The Local Government Commission has officially denied a proposed employment agreement that would allow the town of Spring Lake to hire Justine Jones as its next town manager.

The town board voted 3-2 on Oct. 10 to appoint Jones as permanent town manager with the condition that Jones, the Local Government Commission, the Board of Aldermen and the town attorney accept the contract terms.

State Treasurer Dale Folwell, who is also the chairman of the Local Government Commission, sent out a press release on Oct. 13 stating that he would not approve the money to hire Jones citing statutory authority and the commission’s financial oversight of Spring Lake as his reasons for not approving the funding.

He also cited concern over the potential for legal and financial liabilities and the potential adverse impact on town morale.

Mayor Kia Anthony has since referred to being in “limbo” as far as hiring a town manager, saying there has not been an official response from the commission to the town. Since Oct. 10, there have been numerous closed sessions with the board and Town Attorney Michael Porter citing personnel and attorney-client privilege.

Jones served as the town manager of Kenly for three months before being fired. The town made national headlines when seven employees, including the police chief and four full-time police officers, resigned after Jones had been on the job for 45 days. They said she created a hostile work environment.

Anthony and Porter have said Kenly hired a third-party private investigator who determined that the claims of a hostile work environment were unfounded.

In the four-page letter sent Dec. 7 to the town, Local Government Commission Secretary Sharon Edmundson, who also serves as the deputy treasurer for the State and Local Government Finance Division, provided clarification and reasoning for the commission’s decision to deny the contract.

Edmundson reminded the board that the LGC had by a resolution from October 2021 exercised its authority to assume full control of all of the financial affairs of the town.

The Local Government Commission took over the town’s finances in October 2021 amid concerns over budget deficits, fiscal disarray and possible missing money. 

She added that in its role as the governing board for the town’s financial matters, the LGC may exercise financial power to hire a town manager.

“The LGC staff have historically collaborated with local governments under the LGC’s financial control to give deference to elected officials’ choices, provided those choices are prudent, reasonable, and fiscally sound given the specific circumstances of that local government’s overall fiscal health and situation,” Edmundson said in the letter.

Edmundson then outlined six concerns that led to the decision to decline the proposed employment agreement by Folwell, Edmundson and David Erwin, who was appointed the town’s finance officer on Nov. 2.

Their reasoning was as follows:
That the candidate does not meet preferred qualifications agreed to by the board in its 2023 Fiscal Accountability Agreement dated Sept. 26, specifically that the candidate should have experience with an N.C. municipal government that was in good standing after his/her tenure. According to the letter, Jones had less than four months of experience in an N.C. municipal government position and the town of Kenly was not currently in good standing with the LGC due to its missing financial audit report in 2021.
Jones had no experience as a town manager of a municipality of comparable size. Kenly has one-fifth the population of Spring Lake. Kenly is in Johnston and Wilson counties and has around 1,500 residents. Spring Lake has almost 12,000 residents.
Jones has no experience as a manager of a town recovering from severe fiscal distress and mismanagement.
Other than the brief period in Kenly, her work history shows no experience in a local government management position for the last seven years, from 2015-2022.
There was a split 3-2 vote from the Board of Aldermen for the selection, which indicates that the board was not in agreement and that this indicated a lack of confidence in the candidate. According to LGC staff, this often leads to further problems.
Former interim town manager Joe Durham stated that Jones would need coaching to handle the current management needs of the town. He had offered free coaching. However, the LGC said this further showed there was a lack of substantial and necessary experience as a town manager.


Edmundson furthered that the LGC recognized that the town was still recovering from years of financial mismanagement and employee malfeasance.

An investigative audit report released March 17 by State Auditor Beth Wood outlined six findings, including that the former finance director Gay Tucker used more than $400,000 in town money for personal use and that town employees had spent over $100,000 in questionable credit card purchases.

Tucker pleaded guilty in September to embezzling more than $500,000 from the town between 2016 and 2021. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 14.

“Recognizing this situation, the LGC staff aspire to work collaboratively with you, as the Town officials, to make the best financial decisions. But the duty of financial stewardship and loyalty of the LGC, its staff, and the Treasurer to the citizens and taxpayers should take precedence over the LGC staff’s customary deference to decisions of the elected officials,” Edmundson said.

The letter also noted that Porter had demanded LGC review the proposed employment agreement and had threatened multiple times to bring legal action against the LGC due to its delayed response.


Edmundson said these threats came despite the LGC staff continuing to handle financial matters of the town on a timely basis and as the town named Jason Williams to be interim town manager on Nov. 14.

She said Porter first provided the agreement less than an hour before a regularly scheduled meeting of the full Local Government Commission on Nov. 1 in Cullowhee without leaving any time for LGC staff to review the materials or advise commission members on the matter. She also added that the contract would normally not have been presented to the LGC for review and approval because of already approved LGC resolutions.

Considering Porter’s demands, the contract came up at the December LGC meeting on Tuesday, where Folwell brought up the proposed agreement and noted that staff recommended denial.

“The Treasurer stated that he was willing to put this matter to a separate vote by the Commission, despite the delegation of authority from the LGC to staff as noted above. Consequently, to move forward, we are now communicating the decision to not approve the proposed employment agreement,” Edmundson said.

She said Folwell and the LGC staff were willing to assist in hiring a town manager and outlined what the LGC considered necessary executive and administration qualifications for a new town manager.

This skill set includes:

• A demonstrated success and experience as a manager of a North Carolina municipality with a size of population, staff, services, and budget comparable to that of Spring Lake, most preferably for a minimum of two years. It was added that three to four years would be better.
• Possibly demonstrated success as a manager in turning around a distressed town or community.
• The ability to hit the ground running leading all town administrative functions.
• Demonstrated attention to detail in all written and oral correspondence. (Jones sent a cover letter and resume to the “Town of Spring Park in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Southwest Virginia” before sending a corrected version to the town of Spring Lake.)
  
  
  Anthony, Mayor Pro Tem Robyn Chadwick and Alderwoman Sona Cooper did not respond to a request for comment Thursday.
  
  Alderman Raul Palacios said in response to the letter Thursday that Folwell made the right call for Spring Lake. Palacios was one of the aldermen who voted against hiring Jones, saying there were other applicants who were more qualified.
  
  “Another positive outcome to this is that the LGC has defined its role in the hiring process and has outlined qualities they’re looking for in our next town manager,’’ Palacios said. “The treasurer’s office did acknowledge our interim town manager Jason Williams has been ‘performing well,’ so Spring Lake citizens can rest knowing we are in capable hands at this time.”
  
  According to Palacios, the board made the decision to file suit against the state and the LGC during a meeting Tuesday night.
  
  “The petition is for a Writ of Mandamus, which is asking the court to command a public authority to perform an official duty,’’ Palacios said. “In this case, the town is wanting the LGC to approve or deny the contract for Justine Jones.’’
  
  He said the board made the decision because the LGC had the contract for over 30 days and took no action other than news releases.
  
  Palacios said that after receiving the letter from Edmundson, Porter had emailed the board that in light of obtaining a final decision he would stand down until otherwise instructed.
  
  Edmundson said Folwell has consistently stated that the focus of the LGC’s financial decisions is to protect the town’s citizens, the taxpayers and their tax dollars, and to make wise use of the town’s limited resources.
  
  “The goal has always been to help the Town regain its financial footing so that full control may be returned to its governing board,” Edmundson said.
  
  She added that Folwell had repeatedly offered to meet with Anthony to discuss how best to move forward in finding the right candidate.
  
  “The practice of the LGC staff has always been to work in collaboration with Town officials and staff on key issues,’’ Edmundson said. “Yet it has been difficult to find points of agreement with the Town on both process and substance of financial decisions during this time of LGC financial control.”
  
  Folwell and Anthony have not met despite discussing meeting since mid-October.
  
  “We have great hopes for the future of Spring Lake and look forward to working collaboratively with you to identify and hire the appropriate individual for this key position,” Edmundson said.
  
  The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Aldermen is Monday, Dec. 12 at 6 p.m. at the Spring Lake Town Hall. There is a closed session on the agenda with general statutes cited for personnel and attorney-client privilege.

No life-threatening injuries were reported Dec. 8 when a Cumberland County Schools bus overturned in the 2000 block of Slocomb Road, according to the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office.

The accident was reported at 8:05 a.m. Thursday. School Bus 403 flipped over on the side of the road.
Twenty-three Pine Forest High School students were on the bus, according to a statement from Cumberland County Schools.

“As a precaution, students and the bus driver were transported to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center's main campus for evaluation,’’ the school system said.

Details of what caused the accident were not immediately available.

The N.C. State Highway Patrol is investigating the accident, the news release said.

“We are grateful to law enforcement and first responders who worked with school officials to respond quickly to this situation,’’ the school system said. “While the accident is still under investigation by law enforcement, we are thankful that there were no life-threatening injuries.’’

Drivers were cautioned to avoid Slocomb Road, which was closed to traffic.

Cynthia Leeks says she thinks ShotSpotter is a good company, but she told representatives of the gunshot-detection business on Dec. 7 that the technology is not suitable for Fayetteville.

Leeks was among more than 30 people who attended the first of three information sessions designed to explain the program to the public and field questions how it works.

Another in-person meeting was scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday at Kiwanis Recreation Center, 352 Devers St. A remote version of the presentation is set for noon Friday on the online meeting forum Zoom.

“This seems to be one-sided to me,” Leeks said from her seat in Smith Recreation Center on Slater Avenue. “I think you all are a great company, but this is not for Fayetteville, North Carolina. We are right here at Fort Bragg, and what the gentleman said, he hears M16s all night. I don’t know what they do out there.”

Law enforcement agencies across the country have implemented technology to help reduce gun violence. One of those tools is an acoustic gunshot detection system that can verify when and where shots are fired and to automatically notify police dispatchers.
On its website, ShotSpotter says it uses an array of acoustic sensors that are connected to a cloud-based application designed to accurately locate gunshots. Each acoustic sensor captures the precise time and audio from sounds that may be from gunfire. The data is used to locate where the noise originated and uses algorithms to determine if the source might be a gunshot.

Ron Teachman, director of public safety for ShotSpotter, said law enforcement officers have been shown to arrive faster with the use of the gunshot technology.

The cost for the “guns fired” technology will be $197,000, according to Jack Pontious, a director of Northeast region sales at ShotSpotter, which is based in Fremont, California.

“I’m real excited about working with Fayetteville police,” Pontious said.

But skeptics say the technology is no more effective than a 911 call from a resident or business.

“What is the police department saying about this?” Leeks asked Teachman. “It just seems to infringe on their responsibility. And it’s just not clear-cut here. I’m not at all happy with the fact that high crime is in my community. I’m a person of color; it’s in my community. What are you talking about doing — sending a police officer there each time we hear gunshots? I hear gunshots every night.”

Last month, the Fayetteville City Council voted 6-4 to proceed with implementing gunshot-reporting technology, with the stipulation that ShotSpotter representatives appear at three public forums to answer questions about how it works.

The council authorized the city manager to pursue a contract with ShotSpotter after the forums are held and with some contract modifications.
That followed a 7-3 vote against a motion by Councilman Mario Benavente that the council not proceed with the contract. Council members Courtney Banks-McLaughlin and Shakeyla Ingram joined Benavente to oppose pursuing a contract.

John Czajkowski, 71, came to Wednesday’s information session to hear the presentation from the ShotSpotter representatives.

“I’d rather see the money spent here,” Cazjkowski said. “If you want ShotSpotter, call 911 and give them the money. That will give them incentive. I believe in investing in community first.”

Leeks said she has encouraged people to call 911 instead of relying on the gunshot technology.

“I was just sitting here boiling because I cannot believe the city of Fayetteville has a contract with this company to come in and spend my tax dollars on stuff like this,” Leeks said. “You haven’t said a word about strengthening what we already have. You want to come in with something new and stress what we already have.”

Nathan Weber, a 35-year-old Methodist University student, and Susannah Wagner, 27 and a Cumberland County school teacher, both oppose the ShotSpotter contract.

“It’s a lot of money, in particular,” Wagner said.

Wagner said she and Weber spent a day researching the controversial technology before coming to the meeting.
Following the information session, representatives of Campaign Zero, a national campaign for police reform, offered what they called “the other side of the story.”

Campaign Zero, which dates to 2015, supports 10 proposals to reduce police violence. They cast double on what the ShotSpotter representatives said at Wednesday’s forum.

“They know what to say,” said Abby Magaraci, an analyst for Campaign Zero. “We're just not told the entire truth.”

Fayetteville Regional Airport unveiled its terminal renovations and expansion on Dec. 7, according to a city news release.

The renovations include a new entrance canopy; enhanced security screening area; reconstruction of the rental parking lot; Concourse B upgrades; new airline offices and counter spaces; new escalators and elevators; upgraded baggage claim wings; and new administrative offices, according to the news release.

Airport Director Toney Coleman presided at the ceremony.

In addition to Coleman, speakers included Mark Lynch, chairman of the Airport Commission, Mayor Mitch Colvin; City Councilwoman Courtney Banks-McLaughlin; and City Manager Doug Hewett.

The more than $37 million in renovations were financed through grants from the Federal Aviation Administration, state of North Carolina, and airport’s fund balance, the release said.

Airport officials said the renovations will save travelers time during the busy holiday travel season.

Methodist University will hold its winter commencement Saturday morning, Dec. 10 at the Crown Coliseum.

The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m., according to a university news release. More than 100 graduates will receive their degrees in the final Class of 2022, the release said.

They include Charlisa Lawrence-Joseph, a Dominica native whose country’s flag will be presented during the commencement. The flag will then be permanently displayed in Berns Students Center on campus along with more than 120 flags from other countries across the world, the release said.

Continuing a university tradition, graduates will receive their degrees from Methodist President Stanley T. Wearden as well as participate in an academic hooding ceremony onstage. Each graduate will be hooded by an individual sponsor such as a parent, spouse, child, professor or friend, the release said.

The commencement speaker will be John “Mac” Healy, immediate past chairman of the university’s board of trustees. Healy is president of Healy Wholesale Co. and has lived in the Fayetteville area for more than four decades, the release said.

“It is my pleasure to address this impressive group of graduates,” Healy said in the news release. “These young adults have overcome enormous obstacles to be the newest group of Methodist University graduates. I am truly honored to share this hard-fought victory with them and their families and look forward to watching each of them accept their degree.”

A baccalaureate service recognizing the graduates is scheduled at 7 p.m. Friday in Matthews Chapel. The service will feature the MU Chamber Singers, voice and instrumental soloists, and readers from the graduating class who will lead the congregation in prayers, carols and hymns, according to the news release.

“The faculty, staff, alumni and friends of MU are thrilled to celebrate the accomplishments of our most recent Methodist University graduates,” Provost Suzanne Blum Malley said in the release. “They have navigated the demands of their academic programs during the upheaval of a global pandemic. We are impressed by their resilience and proud of their commitment to our Methodist University mission and values.”

Graduates and their families can find more information about the hooding ceremony, caps and gowns, parking, tickets, baccalaureate and more at www.methodist.edu/life-at-mu/graduation/.

Two people were shot in a possible road rage incident Sunday, Dec. 4 on Parkton Road, the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office said.

Deputies responded to a shooting on the 5700 block of Parkton Road in Hope Mills around 3:40 p.m. Deputies learned that “two vehicles were involved in a possible road rage incident where one of the vehicles was shot into and eventually came to a stop via an accident,’’ the Sheriff’s Office said in a release.

The driver and a passenger were taken to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center for their injuries, Lt. Patrice Bogertey, a spokeswoman for the Sheriff’s Office, said Monday. One of the shooting victims has been released but the other remains in the hospital, Bogertey said.

The other car sped away toward Woodington Road, the release said. Video footage of the incident shows the vehicle to be a gray sport utility vehicle.

The front passenger was described as a man wearing a bright orange long-sleeved sweater with his arm protruding out the window, the release said.

Anyone who has information about this investigation is asked to call detective D. Bennett at 910- 677-5506 or Crimestoppers at 910-483-TIPS (8477).

The curriculum committee of the Cumberland County Board of Education approved purchase agreements totaling about $8 million on Tuesday, Dec. 6 for services and goods with the educational supply companies Learning.com, Learning Environments LLC, Y&S Technologies and McGraw Hill.

The spending will now go before the full Board of Education for consideration on Dec. 13. Five of the board’s subcommittees met Tuesday afternoon at the Education Resource Center on Elementary Drive.

Mellotta Hill and Chris Young led the presentations on the purchases before the curriculum committee. Learning Environments LLC would provide and install musical instrument storage cabinets in middle and high school classrooms that need additional storage.

“These cabinets will, in fact, give a safe and inviting place to store musical instruments,” Hill said.

The cabinets would cost a total of $131,696, with funding from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER), a program of the federal Department of Education in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Learning.com is a subscription service for self-paced digital literacy curriculum and digital literacy assessment written to standards of the International Society of Technology for Technology in Education. According to the agenda packet, the subscription service and licenses accommodate 32,000 users at elementary and middle schools.

The cost to the school district is $247,360, with funding provided through the N.C. Department of Public Instruction. The goal is to implement “a robust learning experience.”

Y&S Technologies would provide 19,457 Chromebooks to the school system to replace aging and damaged Chromebooks, said Young.

The computers, which would cost a total of $7.3 million, are manufactured by Lenovo. They would be assigned to the district’s most successful students, officials said.
In this case, the strategic goal is to define, understand and promote educational equity to eliminate gaps and ensure opportunity and access for all students.

The customized kits include K-5 teacher materials, readers, educational manipulatives and digital access for all exceptional children’s teachers. The total cost would be $350,000. The committee voted 4-0 to approve all the purchase agreements.

The All-American Fencing Academy hosted the 15th Annual Harry Rulnick Fencing Tournament on Nov. 12. The tournament is named in honor of Fayetteville native Harry Rulnick, who fenced at UNC Chapel Hill from 1939-1943 and was South Atlantic Champion. He served in the Navy from 1942-1946 and returned to Fayetteville after WWII.

Rulnick donated funds to help purchase starter equipment for students upon learning that a fencing club had started in Fayetteville in 2001. When the annual tournament started in 2006, Rulnick attended as a guest. He died in 2009.

This year, there were 36 competitors from all over North Carolina and one fencer from Georgia. In the men’s foil event, Conrad Emenheiser from Apex Fencing Academy swept through the tournament undefeated and finished in 1st place. In women’s foil, Veronica Hernandez from Lotus Fencing Academy in Georgia took 1st place.

In the largest event, the adult epee event featured competitors from the UNC Chapel Hill Varsity Division 1 NCAA team, Apex, Greensboro, Charlotte and Fayetteville. William Joseph from UNC-Chapel Hill took 1st place.

The highest place taken by Fayetteville’s fencers were Andrew Iford who took 3rd place in both the adult epee and men’s foil event, while Elinor Morkos and Reagan Batdorff tied for 3rd in the women’s foil event.
Youth and Homeschoolers Medal in Greensboro Tournament

Last year, the Fayetteville Homeschool Fencing Team went undefeated and finished as the champions of the North Carolina Homeschool Fencing League. All of last year’s team members have graduated. This year’s team includes co-captains Elinor Morkos and Isaac Canady, as well as Caleb Bruno. This year’s team is not inexperienced in competition. All team members have been fencing for several years and have participated in several competitions.

On Nov. 19, the Fayetteville Homeschool Fencing Team competed in their second team event at Greensboro. After a solid victory against the Wilmington Homeschool Fencing Team, Fayetteville had their first test of their capabilities with Morkos anchoring the team. Oakridge Homeschool were able to tie the score at 44-44 in the final round, but Morkos managed to score the winning touch, winning 45-44.

In the Homeschool individual event, Canady went undefeated and finished in 1st place.
Fayetteville’s youth fencers also competed in Greensboro in the Pisacafe (Piedmont, Sandhills, Cape Fear) Youth Circuit.

In the elementary school division, Callaghan Young took the highest spot for the All-American Fencing Academy at 2nd place. In the middle school division, Daniel Wiskniewski took the highest spot for the All-American Fencing Academy, also at 2nd place.

The All-American Fencing Academy hosts a Walk-In Class for fencers who want to try the sport. The Walk-In Classes occur during Fayetteville’s Fourth Friday events. The All-American Fencing Academy is located in downtown Fayetteville at 207 B Donaldson St. It instructs and trains recreational and competitive fencers starting at age 7, teens, adults and veterans ages 40 and up. Its fencers compete regionally and nationally. Their coaches include former World Cup and NCAA fencers.

For more information about the All-American Fencing Academy and its classes, please call 910-644-0137, e-mail info@allamericanfencing.com or visit www.allamericanfencing.com.

Grace. The word literally means ‘favor.’

In Hebrew it is CHEN from a root word CHANAN — to bend or stoop in kindness to another as a superior to an inferior. I’ve experienced grace. On my best days I’ve even extended it to others. Once you recognize it you become aware it is nothing short of amazing.

Three years and a lifetime ago today our oldest son drew his final breath on this earth. In the time that’s passed since actualizing any parent’s worst nightmare, I’ve learned several things about myself, things about those I love, about those I endeavor to serve, and God. I’ve learned a lot about God.

I’ve become more aware than ever that life is full of difficult situations. And I’ve discovered the lens through which to view them from those who literally walked with and learned from Jesus.

Those who paved the pathway to understanding tell us in their letters inspired by God Himself and recorded for all of us in the Bible. Peter (the rough-around-the-edges disciple) called it a living hope. In the first of his recorded letters, (1 Peter 1:6-7) he says this, “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith — more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire — may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

Shining the light on hope in even the worst situations has become an everyday task in my world. For more than two decades I’ve been trusted with a platform extending the promises God made and still makes to us individually and collectively.

And what I’ve realized in the past three years is that the promise of the sorrow of the night giving way to a new joy in the morning is true. I’ve had nights I wrestled with the silence of sorrow, trying to drown it out with music or some white noise in my earbuds to carry me through ‘til morning. And then it came. Morning. The dawn of a new day. With the renewed promise of hope each new sunrise offers us.

So this — this moment of trial is part of the promise. If anything about the story of hope I weave is true beyond today, I must embrace it. I must put my feet on the floor, step into the day ahead, and share the promise with others — even as I am being refined in the fire of trial.

Yeah, grace truly is amazing. And as God bends to me with His kindness, I can only be grateful. Life has taught me the vanity of questioning ‘why.’ So I allow that grace — that kindness — to be enough, knowing this moment, this trial, this testing of all that’s encompassed in my use of the word faith will, in light of eternity, prove itself to have been only a little while.

When selecting gifts for the holidays, consider giving a fitness-oriented gift to that person on your list. Gifts that bring the gym to you are popular items for the fitness enthusiast

The most popular bike on the market is Peloton for indoor stationary exercise. It is a choice for those who would like to invest in a bike for home. The bike comes with a computerized screen that offers the participant a ride with live streaming or on-demand classes for a monthly fee.

The Nordic Track Commercial 1750 treadmill comes with a 14-inch touchscreen, and a lot of training options. It has keys to jump to a speed or incline with a single tap and an underfoot 22 by 60-inch deck to walk, jog or run. The Stair master 8 series Free Climber offers a workout for the cardio enthusiast. It comes with 10 programs that include a quick start, manual, fat burner, calorie burner, intervals, cup holder, streaming and Bluetooth.

The Tonal gym is a wall-mounted gym that is tailored to your fitness goals and works with digital weight. It adapts to your fitness needs and keeps track of your performance.

TRX is an all-in-one suspension trainer that takes up minimal space, can be used indoors or out, and was designed by a Navy Seal. The suspension training system is designed for complete body weight work with degrees of intensity based on body positions. It is considered all core all the time because the suspension system challenges the body to keep stable movement during exercises.

For the boxing enthusiast, Fight Camp can transform any space into your boxing gym. The boxing enthusiast will get a complete package for all your knockout rounds. Accessories include gloves, punch trackers, a free-standing bag, a mat, and on-demand workouts.

The Mirror is a sleek mirror that takes up minimal space and can be propped against the wall. Have your work out while watching a fifty-inch reflective surface with thousands of classes and workout types from five to sixty minutes.

Have someone on that gift list that loves technology and the latest trends and accessories? Technical gifts can consider many actions of the recipient from walking to sleeping.

The Apple Watch Series 8 is a fitness partner that fits on your wrist. The Apple Watch tracks all your workout routines with metrics to keep you on top of your goals. It tracks heart rate zones, power and elevation, and keeps information on your running pace. It is water-resistant and tracks your heart rate and blood pressure.

The Fitbit Luxe watch is a fashion accessory that blends in with all your attire whether in the gym or at leisure. It has features for fitness, health, sleep and stress as well as call and text notifications. Rather wear a ring than a watch? The Oura Ring Generation 3 is a subtle accessory that comes in two styles, and five finishes, and tracks your activities, meditation and sleep.

Jisulife has a portable neck fan to use for indoor cycling or activities such as marathon preparation. It helps keep body temperature down, is battery operated and rechargeable with three speeds. The Hidrate Spark water bottle is designed to keep you hydrated throughout the day. It includes a glow factor to remind you to drink, and tracks every sip or drink you take, with an app that recommends a daily water goal tracking your progress.

The Blend Jet portable blender comes in a large assortment of fashion colors that blends your favorite drinks and smoothies while on the go.

Live, love life and give fitness gifts.

When Philip Gerard died Nov. 7 in Wilmington, North Carolina lost one of its most productive and multitalented writers.

His students and colleagues in the creative writing department at UNC-Wilmington would remind us of his great talent as a teacher and mentor to other writers.
As an engaging fiction writer, he was careful to keep his stories’ underlying factual basis strictly accurate. For instance, his 2016 novel, “The Dark of the Island,” weaves a story line that brings together facts about German submarines and spying along our coastline together with fictional efforts to find and exploit oil deposits off those same shores.

The main character, Nick Wolf, is a researcher and publicist for the fictional NorthAm Oil Co., which is searching for oil off the North Carolina coast. NorthAm sends Wolf to the Outer Banks to persuade the locals that oil drilling off their coast would be a good thing for them.

Wolf’s grandfather was a German immigrant who died off the coast of Hatteras Island in 1942 reportedly while serving in the U.S. Merchant Marines, but possibly as a part of the German military. Out of this intriguing background, Gerard’s fiction emerges as an entertaining and provocative read.

As a talented writer of non-fiction, he knew how to weave the facts into compelling stories that held the attention of his readers.
In one of my favorites, “Down the Wild Cape Fear: A River Journey through the Heart of North Carolina,” I learned a lot about history, nature, environmental protection and degradation, public policy, human nature, and man’s search to find a proper place in the world he did not create.

Thanks to Gerard’s great writing, I experienced the drama, the challenges, the joys and the setbacks that are the seasonings of any journey through unfamiliar parts.
Starting a few miles below Jordan Lake where Haw River joins Deep River to form the Cape Fear, Gerard canoes downstream, passing by Raven Rock State Park before reaching the bridge at Lillington, getting through three sets of dams and locks, all the way to Fayetteville. Then, with the rapids behind, switching to a powerboat to follow the river as it passes Elizabethtown, he is on the way to Wilmington and into the ocean beyond Bald Head Island.

We can still benefit from Gerard’s stimulating writing. In May, Blair/Carolina Wren Press published his latest book, “North Carolina in the 1940s: The Decade of Transformation.”
Based on a series of articles Gerard wrote for Our State Magazine, his new book, in 13 short chapters, takes a look at North Carolina in the 1940’s. No one book, especially a short one, can adequately cover an entire decade. But Gerard’s selection and description of important topics gives his readers an informed introduction to the entire period.

Gerard’s small book covers: the 1940 hurricane that brought deathly floods to the mountains of North Carolina, the origins of the “Unto These Hills” (a theatrical extravaganza depicting Cherokee life and history); challenges of land ownership for Black North Carolinians; the polio epidemic; construction of the Fontana Dam and the painful relocation of local residents; the powerful 1944 storm that lashed the Outer Banks; strikes at Reynolds Tobacco in 1943; Black Mountain College and its shocking liberalism in conservative North Carolina; the establishment of the Marine Corps training facility at Camp Lejeune; and the “sensitive, steady, and reliable leadership” of Gov. Mel Broughton.

If these topics are not enough for you, there is some good news. Gerard left another book for us, “North Carolina in the 1950s: The Decade in Motion,” set for publication in March 2023.

Editor’s Note: D.G. Martin, a lawyer, served as UNC-System’s vice president for public affairs and hosted PBS-NC’s North Carolina Bookwatch.

“Flu season” has become such a commonplace turn of phrase that it’s easy to overlook just how big a threat the flu can pose.

Estimates from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest that as many as 41 million illnesses and 52,000 deaths each year can be attributed to the flu.

There’s no denying that the flu can be a formidable foe, even for those who recover from it within a few days of becoming ill. Flu vaccines can make cases of the flu more manageable, making now a great time to answer some common questions that arise every flu season.

Why are flu vaccinations important? The CDC notes that annual flu vaccinations help to reduce the risk of getting the flu. But it’s also worth noting that a flu shot helps to prevent more serious complications for those people that do get it. Such complications can include ear infections, sinus infections, bacterial pneumonia, and the worsening of chronic conditions like asthma and diabetes.

How do flu vaccines work? Researchers work year-round to get an idea of which influenza viruses are likely to be most common in a given flu season. This is why flu vaccines change from year to year. Regardless of those changes, the CDC notes that all flu vaccines work in the same way, with each causing the development of antibodies in the body within a couple of weeks of vaccination. These antibodies protect against the flu virus.

Flu viruses are constantly changing, so a vaccination that might have been effective one year will not necessarily provide significant protection in the following year. In addition, the protection provided by the flu vaccine wanes over time, so people won’t necessarily be well fortified against the flu if they aren’t vaccinated each year.

Do flu vaccines take individuals into account? The CDC notes that, during the 2022-23 flu season, three flu vaccines are preferentially recommended for people ages 65 and older. That recommendation was based on research suggesting the three vaccines are more effective for people in this age group than the standard dose flu vaccine. For the 2022-23 flu season, the CDC has no preferential recommendation for people under 65.

Should everyone receive a flu shot? Though there are rare exceptions, the CDC urges all individuals age six months and older to get a flu shot every year. Vaccination can be especially important for people considered to be at elevated risk of serious complications should they develop the flu. This includes individuals over 65, people with chronic health conditions and children younger than two-years-old, among others. A more complete list of people who could be at high risk of flu complications is available at cdc.gov/flu/highrisk/index.htm. Am I protected immediately after receiving a flu shot? The flu shot does not provide immediate protection. The CDC notes that it takes roughly two weeks for antibodies to develop and provide protection against the flu virus. This is one reason why it’s wise to get a flu shot before flu season begins.

Flu vaccines are a highly effective mode of protection against influenza viruses. More information is available at www.cdc.gov.

Santa is stepping away from the North Pole to enjoy breakfast and photo opportunities with his friends at Huske Hardware House restaurant in Fayetteville.

Santa will be making appearances during two breakfast sessions on Saturday, Dec. 10. The first session will begin at 9 a.m. and last until 10:15 a.m. Guests wanting to attend the first session must arrive between 8:45 and 9 a.m. Breakfast will not be served after 9:45 a.m. Session two will start at 10:15 a.m. and end at 11:30 a.m. with patrons arriving no later than 10:15 a.m. Breakfast will not be served after 10:45 a.m.

Huske Hardware House Restaurant won't disappoint with the menu for this festive event. Kids under the age of 10 will be served the Happy Eggs Breakfast which consists of one scrambled egg, two strips of bacon, and a Belgian Pearl Sugar Waffle.

Those who are 10 and older will be served the Simply Southern Breakfast, which comes with two scrambled eggs, two slices of bacon, one banger sausage, a buttered biscuit, and crispy hash browns.
Tickets must be purchased in advance and seating is limited. For kids, the cost is $12 and for adults it is $15. Tickets are required for all guests two years old and older. All reservations will be made through ticket purchases on Eventbrite.com and are non-refundable.

Located in historic downtown Fayetteville, the Huske Hardware House Restaurant & Brewery has a rich 115-year-old history. On the National Register of Historic Places, the original building was built in 1903 by Benjamin R. Huske. Over the years, the original Victorian-era masonry frame was added to accommodate the booming hardware store. It expanded upward an additional story and to the west to add three more storefronts. Between 1970 and 1996, the building took on a variety of tenants, from furniture merchants to jewelry stores. However, in 1996 Dr. Joseph Baggett renovated the east side to create the restaurant and brewery of today.

Arnette Park is set to light up the night this holiday season. Gather the whole family for Arnette Park's 13th Annual Christmas in the Park event.

If you haven’t attended before, this year is your chance to enjoy the beautiful lights, the camaraderie and the brisk fall breeze that all make for a memorable experience.

The Parks and Recreation staff wants all Fayetteville citizens and the residents of surrounding areas to come out for a night and revel in the light show along with lots of other special Christmas events.

The event is a festival of lights — a combination of holiday-themed displays and natural woodland spanning 100 acres adjacent to the Cape Fear River. It will be a magical way to spend the evening during this wonderful time of year.

Arnette Park will be hosting Christmas in the Park from Dec. 4 to 8, 11 to 15, and 18 to 21 (excludes Fridays and Saturdays). The festivities start at 6 p.m. and last until 9 p.m. each night at Arnette Park.

Admission is free and guests must remain in their vehicle and drive through the park while taking in the sights and sounds of the Christmas season.

 Whether you are two or 82, this year’s Christmas in the Park will be fun for everyone in the family and offers plenty of opportunities to get into the Christmas spirit.

“Christmas in the Park brought back some of my favorite childhood memories and helped me make a few new ones with my own children,” says visitor Tiffany Haywood.

“I can promise you, my family and I have found our newest Christmas tradition and I think perhaps you can find yours too!”

Animals, other than service animals, are not permitted in the park. For additional information, call 910-433-1574. During inclement weather, call 910-306-7325 to check if the park will be open.

The Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery branch of Wreaths Across America will hold their annual wreath laying event Saturday, Dec. 17 at noon at the Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery in Spring Lake. The wreaths are to honor and remember those who have served in the United States military and who are laid to rest in veterans’ cemeteries.

Wreaths Across America started in Arlington National Cemetery in 1992. A local wreath maker created wreaths for the cemetery as a tribute to the veterans buried there. National Wreaths Across America Day was soon created, and now the day encompasses more than 2,500 veterans’ cemeteries across the nation.

“The Wreaths Across America motto is ‘Remember, Honor, Teach.’ Remember those who served, honor their families and people currently serving now, and teach the next generation the value of freedom. They couldn’t have come up with a better motto,” said Ann Provencher, coordinator of the Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery Wreaths Across America Day.

Provencher is in her fourth year as coordinator of the event and her twelfth year as a part of the organization.

“I’m a military family person, my grandparents served, my dad served, I served, my husband served, a couple of my kids served. I’m a very veteran oriented person. Anything that honors our veterans I am pretty much a part of it,” Provencher said.

Wreaths Across America Day will kick off at the cemetery with the delivery of the wreaths. This year, Provencher is hoping to have around 8,000 wreaths to lay at both the Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery and the Main Post Cemetery on Fort Bragg.

The Fayetteville Independent Light Infantry will present the colors, and the Overhills High School marching band will play throughout the ceremony.

A regimental bagpiper will play Amazing Grace, and the Missing Man Table will be presented by the Women’s Veterans Interactive Group. New to the ceremony this year will be a large magnetic board with an empty wreath frame. Each wreath is built of 10 balsam bouquets, and each bouquet of the wreath has an important meaning.

This year, Gold Star families will build a wreath on the board as Provencher talks about the individual pieces. The 10 qualities that veterans embody include such ideas as strength, pride, humility and hopes and dreams.
Once the ceremony has concluded, those in attendance will begin laying the wreaths on headstones. There is an important way to do this, Provencher said.
The wreath is placed at the bottom of the headstone with the ribbon on top. Once a volunteer places the wreath, they say the veteran’s name out loud and pay their respects, whether through a moment of silence or a brief prayer.

Provencher said saying the name out loud is important.

“The reason we pay tribute and lay the wreaths, say their name and pay our respects is so that they are remembered. A lot of times family moves on or dies off and no one is left to visit them,” she said.

“I have friends buried in Sandhills. It’s important that they are remembered. I’m a firm believer you die twice, once when you leave your body and once when you’re forgotten.”

Wreaths Across America Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery is always looking for volunteers and donations to continue to honor and remember our nation’s veterans.
To sponsor a wreath visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/pages/166832. To volunteer or to donate, contact Ann Provencher at 910-670-9280 or by email at ann3989@yahoo.com.

The holiday season is upon Fayetteville, and with it, a bevy of activities to help ring in the holiday season. As the town gears up for the “Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” it’s the perfect time to get out and about.
For those who can’t resist a little four-wheeled fun, the city’s festive transportation offerings promise something for everyone, just in time for Cool Spring Downtown District’s third annual “Light Up The City” event.

The friendly storefront decorating competition lets customers and visitors to downtown Fayetteville vote on businesses with the “best-dressed windows” for a chance to win the coveted “Viewers Choice Award.”
Though the competition can be judged on foot, for those who'd rather ride in style, Cool Spring Downtown District has a few more tricks up their holiday sleeve that will allow folks to do just that.
First up is the “Sleigh What Comedy?!” trolley on Saturday, Dec. 17 at 7 and 8 p.m. Experience a ride-share like no other as Cool Spring Downtown District invites everyone 21 and up to come make merry aboard the trussed-up “Can Do Coldwell Banker” trolley.

Departing from 222 Hay Street for a hilarious jaunt through downtown, each ride will take approximately 45 minutes and feature the comedic stylings of Fayetteville’s own Kristi Howard. Tickets are $30 each and come with a complimentary drink.

Next, Cool Spring Downtown District and its coterie of elves are on hand to take merrymakers on a festive journey around Fayetteville aboard the Holly Jolly Sing-along Trolley. With musical elf Michael Daughtry in tow, revelers will tour local spots ablaze with holiday lights and decorations.

The 45-minute trip will be full of songs and good cheer; passengers are encouraged to dress for the season and come ready to sing along to a playlist of holiday favorites. The trolley sets out from 222 Hay Street on Thursday, Dec. 15 and Friday, Dec. 16 at 7 and 8 p.m. Adult tickets cost $30; $15 for children under 18.

These holiday offerings, while fun in their own right, speak to Cool Spring's mission to highlight what’s special about downtown Fayetteville while working to support visibility for small businesses. In addition to that lofty aim, it also preserves a bit of the holiday spirit so often lacking in Black Friday sales ads and Cyber Monday digital shopping carts.

“We get so excited about seeing lights in different neighborhoods around the city,” Lauren Falls, Marketing and Events Director for Cool Spring, told Up and Coming Weekly. “Why not enjoy the same thing downtown? Events like ‘Sleigh What?’ and the Holly Jolly Trolley tour let us showcase some of the wonderful talent we have here.”

Whether as a fun family outing or an excuse for a night out with friends, Cool Spring Downtown District’s holiday events are an excellent opportunity to create new memories and get into that holiday spirit.
For tickets and information, visit visitdowntownfayetteville.com/ or call 910-223-1089.

A brand new Disney on Ice show is coming to Fayetteville. Frozen & Encanto showcases two of the most popular Disney movies of the last decade.
The combination of the two movies tells the tale that everyone has their own gifts, magical or not. Being true to oneself and loving those around you is what makes you special.

Audiences will see Anna, Elsa, the entire Madrigal Family as well as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald and Goofy.

“All of their favorite characters are going to be there. We have numbers to everyone’s favorite songs. ‘Bruno’ is a visible crowd favorite; we can hear it from people singing along with ‘Bruno.’ It’s so fantastic,” Natalie Dayvault, one of the cast members, told Up & Coming Weekly.

Dayvault, who is from Acworth, Georgia, says this is her first year working with Disney on Ice and has loved it so far. She is part of the general ensemble, doing all the choreography behind the main characters throughout the show. She says that even though she may not do a whole lot in the number, it all comes together to make something really cool at the end.

The first act of the ice show will be the telling of “Frozen,” narrated by the lovable snowman himself, Olaf. Astounding ice skating transports families to Arendelle to be a part of Anna’s adventure to find Elsa, whose icy powers unleashed an eternal winter. Kristoff and Sven take fans along as they encounter wintry conditions in a race to bring back summer.

The second act will take audiences from frozen Arendelle to hot Colombia, where the Madrigal family live. Mirabel tells the tale of her amazing family and her journey to save her enchanted family casita, alongside her sisters: Isabela, the perfectionist, and Luisa, the strong one.

“My favorite part of the show is the aerial section. So where Isabella’s up, she’s flying through the air, throwing her flower petals just like she is in the movie and when her song comes on. And so that’s something a little bit different that you’re not going to see in a normal performance. You’re going to get something a little bit extra on Disney on Ice,” Dayvault said.

This show features Mirabel and the whole Madrigal family for the first time on ice since the movie came out in 2021.

“I’m just super excited to be part of something that’s so cool and so brand new,” Dayvault said. “I’m just so excited that I’m able to be a part of that.”

Disney on Ice will be at the Crown Coliseum from Dec. 15 through Dec. 18. Show times and ticket prices vary.

All guests aged 2 and older are required to have a ticket. There is an eight ticket limit per person. No costumes are allowed for guests 14 and older.
If you want your children to have interactive time with Elsa and Mirabel, you can also purchase the Character Experience ticket. This ticket would allow your child to be part of a pre-show experience with the characters. To buy tickets go to https://bit.ly/3UcSRLR or call 888-257-6208.

The Special Forces Charitable Trust is a 501(c)(3) designated charity that provides support programs to the “Quiet Professionals” that put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms, often without any thanks or fanfare from the general public.

The SFCT is a national organization founded in 2010 by Green Berets, who decided that there were several gaps in support for the warriors and families of the Special Forces community. The organization is locally based, with offices in Southern Pines outside the western border of Fort Bragg. The executive director of the SFCT, Jodi Burns, describes the organization’s work, “[special forces personnel] are quiet professionals, as you know, they don't really talk about who they are … They take that Quiet Professional title very seriously and almost to their detriment. We’re hoping to change that by being their voice, subtly.”

She said, “We pride ourselves in being flexible to their needs because nothing is a cookie-cutter lifestyle with these guys. They have to flex with the changing needs of war and that kind of thing as a family. We pride ourselves in flexing with them and providing for those needs as they change.”

One of the programs that Burns described that the SFCT operates is “Beyond the Battlefield.” “Beyond the Battlefield” is “an operational stress management and suicide prevention platform that offers soldiers an option to anonymously explore and invest in their mental and emotional health. The goal is to provide an option that offers a silently suffering soldier and his family a path towards help, without worrying how it may impact his career.”

Burns stated that before the “Beyond the Battlefield” initiative launch, a 3-day weekend retreat for the whole family, “Mettle and Moxie,” was their signature program. Burns elaborated on the program: “We bring in experts on a given topic to address the family unit, either before or right after deployment, to ensure that their family resilience is intact and being fed. A soldier does his best work when he knows that his family at home is being taken care of.”

One program area of the SFCT that Burns described is geared toward the morale of the soldiers and their families. The SFCT offers events throughout the year, such as Easter Egg Hunts and other family fun events, to help families that may “forget how to celebrate” due to the nature of deployments and a significant family member being out of place during key moments for the family.

One specific area that Burns stated was an area that the SFCT will be growing into is in providing events for the spouses of our soldiers to get together to meet each other, “giving those ladies a chance to gel and get to know each other is super important … it’s super important to allow them the environment to cultivate relationships so they feel more empowered and understood.”

The SFCT website, www.specialforcescharitabletrust.org, also describes educational grants and scholarships available to “help to keep a family strong and resilient” through education. Specific examples include educational assistance grants for spouses, merit-based scholarships for children, and other personal development programs such as financial management, self-defense, and parenting strategies.

The greater community funds all the work that the Special Forces Charitable Trust does. Without the community’s continual support, many beneficial programs would not be possible. On Wednesday, Dec. 14, at the Pinehurst Resort, our community can provide that much-needed support by attending a Celebrity Mix & Mingle.

The Mix & Mingle is connected to a larger event, the Annual Celebrity Tactical Challenge held on Fort Bragg at Range 37. During the challenge, a celebrity participant is partnered with two active Special Forces soldiers that train and coach them on the completion of a series of events that are similar to training exercises soldiers might go through. On the morning of Dec. 15, the celebrities will gear up and hit Range 37 in what Burns called a “fun, fast and furious competition to see who is the best.” Each star also brings in sponsorships that contribute to the organization’s fundraising goals.

Since the tactical challenge is not open to the public, the Mix & Mingle was established for the public to have the opportunity to get involved. Burns describes the event as “educational, as you’re getting to rub shoulders with the SF soldiers … we paint a picture of exactly who they are, what they do, why they’re important to our nation, and the security and freedoms we all benefit from.” She also shared that, “in addition to the SF soldiers, guests also get to meet celebrities and see their interactions with the Green Berets and how they support them. They’ll get to enjoy a roast of those celebrities, door prizes, good food, and drink.”

The reigning Tactical Challenge Champion, former NFL player Andrew East, Olympic Gold Medal Gymnast Shawn Johnson, and MMA superstar Dan Henderson and Bellator Heavyweight Champion Ryan Bader are scheduled to attend the event. Also scheduled to attend are country music singers and songwriters Jimmie Allen, Michael Ray and Tyler Farr. Crossfit Games veteran Jacob Heppner will be there to meet as well as former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard. This list of celebrity attendees is expected to grow in the coming days.

Tickets to attend the event are $100 and available via the SFCT website at www.specialforcescharitabletrust.org/events within the Celebrity Tactical Challenge 2022. The proceeds from the event go to keeping the work of the SFCT moving forward as they serve as a voice of our nation’s “Quiet Professionals.”

Presidential portrait of Dr. J. Larry Keen unveiled

Fayetteville Technical Community College unveiled the presidential portrait of Dr. J. Larry Keen on Nov. 21 in a ceremony in the lobby
of the Thomas R. McLean Administration Building.

The portrait was commissioned by FTCC Foundation in anticipation of Keen’s retirement on Jan. 1.

Brad Hurley, chair of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees, said he spent the day with Keen at the Foundation’s annual golf tournament fundraiser earlier this month.

“I got to see his heart in a different way than ever before,” Hurley said. “And I’m just very proud to be a part of this.”

Keen’s portrait joins those of other significant figures in FTCC’s history, including the College’s first three presidents: Howard E. Boudreau, who served from 1964-1983; Dr. R. Craig Allen, 1983-1996; and Dr. Larry B. Norris, 1997-2007. Like his predecessors, Keen is depicted in his academic regalia.

Dr. Mark A. Sorrells, FTCC’s Vice President for Academic and Student Services, will succeed Keen as president next year. Sorrells delivered remarks on behalf of Keen, who was unable to attend the unveiling due to illness.

“This is a special event for Dr. Keen in honor of his service of 15 years at the College but also for the Keen family and what they’ve contributed to our community,” Sorrells said.

The portrait was painted by Wilmington artist Todd Carignan, who has won multiple awards for his art, including an Oil Painters of America Award of Excellence. His art is included in collections throughout the United States and internationally. He received his BFA in Sequential Art and minored in Art History at the Savannah College of Art and Design.

For more about Carignan, please visit www.toddcarignan.com/about.

New mural highlights reopening of Success Closet

Fayetteville Technical Community College celebrated the grand reopening of its Success Closet on Nov. 29 and dedicated a colorful new mural painted on the exterior of the
location.

The FTCC Success Closet is next to the FTCC Food Pantry on the rear side of the Horace Sisk Building at 2220 Hull Road.
The mural, featuring colorful graphical representations of buttons, a zipper and other clothing items, was painted by FTCC alum Britney Deveault and was made possible through a grant from the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County.

It is a companion mural to one painted last year by Deveault on the exterior of FTCC's Food Pantry. That mural, featuring colorful graphical representations of different foods, was also funded by a grant from the Arts Council.

Deveault is a freelance graphic designer and artist who owns Deveault Design. She is a 2021 graduate of the FTCC Graphic Design and Advertising Program.
The FTCC Success Closet provides free professional attire for students for job interviews and work. The FTCC Food Pantry stocks a healthy variety of food plus personal care items and household cleaning products, all available for free to FTCC students.

The reopening celebration coincided with Giving Tuesday, a global day of giving. Visitors were encouraged to bring food and personal care items for the FTCC Food Pantry.

Foundation receives grant for High School Connections program

Tammy Thurman of Piedmont Natural Gas presented a $10,000 check to FTCC Foundation on Nov. 21, to support the College's High School Connections program.
Thurman is PNG's Community Relations Manager and a member of FTCC's Board of Trustees. She presented the check to Dr. Mark A. Sorrells, who is currently FTCC's Senior Vice President for Academic and

Student Services, and Sandy Ammons, Executive Director of FTCC Foundation.

The High School Connections program is FTCC's branch of North Carolina's Career and College Promise program. The program provides seamless dual enrollment educational opportunities for eligible North Carolina high school students. Students are able to take college classes tuition-free and earn college credits that transfer with them upon graduation from high school, potentially saving them thousands of dollars on the cost of college.

The PNG grant will go into FTCC Foundation's Resource Fund for High School Connections. The fund pays for books and other resources for high school students from low-income families.

FTCC was founded in 1961 as a job-training institution and became a community college in 1963 when the statewide Community College System was created. The College serves more than 28,000 students a year with occupational, technical, general education, college transfer and continuing education programs leading to more than 280 degrees, diplomas and certificates. For more information, please visit www.faytechcc.edu.

FTCC Foundation manages donations for the College, including contributions from private donors, corporations, alumni, employees, retirees and in-kind gifts. These resources provide access for students to attain their educational and career goals. For more information, visit www.faytechcc.edu/giving/.

A newly-formed nonprofit organization, the North Carolina Alliance for Safe Transportation, or NCAST, has launched an inaugural traffic safety campaign. The message is for parents or guardians to make sure the vehicles teens drive include appropriate safety features, and to discourage young motorists from driving distracted.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens. Every day in the U.S. an average of eight teens ages 13–19 die from motor vehicle crash injuries. Per mile driven, teen drivers ages 16–19 have a fatal crash rate almost three times as high as drivers ages 20 and older.

According to NCDOT statistics for 2021, in North Carolina there were 49,606 crashes involving teen drivers, resulting in 10,901 injuries and 102 fatalities.

The NCAST ad will run during the 2022 holiday season on social media outlets (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok) and on statewide cable television. It features a portrayal of a mom and daughter discussing the important vehicle safety features, and highlights distractions — such as loud music, snacking, and using a mobile phone — teen drivers should avoid when behind the wheel.

The ad, and links to resources for parents and teen drivers, can be found on the NCAST website, www.ncallianceforsafetransportation.com.

“NCAST was conceived by a coalition of organizations and individuals committed to making North Carolina roads and highways safer for everyone,” said Joe Stewart, vice president for governmental affairs for the Independent Insurance Agents of North Carolina, and initial chair of the NCAST board.

“This organization was formed to collaborate with existing issue-specific safety groups, to amplify and enhance message impact with the very specific goal of changing driving behaviors that lead to crashes, injuries and deaths among motorist, pedestrians, bicyclists, and others using North Carolina’s transportation infrastructure.”

“I am pleased and delighted to be a part of getting this organization up and running,” said Tiffany Wright, director of public affairs for AAA Carolinas — the Auto Club Group and vice chair of the NCAST board.

“NCAST will use research and analysis to figure out who needs to hear the message, and what that message needs to be, given the particular transportation safety issue being addressed.”

NCAST has received a grant from the North Carolina Governor’s Highway Safety Program of $272,000 to help cover initial operational and staffing costs, as well as a $50,000 grant from IIANC for the development and placement of the initial teen driver awareness campaign ads.

The organization has plans to conduct other awareness campaigns in 2023, including initiatives around Distracted Driving Awareness Month in April, high school prom and summer vacation seasons, as well as Teen Driver Safety Week in October.

The number of homicides and the overall crime rate have continued to climb over the past year, according to police statistics presented to the Fayetteville City Council on Nov. 28.

From January through September, 36 homicides were reported, statistics show. That is a 9% increase compared to this time a year ago, when 33 homicides were reported. The numbers are nothing new. The last quarterly report from Fayetteville Police Chief Gina Hawkins showed the same upward trend in total crime and homicides. The report also noted that the department has a total of 392 positions filled out of a budgeted 431.

Hawkins was the lead presenter of the crime report during the council’s monthly meeting at City Hall. Assisting her were Assistant Police Chiefs Kemberle Braeden and James Nolette.

“I always like to share the amazing work that the Police Department does for the community,” Hawkins said. “And this is a summary snapshot.”

The number of rapes reported in the city continued to decline, from 68 in 2021 to 58 in 2022, Braeden said. Aggravated assault reports rose by 9.8%, from 816 cases in 2021 to 896 as of Sept. 28, according to Braeden.

“The third quarter was mainly uneventful,” Braeden said.

Hawkins left immediately after the meeting and was unavailable for additional comment. Nolette said after the meeting that the department has been successful addressing crime.

“The department is doing exactly what it needs to,” Nolette said. “It’s a partnership with the community. It’s a partnership with nonprofits in finding solutions and outside-the-box thinking to address crime at its core, problem-solving and really evaluating what is causing the issue. There are so many different factors that go into crime itself, but we look at the location of the crime where it’s occurring, we look at the victim, and we look at the suspects and try to figure out why it’s happening at those places.”

When asked, Nolette said the numbers indicate that the Police Department could be doing a better job.

“I’m a little biased to ask that question because I think we’re doing a good job,” he said. “But can we do better? Sure. We do really well. We have almost 100% clearance rate in homicides … We’re above the average in clearance rates. We don’t report to the end of the year, but that is something that we track, and we’re above national average in clearance rates on many of our crimes.”

Nolette said the clearance rate is when the department has “closed out cases and arrested or sought charges on suspects who have committed crime.”

“What we do a good job at — and what the officers do a good job at — is identifying crime trends and getting ahead of those crime trends. So that way, we don’t perpetuate the process victimizing the citizens of Fayetteville.”

Police representatives reported that the number of drug overdoses dropped from 67 to 50, a decrease of 25.4%.

The police statistics also showed:
A total of 3,164 personal crimes have been reported over the first nine months of this year, up from 3,005 in 2021. That’s an increase of 5.3%.

“Person’s crimes run the gamut from communication by threat — ‘I’m going to shoot you’ — to pointing the gun, which is another crime, to actually shooting someone; shooting and hitting someone; to actually attempted murder,” Braeden said.

Property crime — which includes trespassing, damage to property, vandalism, and breaking and entering — has increased by 29.90%, from 7,809 cases last year to 9,295 in 2022.

“Again, as we look at those, those have slightly increased over the last year,” Braeden said. “As I would say, as we spoke earlier during [Fire] Chief [Mike] Hill’s presentation about COVID, we have gone from people being home during COVID and we can see why there has been an increase in 2022 as post-COVID people going out of their residences back to work...”

Felonies are up 23%, with 782 arrests this year. That compares with 620 a year ago.
Motor vehicle thefts also pose a problem, with the Monday report showing an increase of 36.92% over the last quarterly report.

I’m a fiscally conservative North Carolinian — and I think state taxes should be significantly higher. I’m not referring here to projected revenues from a fast-growing economy.
I truly mean North Carolina ought to levy higher state taxes. But only if federal taxes go down by at least as much. That is, I believe large swaths of the federal budget represent an illegal use of the tax and spending powers granted to Congress by Article 1, Section 8 of the United States Constitution. The programs in question provide for neither “the common defense” nor the “general welfare.”

What we call “welfare” spending is a prime example of the problem. When the Constitution was drafted and ratified in the 18th century, the prevailing public understanding of the phrase “general welfare” was that it strictly limited the fiscal authority of Congress. As James Madison later put it, the phrase referred to “general and national,” not “local or state” benefit. It was certainly never meant to describe a program giving private individuals money, shelter, food, or other direct benefits.

As originally written, then, the Constitution allowed Congress to fund a road or port facility if its main purpose was military, for example, but not if it was to facilitate commerce. Madison and other constitutionally minded presidents repeatedly vetoed bills that violated this principle.

The principle applies only to the federal government, however. Most state and local governments operate under no such limitation. They enjoy a broad “police power” that Washington lacks — a power not just to enact civil and criminal statutes but also to levy taxes to fund a wide variety of expenditures.

In other words, regardless of whether you think government should provide a safety net of cash and non-cash benefits, or how such a system should be designed and administered, you ought to be addressing your arguments to governors, state legislators, county commissioners, and the like, not to presidents or federal judges or members of Congress. State and local officials ought to be at least the primary decision makers when it comes to welfare programs.

That’s what the federal Constitution requires, properly understood. When during the 20th century progressives argued that public pensions for single mothers and the elderly, unemployment compensation, and other welfare programs should be provided by the federal government, they should have used the amendment process to ask the American people to revise Article 1. Instead, progressives ignored the Constitution, enacted whatever they wanted, and then reshaped the federal judiciary until it became sufficiently deferential to federal power.

Their gambit worked. Before the 1930s, most federal spending went to the current armed forces, payments to veterans of prior wars, and payments on federal debts that were overwhelmingly incurred during those wars. Today, entitlements and welfare programs comprise most of the (vastly larger) federal budget.

I’m enough of a realist to concede there’s no way to cram the genie back into the bottle. But the current Washington-dominated safety net is unaffordable, unaccountable, and unconscionably destructive of families and the work ethic. In a new book, American Enterprise Institute senior fellows Angele Rachidi, Matt Weidinger, and Scott Winship describe a creative way to strike a better balance between the federal government and the states.

They propose to phase in a 50%-50% match for some $300 billion worth of safety-net programs other than Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. States would shoulder more fiscal responsibility for such functions as cash welfare, nutrition assistance, and housing subsidies — but they would also receive vastly more authority to reshape and repackage the programs, along with financial incentives to move families off public assistance altogether (because doing so would count toward a state’s matching requirement).

Such a strategy would make American government as a whole smaller as well as more effective. I’d take that deal in a heartbeat.

Hosted by the Downtown Alliance and the Fayetteville History Museum at “Franklin Square,” where the Victorian-era train station served as a fitting backdrop, this time-honored tradition was attended by a diverse crowd that numbered in the thousands. And in the spirit of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” it was a joyous crowd greeting each other and expressing goodwill towards one another all day long.

Like any good event, the public seldom sees all the hard work that goes into its making. My purpose in writing this is to shine a little light on some of the folks who did the work on this beloved downtown event. And I do so not in any official capacity, but merely as a citizen who has long believed in our downtown’s future.

Elaine Kelley, an Alliance board member, and owner of Turner Lane, called me soon after my op-ed piece in the Aug. 28 Fayetteville Observer, in which I questioned the Arts Council’s decision to cancel A Dickens Holiday. Her board had voted to do Dickens themselves! She asked if I would help, since I had been a part of the event since its founding. I told her I would, but it seemed impossible! After all, we had less than 90 days for an event that is normally 10 months in the planning. In our favor, the Alliance had co-hosted it for its first 20 years and most of our volunteers were still around. We agreed that she should chair the event and that I would round up the volunteers and sponsors and track down the popular performers from past years.

Downtown Alliance leaders — Elaine, Robin Matthews, Molly Arnold — and the History Museum’s Heidi Bleazey and Emily Sussman, rolled up their sleeves and showed what leadership is all about. Perhaps it is no coincidence that so many of the successful downtown businesses are woman-owned and operated!

Elaine Kelley especially deserves a big shoutout, even though she has resolutely refused any recognition. She worked on Dickens with uncommon passion and energy, even closing her business at times to devote a whole day to contacting vendors and performers and City departments. She assembled a team of marketers, headed up by Betsy McElwee. She was on the ground as “Central Command” during the event itself.

Without Elaine, we would not have had A Dickens Holiday this year. Period.

And the volunteers! Their importance to an event with so many moving parts is paramount. If you were downtown on the day after Thanksgiving, much that you saw and enjoyed was the work of volunteers — the London Bobbies, the poor street urchins selling flowers, the “coachman’s assistants” on the carriage rides (Thank you, Scouts from Troop 747), the English Country Dancers, the musical entertainments by the Fayetteville Symphony Youth Orchestra and the Sinfonietta, the Cross Creek Pipes and Drums, Father Christmas, and even Queen Victoria herself. I cannot possibly name them all! And there were innumerable people who worked behind the scenes, like the folks from the Salvation Army manning the hospitality room for volunteers and performers. Volunteers even helped decorate the train station and surrounding grounds on the day before Thanksgiving.

Eighteen — that’s 18 — very generous sponsors gave the Downtown Alliance the financial wherewithal to stage such an event. The DTA is an all-volunteer association of downtown merchants, property owners, and residents, and receives no funding from the City or County or any government agency. When asked, each and every sponsor said without hesitation “Yes” and “How much do you need?” Take a look at the Alliance website www.faydta.com to see the list of sponsors. Please patronize their places of business if you can and give them a big “Thank You” when you see them. While online, look at the Alliance’s Facebook page to see some amazing pictures from Dickens.

So yes, A Dickens Holiday is back! The marvelous sights and sounds, the diverse crowds and performers, and the fun and relaxed shopping were all there. It is still exactly what its founders — the Arts Council and the Downtown Alliance — imagined it to be 23 years ago. The Arts Council should be proud of what it started. It is my hope that the Downtown Alliance will continue the tradition.

Now, in the words of Tiny Tim, “God bless us every one!”

A Fayetteville man was killed in a fiery three-vehicle crash Friday night, Dec. 1 at the intersection of Skibo and Morganton roads, the Fayetteville Police Department said. Two others were injured.

Eugene A. Roberts Jr., 23, of the 1000 block of Vandenberg Drive, was operating a black 2018 Acura traveling north on Skibo Road and was pronounced dead at the scene, police said in a release.

Angelia Holmes, 52, of the 5000 block of South Forty Drive in Hope Mills, was operating a 2016 Chevrolet SUV traveling on Morganton Road. She was taken to the hospital for her injuries but was reported to be in stable condition, police said in the release.

Hannah Barton, 28, of the 200 block of Waterdown Drive, was operating a 2019 Ford Fusion traveling on Morganton Road. She received minor injuries but was not taken to the hospital, the release said.

Around 11 p.m., a patrol unit observed the Acura traveling at a high rate of speed on Skibo Road near Cliffdale Road and initiated its emergency equipment in an attempt to stop the vehicle, the release said. The patrol unit disengaged the attempt to stop the vehicle near Skibo Road and Red Tip Road.

The vehicle continued to travel at a high rate of speed and failed to stop for the red light on Skibo Road at Morganton Road and collided with the two other vehicles that had the green light for traffic in their direction of travel, the release said.

The vehicle caught fire in the parking lot of 1899 Skibo Road, the release said. Officers were able to pull the driver from the vehicle, but he died on the scene, the release said.

The intersection of Skibo and Morganton roads was temporarily closed while police investigated.