Fayetteville’s professional indoor soccer team, Fayetteville Fury will kick off their second season home opener against Memphis on Feb. 18 and 19 at the Crown Coliseum.

For those who did not know professional indoor soccer is a thing, the Fury is a part of the National Indoor Soccer League. The league was created in 2021 and Fayetteville Fury is one of the many teams in the organization that has men’s and women’s divisions.

Their season kick off is against the Memphis Americans. The Men’s and Women’s divisions will have 24 regular season games. After the home opening weekend, the Fury will be on the road until the next home games on March 10 against the Central Florida Crusaders. It is rare for one sports ticket to get someone into a men’s and women’s game.

Andrew Haines, NISL owner said, “We are the only league in the country that does that at the professional level. All tickets get you into both games.”

During the inaugural season, the Fayetteville Fury Men’s team won a championship title. Haines discussed how this being the league’s second season proves that the sport is real and not just a concept.

“We produced a quality product for the community, and our Men’s team won the league championship,” Haines said. “We are in building mode and excited to kick off our second season.”
The League’s Affect on Fayetteville

“Our league and teams all affect each other,” Haines said. “Our successes and failures are shared. Our front office and coaches from around the league all work together behind the scenes... off the field we are one family with a common goal.”

To learn more about the league or purchase tickets, visit www.fayettevillefury.com/.

About the National Indoor Soccer League

The NISL was founded in January 2021 by a group of seasoned sports team/league owners with over 50 years of ownership experience. The league features both a Men’s & Women’s Division, competing in double header game days over a 16-game regular season that takes place between January and April. Current teams include Central Florida Crusaders, Columbus Rapids (Georgia), Fayetteville Fury, Memphis Americans, Rome Gladiators (Georgia), and Tampa Bay Strikers.

The NISL is committed to promoting and supporting member teams, while providing an avenue for players, coaches, and front office staff to develop their skills and gain exposure for opportunities at higher levels, all while providing high-quality, affordable entertainment in the communities they call home.
For more information, go to www.nislpro.com.

February 14 is a day dedicated to love. And for couples who are pondering their futures together, Valentine’s Day may seem tailor-made for wedding proposals.

According to a survey of 1,000 married adults by James Allen, an online diamond and bridal jewelry retailer, people really love getting engaged on Valentine’s Day. Forty-three percent of Millennials report favoring Valentine’s Day for proposals — whether they’re doing the asking or being asked.

There are a few things to keep in mind when considering whether or not to pop the question on Valentine’s Day. Here are some ideas for planning the proposal. Make it your own. Even if the proposal is taking place on one of the most popular days of the year to get engaged, interject some personality into the occasion. Include important elements that are dear to the person to whom you are proposing, such as favorite flowers or a preferred restaurant. Restaurant reservations may be hard to come by on Valentine’s Day, so you may want to select a more private meal at home or something catered unless you want to share your proposal with a crowd.

Visit possible locations in advance. Think about where you would like to propose and visit those areas at different times of the day. Timing a proposal during sunset with the rays creating a warm glow on a park bench or on the incoming tide can make it more magical. Adjust proposal area plans for busier crowds expected on Valentine’s Day.

Have the ring at the ready. Jewelry shops are in demand around Valentine’s Day, so be sure to choose and have the ring sized well in advance of the proposal. This ensures the ring will be ready in time. If the ring will be a surprise, get hints beforehand to understand your loved one’s design tastes. Consider bringing a friend along when shopping to offer support and advice.

Use chocolate to your advantage. Boxes of chocolate are ubiquitous on Valentine’s Day. Nestle the ring inside of a box of truffles or another favorite confection and have the question “Will you marry me?” attached to the inside of the box.

Hire a photographer. Work with a photographer to capture the moment, whether it’s a professional photographer or a friend enlisted for the task. This way you can be fully immersed in the moment as it unfolds, and then look back on the experience from a different perspective when the photos are printed.

Valentine’s Day is a popular time for wedding proposals. With a little planning, the occasion can be even more special.

So Fort Bragg is going to be renamed “Fort Liberty.” Why such a bland name? We commemorate great American military leaders by naming bases and installations in their memory. Don’t we have enough highly regarded military leaders and heroes to honor?

I can think of plenty of deserving U.S. military leaders worthy of the honor. But the reality is our “woke” politicians and their backers detest people that have risen to acclaim and respect because they overcame difficulties and achieved success by diligence and competence. They want us underlings to sit back while they, alone, plot the course of progress and rewrite history.

So why not “Fort Fredendall?” General Fredendall was the U.S. Army commander at the catastrophic defeat of U.S. forces at Kasserine Pass in February 1943. Major General Lloyd Fredendall is the epitome of the mediocrity and passivity that the “woke” types want to impose on us. Anyhow, Fredendall was relieved of command.

I agree that Fort Bragg’s name should be changed. But not because it honors a Confederate. Braxton Bragg left his glorious success behind him in Mexico. As a Confederate commander, Bragg arguably accomplished more to bring General Lee and the Confederacy to Appomattox Court House than the majority of the Union’s generals.
Bragg’s only success was at Chickamauga, but only because James Longstreet’s corps arrived to exploit the collapse of the Union line. But Chickamauga would see the rise of Union general George Thomas.

Bragg went on to lose more battles. At Chattanooga, George Thomas’ troops swept Bragg’s Confederates off of Missionary Ridge, in a rout that ended his field service. But Bragg was restored to command just in time to lose Fort Fisher and Wilmington. With the loss of Wilmington, the Confederacy’s last seaport and essential trade were cut off. Bragg then capped his career by his troops’ arriving too late at the Battle of Bentonville, the last major battle of the Civil War.

So when Camp Bragg was set up when the USA entered the First World War, naming the Army base after a native North Carolinian made sense, but full of sarcasm and irony.
So Fort Bragg is named for a dud.

A far more fitting name for the U.S. Army’s largest base would be George Thomas, the “Rock of Chickamauga” and the hero of Missionary Ridge and Nashville. There used to be a Fort Thomas in Kentucky, but it was closed in the 1960’s. George Thomas is far more deserving of the honor. As a Union commander, born in Virginia, he spans the North-South cultural divide and embodies the qualities we all need to emulate: competence, courage and conscience. Here is an American hero that personifies the qualities that should unite us. But politicians, both “woke” and other, always seek to divide us.

And why stop at Fort Bragg? Cumberland County, that includes much of Fort Bragg, also needs to be renamed. William Augustus — Duke of Cumberland — was King George II’s youngest son. Like Braxton Bragg, William Augustus was a military commander of dubious talent. After losing the Battle of Fontenoy, the Duke of Cumberland was recalled. But in 1745 he returned to the field at the head of a small British Army to deal with Charles Stuart — Bonnie Prince Charlie.

The Duke of Cumberland’s small force defeated the Highlanders at Culloden in 1746, where he earned the nickname “Butcher.” No need to go into details here; every true Scot knows the history. So naming this county, with its long association with Scottish settlement, after the Duke of Cumberland is an incredible gaffe.
Even in England, Cumberland County is no more. It and Westmorland (another name associated with an odious history) County were merged in 1974 to make the new county of Cumbria. So why not “Culloden County” instead?

While the “woke” crowd is celebrating their great victory in their campaign to erase American history that they find distasteful, they of course have no regard to the actual expenses of their achievement.
So what is Fayetteville going to do about Bragg Boulevard? Change its name too? Who cares what that is going to cost the county, city, and, perish the thought, the people and their businesses?

This has not been thought through competently. That is the price of being “woke.”

A former director of the Fayetteville-Cumberland Human Relations Commission will receive its Lifetime Achievement Award, according to a city news release.

The announcement of 2023 award winners was made Feb. 1.

Anthony Wade was the chief human relations officer for the city and county from 2016 until his retirement last year, according to the city’s website. He also is a former director of human resources for the county.

An Air Force veteran, Wade created and directed an award-winning equal opportunity treatment/human relations program for the Air Force’s Air Education Training Command while on active duty, according to the city. Wade is a past president of the National Association of Human Rights Workers.

The Human Relations Commission says its awards recognize “excellent work and commitment to promoting positive human relations throughout the city and county,” according to the news release.

Other Community Award winners announced Wednesday are:

• Educator Award: Kenjuana McCray, dean of arts and humanities at Fayetteville Technical Community College.
• Individual Award: Antonio Gardner
• Religious Leader Award: Sharon Thompson-Journigan
• Humanitarian Award: Takieyah Mathis
• Youth Award: Ryanne Squibb
• Industry/Business Award: Arts Council of Fayetteville-Cumberland County
• Organization Award: Miller’s Crew
• Military Award: Members of the 43rd Air Mobility Operations Group at Pope Field

Award winners will be recognized at a luncheon at 11 a.m. Feb. 15 at Cape Fear Botanical Garden, 536 N Eastern Blvd.

Tickets are $25 and are available at the Human Relations Department at the Festival Park Building, 225 Ray Ave., Suite 100. Sponsorship tables are available for $250. No tickets will be sold at the door.

Money raised at the reception will support a scholarship for Cumberland County high school students pursuing college degrees, the release said.

Valentine’s Day is a bright light in the middle of the winter . Come February 14, sweethearts celebrate their love and affection for one another on this day devoted to happy couples.

The origin of Valentine’s Day has generated much speculation over the years. Most early accounts do not point to heart-shaped boxes filled with chocolates. Rather, a few distinctive tales may paint the picture of early Valentine’s Day, and they have nothing to do with stuffed animals or romantic dinners.

One of the earliest records of the term Valentine’s Day is traced to the Roman festival of Lupercalia, which was a fertility festival. This annual event held on February 15 included animal sacrifices and priests called the Luperci who would take pieces of animal hide and touch it to the foreheads of women in the hopes it would make them more fertile.

Fortunately for the squeamish (and the sacrificial animals), Pope Gelasius I ended Lupercalia and replaced it with St. Valentine’s Day by the end of the fifth century. Two or three St. Valentines? Most people attribute the origins of Valentine’s Day to the holiday’s namesake, St. Valentine. But it seems that Valentine was the surname of a few different individuals.

According to History.com, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus. One Valentine was a priest during the reign of Emperor Claudius II, who decided that single men made better soldiers than those with families or wives. Claudius outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine disagreed with the decree and would perform marriages in secret.

Others believe it was St. Valentine of Terni, a bishop beheaded by Claudius II outside of Rome, who was the true namesake. Yet another Valentine may have been jailed and fell in love with a jailer’s daughter while in prison. He portedly wrote to her, beginning the first Valentine card or letter tradition.

Other stories say the imprisoned Valentine actually was writing to a blind woman he purportedly healed, and signed the note “from your Valentine.” It is hard to know who is who in regard to the name Valentine, as the stories and the people behind them are used interchangeably.

Some historians believe they actually are the same person rather than several Valentines, while others insist there were multiple martyred individuals. However you slice it, the defiant actions of one or more people named “Valentine” set the course for centuries of romance to follow.

Psalm 98 boldly commands readers to “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth!”

With their newest gospel album, “He Is,” Central Baptist Church Choir of Dunn seeks to do exactly that. Together with friends and other artists, the CBC has recorded an album of original songs and a few classics to delight their fans and those who may be new to their music.

Released on Jan. 6, the album is a “dream project” of Central Baptist Church’s Worship Pastor Darren Hughes. Featuring acts such as The Mylon Hayes Family, Soul’d Out, Suzanne Hise, The Ben Rochester Family, Roy Harris, and the Nelons — a personal favorite of Hughes —“He Is” is a labor of love years in the making.

“It took some time and persistence to get them all involved, but all of them were very accommodating and kind to be part of this,” Hughes shared with Up & Coming Weekly.
According to the church’s official website: “The Gospel of Jesus Christ is available for anyone at any age.” This record is a “reflection of our intentionally multigenerational church allowing kids, millennials, grandparents, and anyone in between to worship God.”

A beloved mainstay of the region, the Central Baptist Choir, which boasts over 100 voices, has been stomping feet and clapping hands since the mid-1980s, continuing the powerful tradition of downhome southern gospel music.

While Hughes admits it’s a large undertaking to guide a choir of such size together in harmony each week, he feels incredibly rewarded when “people are engaged in singing to and worshipping our God.”
Hughes, who’s been the Worship Pastor for CBC for the past six years, also wrote three of the albums’ songs (“Come Expecting,” “The Way, The Truth, The Life” and “Choose Jesus”) and is excited to see his work and that of his peers come to life through the production process and potentially influence people’s lives.

In addition to the album’s original titles, songs such as “I’ve Never Been Sorry” and “The Great Physician” are sure to ring a bell for some. In a nod to the generational diversity within the CBC, listeners will even be treated to an appearance by the children’s choir on one of the tracks.

For some, the album’s enigmatic title might be puzzling, but its ambiguity isn’t an accident. While “He Is” is a complete statement, the unfinished declarative leaves room for Him to be whatever is needed.

“The album is called ‘He Is’ which may initially sound incomplete, but the reality is — He is everything good and holy,” Hughes said. "He fills any need any of us has, and the album just scratches the surface of all He is.”

The album is available to download in its entirety on Amazon and iTunes, and the CBC’s music can be found on popular streaming services such as Spotify and YouTube. The next single, “The Way, The Truth, The Life” featuring Soul’d Out, began streaming in January.

Physical copies of the album are available for purchase on the church’s website at https://cbcdunn.com/music/.

Cumberland County officials on Thursday, Feb. 2 met to discuss plans to move forward with plans for a new homeless shelter.

The Board of Commissioners’ Homeless Advisory Committee met to discuss plans for the shelter. County board Chairwoman Toni Stewart also chairs the advisory committee. Other committee members include Commissioners Veronica Jones and Michael Boose. Boose did not attend Thursday’s meeting.

After a brief update by county Engineering Director Jermaine Walker on the status of the project, interim County Manager Renee Paschal suggested that commissioners and county administrators determine "what we want to see" in a homeless shelter before asking architects to submit design plans.

Stewart suggested the county engage Fayetteville Technical Community College on ways the school can advance the project. Last year, the county gave FTCC $2 million in federal American Rescue Plan money to move toward an adult learner program, Hope, Opportunity and Prosperity through Education. The program provides accelerated training to Cumberland County residents who do not have a college degree or sought-after work skills.

“So, the first order of business is to sit down with FTCC?” Paschal asked.

Commissioner Jones suggested the county develop its own action plan for dealing with the homeless issue in Cumberland County. However, Paschal steered the discussion back to a more focused and time-sensitive plan to build a homeless shelter and determine “what we can afford and what the building will look like,” she said. She recommended setting qualifications for both a design and a feasibility study that would address what services the shelter would provide.

Paschal said the county does not yet have a budget for the shelter.

“That is the main reason for moving ahead with a feasibility study to determine the size and probable cost,” she told CityView after the meeting.

The county received $1 million in state funding for the project, she said. Ensuing discussion centered around whether the county should come up a plan for what the homeless shelter should look like or use outside services. Walker suggested that the county could hire an architect to develop a plan for what the shelter would look like and what services it would provide to the community.

Jones recommended that county staffers look at other "sizable" cities, including Baltimore, with homeless shelters in place. County administrators will forward recommendations of the Homeless Advisory Committee to the full Board of Commissioners so that other commissioners can have input on the committee's proposals.

College is expensive, but it doesn’t have to be expensive for you. The financial aid experts at Fayetteville Technical Community College will help you find a scholarship that is just right for you.
The best thing about scholarships, is that unlike loans, you don’t have to pay scholarships back.

Are you a North Carolina resident who doesn’t have enough money to pay for college?

If so, you should apply for the Golden LEAF Foundation Scholarship. It provides up to $2,250 per year for students living in one of the qualifying counties, which are listed on the application. You can use this scholarship to pay for tuition, books, child care, and even transportation so you can get to school.

Would you like to get paid to go to parties?

If so, you should apply for the prestigious Tom McLean Ambassadors Scholarship Program. As a student ambassador, you will help people understand what FTCC is all about and how FTCC benefits the community. Along the way, you will build relationships with community leaders, develop leadership skills, and get lots of great pictures for social media. The rigorous application process includes grade verification, an essay, and a panel interview. Student Ambassadors receive a $1,000 scholarship.

Did your parents serve in the military?

If so, you may be eligible for the North Carolina Division of Veterans Affairs Scholarship. This scholarship is available to the children of veterans who died, were captured, or became disabled during their military service. If you don’t qualify for this scholarship, that’s OK. Veterans and the children of veterans are eligible for many other educational assistance programs. FTCC was recently named the most military friendly large community college in the nation, so we are experts in helping veterans and the families of veterans.

Do you want to earn big bucks, driving big trucks?

If so, you need to apply for the State Employee Credit Union Bridge to Career Program. This scholarship will help you pay for your commercial driver license training program. When you are done, you will have everything you need to begin a highly paid career on the open road.

Do you hate filling out applications?

So do we. That’s why the continuing education division no longer requires applications for some scholarships. These scholarships can be used to pay for a wide variety of programs including welding, veterinary assistant, medical billing, and many more. Some programs can be completed online. Scholarships are first come, first served, so enroll today before the money runs out.
These are just a few of the scholarship opportunities at Fayetteville Technical Community College.

If you are ready to learn more, visit www.faytechcc.edu/ to begin your journey with FTCC.

Throughout his illustrious, history-making career, William Shakespeare is credited with having written around 37 plays. Beginning Feb. 17, the Gilbert Theater in downtown Fayetteville will attempt to perform them all.

With only three actors and 97 minutes, the Gilbert will take the audience on a hilarious speed-run through the Bard’s catalog with their performance of “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged).” The production will run from Feb. 17 through March 5.

According to actor Chris Walker, the play is a “distillation of the works of Shakespeare jammed together to create a farce — a comedy of immense ridiculousness.”
Walker, along with Dan Adams and Linda Flynn, round out the cast of three who will race through costume changes, character transitions and hilarious interpretations of the good, the bad and the obscure in Shakespeare’s canon.

“It’s a lot of fun,” Flynn confided. “But it’s a lot of work. The challenge is there are so many words and characters and just so many costumes — it goes pretty fast.”

The play is London’s longest-running comedy, written by Daniel Singer, Adam Long and Jess Winfield in the early 1980s. Its over-the-top energy, break-neck speed, and reliance on self-parody make it an ideal play for those who don’t know much about Shakespeare or feel alienated from his work due to the difficulty of the language.

“You don’t need to know anything about Shakespeare to enjoy this play — though who doesn’t know a little something about Shakespeare?” Walker mused. “It’s so universal; it’s something we all learn in one way or another.”

The play’s director, Lawrence Carlisle III, has been trying to bring the play to the Gilbert stage since the spring of 2020. The play was scheduled to debut in March of that year — then the world shut down due to the pandemic.

“When I took over as artistic director in 2020, this was the second show of my tenure,” he explained. “We postponed it a few times but eventually had to cancel the entire season.
I really enjoyed directing the show and knew I wanted to do it again someday.”

Now, three years later, Carlisle is excited to share his vision. Those attending should prepare themselves for some sword-fighting (both good and bad), jokes (both good and bad), and more than a little audience participation.

“That’s part of the comedy,” said Walker. “It’s supposed to be over the top.”

The play is rated PG-13 and best suited for audiences of middle-school age and up — perfect for a post-Valentine’s Day night date, secondary-school field trip, or a group of friends looking for something fun to do on a Friday night.

“The Complete Works of Shakespeare (Abridged)” isn’t intended for hard-boiled literary purists or those looking to better understand Shakespeare’s work. Its purpose is a bit more straightforward, and its goal is very simple: it’s intended to make people laugh.

“I picked it because it’s funny, and I prefer comedy most of the time,” Carlisle said simply. “You shouldn’t take any of it too seriously.”

Tickets range from $13.25 to $21.25. For tickets and showtimes, visit the theater website at https://www.gilberttheater.com/. The Gilbert Theater is located at 116 Green St.

According to the latest-available set of comparable data, North Carolina ranks 33rd in the nation in “deaths of despair” — that is, in the combined rates of suicides, fatal drug overdoses, and alcohol-induced deaths. In 2020 our age-adjusted rate was 55.5 deaths of despair per 100,000 residents, slightly higher than the national average of 54.8.

There are steps policymakers can take to ameliorate the problem. Unfortunately, much of the commentary lately about deaths of despair is based on facile and politically charged analysis. Some mortality indicators exhibit strong correlations with age. To respond effectively to a phenomenon such as rising deaths of despair, we need to understand its causes. Looking only at raw data can lead to misunderstandings.

For example, the two Princeton University scholars who helped coin the phrase “deaths of despair,” Anne Case and Angus Deaton, argue that the trend is primarily a reflection of rising inequality, inadequate social programs and weak labor unions. Our free-enterprise system, they argue, once “lifted countless people out of poverty” but “is now destroying the lives of blue-collar America.”

A 2019 staff report from the Joint Economic Committee of the U.S. Congress threw cold water on their thesis. A careful examination of age-adjusted rates going back to the early 20th century reveals a “lack of correspondence” between economic indicators such as poverty or inequality and the death rates in question.

For one thing, age-adjusted rates of suicide and alcohol-induced deaths (such as cirrhosis of the liver) were about the same in 2017 as they were in 1975. They also declined from the mid-70s to around 2000, then went up again. These patterns don’t comport well with attempts to finger capitalism as the culprit. “It is very difficult,” the report notes, “to find such trends that improve over the 1970s and 1980s, then worsen after either 1990 or 2000.”

The trendline looks very different for drug-induced deaths. The rate rose consistently but rather gradually during the last four decades of the 20th century then shot up dramatically during the first two decades of the 21st century. What’s changed? Both the potency (and potential lethality) of illicit drugs and the widespread overuse of opioids.

In other words, if you’re looking for a public-policy lever to pull, you’re more likely to get results if you pull the one marked “discourage drug abuse” instead of the one marked “strengthen labor unions.”
More generally, North Carolina can do a better job of making it easier for residents to obtain high-quality treatment for mental illness and addictions. Government funding can and should play a role here, to be sure, though a recent John Locke Foundation study argues persuasively that loosening the state’s certificate-of-need laws would also enhance the number and geographical distribution of treatment options.

To the extent deaths of despair reflect a lack of social connection, however, I think private associations need to take the lead in remedying it. Consider a study published a couple of years ago in the Journal of the American Medical Association’s psychiatry edition. It found a strong association between death rates and church attendance. For women,
regular attendance was associated with 68% lower rate of deaths by despair. For men, the difference was about 33%.

Naturally, we can’t just assume a causal relationship from the correlation. There was no experiment here in which the researchers identified depressed or lonely people and then randomly compelled some to go to church and others to stay home. But based on other empirical evidence for religion as a social determinant of health, I think it’s fair to conclude that faith-based institutions are integral to any realistic strategy for reducing deaths of despair.

On Saturday, Feb. 18, voices will rise up in song at the Cumberland Hall Auditorium as members of the Cumberland Choral Arts hold a concert honoring Black History Month.

The concert, which will start at 7:30 p.m., will be a mix of classical pieces, spirituals, hymns and contemporary music. This will be the third year members of the choir have held
the event. Lift Every Voice and Sing began as an idea from Cumberland Choral Arts member Brenda Vandevort-Miller.

“When I did this in 2020, it was really done very selfishly,” Vandevort-Miller said. “Being part of this community and going to different Black History Month events, I found that there were a lot of similarities in the events that were being offered.”

“The focus was on things that most people would know about from general education. It’s a lot of Martin Luther King Jr., lot of Rosa Parks and Frederick Douglass. With this being a military town a lot of focus is on Buffalo Soldiers,” she said. “And all of those things are great and it is important for those stories to be told and to continue being told. But I wanted to offer something different. I wanted it to be focused more on music because there is a lot of Black history with music at large.”

Lift Every Voice and Sing will be broken down into three parts. The first part of the concert will focus on classical and 20th century pieces. Corey Leak will be performing “La Donna E Moble” by H. Leslie Adams. Monique Butler McLeod will be performing a Puccini piece, “Vissi Darte Vissi Damore.”

Vandevort-Miller will be peforming a piece titled “I Have a Dream.”

“It is Dr. King’s speech set to music, composed by Phyllis Luidens Reed. I did it on a live stream two years ago, but I have yet to do it in front of a live audience, I’m excited to see how it is received,” Vandevort-Miller said.

The second part of the concert will be gospels, spirituals and sacred music. Pieces such as “City Called Heaven,” performed by Dr. Denise Murchison Payton from Fayetteville State University will be sung. “I Walk With God” and “There Is a Balm in Gilead” will also be performed. Corey Leak and Chris Colon, members of Cumberland Choral arts, will be doing an arrangement of “Amazing Grace.” The final part of the concert will feature this year’s theme, Ladies Night.

“We are concentrating on music that is either written by or traditionally performed by Black women,” said Vandevort- Miller. “There will be a little Chaka Khan in there, Aretha and Whitney.”

Five soloists from Cumberland Choral Arts are the main performers of the concert, but they will be joined on stage by the Fayetteville Tech and Fayetteville State University Choirs.

The Cross Creek Chorale, the smaller auditioned ensemble within the Cumberland Choral Arts, will also be making an appearance. The show will include some spoken word and monologues from different shows that are Black centered.

“It bridges a lot of gaps that you won’t necessarily get from your school, or your church or events in the community,” said Vandevort-Miller. “The goal is always to offer a different perspective on Black history and enlighten the community about things they didn’t know previously.”

Cumberland Choral Arts is the premier community choir within the Sandhills region. It began in 1991 as Cumberland Oratorio Singers by Alan Porter. He put together a group to sing Mozart’s "Requiem" during the bicentennial of Mozart’s death. It was supposed to be a one time event, but people enjoyed themselves so much that the choir was born. Five year ago, the group changed their name to Cumberland Choral Arts. Dr. Michael Martin is currently the choir’s director.

“The name changed to make it a little more accessible. I think the feeling was that we were only doing these mass pieces that were serious and stodgy and that’s not the case at all,” said Vandevort-Miller. “We do a little bit of everything like the Blue Grass Mass that will be closing out our season.”

The choir is available for people to join, all they have to do is fill out an interest form and set up a time to sing for Dr. Martin to familiarize himself with someone’s voice and decide where to place them within the choir. A prepared piece isn’t necessary, stressed Vandevort-Miller. Cumberland Choral Arts encompasses the smaller, auditioned ensemble of the Cross Creek Chorale. A youth choir is also now a part of the mix, the Campbellton Youth Chorus.

For more information on how to join, visit https://www.cumberlandchoralarts.org/join-cca/

Lift Every Voice and Sing will be held on Fayetteville Techinal Community College's campus at the Cumberland Hall Auditorium on Feb. 18 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale now and are $15. For tickets or more information visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lift-every-voice-and-sing-a-musical-journey-through-black-history-tickets-514993498417?aff=ebdsoporgprofile.

Welcome back to the wonderful land of Greek Mythology. We all know about man-eating tigers. It turns out tigers aren’t the only critter who chows down on people.

Today, Gentle Reader, you shall learn about man-eating horses. These horses are not convivial like “My Friend Flicka,” brilliant like Roy Roger’s Trigger, talkative like Mr. Ed, or airborne like Shadowfax in “Lord of the Rings.” These are carnivorous equines.

Let us compare and contrast man-eating tigers with man-eating horses. First, a recap of the sad Las Vegas tale of Siegfred & Roy. Oct. 3, 2003 was Roy’s 59th birthday.
The show began like any of the other 30,000 previous Siegfred & Roy shows. Like most things in life, everything was fine until it suddenly wasn’t.

Their nearly 400-pound tiger Mantacore, for reasons known only to the tiger, left his position on the stage and began to walk toward the audience. As there was no barrier between the audience and the tiger, Roy jumped in front of Mantacore to stop him from eating several tourists. Roy’s bravery of protecting the audience resulted in Mantacore grabbing Roy’s arm.

When Mantacore finally released Roy’s arm, Roy tripped over the tiger. Mantacore then grabbed Roy’s head in his mouth and tried to carry Roy off stage. Roy ultimately survived the attack with serious injuries. While he was still conscious, Roy said, “Don’t shoot the cat.” Roy was one of the good guys. Mantacore was just doing what tigers naturally do.

Now back to today’s theme of man-eating horses. Do you remember the story of the Mares of Diomedes? Of course, you don’t. Neither did I until I read up on them recently. Allow me to explain. Once upon a time, King Diomedes of Thrace owned a herd of man-eating horses. Why anyone would want to own a herd of man-eating horses is beyond the scope of this column. Crank up your willing suspension of disbelief. Just accept there was a herd of man-eating horses in Thrace. Pro tip: Alexander the Great’s very own horse Bucephalus was an offspring of this herd. No one but Al could ride the spirited Bucephalus. There is no record of Al’s horse eating any humans so it is safe to assume Bucephalus was a vegetarian. Which reminds me, do you know how to tell if someone is a vegetarian? Answer: They will tell you. Ba dum dum.

Enough digression. Back to mythology. As one of Hercules 12 labors, Herk (as his buddies called him) had to steal the Mares of Diomedes. It is unclear if there were Stallions of Diomedes, but since Bucephalus eventually appeared, it is likely there was at least one stallion. The horses were wild and crazy. Their untamed personalities were attributed to their habit of eating strangers who got too close to them. The horses were chained up to a manger all day while guarded by Diomedes’ soldiers. This lack of exercise in all likelihood contributed to their cranky nature. In addition to eating people, the horses breathed fire. Capturing them could be a little bit tricky for anyone.

There are several versions of how Herk handled this task. In Story A, Herk gets a posse together to fight Diomedes’ soldiers. Herk and the posse beat the soldiers and capture the horses. Unfortunately Herk doesn’t realize the horses are man-eaters. He leaves the horses to be watched by his faithful boy pal Abderus. Man-eating horses do what they do. Abderus becomes horse chow. After capturing Diomedes and returning to the barn, Herk learns that Abderus is no more. Irritated beyond belief, Herk feeds Diomedes to his own horses.

Story B reports Herk cut the horses’ chains himself. Herk chases the herd onto some high ground. He digs a ditch flooding the area thereby corralling the horses on the hill. Diomedes then tries to escape. Herk captures him, killing him with an axe, and feeding him to the horses.

Story C says Herk fed Diomedes to the horses before he released the horses. Diomedes’ soldiers find out their King is Purina Horse Chow. Highly disturbed, they attack Herk. Herk releases the herd to charge the soldiers. The soldiers turn tail, skedaddling out of there not wanting to become horse chow themselves.
Regardless of which version is true, it turns out that once the horses consume human flesh, they chill out and become docile. Sorta like the hippies in San Francisco dining on edibles. Herk was then able to duct tape the horses’ mouths shut to turn them over as part of his tasks for his Scavenger Hunt for King Eurystheus.

So, what have we learned today? Once again, not much. Keep one thought, if you see a fire-breathing horse, don’t try to pet it. You have been warned.

It’s February, folks — the love month! And Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, is the centerpiece of the 28 days of romance and affection. Despite this, for those without a significant other to wine, dine and share the love with, sometimes the signature date feels like just another day. Let me tell you that you are a special someone, and so are your gal-pals! So read on for some ideas on taking your cupid experience from drab to fab! Valentine’s Day might be for lovers, but Galentine’s Day, Feb. 13, is for
the girls!

Morning Mojo
What better way to start the day with your besties than at The Friend’s Table? Located at 225 Green St., Suite 100, the café features an espresso flight of four flavors sure to jump-start your day. The mimosa flight option is perfect for sharing if you aren't a coffee lover. With six juice flavors, you might as well order two, get all the juice options and share! If you are anything like my girlfriends and me, you'll order two of both and enjoy all of the flavor options. We are known to be a little gluttonous, but Galentine’s and Valentine’s Days only come once a year.

Foodie Favorites
With Valentine’s Day landing on Tuesday this year, some taco action is only appropriate! Blue Moon Café at 310 Hay St., in Downtown Fayetteville, dishes up some of my favorites.
It has the best nachos, too, if you are down with things “a little destruction.” If you are going out on Monday for Galentine’s Day, Blue Moon has a setting for a beautiful five-course meal that night and two more on Valentine’s Day. Tickets went on sale in January, so check availability before you go,
For my Northside ladies, the short drive to Ay Wey Mexican Kitchen + Tequila in Dunn is hands down the best! This restaurant has become my go-to for Taco Tuesday and beyond. Do yourself a favor and order the sweet corn as your side and the spicy margarita for your sip!

Create and Relate
To tap into my creative side, I recently went to SipLee Art in Eastover and had the best time! What I loved most was that each woman in our group could choose what to craft — no cookie-cutter approach here. Options included garland, door mats and door hangers, all items customers could paint, create and customize to their heart's desire. Some in my group made seasonal décor while others chose to go generic; I love the flexibility and the options. I have participated in group craft classes before where everyone worked on the same project; let me tell you, it is hard to get a group of women to agree on what to craft — or anything else, for that matter!
We brought snacks and drinks to add to the afternoon for more fun. Don’t worry about your painting skills; the sweet team here will touch up your Picasso, and you will be surprised by your finished project. SipLee’s Art address is 3465 Murphy Rd., Fayetteville. Book your spot on their Facebook page to attend a class.

DIY Dreams
Another fun way to get hands-on is at Hummingbird Candle Co., located at 240 Hay St., in Downtown Fayetteville. Sign up for a candle-making experience or inquire about an offsite private event to make your own 80-hour-burning candle. You can choose from various scents and pour your candle from start to finish. Fun! And remember the bubbly, as your favorite adult beverages are also welcome. Walk-ins are accepted but reserving your spot ahead of time is encouraged, especially if you are coming with a group.

Perfect Pampering
What is a girls’ day without some pampering? Move over mani-and-pedi services; it's time for body treatments and blow outs! You will be glowing by the time Team Venetian is done with you. The Venetian European Spa and Salon, located at 6200 Ramsey St., #150, offers a few options for body treatments, ranging from a hydrating scrub to buff winter away or a body wrap for detoxification. The Venetian has you covered, literally in seaweed and green clay. The facility has a full shower in the treatment room where you can clean up nicely before heading out to continue your day.
Book a wash and blow out if you're looking for something with a little less mess. Imagine the dread of washing and drying your hair in someone else's hands while you sit back and enjoy a glass of wine — the stuff dreams are made of!

Fayetteville and the surrounding areas have more to offer than we sometimes realize. No need to drive to other cities and counties for a day or evening out with your gal pals, as fun and memorable experiences exist all around Cumberland County. Mario Quintana said it best, "Don't wait for someone to bring you flowers. Plant your own garden and decorate your own soul." So, grab your girlfriends and gear up for excitement. Cheers to you and yours this Galentine's Day!

Editor’s note: Mary Baggett is a licensed North Carolina real estate broker. This article first appeared in the February issue of Women’s View Magazine.

Methodist University received a $514,093 grant that supports college students through recovery programs. As primary grantee, MU is one of nine colleges and universities in the state that recently received a total of

$3.2 million in collegiate recovery funding from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

MU will use the funding across two years to develop the collegiate recovery programs at both Methodist University and at Fayetteville Technical Community College, employing two full-time North Carolina Certified Peer Support Specialists and four student ambassadors starting in Spring 2023.

“With this grant, we are preparing to create diverse, positive and inclusive collegiate recovery programs by providing education on substance abuse, addiction and recovery while providing safe spaces and social activities that are alcohol- and drug-free for students, faculty and staff,” said Cynthia Lally, director of Campus Recreation and Wellness at MU, who will direct the program.

MU’s new collegiate recovery program will be called “Roaring4Recovery,” a familiar name for the Monarchs community. In 2020, Mitzi Averette, assistant professor of Nursing, collaborated with undergraduate students to create Cumberland County’s first collegiate recovery gathering called “Roaring4Recovery.” The all-volunteer group hosted many gatherings and special events on MU’s campus but remained open to the greater Fayetteville area — welcoming students from MU, FTCC and Fayetteville State University. In 2021, it became an official student organization at MU.

Averette will play a key role in the new “Roaring4Recovery” program. Under her guidance, Averette will ensure a smooth collaboration between MU, FTCC and important community partners.

“Being in long-term recovery myself while working in higher education for more than 20 years, bringing collegiate recovery to Cumberland County became my passion and mission. This grant accomplishes that goal,” Averette said.

The partnership between MU and FTCC continues a strong relationship between the two institutions, which already developed a transfer agreement in 2021. Methodist University will administer the grant while hiring, supervising and providing training for the collegiate recovery program’s new staff. However, both institutions will ensure the following outcomes under “Roaring4Recovery”:

• Deliver weekly alcohol/drug-free social activities on both campuses throughout the year
• Train for institutional leadership on the importance of and methods for supporting students in recovery
• Creating alcohol/drug-free places on campus for students to live, study and socialize
• Evaluate the impact of collegiate recovery support on students’ academic performance

The program is expected to be available to more than 20,000 MU and FTCC students across Fayetteville — representative of 6% of Cumberland County’s total residents, a population with higher-than-state-average rates of mental health distress, alcohol driving death and drug overdose deaths.

Methodist University’s new Director of Counseling Services, Mark Gronski, will help provide mental health and counseling support for the new program.

“This program supports MU’s mission of helping improve our students’ overall well-being by focusing on our support of students in their journey of recovery from substance use,” Gronski said.

Valentine’s Day is upon us, and Fayetteville and surrounding areas have some unique and fun options for everyone. Here is your list of family and date night ideas to celebrate love, for this weekend and on Valentine’s Day itself.

Valentine’s Carriage Rides
Surprise your special someone with an intimate carriage ride through the Cool Spring Downtown District. They will bring their
beautiful Queen Victoria Carriage to the district and provide private carriage rides on Feb. 11, from 1 to 9 p.m. at the Cool Spring Downtown District’s office (222 Hay Street, across from Pierro's Italian Bistro). Each private carriage ride will take you on a scenic 15-17 minute ride through the district in 20-minute intervals.
Private carriage ride tickets will be a flat fee of $75 per private carriage ride. Tickets can be bought online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/valentines-carriage-rides-tickets-525919608707?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=escb. If you have any questions before you purchase your tickets, please call the Cool Spring Downtown District’s office at 910-223-1089.

Hearts and Hops: A Family Valentine’s Celebration
Dirtbag Ales Brewery and Taproom is hosting a family-friendly Heart Day celebration. Attendees can buy flowers and baked foods by Sugarfix, as well as paint several crafts with Paint & Create with Sarah.
The event will start at noon and end at 5 p.m. on Feb. 11. Dirtbag Ales is located at 5435 Corporation Drive. For additional information, call 910-426-2537.

Cookie Decorating Class
Join Pink Flower at Hugger Mugger Brewery for a special Valentine’s Day cookie decorating class. The class will be two hours long, and you will be decorating six sugar cookies.
The cost is $50 a person, or $90 for two people. A beverage of choice will be included for each ticket. All skill levels are welcome, however this class is geared towards beginners. This event will be on Feb. 12 from 3 to 5 p.m. For more information, go to forms.gle/yAjbn54FGx38yS5m8.

Valentine’s Day Grab Bag
If you have a service member or a spouse who would appreciate a Valentine’s Day treat, Fort Bragg USO is here to help celebrate that special person in your life! Cupid has dropped off bags filled with chocolates, date night cards and yummy treats for your favorite sweetheart!
Quantities are limited. Must be able to pick up on Feb.14. Limit one gift bag per household, it includes activities for couples. Pickup will be at the Fort Bragg USO office on Fort Bragg. If you have any questions, please email rtaylor@uso.org for more details.

Valentine’s Day Cookies and Crafts
Join the Chick-Fil-A crew at the Cross Creek Mall for a little Valentine’s Day fun. They will be decorating cookies and making heart-themed crafts. There may even be a special visit by their very own cow. The free event will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. on Feb. 14.

Cocktails & Charcuterie
Enjoy a curated hands-on experience at Dirty Whiskey as they present a mixology class, Cupids’ Edition! During this experience, you will learn how to construct two specialty craft cocktails. Class includes all the ingredients to make two pre-determined drinks, one-on-one instruction, and a charcuterie plate, as well as a Dessert Charcuterie.
The drinks that will be made are a Valentine's Mule and a Berry Lovely. There will be the traditional Charcuterie Platter, and for the first time, the Dessert Platter will include desserts such as cheesecake, macaroons, fresh fruit and more. Tickets are available only to guests ages 21 and over. Gratuity is not included in the ticket price. Tickets can be bought at www.simpletix.com/e/cocktails-and-charcuterie-cupids-edition-t-tickets-122505. The event will take place on Feb. 13 at 6 p.m.

Valentine Cocktail Party
Enjoy a special night out at Roland’s Dance Studio for this special date. The evening includes cocktails for two, dessert and light hors d’oeuvres, a five-minute private lesson, a group class and social dancing until 10:30 p.m.
The event is $75 a couple, and you must reserve a spot ahead of time. For more information, call 910-423-2623. The event starts at 6:30 p.m. and social dancing will end at 10:30 p.m.

Art of Love
Join Black Canvas on Valentine’s Day evening for the Art of Love, a couple’s art event. When you attend the Art of Love event, they will provide everything you need to have a memorable experience at the Black Canvas with your Valentine.
No art experience is necessary. They will provide everything you need, including all supplies for painting with acrylics, a positive art studio environment, the best vibes in Fayetteville with DJ Wolf spinning R & B blends, and food. E & Z Forrest Sweets will be catering with light bites, and as always, Black Canvas serves complimentary adult beverages of wine, cocktails and mimosas. You must be 18 years of age or older for the event.
Tickets are $50 and can be bought at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/art-of-love-tickets-519151956477?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=escb. The event will take place on Feb. 14 at 6 p.m. and will be at 805 Elm Street.

Couples’ Valentine’s Dinner & Dancing
Abundant Life Ministries invites you to join them for an elegant night of romance, dinner, dancing and fun at the Iron Mike Conference Center on Fort Bragg. Dinner will be served beginning at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 18.
Dinner will be a choice of New York strip steak grilled topped with French onion demi-glaze or oven roasted marinated half chicken. Each meal will be served with salad, roasted seasonal vegetable blend, herb roasted baby red potatoes and dessert. Enjoy entertainment during dinner and dance the night away with DJ Square Knot!
The dress code is semi-formal to formal. Dinner for two is $100, and tickets can be bought at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/couples-valentines-dinner-dancing-tickets-527895338167?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=escb.

Four bridges on Interstate 295 in the Fayetteville area will undergo preservation work this year, according to the N.C. Department of Transportation.
Crews will sandblast the concrete deck, then treat it with a silane sealant. The work will help keep the driving deck smooth, the release said.

The work will be performed on these bridges:

• I-295 North and South spanning the Norfolk Southern Railroad and Carvers Creek.
• I-295 South spanning Little Cross Creek.
• The I-295 flyover ramp carrying traffic onto N.C. 210 North.

The work will not require detours, but the contractor will need to close one of two lanes on each bridge between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. Monday through Friday.

The N.C. Department of Transportation awarded a $340,000 contract to Truesdell Corp. of Tempe, Arizona, for the bridge work. Work will begin between April and July and last three months, the release said.

The Systel Building in downtown Fayetteville, with its looming aluminum-and-glass facade, has been undergoing extensive renovations since August 2018. Now, it has a new anchor tenant.

Raleigh-headquartered Dogwood State Bank has moved into the first floor of the downtown fixture, which ranks as the city center’s tallest. Listed at 168 feet high, the 11-story building dates to 1973 when it was completed at a cost of $3 million, online sources say.

A half century later, changes are underway, including a new name for the building at 225 Green St. in the Cool Spring Downtown District.
A sign with the name will be unveiled at a ribbon-cutting at 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 6.

“I don't think I can say,” said Jacqueline Smith, when asked about the new name. "But if you call me back Monday, I can tell you."

Smith, whose family owns the building, is the broker in charge for the Systel Building for Allison Capital Partners.
Smith did say that the name is of a new company looking to grow in Fayetteville.

Dogwood State Bank, which is in the process of growing statewide, has the naming rights. The bank's CEO is Steve Jones, a former Fayetteville resident.
Jones could not be reached for comment last week. Dogwood “was a great addition, and it helps us with our goals of making the building a mixed use, having the retail bank in there. And it allowed us to kind of complete our full renovation of the first floor,” Smith said.

She works with the property managers on site. The building has 37 tenants, including a couple on the rooftop, Smith said.

“We’re going to follow that with a complete lobby renovation here shortly,” she said. “We’re now 100% occupied on the first floor with a variation of retail, restaurant and office. We’ve kind of accomplished our goals there.”In a news release, Smith said her family had been looking for an anchor tenant to rebrand the building since Systel — a technology and business services company — relocated to an industrial park 10 years ago.

Formerly known as the Wachovia Building, the Systel property is owned by Fayetteville businessman Keith Allison and his three daughters: Smith, Cara Spencer and Janene Aul. The investment in the building will total about $3 million once all the work is complete, Smith said.

Many of the city's older residents will remember when the Skyline disco club was at the top of the building in the 1970s and 1980s.

“I think that downtown is sort of the hub of the city, and it’s usually the focal area for government and where people like to eat and dine and live,” said Smith.

“We have the largest square footage of leasable space and I think the largest tract of acreage. If needed, we could add a parking deck, or another high-rise building could exist next to us in the parking lot."

Extensive renovations

The family bought the property in 1998 and had been using the building in recent years to house its marketing department and mortgage company.

“We knew it would be a three- to five-year project,” Smith said of the revitalization. “In the process, three floors were gutted.”

A couple of months ago, a fitness center opened on the second floor, Smith said.

“So that was a big part of the revitalization. And we just signed off and have full engineer plans on our fifth-floor renovation that we have to start in the next few months,” she said.

Plans for that space include an “industrial, upscale office space,” she said. A similar renovation on the eighth floor is anticipated.
Smith said a lot has been accomplished on the building since construction began in 2018.

“We’ve completed our restaurant downstairs, and they celebrated their one-year anniversary three months ago,” she said. “We did a big campaign to recruit one, and we did some interviews with a couple of interested parties and did some taste testings and selected one.”

Friend’s Table, whose food is described as upscale Southern, opened in November 2021.

“They’re open for breakfast and lunch. They’ve got a pretty good following on social media,” she said. “They’re always doing something fun and unique in the space. They’re even open on the weekends, as well.”

Besides the bank and restaurant, the property management office and a conference room that can be used by tenants are on the first floor. A state tenant with a lab is also on the ground floor.

Smith said the owners tried to recruit tenants not just to Fayetteville but to downtown.

“We’ve got a couple of floors to go, but we’ve got a couple of things that we’re working on for some of the top floors that we hope come to fruition,” she said.

“But other than that, we’re kind of coming to the ending stages of our revitalization. And leasing out the naming rights was a kind of a surprise component of the revitalization that we weren’t expecting, but it makes sense.”

Renovations on the Systel Building could be completed this year depending on some plans still being worked on for the top floors.

“If that were to come to fruition, it could add to our timeline quite a bit,” Smith said. “We are now exploring options for a residential or hospitality component. We're looking into it.”

Fayetteville City Councilman Mario Benavente is pushing for action on two issues: the long-delayed appointment of a city representative on the Public Works Commission and the cost of gun violence locally.

The City Council will meet in a work session at 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 6 at City Hall.

One of Benavente’s agenda requests is that the council appoint its PWC representative during its regular meeting on Feb. 13.
In early December, council members interviewed four of five candidates for the post: Christopher Davis, William Gothard, Josef Hallastchek and Peter Stewart. Ted Mohn, a fifth candidate, was not able to attend that meeting.

The representative will replace Wade Fowler, the owner of Fowler’s Southern Gourmet restaurant, who is serving his second term on the commission.

According to city rules, no commissioner may serve more than two consecutive terms.
As each appointment on the board expires, according to the city’s website, council members choose a representative on the commission for a term of four years. In addition, the mayor annually designates a member of the council to serve on the PWC as a nonvoting member.

In September, Councilwoman Shakeyla Ingram asked for a delay on the appointment.
Ingram said she prefers to wait until a new CEO for the utility is named. Elana Ball resigned from that job, Mick Noland was named interim CEO.

On Sept. 12, the City Council voted 6-4 to delay its appointment.

In another agenda request from Benavente, the first-term councilman said he is eager to “quantify the economic and societal costs associated with gun violence in the city from 2012 to 2022 and inform policy options and strategies to advance violence prevention."
Councilwoman Courtney Banks-McLaughlin is a co-signer on that request, which asks that the city staff compile data on fatal and nonfatal injuries related to gun violence and gun possession..

“Improving issues of gun violence requires a multisectoral, systemwide response that includes partnerships with communities most affected in addition to legislative and criminal justice action,” Banks-McLaughlin and Benavente wrote in their agenda request.
Neither Benavente nor Banks-McLaughlin could be reached for comment on Sunday.

 Like other cities nationwide, Fayetteville has seen an uptick in gun violence and homicides recently. The Police Department has implemented initiatives in hopes of lowering crime.

Plans to update an historic chapel as a space for public functions will be discussed at the Hope Mills Board of Commissioners meeting Monday, Feb. 6.
The board will meet at 7 p.m. at Town Hall.

On Jan. 23, the town’s Parks and Recreation Department presented commissioners with a report on options for public use of Thomas Campbell Oakman Memorial Chapel.

The chapel was donated to the town and is available for rent.
The church was built in 1889 and suffered a fire in 1931. It was rebuilt the same year, according to town records.

Town officials have said that the number of pews in the chapel limit what functions it can accommodate. They are recommending that all but six pews be removed so “the staff can have a broader range of rental possibilities,” according to a memo from Parks and Recreation Director Lamarco Morrison.

On Feb. 1, the commissioners met with members of the Historic Preservation Committee at the chapel to get input on whether pews should be removed and the best use of the facility.

According to Morrison’s memo, the staff recommends several options for the pews if they are removed, including repurposing them as picnic tables or benches for the future Heritage Park. They also could be donated sold, the memo says.

The staff also recommends removing all the railings around both altars and relocating the chapel’s original furniture.
Residents are invited to speak at Monday’s meeting. Each speaker must register with the town clerk before the meeting and limit their comments to three minutes.

Also Monday, the board will:

• Consider a proposal from CHA Consulting Inc. and authorize the town manager to negotiate an agreement for professional design services related to the Hope Mills Sports Complex.
• Consider a change to a rule that any member of the public who wishes to add a topic to the board's agenda must submit the request to the appropriate department. If the request is deemed by the department to be beneficial to the town, the department will forward it to the town clerk to be added to the agenda.
• Consider a request from Mauricio Melagar Andrade that 1.2 acres known as Park Garden Cour be annexed.

Cumberland County Commissioner Jimmy Keefe wants more “bang for the buck” when using county money to buy homes for the homeless, and he is asking fellow commissioners to endorse a plan to remedy the problem.

Keefe is asking the board to adopt a resolution that spells out specific ways to ensure the county can provide a greater number of affordable homes at more reasonable costs. He will submit his proposal at a commissioners meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 7.

The 1 p.m. session will be in Room 564 of the Cumberland County Courthouse and is open to the public.

The three-page draft resolution will be presented by interim County Manager Renee Paschal.
If adopted, the resolution will be placed on the agenda for the Feb. 20 commissioners meeting, according to Paschal.

The resolution calls for the commissioners to work with affordable housing and workforce housing stakeholders and experts, including area builders who have expertise in the design and construction of low- and moderate-income developments. These experts would develop housing policies that address the availability and affordability of workforce housing in the county.

A key part of the resolution is a proposed board policy that all homeless project funding will not exceed the median cost of a similar dwelling in Cumberland County. Keefe wants to base that figure on the most recent tax evaluation or census data. Keefe says adoption of this policy would ensure the construction of more affordable housing, greater financial oversight, and would be in keeping with the board’s mission statement to provide quality services while being fiscally responsible.

Another component is the creation of a housing coordinator position with responsibilities associated with the homeless situation. That staff member would report to the county manager. Some of the coordinator’s responsibilities would include:

• Drafting and recommending homeless or affordable housing policies and action plans.
• Contacting designers, developers and construction companies about competitive and responsible partnerships on projects.
• Coordinating a process that ensures applicants get into affordable housing and making sure anyone who is not eligible vacate those properties.
• Research funding sources.
• Monitor housing inventory, including identifying compliance violations.
• Community outreach and education programs.
• Marketing affordable housing.
• Helping prepare plans for housing projects.

The county Community Development Department administers federal and local funding to provide affordable homes for county residents who cannot afford proper housing.

At a recent board meeting, Keefe balked at moving $2.7 million from a sewer project to fund another affordable housing project with what he considered unrealistic costs. According to Keefe, the county would pay close to $285 per square foot for construction when the average cost in Cumberland County is closer to $130 per square foot, especially for townhouse-type dwellings that share common walls.

Although the money comes to Cumberland County from the federal and state governments, there are complex rules about how and when the money must be used.

In November, the Board of Commissioners was asked to transfer $2.7 million from the Shaw Heights sewer project to the Robin’s Meadow supportive housing project, which would fund 12 additional apartments and a community resource center.

Each unit would have three bedrooms and 1½ bathrooms. They would range from 1,290 to 1,450 square feet, and two units would be disability-compliant.

The state allocated about $2.5 million in Community Block Grant disaster recovery funding to build affordable housing in the county. In June 2020, the county commissioners approved the design of the Robins Meadow project. In October 2020, the county asked for an additional $100,000 in grants for construction and support services. The total budget for the project rose to about $3 million.

The county sought construction bids, but there were no responses, county Community Development Director Dee Taylor told committee members at a previous meeting. She added that since the initial approval of funding, construction prices have increased.

“Everything increased drastically during the pandemic,” she told the commissioners. “The original budget is no longer sufficient to cover the cost to build this housing project. The current projected cost is $285 per square foot.”

Grant guidelines required that the project close the financing gap by Nov. 30, and the county must have a qualified contractor in place by March 20. If the county does not meet those deadlines, it could lose the state grants.

Another trigger for Keefe came via an internal email from interim County Manager Renee Paschal. It involves a proposed 40-unit high-rise to provide housing for the elderly at 108 Wiley St., off Ramsey Street. The project is a combination of 10 one-bedroom and 30 two-bedroom units. Ten of the two-bedroom units will accommodate inter-generational families, which include families with a child, a grandparent, or a relative raising a child. The estimated construction cost is $14 million.

The Fayetteville Metropolitan Housing Authority is spearheading the project and has signaled to the county that it would eventually ask for partial funding.

The developer is Hillside-Fmha LLC, and most of the proposed funding would be from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Keefe said $14 million for 40 units would equal $350,000 for each.The average home in Cumberland County is valued at about $200,000, he said.
Keefe is suggesting taking a new approach to provide homes for the homeless.

“The old way of doing things is not working. We’re spending a lot of money but not getting much of an impact to help the homeless,” he said. “It doesn’t look like we’re making progress.”

Commissioners Veronica Jones and Michael Boose agreed. Both suggested buying existing housing or apartments and foregoing new and more expensive construction. Commissioners Vice Chairman Glenn Adams suggested creating an advisory committee that could help determine whether the county builds new homes or buys existing properties.

All fly tying starts at Pechmann Center with putting thread on the hook with a jam knot. This consists of making thread wraps over the main thread itself, where the tension holds it in place.

“We suggest starting simple,” Matthew Rieger, education specialist at the John E. Pechmann Fishing Education Center, says. “ … with patterns that do not require many materials or difficult techniques.”

The folks at the Pechmann Center host a variety of classes that aim to educate the community on fishing — whether that be tying flies, cleaning fish or even cooking classes. They hold two types of fly tying forums at the center, one is for beginners and the other for the more intermediate folks who have already done the beginning course or have the basics of fly tying down. The beginning courses take place about four times per year.

During the intermediate forum that takes place on the fourth Thursday of each month (with a virtual portion that takes place a Wednesday before typically), the tyers will tie two different patterns, two times each. The first of each pattern they’ll do as a class together and then the second the course members will do individually. At the Pechmann fly tying forum, they have tied close to two hundred patterns. And there’s quite a few more in the future.

“Oh man, there’s more than you can count,” Rieger says about the possibilities of different patterns. “People are constantly making new ones. Thousands if not tens of thousands.”

These flies are typically lighter and can mimic anything from worms to aquatic fish as lure.

“Most people think that fly fishing is pretty much in the mountains,” Rieger says, “but you can fish in saltwater.”

The courses, as all courses at the center, are free to the public. The center has quite a schedule with more than 300 programs available to the community.

“We are constantly creating new ones,” he says. “Anything fishing related in the state of North Carolina, we teach it.”

The next beginning course will be Feb. 7 to 9. The intermediate fly tying forums take place the fourth Thursday of each month but the center does offer a virtual course for it that usually takes place the third Wednesday of each month.

The John E. Pechmann Fishing Education Center is located at 7489 Raeford Road in Fayetteville. For more information call 910-868-5003 or visit www.ncwildlife.org/Learning/John-E-Pechmann-Fishing-Education-Center.

Photos courtesy John E. Pechmann Fishing Education Center

The Fayetteville-Cumberland Human Relations Department, in partnership with the Vision Resource Center hosted a Dining & Dialogue event at Cape Fear Botanical Garden on Jan. 25 to raise awareness about challenges encountered by people that are blind or visually impaired as they navigate the community.

With more the 110 people in attendance, the VRC emphasized the importance of the topic by having participants without visual impairment wear blindfolds or simulation glasses during lunch.
The VRC’s Executive Director Terri Thomas said, “As people are eating, they will get an idea of what it’s like to be blind or visually impaired.”

Thomas wants more events like this to raise awareness of the challenges and support needed for people experiencing life with limited to no sight to live more independently.

“Hopefully, people leave differently than the way they came, wanting to advocate for people with any disability not just visual impairment,” she said. “I want people to think, ‘what can I do to be more inclusive.’”

Dining & Dialogue is a lunch-and-learn style event where community members can learn from each other about different identities and cultures by having crucial conversations on difficult issues. Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Director Yamile Nazar, who leads the Human Relations Department, said raising consciousness of the experience of others is integral to the mission of the department and Fayetteville-Cumberland Human Relations Commission.

Nazar said, “Our number one focus is heightening people’s awareness around experiences that are not like theirs. Unless we are having the experience, we just don’t know what we don’t know.”
She continued, “So, [with] heightening awareness comes sensitivity to someone else’s plight.”

At the tables, the dialogues were led by community members who are living with visual impairments. Waleed Nuridin and Latasha Smith receive VRC services. They told their stories which included overcoming depression and learning how to re-enter their career.

Other speakers talked about the lack of chirping sidewalk crossings and audible elevators, things that could help them lead more independent lives. Thomas presented the work of the VRC to the Human Relations Commission leading to the Dining & Dialogue on sight limitations.

Semone Pemberton, chairwomen of the Human Relations Commission, is passionate about having conversations that raise awareness of community needs to city and county leaders. Additionally, they encourage community members to learn how to enhance interactions with one another.

“The commission’s role is to facilitate dialogue and bring people together to make impactful change,” said Pemberton.

The VRC’s mission is to enhance the lives of adults and children living in the Cape Fear Region who are blind or visually impaired. As a part of that mission, the Dining & Dialogue was an impactful and educational experience for those not experiencing life without or with limited sight.

“I hope the event urged people to think beyond themselves because that will help make our community and the world a better place,” said Thomas.

Editor’s note: There are a number of ways to help support the Vision Resource Center through donations of time or money. For more information visit www.visionresourcecentercc.org/ or call 910-483-2719.