About 800,000 knee replacement surgeries are done in the U.S. each year with about one in every 12 people over the age of 25 that have replacements and approximately 5% of women over the age of 50.

However, the average age for replacement surgery is 65. From 2019 to 2020 there were 10 states with the highest number of replacements, including Washington as the highest and North Carolina at six on the list. Our other Carolina state, South Carolina, was three on the list.

The most common reason for surgery is osteoarthritis which is a breakdown of joint cartilage that can cause damage to the joints resulting in limitations in movement and pain. Medical conditions which include gout, infections and arthritis can also be contributing factors.

There are other causes of knee pain that do not include osteoarthritis. The most common problems attributed to knee pain are repetitive use, strained ligaments, cartilage tears and tendonitis.

Other injuries can include fractures to the patella, dislocation, and meniscus tear. Weight can be a contributing factor because excess weight puts more strain on the joints and the cartilage that protects the knees.

Additional weight increases the stress in joints in daily activities and use. Additional body fat can increase the chemicals in your blood that can inflame the joints.

There can be other factors that contribute to knee pain which can be your hips, glutes, calve and incorrect shoes. When we walk or run our weight is transferred from side to side as we alternate our feet and if the hips are tight, it does not allow proper rotation of the feet which puts stress on the knees.

Extended periods of sitting eventually lead to decreased movement of the hips in flexibility and muscle control. The knees also move from side to side and if one of the major glute muscles — the gluteus maximus — is weak or not moving correctly the result can be stress on the knees.

Tight calf muscles can cause tendon strain initiating pain in the knee. Improper footwear can also cause knee pain. Old shoes that have worn down soles and treads that are thinning can contribute to knee pain.

Wearing shoes that do not support your weight can be a contributing factor to knee pain. Wearing the wrong type of shoes can put stress on your knees and hips.

You might think that exercise can make your pain worse but activities that include stretching and low-impact activities such as swimming, rowing, weight lifting and walking do not put as much stress on the joints.

If you really like doing deep squats and lunges, lessening your range of motion will help with the intensity and stress on the joints, and putting a pad under your knees when doing floor exercises will help as a cushion.

Pain is an indicator that something is not right, and nobody knows your body like you do. It is important to make that appointment with a physician to see what the cause is. An early visit may result in your doing strengthening exercise, wearing different shoes and stretching.

It is possible that knee replacement can be avoided, genetics and weight loss notwithstanding. Exercise programs that can stretch and strengthen the muscles and soft tissues can be beneficial.

No one looks forward to having a knee replacement, but avoiding a visit to your physician is not the best alternative. Being proactive when you begin noticing pain and discomfort can be beneficial.

Live, love life and good knee health.

A home is the single biggest purchase most people will ever make. That has perhaps become even more true in recent years, when the cost of homes has increased dramatically.

The sticker price of a home may come as a shock to first-time buyers, but few homeowners purchase their homes in cash. Mortgages are a vital component of home ownership for the vast majority of buyers.

Mortgages are loans obtained through the conveyance of property as security. When homeowners pay off their mortgages, the title of the property officially transfers to them from their lenders.
Though most homeowners utilize mortgages to buy their homes, that does not mean the process is the same for everyone.

A host of factors affect mortgage terms, and there’s much prospective homeowners can do to secure the best agreement possible.

Recognize why a low interest rate is important. Mortgage interest rates have drawn considerable attention in recent years, as rising inflation has led to rates that have reached their highest point in more than a decade.

Even a seemingly small difference in interest rates can save or cost homeowners thousands of dollars, if not tens of thousands, over the course of a loan.

For example, the financial experts at Bankrate.com note that the difference between a 5.5% interest rate and a 6% interest rate on a $200,000 mortgage is roughly $64 per month.
That might not seem like a lot, but over the course of a 30 year mortgage the borrower who gets the 6% loan will pay in excess of $23,000 more in interest than the borrower who secures the 5.5% loan.

Recognition of the benefits of securing the lowest interest rate possible can motivate prospective buyers to do everything in their power to get a low rate.

Work on your credit score. So how can borrowers get the best possible rate? One way to go about it is to improve credit scores.

Average mortgage interest rates vary significantly by credit score, with higher scores earning borrowers significantly lower rates.

According to data from FICO, as of mid-February 2023, borrowers with a FICO score of 760+ earned an average interest rate of 6.06%, while those with scores between 620-639 secured an average rate of 7.65%.

By bolstering their credit scores before applying for a mortgage, prospective homeowners can improve their standing in the eyes of mortgage lenders, which can potentially save them tens of thousands of dollars over the life of the loan.

Identify how much you want to spend. Prospective home buyers may be approved to borrow much more money than they think they will qualify for. That’s because lenders do not consider factors like utilities, insurance, day care, or other expenses everyone has.

That means it’s up to borrowers to determine how much those expenses will be, and how much they should be spending on a home.

Though it might be tempting to borrow up to the amount lenders approve you for, in general it’s best to stay below that amount so you can capably meet all of your additional obligations.

Mortgages enable millions of people to buy homes each year. Some simple steps before applying for a mortgage can help prospective homeowners secure the best terms.

Selling your business is a big decision. Equally important is finding the right business advisor to help navigate the process. Results from the latest Market Report show that choosing a broker form a firm like Transworld can help you meet your business goals.

Let’s dive into Transworld’s small business transaction activity for 2022 and learn more about what sets Transworld’s business advisors apart.

Another historic year

It’s been two years of historic performance levels for Transworld. Not only was 2021 record-setting with 31% more deals closed versus 2020, but 2022 surpassed it by 62%. The total deal value of businesses increased, too, by more than 25%. The 2022 monthly breakdown of sold deals topped every month in 2021, with 10 of the 12 months showing double-digit increases.

In all, a host of key metrics were up, from the average deal value (27% YOY increase) to the number of sales listings (up 24% YOY), from the median deal value (43% above 2021) to the average listing price (a 23% increase YOY).

Who’s selling? And for how much?

The impact of the pandemic’s early lock down phase was significant, and the recovery from 2020 continues. One insight the market report revealed was that the primary driver of business sales is baby boomers.

This demographic is preparing for their next stage in life and looking to either shed responsibilities or fund their next entrepreneurial endeavor.

Another factor fueling the impressive 2022 performance is the number of buyers paying record prices for well-performing businesses. Companies that did well and thrived during the turbulence of the pandemic are especially appealing. Buyer motivation was evident in the decrease in days on the market by 6%, with 2022 also showing an increase in cash deals. Also of note was an increase in owner financing through banks, even with the rise in interest rates back to normal levels from the extraordinary lows experienced in previous years.

The report found the top five most active business segments were restaurants, construction, beauty/personal care, automotive and medical-related businesses, both by closed transactions and deal volume.

Interested in selling?

If all this information leads you to think the time might be right for you to sell your business, what are the most pertinent questions you should ask a business advisor?

First, you can ask how to prepare your business for sale properly. Business advisors can help you get all your business’s legal or financial records in order and recommend any additional experts, such as accountants or lawyers, you may need.

Next, ask your business broker how they will find the right buyer for your business. They will help you package and market your business throughout the world to find the best buyer.

An experienced advisor will help you handle these details and more, all while working to keep the sale confidential and doing all they can to get the best price.

Consider how inflation and interest rates will affect your options. Even with the recent interest rate increase by the Fed, the rates are returning to a normal level, and the market continues to remain strong. What’s more, regardless of the interest rates, people are still selling and buying at historic numbers.

If you think selling is on the horizon for your business, consider working with a business advisor. They can help guide you through the process from start to finish.

Editor's note: Ashley Kelsey is a Business Broker at Transworld Business Advisors of Eastern North Carolina. She can be reached at 910-302-6447 or email akelsey@tworld.com.

Colds might not be as common in summer as they are in winter, but anyone who has ever had a cold when the weather outside is warm and inviting knows just how unpleasant a runny nose, sore throat and lack of energy can be when everyone else seems to be outside soaking up the sun.

Indeed, there’s no substitute for feeling fit and healthy in summer.

A healthy summer is one when individuals avoid illness and make the most of a time of year when no one wants to battle colds or other issues that affect their well-being. The following are a handful of strategies that can help people enjoy a healthy summer.

Protect your skin from the sun. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends individuals apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a sun-protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher before going outside. Sunscreen should then be reapplied as necessary and especially after swimming or excessive sweating.

The American Cancer Society notes that sunburn that blisters can increase risk for skin cancer, but sunburns affect short-term health as well. Studies have shown that sunburn adversely affects immune system response, which could make people more vulnerable to viruses like COVID-19 or the common cold.

Limit alcohol consumption. Social schedules tend to fill up in summer, as seemingly everyone wants to host a backyard barbecue. The party vibe synonymous with summer leads to increased opportunities to drink alcohol, but excessive amounts of alcohol and summer sun are a bad combination.

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, hot summer days increase fluid loss through perspiration, while alcohol contributes to fluid loss through an increased need to urinate. Significant fluid loss can lead to dehydration and heat stroke.

Eat the right foods. Summer is not typically as hectic a time of year as other seasons, particularly for parents accustomed to driving kids from one activity to another during the school year. But come summer, weekends filled with social engagements and a greater desire to be active outdoors can prove exhausting.

The CDC notes that a diet filled with colorful fruits and vegetables supports muscles, strengthens bones and boosts immunity. That can make it easier to handle a physically active summer regimen and ensure that the immune system is in better position to fight off anything that may want to get in the way of summer fun.

Get adequate sleep. What’s better than a midday summertime nap? The answer to that is better sleep overnight.

Adults should aspire to get between seven and eight hours of sleep each night, which can fortify their immune system and ensure they don’t miss out on any summertime fun. According to the Mayo Clinic, sleep deprivation can lead to decreased production of proteins known as cytokines, which are vital to fighting infection and inflammation.

A healthy summer makes for a more enjoyable summer. By embracing various immune-boosting strategies, individuals can make this summer even more fun.

Are you stuck in a dead-end job earning dead-end wages? If so, we have great news.

Fayetteville Technical Community College now offers a Certificate in Business Intelligence. In this program, you will earn a Google Data Analytics Certificate and a Business Markets Certificate. You will also be qualified to sit for the Statistical Analysis System Examination. The average salary for a SAS certified worker is $92,000 per year.

What is business intelligence?

Training in business intelligence combines some of the best features of business and information technology to equip students with the ability to analyze data and join the rapidly growing field of data analytics.
As a business intelligence specialist, you will learn how to use software including Excel, SAS and Tableau to analyze data sets, providing the valuable information that will keep your organization one step ahead of the competition.

Are you in a hurry to change your life?

The business intelligence certificate consists of four classes: BAS120 - Intro to Analytics, BAS150 - Intro to Analytical Programming, BAS121 - Data Visualization, BAS220 - Applied Analytical Programming. Classes can be completed in only two semesters.

Do you want to join a career with tremendous growth potential?

If so, the business intelligence certification could be the first step along your path that can lead to more advanced degrees including associate’s, bachelor’s, and even graduate degrees.
According to the United States Department of Labor, data science jobs are expected to grow by 36% in the next 10 years, making it one of the nation’s fastest-growing fields.

Do you want a career that provides you with a flexible lifestyle?

A recent study by the University of Virginia found that data scientists are among the professionals most often given the option to work from home.

Are you unable to attend classes in person?

Students can complete the business intelligence certificate fully online. Students who take online classes are free to complete their class work entirely from home. They also have the option to visit campus and use college computer labs, libraries and gyms.

Are you afraid that you will be overwhelmed by the course content?

If so, there is no need to fear. FTCC’s award-winning faculty are here to help students online and on campus.

Are you worried that you don’t have enough money to pay for college?

If so, we have great news. FTCC is one of the most affordable colleges in the region. We also offer many scholarships, and many students earn college degrees at no cost to them.

Are you ready to learn more?

If so, please contact us today. We are eager to help you start the next chapter in your life.
For more Information, please contact Hana Seidi, IT/Computer Programming & Development/Database Instructor at FTCC at 910-486-7349.

Local artists will showcase their talents at an upcoming exhibition hosted by Ellington-White Contemporary. The exhibition opens on June 17.

The artists have been taking part in the A.C.E. Program, which is designed to teach, encourage and cultivate artists in Fayetteville.

A.C.E. stands for Arts, Cultural and Entrepreneurial Skills for Artists Workshop. The program is intended to serve as a springboard for visual artists who are Black, Indigenous and people of color. The idea for the local program began with gallery operator Dwight Smith.

Being an artist can be a confusing road to follow at times. With the new age of social media and the internet at everyone’s disposal, many artists have the same kinds of questions and problems like, “where can I submit my work? How can I make my art into a career?”

While getting asked these questions, Smith figured it was time to apply for grants from the Arts Council to collaborate and help local artists.

Up & Coming Weekly got a chance to speak with Smith to learn more about the A.C.E. Program and how it helps the artists who participate.

“The idea was to have a program where we train and provide information in a series of sessions that would give artists all the information that they would need to know in developing their career as artists,” Smith said. “We also open up exhibition opportunities for those artists and show them what’s available here in Fayetteville for them to be able to start, jumpstart their
career,” he added.

The A.C.E. Program started in November of 2022. It was spread out over multiple months to allow intense workshops on one day out of the month. In that one day a month, community artists come to the Arts Council and present the program to participants, and other interested community members. The following Saturday, they presented the program in a more intense training session while discussing homework assignments and answering one-on-one questions.

The program consisted of the following topics: career planning, time management, portfolio building, marketing, promoting yourself, pricing your work, record keeping and legal considerations, funding and grant writing, and business planning.

The program was a version of a three week program from an organization in Minnesota called Springboard for the Arts. They had a program called Work of Art Business Skills for Artists. Smith and his colleague Beverly Henderson were able to tailor the course to be 10 weeks, opening it up more to the public and allowing people to either come to every session or pick the ones most needed for them.

“We had curriculum packets we would pass out to everyone in the sessions. We also would have a PowerPoint that introduces the program and who we are. Also introducing this program as a safe space for artists was critically important for us,” says Smith.

The program participants who will be showcasing their work at the exhibit are the core group of artists that attended every session and went through the portfolio review process to see how they’ve applied all of the teachings.

According to Smith, several artists are involved in other programs around downtown now because they’ve gotten that kind of encouragement from this program to give them that extra push. He said this program is extremely important to the foundation of artists and a precursor to what it takes to be a successful artist.

The public is invited to the free exhibition. Make sure to go see the great progress made by local artists who are a part of this program. The exhibit opens on June 17 at Ellington White Contemporary located at 113 Gillespie Street in downtown Fayetteville.

June 21 marks the longest day of the year, and locals can enjoy the extra daylight at Carvers Creek State Park for an evening of running and yoga. The Summer Solstice Run and Yoga event will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Long Valley Farm Access entrance to Carvers Creek.

The event is being held by Somatic Reset, Qualified Wellness and Running Wild Collective — three locally owned businesses dedicated to the wellness of the Fayetteville community.

“This was the brain child of Somatic Reset and Qualified Wellness. They wanted to incorporate a running portion to a yoga event, taking a kind of holistic wellness lens to the whole event and to try to get the outdoor community together,” said Jhovanna Therrien of Running Wild Collective, one of the co-organizers of the event.

Erin Basket from Qualified Wellness and Samantha Ewashko from Somatic Reset round out the team behind the event at Carvers Creek.

“Solstice is a big deal on the west coast and with the yoga community,” said Therrien. “Sam [from Somatic Reset] just moved from California and she wanted to get the yoga community and the running community together. We talked about it and decided on Carvers Creek because it allows for a trail run and a partnership with a Fayetteville State park.”

Participants will begin the evening at 5:45 p.m. with a 1.08 out-and-back walk or run through part of the park’s trails. Once completed, they will join three yoga instructors from the community in 108 sun salutations.
The number 108 is considered auspicious in yoga practices. The number refers to spiritual completion. Rounds of sun salutations are done in nine rounds with 12 postures, equaling 108. The number 108 can be found all throughout the world. The distance between the earth and the sun is 108 times the diameter of the sun. Stonehenge was built 108 feet in diameter.

“It’s not common to do all 108, it depends on your experience with yoga,” said Therrien.

“It is more of a meditative practice, it is a yoga practice.”

After the sun salutations, participants can kick back and chat with each other and the many vendors at the event. California Taco, Smoothie Queen and Tropical Sno Fayetteville will be on hand. Fleet Feet, Triangle Rock Club and Team RWB will also have booths.

“We are all looking forward to connecting more with the wellness community that is so present in Fayetteville,” said Therrien.

“I think it will be a good opportunity to have everyone in one location. I’m just really looking forward to connecting with and bringing people together in one space.”

The solstice run and yoga event will wrap up around 8:30 p.m.

Tickets for the event cost $20 per person or $50 for a family. Send any questions to qualifiedwellness@gmail.com.

Carvers Creek State Park is located at 2505 Long Valley Road in Spring Lake.

The Cool Spring Downtown District is bringing funk, soul and fellowship to Fayetteville with their second annual Juneteenth Jubilee June 17 and 18.

This year the Jubilee is leaning into a 1970s theme for the event. If you’re familiar with the 70s, it was an explosion of culture for Black America in the arts, music and fashion. It was truly an era that still inspires and influences our culture today. With Juneteenth being a celebration of freedom, and the 70s feeling free artistically and socially, it was a perfect blend to bring this theme into this years Jubilee.

The celebration spans two days in downtown Fayetteville and it’s jam packed with food, music and history for everyone to enjoy. Saturday is quite the show with Headliner Rose Royce taking the stage, along with Fayetteville native The Fatback Band. Sunday will feature local church choirs performing, leading up to Grammy Award and Soul Train Music Award-winning recording artist Tye Tribbett.

Juneteenth is also known as “Emancipation Day.” It’s a celebration of the true independence and end of slavery in 1865. A lot of people think Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation was the end of slavery in 1863, but the news of the final Confederate loss in Virginia that freed slaves, didn’t reach certain places in the south right away.

According to the American Battlefield Trust, news that the war had ended and they were free finally reached Galveston when Union Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger and his troops arrived in the Gulf Coast city on June 19, 1865, more than two months after Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant in Virginia.

Granger delivered General Order No. 3, which said: “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor.”

The celebration for Juneteenth gained support for decades with African Americans working to make it an official holiday, recognized by the entire country. Just last year, President Joe Biden signed Juneteenth in as an official holiday, granting a true celebration for freedom in the United States – a celebration that includes everyone.

For residents in Fayetteville, the Juneteenth Jubilee has grown tremendously since last year. Adding almost 15 new vendors, an outdoor skating rink, costume contests, a cigar bar and card game area. Up & Coming Weekly had a chance to sit down and talk with two people who are vital in the Juneteenth Jubilee - Ashanti Bennett, Director of Special Operations and Lauren Falls, Director of Marketing and Events.
We spoke with them about the roles they play, the growth they wish to see, and how excited they are to bring this event to locals and visitors.

“Our task is trying to make downtown Fayetteville a place where you can love where you live and build the arts and entertainment districts,” Bennett said.

A Fayetteville native, Bennett moved away from Fayetteville as a child. When she returned as an adult, she put all of her skills to work and help improve the city the best way she knows how. “I remember a time when I wasn't allowed to come downtown. My grandmother was not having that. I bring her down now and she's like, this is really nice. It's good to see that. It feels, you know, safe. It feels creative. It feels innovative.”

With the success of this year’s Jubilee, Bennett wants to take things even further next year, and give Juneteenth a block party kind of feel, like our 4th Fridays. She hopes to be able to give even more room to vendors, performers and activities for the community to enjoy.

This year there will be a trolly ride around the downtown area to share information about Black history in Fayetteville. Many realize that local Black history has been slightly overlooked. The facts discussed on the trolly ride are put together by a history professor at Fayetteville State University, recognized as an Historically Black College. The trolly runs most of the day Saturday and is sure to be one of the most informative and fun parts of the weekend. The trolley is free, but donations are accepted.

Other activities include the Juneteenth Celebration 5K, a Groovy Costume Contest and vendors.

Lauren Falls, the Marketing Director for Cool Spring Downtown District, shared her excitement about the opportunity to work on the Juneteenth event.

“As a graphic designer in a nonprofit, sometimes it's really fun when you get the opportunity to kind of create new things and when your staff say, ‘go be free’ and they have that confidence in you that you know, they see, you see their vision … If you haven’t seen this year’s Juneteenth Jubilee promos and flyers, you’re truly missing out.”

The flyer is full of beautiful brown tones, afro-centric artwork, and an incredibly groovy font.

“In the background of the Juneteenth flyer, we see the skating rink and all the different colors and shades. It's a subtle hint that this event is for everybody. We're highlighting that every person can be a part of it,” Falls said.

Organizers encourage everyone to bring families and friends out this year. For those wishing to volunteer, there are opportunities available by calling 910-223-2890.

The Juneteenth Jubilee kicks off at 3 p.m. on June 17. Entry into Festival Park is free, but those wishing to have seats close to the stage can purchase VIP tickets.

For VIP tickets and schedule information, visit https://visitdowntownfayetteville.com/juneteenth-jubilee-downtown-fayetteville-2023/

The NC History Center on the Civil War, Emancipation & Reconstruction will hold its annual Hari Jones Memorial Lecture and its commemoration of Juneteenth, a federal holiday observing the emancipation of the enslaved during the Civil War.

Dr. Darin J. Waters, deputy secretary for the state’s Office of Archives and History and a well-known North Carolina historian, will give the Hari Jones Memorial Lecture at 7 p.m. on Monday, June 19 at Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church, located at 1217 Murchison Road.

Dr. Waters currently oversees the operations of the divisions of State History and Maritime Museums, State Historic Sites and Properties, Archives and Records, Historical Resources (including the State Historic Preservation Office, Office of Historical Research, and the Office of State Archaeology), and commissions (including Roanoke Island Festival Park and Tryon Palace), and Education and Outreach.

He is also the secretary of the North Carolina Historical Commission and the State Historic Preservation Officer.

An Asheville native, Waters was most recently an Associate Professor of History at UNC Asheville, and the Executive Director of UNCA’s Office of Community Engagement. He previously held other teaching, research, and community engagement positions at UNCA, UNC-Chapel Hill, and N.C. State University.

Waters received a B.S. in Political Science and Government from Liberty University, a master’s in History from North Carolina State University, and a Ph.D. in History from UNC-Chapel Hill. He has served on numerous nonprofit and state boards, including the North Carolina Historical Commission and African American Heritage Commission.

Within his role with the state’s history museums, Waters, along with other historians, is working on the content of the NC History Center on the Civil War, Emancipation & Reconstruction, which is being built in Fayetteville’s Arsenal Park; and will replace the current Museum of the Cape Fear.

Unlike other history museums, the facility in Fayetteville will be a “teaching” museum and not a “collecting” museum. It will use existing scholarship from universities, coupled with first-hand accounts of North

Carolina families, to examine, for the first time, what an entire state faced as the result of the Civil War. It will communicate that knowledge both in person and online so that schoolchildren — and all of us — may learn from it.

Juneteenth and the Hari Jones Memorial Lecture Series

Jones was a prominent African American historian whose area of expertise centered on the contribution of Blacks during the Civil War. He was first heard by organizers of the Center as they visited museums in

Washington, D.C. Jones became a close advisor to the Center and spoke several times in Fayetteville before
his death.

To honor his memory — and his commitment to raising awareness of the African American community’s contributions during the Civil War, Reconstruction and Jim Crow eras — the center decided to sponsor the Hari Jones Memorial Lecture Series.

NC History Center on the Civil War, Emancipation & Reconstruction

A group of local Fayetteville residents originally got the project off the ground by getting a $1 million planning grant from the N.C. General Assembly in 2007. With the funding, over the next few years, the board hired Germann & Associates, the Winslow Group and the Planning Edge, all of which have experience in museum startups, to assess existing resources, pursue community wide feedback and discussions and come up with a strategic and programming plan.

The Center project has been divided into three phases. Phase 1 includes:

• The Arsenal House, which was renovated primarily for K-12 students. It includes a classroom, a distance learning studio and a technical support room, all part of the Digital Education Outreach Center.
  The Outreach Center is an online educational resource to teach the history of the period before, during and after the Civil War to public school students across North Carolina.
• The Culbreth House, which was renovated for higher education purposes. It will become the Center for the Study of the Civil War and Reconstruction in North Carolina. A catering kitchen and upstairs offices were added, as was a library, which will house an extensive collection of Civil War and Reconstruction books. It will be used as the offices for the Center’s Foundation.
• The Davis House will be used to help interpret the site of the U.S. Arsenal (later a Confederate Arsenal), where it is situated.

Phase 2 consists of a new outdoor education pavilion and the construction of a boardwalk that will run parallel to the remains of the Arsenal. Construction of Phase 2 is scheduled to begin soon.

Phase 3, the groundbreaking of which was held last summer, is a 55,000-57,000 square-foot main building that will replace the existing Museum of the Cape Fear, which was built on the site where the U.S. Arsenal once stood in Fayetteville.

The Center, once complete, will be owned and operated by the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. The building is currently being designed, with construction to begin soon. The latest estimates are that the building will be completed in the first quarter of 2027 — with the online portion of history instruction for teachers and students to be rolled out before then.

The history of all of North Carolina with an evenhanded approach

The Center is taking an evenhanded approach to North Carolinians’ Civil War experiences, precisely because no one agreed on it then — and no one agrees on it today.

As author Philip Gerard has pointed out, the documented history of the Civil War in the state showed that North Carolina’s white population was almost evenly split between Confederates and Unionists. More than 300,000 people — fully a third of North Carolina’s population — had no say on it at all, because they were enslaved.

Those involved in the planning of the center plan to use the existing Fayetteville Arsenal, destroyed during the closing days of the Civil War by Union Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman, as a jumping-off point to focus on the experience of an entire state.

The Center will gather both documented and oral histories of people, places and events that are either passed down or found through scholarly research, to tell the stories of what North Carolina families’ lives were like before, during and after the Civil War. Stories are still being sought from women, children, the elderly, farmers and businessmen, American Indians, African Americans, immigrants and persons of all faiths.

The Center will also gather peer-reviewed research from history professors within the University of North Carolina system, which will be used to write a Civil War history curriculum in partnership with the NC Department of Public Instruction, for use by schoolchildren. In North Carolina, the Civil War is taught in public schools to fourth and eighth grade students and included in U.S. history courses in the eleventh grade.

Students and teachers from Manteo to Murphy will be able to access course materials online. Research shows that once completed, the Center will contribute 200 new jobs and $18 million in economic benefit to Fayetteville every year.

For more information, please visit http://nccivilwarcenter.org/. On the website, visitors may make donations or leave your own story of how your family fared in North Carolina during the time before, during and after the Civil War.

The start of summer marks a dangerous time of year for young drivers. Nationwide, more than 30% of deaths involving teen drivers occur during what’s called the “100 Deadliest Days” – a period that runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

“Summer is historically a dangerous time for teen drivers,” said Tiffany Wright, spokesperson, AAA – The Auto Club Group in the Carolinas. “Now that school is out, teens will spend more time on the road, often driving with friends at odd hours of the day and night. Because of their inexperience, teens are more susceptible to dangerous driving behaviors – like speeding, driving distracted, and not wearing a safety belt. AAA urges parents to model safe driving behavior and reinforce safe driving habits with their teen drivers to help keep them safe this summer.”

Traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for teens ages 16 to 19. For every mile driven, new teen drivers (ages 16 to 17) are three times more likely to be involved in a deadly crash compared to adults.

Teen Driver Statistics

Nationwide, an average of 2,108 teens are involved in deadly crashes, every year, with 660 (31%) of those happening during the 100 Deadliest Days. These crashes result in an average of 2,341 deaths per year, with 732 of those during the summer months.

In North Carolina, 83 teen drivers are involved in fatal crashes each year. On average, 24 (29%) happen during the 100 Deadliest Days. These crashes result in an average of 92 deaths per year, with 27 (29%) of those fatalities happening during the summer months.

Common Risk Factors for Teen Drivers

Understanding the risks and knowing the facts will help prepare both parents and teens for the road ahead:

• Distracted driving. Distraction plays a role in nearly six out of 10 teen crashes. Electronics like cell phones and in-vehicle infotainment systems are considered the second-biggest distraction to teen drivers. The biggest distractions are teen passengers.
• Driving with teen passengers. Research shows that the risk of a fatal crash increases in direct relation to the number of teenagers in a car (NHTSA). Having other passengers in the car can contribute to peer pressure and the impulse to engage in dangerous habits like speeding and aggressive driving.
• Speeding. Speeding is a factor in nearly 30% of fatal crashes involving teen drivers
• Not wearing a safety belt. Teens who buckle up significantly reduce their risk of dying or being seriously injured in a crash.

AAA’s Advice for Parents

“The single most important thing parents can do to help their teens become safe drivers is to be involved in their ‘learning to drive’ process,” said Rachel Wilson, Director of Driver Education Programs for AAA.

“Spend time coaching your teen while they’re behind the wheel and have a serious discussion about safety. While parents can be a great teacher, it also helps to seek out professional training courses, like those provided by AAA.”

• Lead by example. Minimize risky behavior when you drive. Don’t drive aggressively, avoid distractions, and always wear your seatbelt. Your driving skills and judgement behind the wheel shape your child’s view of safe driving habits, even before they’re old enough to drive. Make safe driving a priority in your own life.
• Conduct at least 50 hours of supervised practice driving. Let your teen drive in a variety of conditions including inclement weather, busy interstates, and at night. This will help them become a more confident driver in imperfect situations.
• Teach defensive driving skills. Help your teen anticipate potential risks by constantly scanning the road for hazards. Then share advice for how to safely avoid them.
• Establish a parent-teen driving agreement which sets family rules like when the teen can drive, where they can go and with whom. Clearly outline the consequences for breaking the rules and rewards for driving safe.

Online Driving Course

AAA’s How to Drive Online provides a solid foundation of the knowledge and skills necessary to reduce a teen’s risk behind the wheel. This supplemental program is an online, 25-hour course that features: convenient, self-paced delivery; research-based curriculum; videos, simulations, and interactive exercises to enhance content retention; and optional virtual parent session to help educate parents on the learning to drive process.

Behind the Wheel Driving Courses

The AAA Approved Driving School Network helps identify the best driver training resources in your local community. These schools have passed AAA’s stringent standards and offer quality curriculum as well as the best value for students.

To learn more about the training, email DriverTraining2@acg.aaa.com or call 888-222-7108.

The Center for Economic Empowerment & Development received a $75,000 grant from Truist Foundation to be used to assist in providing a level playing field for women and the under served business owners in our community who disproportionately face barriers.

The grant will help CEED continue its work in providing comprehensive training and counseling in small business to help clients start, sustain and grow their own businesses, especially those who are socially and economically disadvantaged.

CEED’s mission has always been to promote the growth, productiveness and well-being of entrepreneurs through counseling, education, information and advocacy programs. They are dedicated to helping entrepreneurs find their own strength to sucCEED.

In 2022, CEED served 1,905 clients of which approximately 87% were women, 83% were minority and 65% had a military affiliation.
CEED was started by a group of women and then led by Sylvia Ray who wanted to ensure that women had an equitable chance to economically support themselves and their families. Its programs are designed to support that vision and mission.

“We are so excited to have the Truist Foundation as an equity partner! With their investment, CEED will be kicking off entrepreneurial cohorts starting this fall, which will help us to continue to lay the foundation and increase small business owner competency through training,” says Suzy Hrabovsky, Executive Director of CEED. “We are looking to expand our financial literacy course offerings throughout the counties we serve, which will increase self-sustaining infrastructures through education. By increasing knowledge and technical assistance, we can increase the sustainability of businesses and their success using loan capital.”

“Education goes hand-in-hand with a business owners’ vision of success and the drive to start and grow a business,” said Chris Isley, Truist Regional President of Eastern North Carolina. “We are excited to be part of this program that helps under served business owners overcome systemic barriers and contribute to their communities in meaningful ways. This work is at the heart of Truist’s purpose of inspiring and building better lives and communities.”

The Center for Economic Empowerment & Development is a micro-lender with a Women’s Business Center Program providing in-house 1:1 counseling, technical assistance, networking/mentorship opportunities, and access to Capital. CEED develops community-led solutions to create an ecosystem where our business owners can be successful. CEED is an advocate for their success throughout the life cycle of their business from developing the idea, creating a sustainable plan, and providing the resources and capital for their success.

The Truist Foundation is committed to Truist Financial Corporation’s purpose to inspire and build better lives and communities. Established in 2020, the foundation makes strategic investments in nonprofit organizations to help ensure the communities it serves have more opportunities for a better quality of life. Grants and activities focus on building career pathways to economic mobility and strengthening small businesses.

The city of Fayetteville has been inducted onto the North Carolina Civil Rights Trail after city staff and religious, educational and local non-profit organizations partnered to highlight the 1963 protests against segregation.

The city will host a ceremony to unveil the Civil Rights marker on June 16 at 11 a.m. at 116 Green St., where City Hall was located in 1963. The marker will be installed outside of the southwest corner of the Fascinate-U museum.

“I am elated we are able to have Fayetteville placed onto this significant and innovative trail highlighting historic advancement throughout our state,” said Mayor Mitch Colvin. “This accomplishment is a true testament of collaboration between our community, our city, and the great state of North Carolina showing what we can achieve when we work together.”

The marker commemorates the leadership of protest organizers and the courage of each participant.

During the summer of 1963, residents organized various activities protesting racial segregation in Fayetteville. Often, demonstrations like picketing and marching culminated in the downtown area, where they also conducted sit-ins at businesses along Hay Street.

The community’s actions resulted in the necessary political pressure to influence elected leadership to enact policy directing businesses to desegregate Fayetteville, one year prior to the 1964 Civil Rights Act being adopted by the federal government.

The city’s Special Projects Manager Brook Redding worked closely with a group of community stakeholders to complete the application. The N.C. Civil Rights Trail program accepted the city’s application in October 2022 after six months of development.

The N.C. African American Heritage Commission leads the N.C. Civil Rights Trail with funding from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation, and with support from Visit North Carolina and the North Carolina Office of Archives & History.

The commission works with communities across the state to designate up to 50 sites where trail markers are being placed, including 10 in Hometown Strong communities.

An interactive web portal highlights these places and others to guide people to history and experiences from the past.
To learn more about the project or to apply for a marker, please visit https://aahc.nc.gov/programs/nc-civil-rights-trail/nc-civil-rights-virtual-trail

N.C. African American Commission

Created in 2008, the African American Heritage Commission is a division of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. The Commission works to preserve, protect and promote the state’s African American history, art and culture.

Its endeavors include the identification of heritage sites, compiling resources for educators, extending the work of national programs such as the National Park Service’s Network to Freedom Underground Railroad, and independent initiatives including the NC Civil Rights Trail.

North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources

The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources is the state agency with a vision to be the leader in using the state’s natural and cultural resources to build the social, cultural, educational and economic future of North Carolina.

NCDNCR's mission is to improve the quality of life by creating opportunities to experience excellence in the arts, history, libraries and nature in North Carolina. Efforts seek to stimulate learning, inspiring creativity, preserving the state’s history, conserving the state’s natural heritage, encouraging recreation and cultural tourism, and promoting economic development.

$95,000 — That’s more than the average household income for an entire family in North Carolina. It’s also your share of our nation’s astonishing $31 trillion debt.

When I think about my seven-year-old son being saddled with a $95,000 bill before he even enters the 2nd grade, I can’t help but be worried about his future and all our children and grandchildren.

While our national debt is nothing new, out-of-control spending from Washington the last two years has accelerated this crisis to a five-alarm fire.

In fact, since President Joe Biden took office in January 2021, he and House Democrats have increased the nation’s 10-year spending trajectory by $10 trillion. This includes their $2 trillion “American Rescue Plan” that ignited the highest inflation in consumer prices in 40 years. It contained $400 billion for policies that paid Americans to stay home rather than go to work, $783 million in stimulus checks to federal prisoners, $2 million for a ski slope, $140 million for a luxury hotel, and $1.2 million to buy trash cans.

Democrats’ so-called “Inflation Reduction Act” followed up with $80 billion to the IRS to target your family with audits, and over $400 billion for Green New Deal initiatives. President Biden’s Executive Orders have also cost over $1.5 trillion, including Democrats’ student loan giveaway to the wealthy.

The last two years under one-party rule saw astronomical spending, but we didn’t get in this mess overnight and we can’t fix it overnight — especially in a divided government.

This spending problem is the greatest threat to America and one of the reasons I ran for Congress in the first place. That’s why last week, I voted for the Fiscal Responsibility Act. This debt limit bill was not perfect, but it is the largest spending cut that Congress has ever voted for in American history.

According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the Fiscal Responsibility Act will reduce the deficit by $2.1 trillion. It will cut spending year-over-year, limit top line federal spending to 1% annual growth for the next 6 years, and end uncontrollable executive spending by enforcing “Pay-Go” rules which should save taxpayers trillions.

It will jump start our economy with work requirements for able-bodied childless adults and will help with the number one problem every business I talk to has — a need for workers. I have been fighting for work requirements for 19 years because we have a moral obligation to stop trapping people in the cycle of poverty. While Democrats prefer dependency, Republicans are focused on self sufficiency and improving your family’s quality of life.

Cutting red tape and slashing funding for new IRS agents will also help build new infrastructure and unleash the economy.

This bill will save taxpayers $5 billion per month by restarting student loan debt payments. It rejects all of President Biden’s $5 trillion in proposed new tax increases and claws back $29 billion of unspent COVID funds. All of this is done while fully funding critical defense programs and preserving both Social Security and Medicare.

For the first time, non-defense spending will be significantly lowered while defense spending will receive a $28 billion boost from the previous year to ensure our military is ready to respond to any threat.

There was not a single Democratic priority included in the Fiscal Responsibility Act. Speaker Kevin McCarthy forced President Biden and House Democrats to negotiate in order to avoid defaulting on our debt. This is a historic win for the American people and because of our efforts, the pattern of Washington reckless spending has come to a screeching halt.

President Ronald Reagan once said, “We can leave our children with an unrepayable massive debt and a shattered economy, or we can leave them liberty in a land where every individual has the opportunity to be whatever God intended us to be.”

The Fiscal Responsibility Act is a step in the right direction. With every man, woman and child owing $95,000 to the government, I believe we can and must do more to build on this success.

The largest spending cut in history is an important step to restoring fiscal sanity in our nation’s capital and leaving the next generation better than the last — just as Reagan had hoped.

For more than a decade, Gallery 208 has provided space to showcase local and regional artists.

Last week we opened the exhibit The Ocean World of Ivy Rittenhouse, a local artist who accentuates and defines the breadth of our cultural community.

These quarterly events are fun, free and allow us to get up close and personal with our readers. It's our way of celebrating the arts while monitoring the heartbeat of the community.

The majority of the exhibits are partially funded by the Fayetteville/Cumberland County Arts Council in support of the artists’ exploration into expanding their medium. Bob Pinson, the newly appointed CEO of the Arts Council, was present at the Gallery exhibit opening. His message was clear: we all need to work harder to tell Fayetteville's story about the richness of our cultural community.

Pinson is right! We need to do a better job telling our story and creating education and awareness about our local arts community. Bob Pinson is the right man, at the right time to lead and direct our cultural community and to tell our story!

Gallery 208 is located at 208 Rowan St. and open Monday — Thursday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. The exhibit is free and open to the public. Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

In March of 1825, Marquis de Lafayette visited Fayetteville as part of his United States tour as “The Nation’s Guest.” On that day, Lafayette’s secretary, Auguste Lavasseur, wrote that while the weather was “excessively bad,” the reception was impactful.

Now, almost two hundred years later, we will celebrate Lafayette’s visit and his birthday. In honor of the upcoming Bicentennial Celebration and the Lafayette’s Grand Birthday Ball & Soirée on Sept. 9, Rebecca Russell from Beespoke Vintage will be offering three lectures and workshops titled Preparing for Lafayette.

This series will teach men and women about the historical background on clothing worn by people in the 1820s, followed by a sewing workshop where Russell will help participants create their own outfits to prepare for the Bicentennial event.

The first workshop is aptly named “Foundations.” During this workshop, participants will learn about the silhouette of the 1820s and how it had changed dramatically from the earlier “Colonial” period. Participants will explore a brief overview of the details and differences between the clothing of the working classes and nobility. The bulk of this workshop will then turn to and focus on the foundation garments for men and women.

“I think the biggest thing is just understanding how important foundation garments are for clothing of this era. Because if you’re not wearing the right garments underneath, the other garments are not going to look right,” Russell said.

“If you’re trying to wear modern undergarments with period clothing from back then, you’ll notice. So I really like to stress that you have to start with the foundations. So you have to start with the skin out to really get the right look, and you’ll notice it yourself when you’re wearing the clothing. It will definitely feel different, it’ll wear different, you’ll behave differently. And so that’s really important and why they're foundational in that sense, too.”

The June 10 lecture will begin at 9 a.m. and will be an hour long. The next two hours will be dedicated to cutting patterns and fabrics. There will be an hour break for lunch. The workshop will resume at 1 p.m. with the sewing and construction of the clothes.

Participants must bring their own patterns, fabric, machines and notions.

“Don’t show up at the workshop thinking that the pattern in fabric is going to already be there waiting for you. Because everybody’s a different size and people have different types of fabric they want to buy,” Russell said.

There are four ticket options. To attend the lecture, the workshop and have a catered lunch, that would be a $65 ticket. To attend the lecture and the workshop, but to bring your own lunch, that would be a $50 ticket. To attend just the lecture, which will take place in the morning, is $15. To attend the virtual lecture and workshop would be $20. There are discounts available for military, first responders, educators and single parents.

To buy tickets, get the supply list, and to learn more about the event, go to https://www.beespokevintage.com/preparing-for-lafayette

There will be two other lectures and workshops scheduled before the birthday party in September. The session on July 8 will focus on Day Wear, while the session on Aug. 12 will focus on Evening Wear.

Briana Allan talks a lot with her hands. In her line of work, her hands are always moving but then again, so are her feet.

The real challenge, Allan says, is to get her mind there. She does this through listening to rhythm and blues and hip-hop artists like J. Cole to clear her head before the swings start. Anything with a good beat, she says.

“It’s more a mental game than physical,” Allan says. “Physically you can get there but can you handle being punched in the face over and over?”

She laughs. Allan is one of the few female boxers at her gym and the only one in her old gym in Lillington. In a sport that has been often filled with men, and sometimes having no sparring partners but male boxers, Allan has a good spirit about her. She laughs a lot as she moves her hands around, two hair ties adorning her wrist. She looks down at her wrists and laughs a little. It takes two, she says, to get her long curly hair into a braid and into her headgear.

For Allan, it’s all about breaking down the time into smaller increments.

“I will look at the clock and say, ‘I only have 30 more seconds.’”

Allan trains on three minute rounds with 30 second breaks. Allan, 17, graduated high school early and has stuck around the area just to continue to work on her sport before heading off to Campbell University in the fall.

In just a week, Allan and more than 300 other boxers, male and female, ages 8 to 70, will compete in the annual Carolina Gloves South Boxing tournament. The tournament will host boxers from all over the United States and a few from Canada and Puerto Rico.

“We’ll have some of the most elite boxers from all over … some will be competing for the U.S. Olympic team,” Mark Hornsby, the event's co-director, says.

Those two boxers with the Olympic trials in their futures are female students of Coach Patrick Finklin. Finklin will have boxers of all ages in the tournament including an 8-year-old who is currently number one in the country for his age and weight class.
Coach Patrick is also a coach to many active duty military members who will also be competing in the upcoming tournament.

“I like coaching active duty military. They are more disciplined and focused. They are here until they get stationed somewhere else,” he says. “They are not only focused, but loyal.”

Coach Hornsby and Coach Patrick are the two directors for the upcoming tournament and the Vice President and President of North Carolina USA Boxing, respectively.

“We’ve done a lot of work,” Hornsby says, “That’s what brings in the boxers and keeps them coming back.”

Allan is a testament to that statement with morning training sessions that range about two hours and lately, she’s added an afternoon session with her second boxing coach, Coach Font, to work on the skills she started in the morning.

“It takes a team to box,” she says.

Allan adjusts again in her seat and a smile is not very far from her face as she speaks about boxing and her coaches. Allan now travels from Lillington to Fayetteville to Coach Font’s gym to get some sparring time with other female boxers. For the beginning of her boxing time, she had mostly male companions to fight.

“You know, it has its advantages and disadvantages. Sparing with males has made me a lot tougher,” she says. “But being around women, it’s a different kind of empowerment. We all know what it’s like to [be] a woman in sports.”

Allan is excited about the upcoming tournament. She’ll keep up the regimen of training until a week out from the tournament when she and other boxers will protect their arms from becoming too fatigued and dial down the running as to be careful not to roll an ankle.

Allan’s grandmother, on the other hand, has other worries.

“She says, ‘I don’t want you to mess up your pretty face or break your teeth,’” Allan says laughing.

The tournament will be held June 17 and 18. Saturday’s round will start around 12 p.m. with the first session lasting until 4 p.m. and the second session beginning around 6 p.m. and will last until about 10 p.m. that night.

Sunday will be the championship rounds that begin at 12 p.m. and last until 6 or 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the event for $25, kids ages 7 and under are free.

“It’s going to be a good experience. That first year we did it was a gas shortage,” Coach Patrick says. “It didn’t stop people from doing it. When they showed up it was hard to find gas to get back home.”

The Carolina Gloves South Boxing Tournament is presented by the Harnett County Police Activity League. The tournament will be held at the Freedom Courts Sportsplex, part of the Freedom Christian Academy campus, located at 3126 Gillespie Street in Fayetteville.

It’s that time of year again. The sun is high, the days are long, and Cumberland County Library has just rolled out its new Summer Reading Program. Kids and adults across the county have until Aug. 15 to participate in this year’s summer reading theme: All Together Now.

“We use the Collaborative Summer Library Program’s theme each year,” explained Faith Phillips, Director of Cumberland County Public Library. “They are a nonprofit, charitable organization that supports literacy, education, and science through summer reading events in public libraries across the United States.”

This year’s program participants can visit any Cumberland County Library branch to pick up a reading log or download READsquared! for paperless tracking. This year’s program, which began June 1, boasts some great prizes and expanded reading categories. Participants across all ages are reading to win cool tech, free books, toys, and gift cards for businesses around Fayetteville. Also, due to a grant from the state library, this year’s summer reading program will offer some fun enrichment activities and events.

The summer reading program serves three different age categories: children (birth-5th grade), teens (6th-12th) and adults (19+). This year, children and teens have three prize tiers: 5 hours, 10 hours and 20 hours.

To complete this reading challenge, adults must read four books before the Aug. 15 deadline. However, all age groups can choose to read more for a chance to enter into prize drawings.
Post-COVID, participation in the library’s extracurricular offerings, including the summer reading program, has been rising — a trend Phillips hopes continues.

“Participation was back up close to pre-COVID numbers [last year],” Phillips said. “We hope to continue getting the word out about Summer Reading and our programs to more people in the community.”
To fit in with this summer’s theme, the library has several fun activities planned for readers of all ages scheduled for the month of June. Digging in the Dirt, Mission 2 Space, and Bathtub Pirates are just a few of the programs planned. Check the library’s website and calendar for dates, times and full descriptions of each activity.

The summer’s hottest books, like “Spare” by Prince Harry, “My Hero Academia” by Kohei Horikoshi, and “Never Never” by Colleen Hoover, are in top circulation at the library and can also be downloaded to an e-reader or heard as an audio book via Overdrive and the Libby App. For those who prefer their books more digital than analog, this is especially good news since any and all methods of reading count toward trackable hours.

Whether as a solo activity or completed with the whole family, the Summer Reading Program is an excellent opportunity to foster a love of reading from an early age.

The benefits of reading are endless, but they’re especially useful during the summer months when most children are away from school. On average, students can lose up to 34% of the previous year’s learning gains over summer break. Summer reading helps the mind stay active by sparking the imagination, creating discourse and activating critical thinking skills.

To learn more about programs and events, visit the library website at www.cumberlandcountync.gov/departments/library-group/library.

During times when it can feel difficult to find hope, artist Joshua Carnes said it is important to manufacture it. He hopes to generate hope for the youth of Robeson County during the first ever St. Pauls Arts Demo Day, hosted by the Robeson Art Guild.

The St. Pauls Arts Demo Day, to be held on June 17 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Bob Everett Park, will provide 100 free canvases, paints and brushes to participants under the age of 18 so they may express their feelings through art.

“We just want to see them create,” Carnes said. “At the same time, we’re trying to encourage the arts among our youth that if no one will listen, the canvas or page will, and that it’s possible to take a negative emotion and turn it into a positive notion and even make a living doing so.”

The event will also feature music and art vendors who will discuss their creative process with those present and answer questions about the business aspects of their artistic careers.
Carnes, a professional artist who now mostly sculpts, said he wanted to conduct the event after hearing of recent arrests of juveniles for gun related crimes.

“I got a lot of love to share and I want to give it back,” Carnes said. “And there are a lot of kids out there that need help.”

Carnes said he got the idea for the special event after having a similar experience in his youth while going through a difficult time. An artist came to his school and handed out free canvases to students. This was the day he painted his first picture, he said.

“Because of strangers — the kindness of strangers— I found my way to the creative process,” Carnes said.

Carnes said his inspiration for the event also came from a memory of his son who was saddened after watching a scary and heartbreaking news story.

The two then decided to make their own hope for the world by growing their hair long for the charity Locks of Love, an organization which makes hair prosthetics for children with illness-related hair loss. The father-son pair have since donated their hair nine or 10 times now, Carnes said.

“The idea that you have to manufacture hope — you have to make hope where there is none, that’s where this [Arts Demo Day] came from,” Carnes said.

Beyond creating an atmosphere of hope, Carnes said he hopes the young artists at the event are able to take away a sense of pride.

“Shame is a negative thing,” Carnes said. “And a lot of us lack confidence. And if we can take and find something to be proud of, I think our lives would be better. And I want these children to know that they should be proud.”

The St. Pauls Arts Demo Day will be structured as a paint and picnic event, with participants encouraged to bring blankets or lawn chairs to enjoy the park area as they paint. Carnes hopes this encourages connection and communication between community members.

“What happens when we come together: we bring walls down,” Carnes said. “It doesn’t matter the political affiliate you are. Art moves everyone. It’s going to open up doors.”

The arts serve an important function for creators to have the ability to express themselves and share their feelings with viewers, even when words fail, Carnes said.

“If you have problems speaking, then you can do it with a brush, you can do it with a lump of clay,” Carnes said. “And communication is where it’s at. That’s what we need. We need to relate to each other.”

Though this is the inaugural Arts Demo Day, Carnes said he hopes it’s not the last of its kind, adding the Robeson Art Guild has expressed interest in continuing the event.

Those attending the event are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items for a canned food drive. The First Baptist Church of Hope Mills will be present conducting a coat drive.

The organization Ready, Set, Go, a nonprofit promoting accessible child care which offers programs and resources for children and parents, will also attend the event. Carnes expressed gratitude to Sarah Hayes, Paul Terry and the Robeson Art Guild for their help with the event.

On June 16, KISS ARMY and Mirimage will be performing at Rock’n On The River for those who enjoy live music, relaxing and having a good time. The Deep Creek Grill, near the Campbellton Landing on the Cape Fear River, will host the event.

Mirimage is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m., and KISS ARMY at 8 p.m., said Greg Adair, organizer of the Rock’n On The River concert series. KISS ARMY, who call themselves the“coolest band in the world,” hail from Kentucky but play once or twice a week in communities across the nation. KISS ARMY, who are decked out in the recognizable KISS face paint and attire, offer a striking glimpse into KISS’s 1970s line-up.

“When we go out there, we try to make people think it’s KISS. That’s the whole point of being a tribute band,” said Jim Seda, who has performed as the “Demon” for more than 30 years.

According to band lore, each member of KISS has a persona. Additionally, each persona contributes to what makes KISS unique.

Since the original four-piece phenom KISS split up in 1980, lead singer Paul Stanley (“Starchild”) and bassist Gene Simmons (“Demon”) have been reformed. In 1980, Eric Carr (“Fox”) replaced Peter Criss (“Catman”) as the band’s drummer, and Vinnie Vincent (“Egyptian Warrior”) replaced Ace Frehley (“Spaceman”) in 1982.

KISS made the decision to “unmask” themselves in 1983, putting an end to what was regarded as the “real” KISS in favor of a more modern 1980s appearance, sound and vibe. Yet, starting in the late 1990s, KISS reconvened as the original band for a string of international farewell concerts.

The demand for KISS increased when the original members of KISS got back together for the first farewell concert, and Seda’s band was asked to play shows when KISS was unable to, he said. However, “it works both ways” since even when KISS isn’t performing, fans still want to see them.

Mirimage is an up and coming Southern rock/country band. The band, led by Bobby Gilstrap, consists of five members who are all equally excited each time they hit the stage. They are sure to become a local favorite.

The stage will be set up directly behind Deep Creek Grill, literally rocking next to the Cape Fear River. Rock’n On The River is presented by Healy Wholesale with partners Bob 96.5 FM radio and Up & Coming Weekly. The concert is free and open to the public, but there is a $10 parking fee. Outside coolers and containers are not permitted. Only service animals are permitted.

Food can be purchased from Deep Creek Grill on site and Healy will be serving alcoholic beverages. Food and beer will be available for purchase starting at 5 p.m. Rock’n On The River takes place at 1122 Person Street. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100049990406810.

The world’s oceans are facing significant challenges. According to the United Nations Regional Information Center, each year the oceans absorb 23% of human-caused carbon dioxide emissions and capture 90% of the excess heat created by these emissions. These developments are overwhelming the oceans, which are vital to the global ecosystem.

Anyone can join in the effort to protect the world’s oceans. That includes people who live in coastal communities and those who live in landlocked locales hundreds, if not thousands, of miles away from the coast. Oceana, an international advocacy organization dedicated to protecting and restoring the world’s oceans, touts the power of collective efforts to save the oceans.

Though the task may seem overwhelming, that does not mean oceans are beyond saving. In fact, Oceana notes that various lifestyle choices individuals can make every day can help to protect the oceans and restore their futures.

Help reduce demand for plastics. Oceana estimates that 17.6 billion pounds of plastic leaks into the ocean every year. To put that in perspective, one researcher at the University of California, Santa Barbara estimated that, if the flow of plastic into the oceans does not stop, there will be more plastic than fish in the oceans by 2050.

Of course, much of the demand for plastic is driven by consumers, who can protect the oceans by purchasing plastic-free alternatives and emphasizing the need for more such alternatives to be made available. Avoid using plastic cutlery, plastic water bottles, plastic bags, and other convenient yet harmful plastics.

Reduce your carbon footprint. Oceana notes that carbon dioxide is making oceans more acidic, which contributes to a loss of coral that serves as an essential source of food and shelter for marine life.
According to the Reef-World Foundation, loss of coral threatens the existence of many marine species, producing a domino effect that ultimately decreases marine biodiversity by a significant amount. That’s problematic for marine life, but also humans, as estimates from the United Nations indicate as many as one billion people across the globe depend on coral reefs for their food and livelihoods.

The threat posed to coral reefs is substantial, but the efforts to reduce your carbon footprint aren’t. Riding a bike to run errands on a warm day instead of driving a car; turning off the lights when leaving a room; and dressing warm on cold days to reduce reliance on home heating systems are some easy ways to reduce your carbon footprint.

Eat sustainable seafood. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration notes that sustainable seafood is managed under a system of enforced environmentally responsible practices. These systems help to prevent overfishing and conserve essential fish habitats. Knowing which seafood is sustainable and which isn’t can be hard, so individuals can visit Seafoodwatch.org to quickly identify and locate sustainable seafood options where they live and travel.

Leave nothing behind. Make sure you leave nothing behind when visiting the beach or even a park. Doing so increases the chances that trash will end up in the oceans, which are already overwhelmed by plastics.
The threat posed to the world’s oceans is significant. But that threat can be overcome by a collective effort to embrace lifestyle choices that take the health of the world’s oceans into consideration.

Visitors to the exhibit titled The Ocean World of Ivy Rittenhouse, at Gallery 208, will view works of art created by an individual whose history, temperament and career are rooted in the sciences. Logic might suggest that science and the arts are opposites, yet they are aligned in many ways — both careers attempt to comprehend and communicate something about the world around us.

Opening June 8, the exhibit was created by a chemist whose mind is filled with complex data and knowledge about the “identification of the substances of which matter is composed; the investigation of their properties, and the ways in which they interact, combine, and change to form new substances.” As an artist, Rittenhouse effortlessly communicates the essence and possibilities of our biosystem in ways we do not normally see. Through the mediums of watercolor and alcohol inks on paper, we are to experience the subjects which inspire the artist.

After earning a degree in chemistry from Eastern New Mexico University, for 30+ years Rittenhouse has been the laboratory operations manager in the Department of Chemistry at Fayetteville State University. Having knowledge and interest in the oceans, one of Rittenhouse’s most recent assignments was maintaining “The REEF” at Fayetteville State University. (The REEF is one of the few places in Central North Carolina for visitors to see coral reefs and reef organisms.)

Ask her anything about a healthy ocean ecosystem, and we will hear Rittenhouse’s explanations about coral life and the abundance of sea creatures dependent upon its structure. Through her gifts as an artist, we are able to observe the aquatic world in a new way. Best described by the words of Amanda Thompson (in her article titled “Making a Place: Art a Multi-Modal, Multi-Disciplinary Approach”), Rittenhouse’s images are “wordless explorations of place that allow for the intersection of imagination … alternative ways of encountering, experiencing and responding to the complexities” of nature.

Rittenhouse is the quintessential example of “there is no set path for someone to become an artist.” For Rittenhouse it was the result of an active outdoor life of scuba diving, riding horses and being an “outdoors person” that came to an unexpected, dramatic and painful halt. The arts became a type of therapy, a recovery.

Rittenhouse shared the story of how she became an artist and the incidents that changed her life. “During 2011 and 2015 I was given an antibiotic, in the fluoroquinolone family, after surgery. The first adverse drug reaction (ADR) was misdiagnosed. It was the second ADR that destroyed my joints and tendons resulting in a right hip replacement, tendon repair and years of physical therapy.”

“Just for something to do during my recovery, I started using colored pencils to fill in the pictures of horses in adult coloring books. Suffering from pain, I was living in a dark place in my mind, so I used bright colors to offset the darkness. I later framed the pictures and gave some to my doctors and friends and was told that I was particularly good with colors and should put away the coloring books and start painting for myself. So I did. I began with watercolors, then moved on to alcohol inks, and I’m currently working with acrylics. The bright and stunning colors are comprised of elements, and the paint allows me to interpret the images in my head into art, both chemistry and artwork hand in hand.”

Rittenhouse is modest. When I saw her colorful framed works hanging in her office at Fayetteville State, I immediately knew I wanted to share her creative works and her story with the public. Her first one-person exhibit demonstrates her natural skills, talent and aesthetic relationship to oceans. It is also a story about perseverance.

A natural colorist, Rittenhouse brings her sensitivity and observation of colors to her creative work. Perhaps her earliest appreciation of color and its influence was growing up in Los Alamos, New Mexico, famously known as the Land of Enchantment. While her father, a physicist, worked at Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (later changed to Los Alamos National Laboratory), Rittenhouse stated she spent her “free time horseback riding through the canyons, admiring the beautiful azure blue skies, the rusty color of the clay mesas, the picturesque and polarizing landscape. The turquoise and silver jewelry in the region is prevalent — the turquoise stones varying from sky blue to a paler sky blue, greenish blue, or pale green, depending on the quantities of iron and copper within each stone.”

The experiences of color while growing up in New Mexico, her love of oceans, and her interest in scuba diving have all influenced her fascination and appreciation for color. Whether it is the vibrant colors you would see in the aquariums at “The REEF,” or while scuba diving, Rittenhouse has experienced the spectacles of color and uses those memories to evoke an essence of beauty and harmony in aquatic environments.

In Rittenhouse’s paintings, we see intense colors first but also sense the perpetual movement of water — a harmonious water environment and its life forms are present. In her “Ocean Blue Series,” blues and earth colors remind us of abstracted shorelines or what might be just under the surface of crashing waves. Sea dragons and goldfish swim with ease in reflected and refracted light-sourced environments.

Rittenhouse has chosen to paint something she is passionate about. It is that passion that continues to inspire and stimulate her creativity. Through the mediums of watercolor and alcohol inks, she is able to express her emotions for the subjects she chooses to paint. Even though Rittenhouse’s work is a creative and interpretative approach to color and form, a glimpse into biodiversity appears
in the way the artist uses colors, shapes and sea life in their watery environment.

Rittenhouse invites us to look at what is overlooked. We are moved to feel what she has experienced — a wonderous, vigorous and harmonious ecosystem filled with an array of bright colors and constant movement. The rhythm of tides can be experienced through the artists’ use of patterns of color and passages of light. Even in her small works, we become immersed and float just beneath the surface of a watery and shifting place.

It was not by accident The Ocean World of Ivy Rittenhouse opens on June 8. Rittenhouse is a naturalist and an activist who is highly aware of how the coral reefs are being damaged by ocean acidification, so it was appropriate for her first one-person exhibition to open on this day — World Oceans Day.

World Oceans Day was officially recognized by the United Nations in 2008 to raise awareness about the role of the United Nations and international law in the sustainable use of the oceans and their living and non-living resources.

World Oceans Day was established to remind everyone of the importance and major roles the oceans have on planet Earth and sustainability.

Gallery 208 celebrates Ivy Rittenhouse as an artist who not only appreciates and understands our biosphere but is able to successfully share and express her experiences of water and water life with others through the discipline of art making. Her body of work is a celebration of our aquatic ecosystem, its stunning beauty, and also its mysteries.

The public is welcome to meet the artist during the opening of The Ocean World of Ivy Rittenhouse between 5:30 and 7 p.m. on June 8. The exhibit will remain in Gallery 208 until Aug. 15.

Gallery 208 is located at 208 Rowan Street in Fayetteville, and is open Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

For information call 910-484-6200.

Earlier this year, Methodist University and Cape Fear Valley Health announced they are partnering to establish a medical school to train the next generation of healthcare professionals. The new medical school, to be located on the campus of Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, will combine the expertise and resources of both institutions to provide students with both education and clinical and hands-on experiences. Dr.

Hershey Bell has been named as the founding Dean of the College of Medicine.

Bell recently served as vice president for Medical Education Program Development at Cape Fear Valley Health. Before then, Bell was a professor and Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean for Developing Initiatives at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Erie, Pennsylvania.

Bell is not new to the area. He is a graduate of Duke’s National Family Medicine Faculty Development Fellowship program.
Although he has decades of experience in the health and education fields, this new prospect of becoming dean of a brand new college of medicine is very exciting for Bell.

“I consider this to be a capstone for my career, my ability to work with the leadership at Methodist and Cape Fear Valley and to really bring a legacy project to Fayetteville,” Bell said

“Methodist University is both pleased and proud to appoint Dr. Hershey Bell as the founding dean of the MU College of Medicine,” said Methodist University President Stanley T. Wearden in a press release.

“Dr. Bell brings to the position a wealth of knowledge, experience, energy, and passion for improving the quality of care through a more integrated approach to medical education and treatment. I am confident that Dr. Bell is absolutely the right person at the right time for the important job of founding the medical school, and I look forward to having him on our leadership team.”

Bell tells Up & Coming Weekly that medical schools are economic engines for the community as they drive not just the quality of health care but also industry development and real estate service.

According to a July 2021 report from Walden Economic Consulting, at the peak of the medical school’s operational capacity, there will be 837 permanent jobs, $72 million in annual spending and $9.6 million in tax revenues.

There are two goals for the school. The first goal is to improve high-quality medical care and increase health equity in the region by educating and retaining a diverse population of expertly trained medical doctors attentive to the needs of rural and under served populations.

The second goal is for Methodist University to become a national leader in inter-professional, team-based medical education.

There is currently a shortage of medical professionals in America. According to workforce projections from the Association of American Medical Colleges, by 2034, there will be a shortage of 17,800 to 48,000 primary care physicians. That number increases for non-primary care and specialty physicians.

“North Carolina is a very interesting state. We have about the right number of physicians per 100,000 population overall,” Bell said. “The trouble is they’re concentrated primarily in urban areas and surrounding medical schools. If you look at southeastern North Carolina, we are in a doctor desert. We have a lower number of physicians per capita than you would expect in the state. And as a result, our health outcomes suffer because the number one determinant of health outcomes is access to health care.”

“A great example to look at, by the way, is Greenville, North Carolina. When ECU opened, that region of the state had the same problems we have in southeastern North Carolina. But as a result of ECU and their medical school, they now are at average or above in terms of supply of physicians, and their health outcomes have improved. So we’re going to see the same thing happen in our region.”

Methodist University plans to begin classes in July 2026, pending approval by the Liaison Commission on Medical Education and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. If everything goes to plan, that beginning class will graduate in the spring of 2030.

“We will be accepting 80 students in our first class, and we’ll be ramping up towards a maximum enrollment of 120,” Bell said. “By the year 2032, we will have full classes of 120 students per year.”

Overall, Bell hopes everyone in Fayetteville and Cumberland County can see this new medical school as the community’s medical school.

“I expect to reach out to business leaders, educational leaders, faith leaders, and start to talk about how the community can become a part of what we’re creating,” he said. “This is their school. And on top of that, our curriculum is called the Caring for Everyone Everywhere Curriculum. It’s our idea that the medical school has an obligation to its community to ensure that everyone receives the best care. We’re going to be developing programs within the community for pipeline programs for middle and high school students, for those in this community seeking health care advice and for the leadership in the community. We’ll be developing programs around this theme of caring for everyone everywhere.”

To learn more about the College of Medicine, go to www.methodist.edu/academics/medicine/.

We recently had house guests. By one estimate, perhaps 20,000 of them. It was in April, when Alfred, Lord Tennyson said: “In Spring , a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love.”

Spring is also the time when a swarm of bees’ fancy lightly turns to thoughts of a new hive. I was conducting a fact finding mission at the Barnes & Noble when I received an excited call from my wife. She reported our kitchen was filling with bees. It was time for me to come home and reason with them. Understanding the chain of command, realizing this was not a suggestion but rather a direct order, home I went.

Upon arrival, it was clear she had correctly analyzed the situation. We had bees. They had not been there when I left, but now the joint was buzzing. They were entering the kitchen around a window. The bees were not happy to be inside. They clung to the kitchen window desiring to get back outside just as much as they had wanted to get inside.

Either the bees or we had to go. As the Big Lebowski once said: “This aggression will not stand, man.” Breaking out the fly swatter, the swatting began. I felt like the Brave Little Tailor in Grimm’s fairy tale who killed seven files with one blow. It was a massacre. We all know bees are necessary and our friends, so I felt guilty about swatting the interior bees. However, unwilling to live in a hive, swat I must. Once the bees had met their cruel but necessary fate, it was time to seal the window.

The greatest invention of all time is Duct Tape. Admittedly, there is debate that the greatest invention of all time is the Spork, an eating utensil which combines the spearing ability of a fork with the soup scooping ability of a spoon. This debate will wait for another column. A dark horse candidate for greatest invention of all time is the motor vehicle cup holder. But I digress. The Spork would not have helped with keeping more bees out of the kitchen. Duct Tape was just the ticket. I bravely taped up every space in the window as an occasional bee still slipped into the kitchen. After some mop up swatter action, the perimeter was sealed. Further bee immigration was stopped for the moment.

The kitchen border sealed against further undocumented bees seeking asylum, it was time to go outside to see what was doing. There was lots going on outside. Our swarm of bees was looking for a fixer upper for their new hive. A crack above a window casement was well suited for their new home. They were flying in and out, speaking in excited bee talk about their stunning new home. They were all abuzz about their chic new digs. The bees decided the gap in the wall to be move-in-ready with an open floor plan, featuring crisp hardwood flooring, complimented by captivating recessed lighting from the bee entryway leading to an upscale custom bedroom fit for a Queen Bee. They were ready to sign the contract and close the deal immediately.

Granting the bees adverse possession in the walls of the house was problematic. We had Seller’s Remorse about sharing the house with a swarm of bees. Fortunately, Fayetteville is blessed with the Cumberland County Bee Keepers Association which will cheerfully and safely remove swarms of bees. One call to the Bee Keepers resulted in visits from two bee keepers who could remove the bees. One suggested we might have 20,000 bees in the wall of our house. Yikes.

As the bees had just landed, they could be removed with a special bee vacuum once we had part of the roof removed so they could get to the bees. Bees do not carry insurance. The cost of removing and replacing the soffit would be our responsibility.

Knowledge of our bee tenants quickly spread like warm honey on a hot waffle to friends and neighbors. Having your house turned into a bee hive is a source of great amusement to anyone who does not live in a bee hive. We were pleased to bring bee related joy into the lives of our non-bee hosting friends. We went to sleep that night snuggled in our bed while visions of 20,000 bees in the ceiling danced in our heads.

The next morning I went outside to check on the bees. Not all bees are created equal. Some are busy bees. Some are not. We had lazy bees. There was no activity until about noon when the bees came home for lunch.

On Day Three there was no activity all day. The bees had flown the coup. While I was happy the bees had left on their own volition, I was mildly insulted that they had inspected our house and rejected it. To be turned down by a swarm of bees was an experience I had not expected to sting like it did.

The bees weighed us the balance and found us lacking. As Frank Sinatra once sang: “Doo Bee, Doo Bee, Doo.” Now buzz off.

Change is hard, and some change is harder than others.

History is not static. It is reinterpreted over time as we learn more about past events and as we come to understand them differently.

Both of these truisms come into play as we adjust to the newly renamed Fort Liberty, née Camp Bragg, the “center of the universe” to thousands of current and former military personnel, their families, and the rest of us who have lived and worked in a community heavily dependent on and invested in the world’s largest military installation.

We are not alone in our period of adjustment.

The U.S. Naming Commission, a body created by Congress and tasked with renaming bases from Virginia to Texas that were named a century or more ago for Confederate military heroes, not U.S. military heroes. They were named during a period when the South was still reeling from the trauma of the Civil War, when racial segregation was in full force, and when Southerners held strong sway in the halls of the U.S. Congress.

This year Fort Benning becomes Fort Moore. Gordon becomes Eisenhower. Lee becomes Gregg-Adams. AP Hill becomes Walker. Hood becomes Cavazos. Pickett becomes Barfoot. Polk becomes Johnson, and Rucker becomes Novosel.

The Confederates for whom the bases were originally named have their defenders, but the cause they championed — maintaining an economic system that allowed some human beings to own and exploit other human beings — was fundamentally unjust and immoral.

Fort Liberty is named for a founding concept of our nation, but other newly renamed bases honor Americans from many backgrounds who served the United States with courage and distinction.

Dwight David Eisenhower led the Allied forces to victory in World War II and went on to serve two terms as President.

General Hal Moore and his wife, Julia, served a combined 32 years with time overseas in Japan, Norway, Vietnam, and Korea. Her work led to casualty notification teams and survivor support systems in place to this day.

General Arthur Gregg served all over the world, promoting equality and personally desegregating the Fort Lee Officers Club. Lieutenant Colonel Charity Adams oversaw millions of pieces of mail sent to soldiers in Europe so effectively during WW II that it took three people to replace her.
Dr. Mary Walker was a skilled surgeon, a strong advocate for women’s rights, and an abolitionist. She was captured and imprisoned by the Confederates after she stayed behind enemy lines to provide medical care to U.S. troops.

General Richard Cavazos was the first Hispanic American to wear four stars and is known for his commitment to his troops, personally evacuating wounded men in Vietnam.

Technical Sergeant Van Barfoot served for 34 years in WW II, Korea and Vietnam. He is remembered for his bravery and was awarded the Medal of Honor.

Sergeant William Henry Johnson was known as the United States’ first hero of World War I for fighting off about two dozen German soldiers around trenches in France’s Argonne Forest. When he ran out of grenades, he fired bullets. When he ran out of bullets, he used his rifle as a club. He eventually abandoned the rifle and unsheathed his bolo knife.

Chief Warrant Officer 4 Michael Novosel served in WW II and in Vietnam, where he flew more than 2,500 rescue evacuation missions, rescuing 5,500 wounded men. He received the Medal of Honor for saving 29 soldiers from certain death on a single day.

No one can argue that those being honored by the renaming of military bases were not exceptional and loyal Americans committed to the United States and our values of liberty and equality.

Martin Luther King, Jr. reminded us more than once that “the moral arc of the universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”

Change can take a long time, a century or more, but it does happen.