The Fayetteville Fury has a new owner: Phillip Lin aims to cultivate community and a love for soccer in Fayetteville

Fayetteville’s newest professional sports team, the Fayetteville Fury soccer team, has played two full seasons, and is now preparing for its third.

The Fayetteville Fury was officially announced on June 7, 2021, as the second franchise in the National Indoor Soccer League.

When Lin joined as a minority owner in June 2021, the Fayetteville Fury team had four owners. In March 2023, Lin decided to buy out the remaining owners’ shares, thus making him the primary shareholder of the soccer team.

When asked, “Why Fayetteville?,” Phillip responded, “At the time I was looking to get into sports ownership and picked Fayetteville because I felt connected to this city and its strong ties to the military community. As a successful serial entrepreneur, I felt it was time for me to give back to the community. I believed Fayetteville had a need for community and to have more sports entertainment. I really felt a warmness from the community, and they have embraced me and the entire team.”

It was Lin’s passion for sports and community that motivated him to continue building and investing in Fayetteville sports entertainment.

“I feel people get connected through sports. Since COVID, people have lost human connection and I feel sports brings communities together with a common goal and interest.”

“My favorite thing about attending the games is the energy of the fans, seeing how happy they are, and how they don’t take their eyes away from the game. They are engaged the entire time and it’s a bond for the community as they are cheering together.”

As a self-identified serial entrepreneur, Lin owns multiple businesses, The Howdy Triangle in Cary, Catering by Design in Raleigh, and three sports teams: Fayetteville Chutes, Oak City Gliders, and now Fayetteville Fury.

Lin is also a published author of “One Bad Asian,” an autobiography detailing his life as an immigrant whose Taiwanese family moves to the United States to achieve the American dream. He details his struggles as an immigrant, working three jobs, his journey through entrepreneurship, and how he navigated obstacles in life.

Not only has Lin continued to grow and invest into the Fayetteville team, but he has reorganized the leadership and structure.

The new organizational structure for the Fury includes Owner Phillip Lin; General Manager and Men's Head Coach Al Florez; Assistant General Manager Dustin Lee; Community Relations Director Ashley Blake; Merchandise Director Terri Sue Maynor-Guevara; Marketing Partners 219 Group; Account Exec Brandon Rodriguez; Women’s Head Coach is to be announced at a later date; Assistant Coach Miguel Sanchez; Fan Engagement & Inclusion Director Ali Arostegui; and the Operations Director will be announced soon.

The team will host 12 regular season home games at the Crown Center when the season starts in January 2024. Each game-night will feature a Men’s and Women’s Doubleheader.

During the off-season the Fury soccer team is busy with community outreach, hosting tryouts, youth soccer camps, and soccer tournaments. The team even added their very own dragon mascot, Furyous, who loves engaging with fans.

The Fayetteville Fury is a professional indoor soccer team dedicated to the community, personal development of the players, and to the growth of soccer among the youth by providing them with the skills and knowledge they need to excel in the sport. For more information visit www.fayettevillefury.com/

Cucumbers are a summer favorite for me, and I love them so much that I think I could eat my weight in this low-calorie fruit!

Cucumber (Cucumus sativus) is a family of fruit, not vegetables, including watermelon, pumpkin, muskmelon and squash. They are native to India and are one of four ancient fruits that have been grown as a food source for over 3,000 years.

Early cucumbers may have been bitter because of compounds that were natural defenses to repel insects and other pests. Over the centuries, great strides have been taken to eliminate the bitterness with cultivation, but we occasionally can bite into one with a bitter taste.

Cucumbers were eaten in ancient Egypt, but the Egyptians made weak liquor out of them by cutting a hole in the ripened fruit and stirring with a stick on the inside to liquefy it. After it was liquefied, they plugged the hole and buried it for several days. The result was said to be a weak form of liquor, but I suggest that you do not try this!

They were also grown in Italy in the 8th and 9th centuries and later spread to western Europe. During the reign of King Henry VIII, his first wife (Catherine of Aragon) often demanded cucumbers for her Spanish salads.

Columbus is credited for bringing them to the New World with other vegetables and fruits. He introduced them to Haiti in 1494 and by 1806 eight varieties of cucumbers could be found growing in America’s colonial gardens.

There are about 100 varieties of cucumbers. Many are found in supermarkets, and farmer’s markets, including English, Persian, Kirby and pickling. There are rare white cucumbers, some are “burpless” and others require a little flavoring in vinegar with salt and pepper.

There are eight common varieties:

English cucumbers are seedless, burpless cucumbers that are long with sweet firm flesh, thin and dark green. They are often preferred for cucumber sandwiches, salads and even infused with water and cocktails.

White cucumbers have a culinary interest because of the white skins. They are served much as English cucumbers.

Persian cucumbers are small and burpless, easily digestible, have very few seeds.

Garden cucumbers have thicker skin and are best when they are peeled because the skin may contain some bitterness and they have larger seeds.

Lemon cucumbers are the size of a small tennis ball. They are mild and sweet with a cool crispy texture and are ideal for salads.

Kirby cucumbers, my favorite, are small in size with bumpy skins and firm flesh and are a favorite for pickling.

Gherkins are pickled baby cucumbers that have been allowed to ferment. Pickled in brine or vinegar, they are a favorite for charcuterie boards and cheese trays.

Armenian cucumbers are long, also known as yard-long cucumber and snake melon. They are not cucumbers but fall into the category of musk melons.

The health benefits of cucumbers are many. They are about 97% water and great for hydration. The term “cool as a cucumber” is common because a cucumber can be considerably cooler on the inside. They are aids in battling immense heat and they are known for aiding with sunburn by mixing up a puree and applying it to the skin.

Cucumbers help with flushing toxins and the ability to battle kidney stones. They are also loaded with vitamins and help with weight loss with one cup having sixteen calories.

Live, love life and stay cool as a cucumber.

Summer vacations invite exploration, and who doesn’t love to explore? According to Webster’s dictionary, “explore” is defined as traveling in or through an unfamiliar place in order to learn more about it. Whether it’s the excitement of the unknown or the thrill of learning something new, from young to old, we all enjoy taking a risk now and then.

Such was the case years ago when our young family ventured to the Cayman Islands. Renting a Jeep for the week we decided to go off the beaten path with our two young boys.

At some point we chose to ignore the road signs (those warnings meant for our safety) and found our paved road turning into a dirt road. It was then that it happened. Our Jeep got stuck in a rut quickly ending our explorations. Thank goodness God got us out of that rut — that deep track made by the repeated passage of those who had made the same wrong choice as us. But what about the ruts in life that get us stuck spiritually?

I remember once reading a road sign that said, “Be careful the rut you choose, because you will remain in that rut for the next 25 miles.” In other words, be careful with your chioces.

It’s one thing to get stuck with the people you love on a hot afternoon in the Caymans. It’s another thing to get stuck spiritually — to form a habit or pattern of thinking that is incorrect, especially in your walk with God.
Romans 12 says, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect His will really is.”

In a world full of blurred lines, it’s easy to get stuck in thinking the way the world does, and once we get in that rut, it’s difficult to get out. But the Bible teaches us not to become so comfortable with our culture, which is usually self-centered, that we fit in without even thinking. We are challenged to let God’s Word teach us to think differently. Not an easy task considering everywhere we turn we are influenced by others defining truth for us.

It takes a deliberate, hard turn to align our thinking with God’s truth. But when we do so, we discover that God loves us so much, He will never leave us circling in deeply rutted paths of untruth.

Making the commitment to study the Bible is not a task to be taken lightly. But attempting to navigate through life with no direction, no signs, no moral or spiritual boundaries to ensure we stay on the right path — well, that will land you in a pothole. When we study the Bible, we get to know the character of God — how He thinks, His nature, His attributes, His desires for our life and for mankind.

We learn that God will go to any length to have a relationship with people, even as far as sacrificing His son, Jesus.

We learn the history of how God has reached down to mankind through the ages revealing Himself.

We learn of man’s rebellious nature, wanting to ignore the road signs and go his own selfish way.

We lament over the inescapable consequences of man’s sin, yet we are reminded that with Jesus, there is always hope for restoration.

Through studying the Bible we get to know God, and knowing God changes the way we think. God transforms us into a new person by renewing our minds with His unchangeable truth. After all, nothing is different until you think differently.

Looking at life through the lens of the Bible changes the way we look at everything in this life. Understanding what God loves and what God hates, grasping His holiness, believing in His sovereignty over all peoples and nations throughout all time — well, that invites a new perspective.

When we trust in God as the ultimate authority in our lives, His thoughts gradually become ours. We may still be in the rut of unmovable circumstances, but our wrong thinking does not have to remain in that rut. God invites us into a way of right thinking. We begin to see and understand His good and perfect will throughout the ages and how He brings good out of the worst of situations. And once we align our will (our thinking) with God’s will, when we prove by the way we live that He can be trusted, we are changed from the inside out. In the biblical paraphrase of Eugene Patterson, “God brings the best out” in us.

What well-worn path of your own making are you spinning your wheels in today? After all, we never arrive anywhere in this life by accident. Knowing who or what to trust nowadays seems harder than ever.

Rather than trusting your own limited, faulty wisdom, consider exploring the Bible this summer. The Bible does not gloss over hard truths, and that’s a good thing — because God knows your name and the rut you are in.

The good news is you don’t have to occupy that same rut you are existing in the rest of your life. God loves to seek and rescue all, even from the ruts of our own making.

What are you waiting for? Open the Bible and find the solid ground you have been searching for.

Editor’s note: A version of this article appears in the June issue of Women’s View Magazine.

The Public Works Exhibition, powered by the Fayetteville Public Works Commission, is on display through July 22 at The Arts Center on 301 Hay Street in historic downtown Fayetteville. The exhibit is free and open to the public.

“PWC is thrilled to continue supporting this community event, which has become a cherished tradition,” says Lamont Hinson, Communications & Community Relations Associate of the Fayetteville Public Works Commission. “Through the arts, we aim to foster a stronger sense of connection within our community and bring vibrancy to our downtown areas. Come and see the amazing creativity of our talented local neighbors.”

Curated by the Ellington-White Community Development Corporation, Public Works welcomed individuals of any age or background, regardless of their artistic experience, to submit their unique, culturally enriched visual artwork. The collection of artwork on display in a professional gallery setting is diverse in nature, featuring various techniques such as 2D and 3D paintings, drawings, printmaking, photography, sculpture, ceramics, and more. Each artist had the creative freedom to select their subject matter.

Residents living in Cumberland, Hoke, Robeson, Sampson and Scotland Counties, and those in Fort Liberty and Pope Army Airfield were encouraged to participate in the exhibit.

“This exhibit offers a fair opportunity for individuals of all ages and backgrounds to publicly express their artistic talents,” says Bob Pinson, President|CEO of the Arts Council. “Art has the power to convey powerful messages and promote dialogue, making it a universal language that can help bring people together and build our community. Whether you're a highly trained artist or a self-taught beginner, there’s an artist inside each of us waiting to be discovered.”

Artwork from the exhibition is also available for purchase.

People’s Choice Honor
Visitors to the art exhibition before June 24 were able to vote for their favorite artwork in the “People’s Choice” selection. The pieces with the highest number of votes will be declared as the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners, along with Honorable Mentions. The winners will receive a gift basket containing distinctive items from downtown businesses, and their work will be featured in the e-ARTSletter, digital and social media platforms, an artist interview, and an Up & Coming Weekly print ad.

The Arts Center gallery hours vary. Visit https://www.wearethearts.com/pwc for more details.

Vision Resource Center has been assisting the visually impaired and blind in Fayetteville since 1939 and its reading service is one of the newer innovations since its conception. Vision Resource Center has a 24/7 stream where those in the Fayetteville community can hear local news, obituaries and other happenings in the community.

Terri Thomas, executive director at the center, explained more about the service.

The stream contains content Thomas and volunteers read live or pre-record articles from local newspapers and magazines. The service is accessible to the blind or visually impaired via Zeno Radio, Alexa, online or a telephone call-in. Content includes some entertainment news as well.

The fresh content comes on from noon to 2 p.m. From 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. audio books, podcasts and uplifting content can be heard. From there, the previous content streams on until the new content comes on at 12 p.m. the next day.

There are several ways to listen to the stream. The first is by using the websites visionresourcecentercc.org or vrcvlyreadingservice.org.

Secondly, listeners can dial-in to the number 1-518-801-1347.

Thirdly, streamers can download the Zeno Radio app.

The final way to listen is to ask Amazon’s Alexa to open VRCVLY Reading Service. When prompted, say, “Listen Live.”

Currently, they have about 76 listeners but Thomas knows more will come in time.

The Road to the Reading Service
For those wondering how the reading service started, Thomas said it started with COVID.

She said during COVID-19 clients of the Vision Resource Center let her know they needed to know what was going on with COVID. They also needed other forms of entertainment.

She said a Fayetteville nonprofit at one point in time did have a radio service located on the Fayetteville State University campus where they read newsy information out to those visually impaired or blind. She said that service was discontinued.

Thomas explained to the VRC Board that an organization in Raleigh could help the VRC fill the gap where listeners could listen via radio. Rocky Mount had a similar service.

Thomas said she was researching the two and learning more about how to bring those services to Fayetteville. She said using radio seemed like a great platform, but she knew streaming was what everybody used.
Johnathan Milam from Winston-Salem contacted Thomas and put together the VRC-VLY website and station remotely.

The VLY stands for Virginia Lilly Yarborough. According to Thomas, Yarborough was one of the VRC’s biggest supporters and she loved listening to audio books.

Thomas said it was only fitting to ask her husband and family if the VRC could name the service in her honor.

Thomas said the service started in 2020. She went on a sabbatical in 2021. They relaunched again in March 2023 because she has been looking for more volunteers to help with the reading service.

Volunteers needed
Thomas said she wants to make VRC-VLY more accessible so anyone can access it. She said she already noticed senior citizens utilizing it. She just needs more volunteers to make it happen.

“People who want to volunteer and get more volunteer hours can do the readings at the VRC or virtually,” Thomas said.

Volunteers can come to the VRC at noon and read either for one or two hours. A reading partner will be there, too, so one person is only reading part of the time. Another option is to pre-record the news segment at the VRC or via Zoom from 9 to 11 a.m. to upload before noon. Thomas said volunteers can record via Zoom while another person is at the VRC at noon.

Call the center at 910-483-2719 for more information.

Young historians from across the state gathered in person for the first time in three years for the North Carolina Museum of History’s 2023 Tar Heel Junior Historian Association Annual Convention in June. The all-day event featured dynamic learning experiences that help young people appreciate and understand North Carolina’s rich history and recognized the junior historians for their impactful historical work on projects.

Workshops connected to the 2022–2023 themes of Tar Heel Junior Historian Magazine. Highlights included: performances from local musicians, learning how to play the dulcimer, building their own banjos, and diving into the science of sound.

Representing Cumberland County was Azaleyah Mosqueda from Saint Patrick Catholic School. Mosqueda won second place in the intermediate division of the Exhibit & Visual Arts Contest for her submission Town Creek Indian Mound.

“Knowing about who came before us is an infectious thing,” said Dr. Darren Waters, Deputy Secretary of the North Carolina Office of Archives and History during his opening remarks to the young historians. “I am hoping you’re deeply inspired and bring inspiration back with you to inspire others.”

Other presenters emphasized the importance of knowing our history, including Durham band The Beast, who said, “It is so important to know your roots. If you don’t use the roadmap given to you, you can’t know where you’re going. We must use the roadmap so we never forget where we came from and to improve the way ahead.”

This year’s awards recognized junior historians for their outstanding projects, which featured a wide variety of historical significance of people, places, and events in their own communities and across our state. From artifacts to visual arts, photography, creative writing, and more, there is plenty to learn from in this year’s student projects.

“As the Tar Heel Junior Historian Association, we believe that students can contribute to knowledge of North Carolina history. And it’s true. I learn new things about North Carolina history each year from the students’ projects. From local conservation efforts that saved the bluebird to the story of local students who operated a printing press, it really illustrates that kids can be great historians, too,” said Jessica Pratt, Curator of Education Outreach and THJHA Program Coordinator at the North Carolina Museum of History.

All winning projects are showcased in the exhibit History in Every Direction: Tar Heel Junior Historian Association Discovery Gallery, now open to museum visitors.

Authorized by the North Carolina General Assembly in 1953, the Tar Heel Junior Historian Association is sponsored by the North Carolina Museum of History, part of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. The association is made up of a network of free clubs across the state, with members in grades 4 to 12.

Clubs may be sponsored by public, private or home schools, or by other organizations such as museums and historical societies, 4-H groups, Boy Scouts, or Girl Scouts. Clubs can be any size, from one student and one adviser to hundreds of students and several advisers.

Clubs must renew their membership each school year, and new clubs can join at any time using an online application at tarheeljuniorhistorians.org.

Cumberland County Government will reopen the application period for its Small Business Economic Assistance Program from July 1 to July 31 to allow for additional small businesses to apply for assistance.

The announcement comes along with the Board of Commissioners’ approval on June 19 of a revised Small Business Economic Assistance Policy in light of the U.S. Treasury’s Final Rule on the American Rescue Plan, which was released in April 2022.

The revised policy includes modifications with implications for the county’s Small Business Economic Assistance Program, including revised eligibility criteria, updated funding allocation guidelines, and revised reporting requirements.

The Cumberland County Small Business Economic Assistance Program allows small for-profit businesses that faced economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic to apply for up to $50,000 in financial assistance.

For the purpose of this program, small businesses are defined as having no more than 250 employees (including the owner) at the time of application submission.

Assistance may be provided to reimburse the small business for qualifying expenses related to:

• Payroll, which includes wages and associated payroll taxes; and
• Occupancy, which includes rental lease payments, mortgage (for business property) as well as utilities.

The application and revised policy is available on the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners’ American Rescue Plan website at cumberlandcountync.gov/arp-small-business

The website also includes a link to a virtual information session with county staff, which will provide more information about the program, including a question-and-answer period.

Anyone with questions should contact the county’s American Rescue Plan team at arpsmb@cumberlandcountync.gov. For more information on the ARP Committee and Cumberland County’s ARP programs, visit cumberlandcountync.gov/arp.

Today we are going to learn how the universe is arranged. It is too complicated to explain the goings-on between Putin and Prigozhin in Mother Russia. Russia’s current situation is, to quote Winston Churchill, “a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.”

Instead we will review how the Cosmos is organized. There are a number of colorful theories about the origin and structure of the universe and Earth’s place therein. You are invited to choose the theory you like best.

The Big Bang Theory is the one that Mr. Science chooses to believe. Under this concept, once upon a time 13.8 billion years ago there was an original atom who we will call Miss Kitty. She is not to be confused with Marshal Matt Dillon’s friend who ran the Long Branch Saloon in Gunsmoke. For reasons, even Mr. Science does not understand, one day the cosmic Ms. Kitty blew up and spewed out the entire universe, planets, stars, dark matter and the Dook basketball team.

There are two versions of the Big Bang Theory, neither of which is particularly encouraging. Under the Inflationary Big Bang theory the universe will keep expanding forever until every star and planet is alone in a vast dark void. Not even the Federal Reserve raising interest rates will be able to stop the cosmic inflationary spiral into nothingness.

The other version is the Big Crunch theory which holds that at some point after the Big Bang, the universe will stop expanding like a rubber band being pulled by a three year old kid. Then, like a rubber band, the universe will snap back into its original location. This will squash everything in the universe into a Mega Black Hole which will once again explode into a new Big Bang. Nothing will be left from our universe after the Big Crunch but Twinkies, cockroaches, and Keith Richards.

There are a number of other scientific theories about the universe worth mentioning in passing. The Geocentric theory held that the Earth is the center of the universe with the stars rotating around us. Our old buddy Ptolemy came up with this theory in 2nd century AD. It was pretty much the standard theory until an astronomer named Copernicus came up with his heliocentric theory which said the Earth revolved around the sun. Galileo sided with this theory and got into big trouble with the Pope’s Inquisition in 1615.

The Earth got downgraded again in 1785 when a smart aleck astronomer named William Herschel came up with the Galactocentric theory that our very own sun was the center of the Milky Way galaxy. Not only was the Earth not the center of the universe, it wasn’t even the center of its own solar system, much less its galaxy. Now we know how Pluto felt when it got downgraded from being a planet in 2006.

The ancient Egyptians’ theory was that in the beginning, the universe was just a big wet puddle of nothing with the Sun God, a dude named Atum sleeping in it while floating around. One day Atum woke up and created an island because he could. Atum stood on the island and began creating the universe by inventing gods and goddesses. When he got tired of creating theological beings, he created humans to amuse himself. The rest is history.

One of my favorite theories is the Turtles all the way down proposition. A western traveler we will call Fred was in Asia. Fred met an Asian philosopher there. Fred asked what is the nature of the world?

The philosopher told him that the Earth is “A great ball resting on the flat back of the world turtle.” Fred asked “What is the world turtle standing on?” The philosopher explained that it is “Turtles all the way down.” That is a lot of turtles. It is unclear what the bottom turtle is standing upon. Like in 1950’s horror movies, “There are some things man should not know.”

I have saved the best cosmic possibility for last. Welcome the Flat Earth Theory. Flat Earthers believe the Earth is flat like a big Frisbee. No globalism for them. A poll in 2017 found that 1% of Americans believe the Earth is flat. While that does not sound like much, America’s population is about 332 million. That means over 300,000 Americans believe the Earth is flat.

The most popular Flat Earth theory holds that the Artic Circle is in the middle of the Earth. Antarctica is a circular ring around the outside of the Flat Earth Disk with a wall of ice about 150 feet tall.

Employees of NASA are stationed all along the outer ring of the ice wall to keep civilians from finding out the Earth is flat and to keep them from falling off to where the turtles holding up the Earth might eat them.

You are now free to pick out the cosmic theory that suits you, just as you are able to pick out the news silo that suits your political leanings. Have a celestial day.

Happy birthday to us!

Birthdays can be wonderful celebrations for families and friends, and lots of us are having lots of them! In fact, we the American people are having so many birthdays, we are now older than we have ever been.

Our median age in 2022 was a record-breaking 38.9 years old, according to U.S. Census Bureau data released last month. And while the graying of nations is an international phenomenon, we remain younger than many European nations that have a median age of 44.

Japan is the oldest industrialized nation with a median age of nearly 49 years, while tiny Monaco has the world’s oldest population at a median age of 55.4.

Many Americans, including this writer, look at 39 as relatively young, but in demographic terms, we have become much older relatively quickly.

Our median age in 1980 was 30, in 2000 it was 35, and now it is almost 39. Cumberland County is a bit of an outlier with a much younger median age of 31.4 years, in part because of the young people and young families stationed here in military service.

Compare that to our neighbors in Bladen and Sampson Counties, with median ages above the national average at 44.8 and 40.3 respectively.

So what does this graying of America mean? Firstly, it is all about numbers and trends. And once trends have begun, they play themselves out, meaning that because our birth rate has fallen 20% since the Great Recession of the late 2000s, there are simply fewer babies to bring down the median age.

American millennials, as well as those in other industrialized nations, have put education and career before starting families. Some research also suggests that many of them will not have children for various reasons, including fear of the future, environmental concerns, toxic politics, and fertility issues.

In other words, another trend can emerge if our birth rate increases, but the current one will continue.

In addition, as the United States continues to gray, we are also becoming a more diverse nation. So far this decade, our Asian population has grown the most, followed by our Hispanic population, followed by Blacks, then whites. Southern and Western states are growing rapidly through both births and migration from other states and nations.

The scary part is that many — soon to be most — older Americans are no longer working and paying taxes on their wages, shifting that burden to younger and fewer Americans who are building careers. Will they be willing and able to pay for the social programs, primarily Social Security and Medicare, needed and expected by the millions of Baby Boomers now retiring in droves and even as their life spans continue to increase?

Economists have been pondering this situation for decades, and the rubber is now hitting the road. The United States confronts questions about the allocation of precious public resources among generations.

Other nations, some with much more robust social programs, face similar dilemmas. The World Bank suggests several strategies to address the consequences of an aging population. These include improving educational quality at all levels to generate a more productive workforce, encouraging women and seniors to remain in the workforce, increasing savings at all levels — federal, state, local and personal, and supporting innovation and emerging technology.

And, lest you think the aging of America is not a pressing issue, ponder this. The U.S. Census Bureau says people 65 and over will outnumber Americans under 18 by 2034.

That is a mere 11 years away.

Six months ago, our community was attacked.

Two substations in Moore County were intentionally attacked on the evening of Dec. 3, leaving my house and 45,000 of our neighbors without power for up to 10 days.

In the aftermath of the attack, hospitals were impacted threatening medical treatments, schools were shut down, businesses were affected, stop lights were dark, gas stations were closed, cell signals were impacted, and water couldn’t be heated.

An attack like this could have devastated our community and we didn’t go without our struggles. But overall, I am so proud of our resilient response. In the days that followed, residents truly showed the best of Moore County and the best of America.

Throughout our region, churches, small businesses, restaurants, police and fire departments, local governments, and individuals stepped up to help their neighbors and showed the true strength of the community. It was inspiring to see everyone come together in our time of need.

I also thank Sheriff Ronnie Fields and our local law enforcement for their quick response during those dark days and for their ongoing investigations to determine who is responsible for December’s attack.

We must hold those responsible for this act accountable and I will continue to support law enforcement as they conduct their investigation.

Since the attack occurred, I have been in listening mode. I have heard from constituents, grid operators, community developers, the FBI and law enforcement, and business owners who have concerns with our grid’s security and resilience — all against the backdrop of historic energy costs.

As your neighbor, I share these concerns with you. And a similar, yet thankfully unsuccessful, attack in Randolph County several months ago underscores the need to address this issue.

That’s why I brought my colleagues from Congress to Moore County for a House Energy and Commerce Committee field hearing. I took my colleagues to the site of one of the attacks so they could understand the substation involved.

I introduced them to the community and people who were impacted by the attack. Just as I promised back in December, I brought Washington here and put real faces to the issues that rocked our community.

Before the hearing, we stopped at the Duke Energy West End substation, one of the two substations in Moore County that was intentionally attacked. At the field hearing, experts from Duke Energy, NC Emergency Management, NC State University, and energy security shared their testimony on the current state of our grid security and resilience and how we move forward from these attacks.

There are 45,000 stories of why Moore County — and our nation — needs greater grid resilience, and my colleagues and I welcome these testimonies and your feedback in order to help do our jobs effectively.

This field hearing was the first of many our committee will hold in our efforts to improve the security and resiliency of our nation’s energy grid. It was important to me that the first hearing be where the attack happened, and this is only the beginning of our investigations.

Being your voice in Congress is a responsibility I take extremely seriously and I will continue to make sure Washington pays attention to the concerns and needs of you and your family.

It is an honor to represent you and the best of our community — which always shines bright, even in the dark.

The newly installed president of the Greater Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce, Nat Robertson, is wasting no time setting the course to make the “New” Fayetteville Chamber a tour de force advocacy for business in the Fayetteville/Cumberland County community.

Hitting the ground running, Robertson is revamping and overhauling Chamber programs to create more value for its members. He is developing new policies, streamlining operating procedures, and hiring competent staff who embrace the organization’s mission and have the skill sets and work ethic to create, implement and execute effective value-added programs for Chamber members.

In just weeks, the Chamber will relocate its Ray Avenue office to Bronco Square at 1047 Murchison Road, Suite 120, across from Fayetteville State University, putting Robertson on the fast track to turning the Chamber of Commerce into a relevant organization that supports local businesses by taking an active role in their success.

Vibrant businesses and healthy economic growth foster a vibrant city. Being the former Mayor of Fayetteville, Robertson knows the importance of competent and trustworthy leadership. He also understands that the Chamber of Commerce must actively recognize and nurture such leadership. This is why Robertson’s latest innovative program exemplifies its high priority on well-informed leadership.

That program is the Greater Fayetteville Chamber’s first Candidates Academy on July 29. For one day, the Chamber invites everyone seeking an elected office in Fayetteville to attend a free pre-election program to get “up close and personal” insights into the city’s operation, making them better-informed candidates.

Robertson has assembled an impressive and diverse faculty of a dozen local business, political and community leaders who will share their experience and knowledge of city government concepts and inner workings, including the realities of policymaking.

The topics being covered are as diverse as the facility itself. They include The Downtown District, City Wants vs. Needs, Economic Development, Public Utilities, Arts & Culture, Crime and Safety, and other topics that are vitally important to enhancing our quality of life and assuring that Fayetteville lives up to its reputation as an All America City.

According to Robertson, “I believe by educating the candidates before taking office, we have a better opportunity of them understanding exactly what we do, and why. Often after taking office, the candidate’s perspective changes … if we can have an honest exchange prior to that time, it may be beneficial for all the residents of Fayetteville.”

The Chamber will invite all the candidates filing for a municipal office in Fayetteville. Based on attendance, they may open it up to other Cumberland County municipalities if room allows.

The Chamber of Commerce will later host the Fayetteville Candidates Forum on Oct. 17. Many topics covered during the Academy will be presented as questions during the Forum.

Up & Coming Weekly supports and applauds Robertson’s efforts and the Chamber’s new, refreshing, long-overdue outlook on Fayetteville.

We desperately need competent leadership to move Fayetteville forward. For nearly a decade, our city has suffered from a deficit of municipal leadership plagued with ignorance, incompetence and many suspicious allegations of corruption.

Robertson’s commitment to the community and innovative programs like the Candidates Academy is what Fayetteville needs to attract and develop competent leadership, new businesses, and organizations to the Chamber of Commerce.

Keep your eye on Robertson and the “New” Greater Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce. Fayetteville and Cumberland County need a strong Chamber and competent leadership for a prosperous future. No doubt, we are moving in the right direction.

Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

Editor's note: This article has been updated to reflect date changes.

Due to the continued threat of excessive heat into next week, Cumberland County, in partnership with the City of Fayetteville, will extend the availability of several facilities as cooling stations through July 18 for residents who do not have access to air conditioning and need a place to get out of the heat.

The National Weather Service in Raleigh is forecasting high temperatures and heat indices above 100 degrees today through next Wednesday. Cooling stations will be available in the following locations during normal business hours today through Wednesday. Additional days may be added depending on the forecast for next week.

The Cumberland County Department of Social Services, located at 1225 Ramsey Street, will open the auxiliary lobby as a cooling station. Hours are 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. All public lobbies will be available to citizens. Masks or face coverings are encouraged for those with preexisting conditions. 

The first-floor lobby of the Cumberland County Department of Public Health, located at 1235 Ramsey Street, is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Masks or face coverings are required in some areas and for those immediately following a COVID-19 infection or had close contact with someone who has had the infection. Citizens with preexisting conditions are encouraged to wear a mask or face covering. 

All eight Cumberland County Public Library locations will be open as cooling stations. Libraries are open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Headquarters Library at 300 Maiden Lane, Fayetteville, along with Cliffdale, North Regional, and Hope Mills branches are also open Sundays from 2 to 6 p.m. To find your local library, go to cumberlandcountync.gov/departments/library-group/library.

The lobbies of Fayetteville-Cumberland Parks and Recreation Centers are open to the public year-round, during normal operating hours and can be used by residents as respite from the heat. Recreation center locations, hours, contact information and programming schedules are posted at fcpr.us/facilities/recreation-centers/. 

The lobby of the Fayetteville Area System of Transit (FAST), located at 505 Franklin Street, is also open to the public during normal operating hours. Operating hours for FAST are posted at fayettevillenc.gov/city-services/transit/about-fast/operating-hours-schedules. .

Extreme heat and humidity will significantly increase the potential for heat-related illnesses, particularly for those working outdoors. Cumberland County Emergency Services reminds residents to take precautions during the hot weather. Drink plenty of fluids, stay in air-conditioned rooms, stay out of the sun, avoid strenuous work, check on relatives and neighbors, and never leave children or pets unattended in vehicles.

Stay informed by visiting the County’s website at cumberlandcountync.gov or County social media pages at facebook.com/CumberlandNC, facebook.com/CumberlandCountyNC911 and twitter.com/CumberlandNC.

Photo by Pixabay

Twenty-four teachers from across North Carolina have been selected as finalists for the 2023 North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching Career and Technical Education Teacher of the Year Award.
The NCCAT recognizes their dedication, innovation and ability to inspire students to achieve.

Cumberland County Schools announced that Ashley Long McCullen, the agriculture teacher at Gray's Creek High School, is one of the finalists for the NCCAT honor.

From this impressive group of finalists, one educator will be chosen as the NCCAT 2023 NC CTE Teacher of the Year.

The finalists will gather at the NCCAT campus in Cullowhee for a week of professional development in October. The award ceremony is scheduled to take place on Oct. 19 at the Bardo Center on the Western Carolina University campus.

“Each day in schools, Career and Technical Education teachers inspire and guide students to important future careers and roles in society,” NCCAT Executive Director M. Brock Womble said.

“Taking time to honor excellent Career and Technical Education educators across our state through the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching 2023 NC CTE Teacher of the Year program is important, as we are continually striving to elevate the teaching profession and emphasize the significance of the work educators do every day. Congratulations to these finalists and the school districts they represent. We look forward to having them with us for a week of professional development and a special night to honor the teaching profession.”

While defending our country, veterans faced countless dangers, from permanent hearing loss to traumatic brain injuries.
Still, a more obscure risk serving in the military entails is toxic exposure, which is responsible for crippling diseases among veterans. As a consequence of negligence, the vast majority of military bases nationwide are now contaminated with toxic substances.

The city of Fayetteville is home to over 25,600 veterans, some of whom have been stationed at polluted military bases during active duty.

Established in 1918, the installation is the largest in the country by population, with 43,414 active-duty military personnel training and living there. Today, the military base is known as Fort Liberty, as it had originally been named after a Confederate.

Unfortunately, the environment of the military base is contaminated with perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS or “forever chemicals.” Out of this group of over 9,000 toxic chemicals, PFOA and PFOS are the most harmful, as they have a strong association with cancer.

According to the new safe exposure limits proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the concentration of PFOA and PFOS in the environment of Fort Liberty is very high. Specifically, the PFOA level exceeds the maximum limit by 6,400 times, while the PFOS level eclipses the proposed limits by 1,135 times.

These chemicals are emerging contaminants, being able to persist in the environment for over a thousand years. They are challenging to remove from groundwater and soil, even with the most innovative technologies.

A military base with a significantly worse legacy of toxic contamination is Camp Lejeune, located in Jacksonville. For 34 years during the last century, two of the eight water distribution plants at the facility were heavily contaminated with solvents, including trichloroethylene and vinyl chloride.

As many as one million people lived there while the drinking water was unsafe to consume. PFAS were also lurking in Camp Lejeune’s water in a concentration exceeding the current safe exposure limit by over 2,500 times.

In the past, veterans affected by toxic exposure on military bases had a difficult time obtaining the VA benefits they were entitled to. Today, by virtue of the Honoring Our PACT Act, they have easier access to the healthcare and compensation they deserve.

This bill was signed into law on Aug. 10, 2022. According to the Department of Veteran Affairs, the PACT Act is one of the largest health care and benefit expansions in VA history. The full name of the law is The Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act.

The Honoring Our PACT Act extends the VA healthcare eligibility criteria for veterans injured by toxic exposure; adds over 20 new presumptive conditions; and requires the VA to offer a toxic exposure screening to each veteran enrolled in the system.

Under this new law, Fayetteville veterans struggling with diseases caused by toxic exposure on military bases can file for VA disability compensation and receive free healthcare with considerably more ease than in the past.

The Camp Lejeune Justice Act is also part of the Honoring Our PACT Act, under which everyone who spent time at the military base when the drinking water was contaminated can obtain compensation from the U.S. government.

To learn more about the Honoring Our PACT Act visit https://www.va.gov/

Editor’s note: Jonathan Sharp is Chief Financial Officer at Environmental Litigation Group, P.C. The law firm offers assistance to veterans and family members injured by toxic exposure on military installations.

The Defense Department is prioritizing ethical considerations and collaboration in its approach to developing and fielding military applications of artificial intelligence, a top Pentagon technology official said June 15.
Michael C. Horowitz, the director of the emerging capabilities policy office in the office of the undersecretary of defense for policy, underscored the U.S. commitment to leading the international conversation surrounding artificial intelligence during a panel discussion in Washington on setting rules and expectations for emerging technologies in national security.

Underpinning this commitment, Horowitz said, is a comprehensive set of policy decisions within DOD that governs the development and fielding of autonomous weapon systems, ethical artificial intelligence strategy, and the development of responsible artificial intelligence strategy and pathways.

He said U.S. leadership, in codifying these principles, is now driving responsible artificial intelligence policy formulation among international partners.

“If you look at NATO’s ethical AI principles, for example, they’re very similar to the Defense Department’s ethical AI principles and that’s not an accident,” Horowitz said. “It reflects in many ways the sort of common values and perspective on how we’re thinking about... when we would want to use AI and how.”

He said U.S. also led on the international stage by issuing its Political Declaration of Responsible Military use of Artificial Intelligence and Autonomy in February.

“That’s a set of strong norms that lay out principles of what responsible use looks like that we’re now working to bring other countries on board to endorse since we think that bringing the international community together on this issue, that there is a lot of possibility for cooperation and we want to encourage the rest of the world to take these issues as seriously as the department has,” Horowitz said. “And in looking at our allies and partners, we’re really encouraged by that.”

That commitment to the responsible development of artificial intelligence, and its transparency concerning the development of policy surrounding emerging technologies, is also how the U.S. has distinguished itself from its global competitors, he said.

He said all DOD policy surrounding artificial intelligence and emerging technology is publicly available.

“That’s in contrast to some of the competitors of the United States who are a lot less transparent in what their policies are concerning the development and use of artificial intelligence and autonomous systems, including autonomous weapons systems,” Horowitz said. “And we think that there’s a real distinction there.”

At the same time, the U.S. has remained committed to being at the leading edge of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, Horowitz said.

He said the rapid advance of the technology has opened up a wide array of use cases for artificial intelligence beyond defense. The U.S. continues to be “an engine of innovation when it comes to AI.”

“The Defense Department does lots and lots of different experimentation with emerging technologies,” Horowitz said. “And we both want to do them in a safe and responsible way, but also want to do them in a way that can push forward the cutting edge and ensure the department has access to the emerging technologies that it needs to stay ahead.”

Start off Independence Week with a bang and a parade in Hope Mills. The city is hosting a day-long event on Saturday, July 1, filled with music and activities that will keep the whole family happy and occupied.

This will be the 41st Annual Town of Hope Mills Independence Day Celebration.

Festivities will begin at 4 p.m. with a parade. The parade route will begin at Hope Mills Middle School and will conclude at Rockfish Elementary. The parade will have floats, cars and local businesses and organizations.

Directly following the parade, Independence Celebration in the Park will begin at Hope Mills Municipal Park. There will be fun for people of all ages and special musical performances.

This year, entertainment includes two live musical guests, Krispee Biscuits and Paige King Johnson. Krispee Biscuits is an eclectic electronic duo fresh out of Wilmington, who are equipped with a classically trained violinist and a Future Funk-bred DJ maestro.

“Paige King Johnson is a four-time Carolina Country Music Award winner from Angier. She has shared the stage with many great artists over the years, such as Kane Brown, Joe Nichols, Kylie Morgan, Jimmie Allen, Diamond Rio, Scotty McCreery, Neal McCoy and more,” said Meghan Freeman, Assistant Director Programs and Events for Hope Mills Parks and Recreation.

“The 2023 Independence Day Celebration is much like that of last year’s celebration. Patrons can look forward to an evening filled with food from over 15 food trucks, three local breweries, one local winery, and stilt walkers from Imagine Circus,” Freeman told Up & Coming Weekly.

The Celebration will conclude at 9 p.m. with the annual fireworks display provided by Pyro Shows East Coast.

For those who want to celebrate a little earlier, Hope Mills Parks and Recreation is hosting an Independence Luncheon for those ages 55 and older. The luncheon is on Thursday, June 29 at 11 a.m.

The luncheon will be a fully catered meal with music and dancing. Come and celebrate independence with food, fellowship and fun. There will be door prizes and maybe an extra surprise or two. Tickets are $15 and must be bought beforehand at https://secure.rec1.com/NC/hope-mills-nc/catalog.

For more information about the Independence Day Luncheon or the Independence Celebration on July 1, go to www.townofhopemills.com.

Cape Fear Studios is a nonprofit fine arts organization providing opportunities for visual artists and art patrons to work together in promoting and learning visual arts. It’s mission is to involve, educate and enrich Cumberland County and surrounding communities with the opportunity to create and freely view art.

Cape Fear Studios provides art studios for rent, a gallery for exhibitions of work by member and visiting artists, and classroom space for private lessons, workshops or classes. There is also retail space for visitors to purchase paintings, photographs, sculptures, pottery, wood and glass art, and fine jewelry.

Up & Coming Weekly asked two member artists to discuss the latest exhibit which displays work submitted for the Annual 2D Art Competition.
Annette Szcezktek and Rose Kennedy have been members of Cape Fear Studios for over 10 years each and have seen the show grow over time.

When asked what makes this show special Szcezktek says, “All of the artists that are part of the show have to be jurored in. Meaning they have to go through a judged selection process, competing with hundreds of other applicants from all over the country.”

The 2D Competition displays 39 works of art from artists in eight states from California to New York. The exhibit features 2D art in many techniques and styles. The exhibit was judged by North Carolina watercolorist Russell Jewell, an internationally acclaimed watercolor artist.

Visiting the 2D Competition exhibit is a chance to explore the facility. If you’ve never been to Cape Fear Studios, you’re in for a treat. The studio space is covered with art from several mediums. The work is custom-made and local.

“We are the only place I know of locally where you can find everything in here is original art. It's unique, one of a kind,” Kennedy said.
The Annual 2D Competition exhibit will be on display through July 25. Cape Fear Studios is located at 148 Maxwell Street. The gallery is open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

For more information about Cape Fear Studios or the 2D Art Competition exhibit, visit www.capefearstudios.com or call 910-433-2896.

North Carolinians are by now accustomed to seeing our state score well on national rankings of economic performance, cost of living, quality of life and other measures. But a new study from the foundation arm of the National Taxpayers Union ranks North Carolina a dismal 42nd.

No, there was no overnight tax increase while you were sleeping. The study in question examines how state tax codes treat traveling professionals and remote workers. Ours treats them poorly.
Unless you make speeches, play professional sports, or consult for a living, you may not be aware that state governments routinely tax non-residents for even small amounts of income earned within their jurisdictions.

If you live in Raleigh but conduct a week-long seminar in Charleston for some of your South Carolina clients, you are obligated to pay South Carolina taxes on your seminar income.

Ditto if you live in Norfolk but do a short job in Elizabeth City. You’re supposed to pay North Carolina taxes on what you’re paid for that job.
The concern here isn’t so much about double taxation — the U.S. Supreme Court held years ago that multiple states aren’t supposed to tax the same stream of income — as it is about administrative complexity and simple fairness.

If you only perform work in a state for a short time, you impose few burdens on that state’s infrastructure and other public services. And unless you command a very high wage, the amount of tax collected from you is too small to justify the paperwork burden on you and your employer.

Naturally, if you regularly commute across state lines for work, say from Rock Hill to your job in Charlotte, these arguments don’t really apply. It is reasonable to require you to pay taxes to North Carolina, and for your employer to withhold those taxes on your behalf.

But it turns out that most states, including our own, do little to distinguish between these very different cases.

Maine is one exemption. Unless you work at least 12 days there, earning at least $3,000, you aren’t required to pay income taxes in Maine. Our neighboring state of Georgia is another. It uses a wage threshold of $5,000 or 5% of your total income, whichever is lower.

Another way to reduce the administrative burden on employers and employees is for states to negotiate tax-reciprocity agreements in which each agrees to tax only the incomes of residents.

North Carolina offers no such relief. That’s why we rank so poorly on the National Taxpayer Union’s Remote Obligations and Mobility (ROAM) Index.

All other things being equal, we make it unnecessarily cumbersome for companies to do business here if they hire out-of-state workers for short periods.
The tax treatment of cross-border income was always a thorny issue. The post-COVID explosion in telecommuting has dramatically increased its salience, however. Millions more Americans now work from home much or all the time, sometimes deriving income from multiple employers or jurisdictions.

“States cannot keep their heads in the sand and pretend that the economy is not changing,” says Andrew Wilford, who developed the ROAM Index. “Rules that once affected small subsets of mobile workers are increasingly becoming relevant to broader swaths of workers across many industries.”

Wilford recommends that North Carolina establish a fixed threshold for filing and withholding — 30 days is his “gold standard” — and that we negotiate reciprocal agreements with neighboring states.
These steps would elevate us to the top tier of states on the index. That’s where North Carolina belongs.

Editor's note: John Hood is a John Locke Foundation board member. His latest books, Mountain Folk and Forest Folk, combine epic fantasy with early American history (FolkloreCycle.com).

Studies have shown that men have historically been less likely to report mental health issues than women.

Lower rates of self-reporting among men may be attributable to a number of factors, including the stigma that’s still attached to the issue of mental health. Mental health issues can affect all aspects of a person’s life, and if left untreated, these issues can have grave consequences.

Men are not immune to those consequences. In fact, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates age-adjusted suicide rates are substantially higher among men than women. Among men, that rate is 14 per 100,000, which is more than twice as high as the rate among women (6.1 per 100,000).

There’s no formula to identify which men will develop a mental health issue or which condition they might experience. But it’s worth noting some of the more common mental health issues, and equally important that all men recognize these issues can affect any man at any time.

Anxiety: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services notes that anxiety disorders affect roughly 20% of the adult population in the United States each year.

Anxiety is an umbrella term that alludes to a number of issues that each produce their own symptoms and side effects, but the DHHS notes that anxiety disorders are marked by feelings of fear and uncertainty that interfere with everyday activities. These feelings persist for six months or more and can increase a person’s risk for heart disease, diabetes, substance abuse and depression.

Depression: The World Health Organization reports that roughly 5% of the global adult population suffers from depression.

Depression is more than the feelings of sadness that everyone experiences from time to time. The National Institute of Mental Health notes that depression produces persistent feelings of sadness, anxiety or an “empty” mood. Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism are some additional characteristics of depression.

It’s important to recognize that these symptoms must be persistent. Symptoms that persist for at least two weeks and interfere with a person’s ability to work, sleep, study,and eat may indicate major depression, while less severe symptoms that last for at least two years suggest the presence of persistent depressive disorder.

Substance Use Disorder: The National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics has identified substance use disorder as a public health emergency. Statistics support that assertion, as data from the National Center for Health Statistics indicates more than 20 million Americans ages 12 and over are affected by a substance use disorder.

Though anyone, including children, can develop substance use disorder, a 2016 report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration indicated that men have higher rates of use or dependence on illicit drugs and alcohol than women.

The National Institutes of Health notes that substance use disorder affects a person’s brain and behavior, which makes them incapable of controlling their use of substances, including medication and alcohol.

Men are no less vulnerable to mental health issues than women. The NIMH urges individuals in crisis or people who suspect someone is in crisis to call 911 or to call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.
More information about mental health can be found at nimh.nih.gov.

Oscar Solis, Jr. is a retired U.S. Marine who doesn’t like celebrating the Fourth of July.

“I’m very honored by the intent, but it’s the celebration behind it — the fireworks, the large crowds — that’s a bit much for me,” the Afghanistan and Iraq War veteran explained.

Solis is not alone. Every year the nation celebrates its independence with fireworks. What some don’t realize is that these colorful celebrations of American freedom can seriously impact the veterans who defended it.

“As beautiful as they are, the sounds, smells and shock waves of fireworks can be triggering for veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD,” said Annie Tang, staff psychologist at Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital in Illinois.

“These can bring up emotional and physiological reactions, and bring up trauma memories from the past, which can bring up intense anxiety and fear.”

Tang explained that the brain is very good at pairing things, especially threat. Combat veterans and those who worked in combat zones can pair threat with whatever was in that environment, including things they saw, heard or smelled.

These pairings can continue after returning to civilian life. So, when fireworks or other loud noises occur, a veteran’s brain can feel in danger.

“That’s absolutely me,” said Solis. “It’s like an animalistic brain. It’s a lot of negative things you associate with that makes you hesitant to do everything.”

Although time and treatment have helped with coping, Solis still prefers to stick to his regular schedule during the holiday.

“I really struggled for a long time. I took a bad turn initially when I first got out. Over the past few years or so, it’s gotten better. Now I can manage,” he explained. “But I stay in; my routine is everything. I stick to my routine.”

According to Tang, avoiding the holiday is a common way of coping with the stress Independence Day can bring but may not benefit someone long-term.

“In our society and military culture, veterans are taught to avoid,” Tang explained. “How many times has a veteran heard ‘suck it up?’ In an immediate threat, [avoidance] can help, but in civilian life, it can really affect many veterans.”

Tang has treated veterans at Hines VA since 2013 and recommends five things to help veterans cope with triggers.

• 1. Avoid avoidance. Avoidance can be a short-term fix, but it tends to worsen the problem over time. It’s helpful to confront safe triggers you’ve wanted to avoid gradually. Some Veterans may need help from a mental health professional.
• 2. Remind yourself where you are and what is happening around you. Repeating simple reminders, like ‘this is not a combat zone,’ and ‘these are only fireworks’ can help reset the brain during a PTSD trigger.
• 3. Change the body’s temperature. Safely lowering body temperatures can quickly remind someone where they are and help quell PTSD triggers. Veterans can take a cold shower, or use an ice pack, ice cubes, frozen vegetable packs or splash cold water.
• 4. Schedule meaningful activities you enjoy. Planning self-care can boost your mood, which can offset the overall impact of stress triggers.
• 5. Prioritize your mental health and seek treatment. VA offers support and care through evidence-based treatments for PTSD, stress and anxiety. VA also offers the PTSD Coach Mobile App that provides information and coping skills to help manage anxiety or distress. To schedule an appointment with Hines VA Trauma Services, call 708-202-4668.

“It’s not always easy, but I cannot emphasize enough that help is out there, and it can help people regain their lives,” said Tang.

This year will be the 11th Independence Day since Solis returned from his last combat deployment in Afghanistan. Like most Independence Days since returning, he plans to spend it away from celebrations and large gatherings.

“The fear, the pain — it hurts, but you have to accept it and work through it,” said Solis “It’s the only way I can keep growing.”

Editor’s note: Matthew Moeller is a Public Affairs Officer at Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital in Illinois This article is a reprint from www.va.gov/

Child Nutrition Service’s Summer Meals Program is providing free meals to children 18 years and younger at elementary schools and recreational centers throughout the county through July 27.

The program is free for children and no sign-up is needed. The meals are served on a first come first served basis and must be eaten on-site.

Families are encouraged to stop by designated locations Monday through Thursday.

Participating elementary schools serve lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Serving times vary at recreation centers around the county.

For a detailed list of locations and times, visit https://www.ccs.k12.nc.us/Page/8195

Shane Wilson has been a full-time resident in Fayetteville since moving to the city in 2014. After almost a decade here, he calls the Can-Do City his home. Wilson is a professor in the English department at Fayetteville Technical Community College and is active in the local arts scene.

“It’s nice that there’s a space here for artists where artists and artists of all varieties like visual arts, poets, all that. It’s been, I think, really nice to be able to be a part of a community like that,” Wilson said.

Wilson has published two novels so far, “A Year Since the Rain” and “The Smoke in His Eyes.” The novels are part of Wilson’s “World of Muses.” They aren’t sequels to each other, they are stand alone novels, but they both take place in the same world.

“The world feels pretty much like our world. It’s not set in sort of like middle earth, fantastical ideas. There are no elves and things like that. It’s mostly just regular people and regular places. But there are these magical people in the world. It’s like a reimagining of Greek muses, is how I’m explaining it. It’s called The World of Muses. These people are brought up in a school where they’re taught how to inspire people to change or grow, and all of the users have their different focuses,” Wilson said while describing his series of novels.

His book, “The Smoke in His Eyes,” won two awards at the Spring 2022 edition of The BookFest’s Book Awards. It received second place for Contemporary Fantasy, and third place for Coming-of-Age Literary Fiction .

He suggests people read his second novel, “The Smoke in His Eyes,” before “A Year Since the Rain,” in order to fully immerse in the world, but they can be read in any order.

His upcoming novel, “The Woman with a Thousand Faces,” is the final post-apocalyptic chapter of this world.

The novel follows newspaper reporter Sean Forrester, who was convinced that Troy Gideon, the CEO of Pure Elemental, had nefarious plans for the top-secret Project Skylight. He needed only to find proof. But that was before a globally cataclysmic event, and Forrester lost everyone he ever loved in an instant. He is alive, emotionally traumatized, and questioning everything he can remember.
He ends up staying with a woman he doesn’t know. She’s a muse and is able to access Sean’s past if he wants. That’s where the bulk of the story takes place.

“It’s a post-apocalyptic, dystopian kind of world that the novel opens up into a sort of on the other side of some globally cataclysmic event. Even though it’s post-apocalyptic and dystopian, it breaks that tradition from a lot of those kinds of stories because it’s not exploring the entire world. It really is just focused in on these two characters that are locked inside of this house to try to stay safe because they don’t really know what’s going on,” Wilson told Up & Coming Weekly.

The inspiration for the story came from a memorable night of talking and drinking with a close friend from college.

“I had one of those nights where you get a couple of bottles of wine, and you just like hash out your entire life story with somebody,” Wilson said.

Despite the book sounding like it was written during or after the COVID pandemic with its theme of locking down and being stuck in a house with someone, Wilson wrote this well before mandates and masks.

However, Wilson did say that during COVID, he started to write more short-form escapist stories.

The book, “The Woman with a Thousand Faces,” is expected to be published on July 20.

There are no scheduled events at this time, but Wilson expects to do local signings and readings, as well as digital conversations when the book is released. Wilson’s books are available on Amazon. For more information about Wilson and his previous works, go to https://www.shanewilsonauthor.com/

Golf courses are serene settings that allow people to enjoy the great outdoors while simultaneously engaging in the thrill of competition. Those factors undoubtedly motivate people to hit the links and play a round of golf, which remains a wildly popular sport.

In fact, a recent report from the National Golf Foundation found that roughly 119 million people followed golf on television or online, read about the game, or listened to a golf-related podcast in 2022.

Golf can certainly be a fun sport to follow, but it’s just as fun to play. Golf is a challenging sport, and it can be especially difficult for newcomers. Patience is paramount when learning to play golf, and the following are some additional strategies beginners can keep in mind as they learn to golf.

Work with a pro. Golf pros at local courses or even private coaches typically have extensive experience teaching the game. That experience is invaluable.

Beginners can learn the basics from a seasoned pro, who can instruct students on fundamentals such as stance, grip and swing so they enjoy their first round that much more.

Purchase a good set of clubs. The right clubs can make the game that much easier. Adults who are not sure if they want to fully commit to playing can get by with secondhand clubs, while parents can do the same as they try to teach their children the game. Once a commitment has been made, a new set of custom fitted clubs can be a worthy investment that lets golfers take their game to the next level.

Using clubs that are too small or too large can affect performance, as can other factors like grip size. Custom fitted clubs can be expensive, so beginners may want to wait until they catch the golfing bug before they make such an investment on the sport.

Golf with a friend. The buddy system makes numerous recreational activities more fun, and golf is no exception. Beginners can ask a friend who already plays to tag along, but it also can be fun to learn the sport alongside another novice.

Friends with experience may be willing to offer some tips to becoming a better player. Two beginners can share a few laughs as they navigate their way through rounds that might end up well over par.

Choose the right courses. Certain courses are more challenging than others. Par-3 courses can be perfect for beginners because they include only par 3 holes, which feature shorter distances from tee to cup and tend to be flatter and easier for novices. Par-3 courses also tend to be just nine holes, which can be ideal for beginners.

When playing a traditional course, beginners can look for one with a reputation for being less challenging so they are not discouraged by their final scores.

Millions of people enjoy playing the game of golf. As beginners introduce themselves to the game, they can keep various strategies in mind to ensure their day on the links is fun and fruitful.