumberland County Crimestoppers will host its annual BBQ. In the days following the event, Givens Performing Arts Center will host Arthur Live! Arthur Tricks the Tooth Fairy on Tuesday, April 29 at 7 p.m. Proving that age is only a number, the Cumberland County Seniors Beauty Pageant will take center stage on Friday, May 2; and on May 9-10, the ninth annual W.O.M.E.N.’s Expo will brighten up Cross Creek Mall. With all of that in mind, you may want to take a deep breath and just plunge into the spirit of the event, and the best place to do that is at Festival Park. The Dogwood Festival will kickoff with the 1st Annual Bloom & Boom Kickoff Party on Friday, April 25, at 7 p.m. The Bloom & Boom Kickoff Party will feature local favorites Joyner, Young & Marie on the main stage at 7 p.m., and Eddie Money at 9 p.m. The show will be followed by a spectacular fireworks display. Vendors will also be on hand, so bring the family out and enjoy Fayetteville at its best. On Saturday, April 26, the street festival starts at noon and runs through 10 p.m., and on Sunday it begins at 1 p.m. and runs through 6 p.m. “The layout of the event has changed somewhat this year,” said King. “We think it is more user friendly and we have more public parking.” That parking will be complemented by a park and ride shuttle service, something organizers are encouraging people to take advantage of. Attendees can park at the Department of Social Services, off Ramsey Street, and then ride over to the festival. Shuttles will run every 15 minutes. Organizers remind people that animals and coolers are not allowed. Service animals are permitted. There’s a whole host of events occurring in conjunction with the festival, and you aren’t going to miss even one of them. For complete information and a schedule of events, read on.
My wife and I have been married 10 years and have two young children. Two years ago, we agreed to separate, and I left for Iraq. Two weeks later, she moved a boyfriend into our place. The following year, she ended it with him, and we decided to try to work things out. I bought a house and moved her and our kids in. Two months later, she went back to the boyfriend. A year later, she left him, and we agreed to try again. I moved our family back into the house and gave her power of attorney and my bank account password to prove I was committed. A month later, I had to leave for Iraq again, and am still here. Within a month, she had some guy sleeping at our house. She claims they’re just friends; he’s there because she doesn’t feel safe, and they aren’t having sex. She even told our son the guy’s doing her a favor and has a bad back, so it’s only fair that he sleeps in the bed with her, not on the couch. I’m 99 percent sure our marriage is done; I just wanted your opinion.
---Troubled, From Iraq
Ever wonder why junkyards always have signs like “Beware of Rottweiler,” not “Man With Bad Back On Premises!”?
A woman who wants to protect herself gets a gun, a burglar alarm and a really big dog, not a man with spinal issues to sleep in her bed while her husband’s off to war. But, let’s say you didn’t buy a house in some sleepy suburb, but in the middle of Crack Alley, where they’ll break in to steal the rabbit ears off your 1972 black-and-white TV. If a guy’s real interest is in watching over your wife, not rolling over on her, the foyer rug should provide both a firm surface for his aching back and the perfect vantage point to keep an eye out for prowlers.╩
The firm surface you need to meet up with is the business end of the clue stick. This saga started two years ago, when you and your wife agreed to separate. Two weeks later, after you left for the war, she moved her boyfriend into the family home. Two weeks later? ╩
You aren’t “99 percent sure” it’s over, you’re clinging to the fantasy that you’ll find a marriage in there somewhere č somewhere amidst the strange men strolling in and out of your kids’ lives. Sorry, but if you have a choice, take “Needle in a haystack for $20.” The only reliable thing about your wife is her unreliability. After all, most guys get one “Dear John” letter. You’ve got a subscription. So, what are you afraid of? Admitting your marriage didn’t work out? It seems preferable to staying in it, and having your kids see you walked on so much that you’re practically a human treadmill.
Got a problem? Write Amy Alkon, 171 Pier Ave, #280, Santa Monica, CA╩ 90405, or e-mail AdviceAmy@aol.com (www.advicegoddess.com)
(c)2008, Amy Alkon, all rights reserved.
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