According to multiple media reports, there will likely be major efforts during the 2023 session of the North Carolina General Assembly to raise and reform teacher compensation and enact other public-education reforms while also expanding the state’s school-choice programs.

Are such initiatives inconsistent? Not at all. One can be in favor both of improving public schools and of giving more parents a wide range of educational options. Indeed, I am strongly of the opinion that these policies are mutually reinforcing.

For starters, even a welcome and net-beneficial change in how North Carolina funds public schools and pays teachers won’t please everyone. That’s impossible. Offering dissatisfied parents or educators alternatives such as magnets, charters, or lab schools can act as a safety valve to defuse tensions while also best serving the individual needs of students.

At the same time, increasing parental choice and competition in education tends to make public schools more responsive and effective, not less so. That’s what a growing body of empirical research suggests. A recently published study of Ohio’s primary voucher program, for example, found that the academic performance of students in public schools was “significantly higher” than it would have been in the absence of vouchers.

Earlier this year, a team of scholars from Northwestern, Emory, and the University of California-Davis released their own study of tax-credit scholarships in Florida. This program provides dollar-for-dollar tax credits to companies that donate to organizations that, in turn, give parents vouchers for private-school expenses. Their study, published in the journal EducationNext, examined the effects of the resulting competition on Florida’s public schools.

“Our analysis finds consistent evidence that, as the scholarship program scaled up, academic and behavioral outcomes improved for students attending traditional public schools,” the researchers wrote.
In districts with the most school competition, students scored 14.5% of a standard deviation higher in reading and math. Their suspension and absence rates also improved when compared to those
in public schools facing less competition.

“Our findings from this long-lasting early program show that in Florida, at least, it seems that a rising tide of competition has lifted many boats,” the professors concluded.

There are dozens of other studies of competition’s effects on public education. Some have found benefits smaller than those in Florida and Ohio, to be sure, and a few found no benefits at all. But when scholars examine the overall effects across the country, they generally find them to be positive.

Anna Egalite, an education professor at North Carolina State University, published a review of the data some years ago in the Journal of School Choice. Of the 21 scholarly studies she examined, nearly all found a positive effect of competition on public-school performance.

More recently, University of Kentucky professor John Garen looked at the relationship between school-choice policies such as vouchers and education savings accounts (ESAs) and average state scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress. He found “strikingly large test score gains” for states with school choice. “Though per-pupil spending on K-12 has a positive effect on test scores,” Garen wrote, “its magnitude is very small and is swamped by the effect of having a voucher or ESA program.”

I realize longtime skeptics of the state’s choice programs will be sorely tempted to reject this evidence. And I realize activists who’ve tried for years to hitch the school-reform wagon to the Leandro-litigation horse are loath to give up their belief that only by appropriating billions of additional dollars to district-run public schools can North Carolina meet its obligation to provide the opportunity for a sound, basic education to every child.

But they really ought to rethink their strategy for 2023 and beyond. In the midterm elections, voters essentially unhitched that litigation horse from the wagon. There will be no court-ordered financial settlement of Leandro. Forget it.

If you seek significant pay raises for teachers, signal your willingness to couple them with school-choice expansions. That’s a package that might actually pass the General Assembly.

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).

Welcome back and Happy New Year to both of my readers. Mr. Science dropped by to unravel yet another mystery of the physical world. Today we shall examine one of the great scientific questions — Why do we have cotton candy? What is cotton candy? How can one get it out of his or her hair? Let us begin.

January is Treasure Your Teeth month. As we all know, you only have to floss the teeth you want to keep. In keeping with our dental hygiene theme, we learn cotton candy was invented by a dentist. Credit for inventing this culinary delight goes to William Morrison, DDS who in 1897 with the help of his buddy John Wharton, a candy maker, brought forth on this continent a new candy, conceived in sugar, and dedicated to the proposition that Americans will eat anything sweet.

The trigger for the birth of this sticky sensation was the 1908 World’s Fair which was held in Saint Louis. World’s Fairs attract lots of hungry people. The Google Machine reports over 20 million people attended the World’s Fair during its 1908 run. The average fairgoer has 32 teeth, 20 million attendees times 32 teeth calculates to 640 million cavity prone teeth. A dental bonanza.
In keeping with his dental background, Dr. Morrison originally called his candy creation fairy floss. At some point, perhaps to deflect people from making the connection between fairy floss and increased dental income, they changed the name to cotton candy.

Dr. Morrison cyphered he could generate two income streams from cotton candy. The immediate source of revenue would be sales at the World’s Fair. The secondary and more long-lasting income stream would be the cavities generated in unsuspecting prospective dental patients whose ingestion of his sticky sugar sensation coated their teeth forming the perfect medium for Mr. Tooth Decay to flourish.

By now, you are probably asking yourself, “Self, how is cotton candy produced?” Does it fall from the skies like sugary manna? Is it sweetened blown right insulation? Is it millions of sugar-coated black widow spider webs? All of these concepts are plausible. However, Mr. Science explained that the boys invented a machine that heated sugar and spun it around like Mercury orbiting the Sun. Thus, fairy floss, alias cotton candy, was born.

All this talk about cavities takes us back to those thrilling days of yesteryear in the 1950s and 1960s when toothpaste ads roamed free across the fruited plains of American TV. Who can forget Gardol’s invisible shield in Colgate toothpaste? This miracle secret ingredient guards your breath while it guards your teeth. The Gardol ad demonstrated its worth in protecting your teeth from cavities by showing a guy standing behind an invisible shield that stopped a baseball from conking him in the head.

Colgate Dental Cream with “just one brushing would remove 85% of decay and odor causing bacteria, leaving you with a cleaner, fresher mouth all day long.”
Stripe tooth paste featured cheerful red stripes perking up an otherwise boring white toothpaste. According to the jingle, Stripe had “Hexa, Hexa, Hexachlorophene.” The FDA banned Hexachlorophene for oral use in 1972 due to its carcinogenic qualities. Hey, nobody is perfect.

Gleem was advertised for those on the go people “who can’t brush after every meal.” Too lazy or too busy to regularly brush your teeth? Gleem was the toothpaste for you.
Using the right toothpaste guaranteed romance, marriage, children, eternal happiness and a white picket fence. A lady of the female persuasion who used Ipana toothpaste knows “Her breath is kissable-clean.”

Close-Up toothpaste aimed for the ladies with the slogan “Bangles and beads might catch his eye. But a brilliant Close-Up smile and fresh Close-Up breath might even capture his heart.” Colgate played the bad breath card with an ad that said “if it’s kissin’ / You’re missin’ Check up on your breath.” The ad featured a woman looking forlornly at her feller who is frowning in her direction. She has him in a head lock but he ain’t buying what she is selling. Clearly her breath has put the kibosh on romance.

Crest toothpaste added to Milady’s anxieties by its series of “Look Ma, No Cavities” ads featuring happy children holding up report cards from their latest dental checkup. If Mom didn’t buy the right toothpaste, she would clearly be a failure as a mother. She would be shunned by polite society due to her offspring’s cavity filled mouth. The shame. The shame.

Finally, the burning question posed in the first paragraph must be resolved. How to get cotton candy out of one’s hair? Unfortunately, there is only one way to get rid of cotton candy infested hair; use a low yield tactical nuclear weapon to blast the offending confection out of your follicles. Otherwise, you will meet Saint Peter covered in a sticky pink cottony film.

Talented public and private high school players across Cumberland County are gearing up to go head to head at the 3rd Annual MLK Dream Jam Basketball Tournament on Jan. 14 and 16. The tournament will again be hosted by Terry Sanford High School.

Karl Molnar is the Head Coach of the Varsity Boys team at Terry Sanford, and organizer of the MLK Dream Jam. When asked about last years Dream Jam, he says, “It went very well! Both have been very successful and the turnouts are always good. The competition level is amazing, which is kind of why we started the tournament, because there’s so much talent right here in Cumberland County and it’s kind of spread out between the public and private schools.”

Twenty teams will participate in this year's tournament. Eight girls teams will challenge each other on Saturday, Jan. 14, and 12 boys teams will compete against each other on Monday, Jan. 16.
Cumberland County is special when it comes to how connected our communities are with each other. Talent intertwines here in Fayetteville, and Molnar enjoys getting the kids together in the gym, knowing they’re together already outside of it.

“They all grow up in the same neighborhoods with each other. We don’t get to have public and private schools play throughout the season too often, so it makes for a good event to play your buddy on the other team.”

Up & Coming Weekly got a chance to interview some of Molnar’s top Varsity players during a Tuesday morning practice, during the school's Christmas break.
One player in particular, Brady Barns Jr., returned to Terry Sanford this past fall semester as a Junior, with hopes of rebuilding with his friends and returning to what makes basketball fun again.

Brady says, “I had a good opportunity to play with a big AAU team in Jersey for a couple of years, but I never really got to play with my friends, so I wanted to come back to fill the pieces and be with them.”
Brady continues,” I remember after I came back from Jersey, I came to our first couple of tournaments. I knew everybody, I played with them growing up, I’ve trained with them. We all worked out together.”

When it comes to girls basketball, coaches and players agree there could be a lot more attention placed on these young ladies. The numbers for younger girl players around the city are low, and less girls games are being played this tournament.

Miya Giles-Jones, a Senior on the Varsity girls team at Terry Sanford, and one of the top players overall in the state, is hopeful for the young talent in the city, and even feels like the girls games are more exciting to watch.

“There should be a way bigger spotlight on the girls, there’s a lot of young talent out here that a lot of people don’t know about. You have to come out and see it for yourself. If you have a good team and good talent, it’s always fun to watch, we should get the same respect as the boys.” Miya says.

When talking to Roger Paschall, Head Coach of the Varsity girls team at Terry Sanford, he feels that more events focused on girls basketball would help grow the girl basketball scene in the city.

“We played in a showcase in the beginning of the year [2022], but it was teams from all over the country,” Paschall said. “If we can do some individual girl showcases locally, that would be great. It’s important for late elementary and early middle school girls, to come see teams like ours play, and be exposed to this kind of talent”.

With the Terry Sanford girls team winning the Winter Classic, and their sights set on the state championship, they hope to use the Dream Jam as a stepping stone to grow stronger as a team and show how much more they can achieve.

“North Carolina is considered a hoop state,” Molnar said. Fayetteville itself, is home to a lot of great basketball talent; the two most notable being Dennis Smith Jr., and J. Cole. Smith, who played for Trinity

Christian, a private school in Fayetteville, now plays in the NBA for the Charlotte Hornets.
J. Cole, who played for Terry Sanford, public school and home of the Dream Jam, the rap artist, never gave up on his hoop dreams after college and recently played in the BAL for the Rwanda Patriots and for the CEBL Scarborough Shooting Stars.

With a couple of Fayetteville’s biggest stars being from a private and public school, Up & Coming Weekly wanted to see how the players used that as inspiration.

A Junior on the Varsity boys team, Johnathan Higgins-Simmons says, “They both showed that there are different ways you can make it out the city. With Cole, he grinded, and put the work in on and off the court. If they can take that motivation for being a dog on and off the court, they can achieve their dreams.”

Organizers agree that, from the coaches to the players, everyone is looking to the MLK Dream Jam to bring the community together and give the proper exposure to all the young talent that Cumberland County has to offer.

Carlos Craig, a Senior at Terry Sanford says, “This tournament is showing that public and private schools can keep up with each other. It’s not about one being better than another, it’s all good competition.”

The 3rd Annual MLK Dream Jam will be held at the Terry Sanford Gymnasium. For those planning to attend, tickets can be purchased at the door.

Doors open on Saturday at 10 a.m. and tickets are $10 for the day. Monday’s match ups start at 8:15 a.m. and are $12 for the day. Four games are scheduled for Saturday and six games are scheduled for Monday.

Miller’s Crew food truck, Rocket Fizz Soda Pop & Candy Shop and other vendors will be on site to provide food and refreshments.

This January, the American Red Cross and Pro Football Hall of Famer and blood donor Peyton Manning are asking people to score big for patients in need — while getting a chance to win a trip to Super Bowl LVII in Arizona — by giving blood or platelets.

The start of the new year marks National Blood Donor Month — a time to celebrate those who generously roll up a sleeve to keep blood products stocked for hospitals providing critical care. As the busy holiday season winds down and the threat of severe winter weather and seasonal illness cases continue to rise, January can be a tough time for donors to make and keep appointments.

Step off the sidelines and resolve to donate blood or platelets. To book a time to give, visit RedCrossBlood.org, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, or call 1-800-RED CROSS (733-2767).
In partnership with the National Football League, those who come to give blood, platelets or plasma Jan. 1-31, will be automatically entered to win a trip for two to Super Bowl LVII in Arizona, including access to day-of, in-stadium pre-game activities, tickets to the official Super Bowl Experience, round-trip airfare to Phoenix, three-night hotel accommodations (Feb. 10-13), plus a $500 gift card for expenses.

To lead the offense against a potential winter blood shortage, Manning invites the public to join him in helping save lives.

“If everyone does their part and we collectively commit to donating blood, we can stack up more wins for hospital patients who are counting on us. A single individual is certainly impactful, but a whole team of people coming together to donate has an even greater effect.”

Upcoming blood donation opportunities in Cumberland County include:

Fayetteville

• Jan. 11: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., ABC11 Together FTCC Tony Rand Student Center, 2220 Hull Road.
• Jan. 17: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., K9 Social Club of Fayetteville, Fayetteville Urban Ministry Youth Location, 601 Whitfield St.
• Jan. 25: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., GAF and Superior Distribution, 3700 Murchison Road.
• Jan. 30: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity inc, 1200 Murchison Road, Rudolph Jones Student Center Room 242

Hope Mills

• Jan. 24: 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., YMCA Hope Mills, 3910 Ellison St.

To donate blood, simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit www.RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS or enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device to make an appointment or for more info.

All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in.
Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states, weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at www.RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.

Whitaker Small Farm Group, Inc. is seeking veterans and their dependants interested in learning how to grow and maintain edible and inedible plants.

The 18-month program aims to help soldiers transition from the military world to a lush environment of green lawns, healthy gardens, thriving houseplants and tasty produce.
Initiated in the fall of 2021 by Charles Whitaker, President and C.E.O. of Whitaker Small Farm Group, Inc, the Veteran Farming Program offers military personnel and their spouses an opportunity to learn a new trade, subsidize their income and grow a healthy respect for the care and maintenance of their yards.

WSFG, Inc., which has historically invested its time and resources in supporting emerging farmers and those socially disadvantaged, developed this program — their first aimed specifically at veterans — as a step toward creating opportunities otherwise unavailable to this population.

Whitaker, who worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture for more than 30 years, knows the value of being able to work the land and is committed to creating no-cost access to the skills that enrich lives and grow communities.

"Many times veterans exit the military, and they aren't quite sure as to what they'll do with their futures," Whitaker shared. "This project offers them another window to look through."

Up & Coming Weekly also spoke with Nancy Olsen, Air Force veteran and chief instructor of the program, about the desired outcomes for the project and the importance of horticulture.

Horticulture, an aspect of agriculture, involves the small-scale maintenance and production of both edible and inedible plants. It can cover the cucumbers that just won’t grow in the backyard or the Peace Lily that refuses to thrive. Horticulture, as a practice, can be a relaxing way to pass the time, or integral to putting food on the table.

“This kind of program is important for anyone with a yard or even a houseplant,” she said. “I teach people how to grow different types of plants and how to make them grow correctly to the best of the plant's ability.”
Raised on a 4000-acre farm-ranch in Kansas, Olsen has farming and horticulture in her blood. Her father, a farmer, and her mother, a homemaker, taught her how to treat the earth with respect and patience in order to reap the benefits of its bounty.

“I guess growing up on a farm, I found a love for the land at a young age,” she shared. “When I was just a kid, I had a huge garden, and that was my first job. My mother would buy me all the seeds, use what she needed to feed the family, and I got to sell everything else. I was maybe nine or ten, and I’d haul my wagon and sell whatever was growing to the little ladies in town.”

The pride that comes from being able to grow food to eat or food to sell is a feeling Olsen hopes to offer those who participate in the program. Though she left that Kansas ranch long ago, the lessons learned there have fueled a life-long passion and a career. Olsen, who has both a bachelor's and a master's degree in horticulture, has shared her knowledge and experience with students at North Carolina State University and Sampson Community College. She has a great deal more knowledge to share.

The grant-funded Veteran Farming Program is free for participants; still, it offers valuable information, hands-on experience, and useful tips from an industry insider. Even for those not interested or unsure about their fitness for farming, the program also exists for those who just want a nicer lawn — a cause for which Olsen is in full support.

“To me, everyone should have a nice yard,” she offered. “It’s just something nice to go out and enjoy. Most people abuse their yards and land — I want people to appreciate and work at having nice plants around their houses. I want to share how to get the most out of their yard, no matter how much or how little they have.”

While “Best Yard on the Block” is a noble pursuit, the project does offer other incentives for those a bit more serious about a life or career in horticulture. The program is split into three six-month sessions, with six monthly class meetings. Each class typically lasts around four hours and focuses on agricultural technology, theory and food production.
Participants are given a travel allowance to get to and from training and a small amount for expenses. Additionally, students can use the skills and knowledge gained toward work-experience credit when applying for an F.S.A. (Farm Service Agency) loan.

For V. Williams and his wife, the program has been invaluable, particularly during this time of continued inflation which has seen over a 10% increase in produce in the past year. With a garden full of collards, eggplants, tomatoes, and other tasty vegetables — he had nothing but good things to say about the program.

“I retired with disabilities, and I signed up for something to do to get out of the house,” he said. “I wanted to start growing my own vegetables instead of relying on the grocery store.”

“The class gives a lot of information about the plants themselves, and once you know the basics, it's easy. During this last growing season, we grew about $13,000 worth of produce. It can be hard work — but the confidence it gives you goes a long way.”

The program has already started for January, but Olsen hopes that won't be a deterrent for those interested in signing up. This month's meetings have focused on inoculating mushroom logs with mushroom spores, but — the more, the merrier.

“People are always welcome,” Olsen assured. “Just come on in, and we'll educate as we go.”

The program is free for military personnel, veterans, and military spouses.

For more information about the program and Whitaker Small Group Farms, Inc., visit www.whitakersmallfarmgroup.com/, email at c.l.w.whitaker@comcast.net or call 919-412-4132.

Let’s take a culinary trip across North Carolina. Our leader will be food expert and retired UNC-Chapel Hill professor Marcie Cohen Ferris. Our guidebook will be her latest book, “Edible North Carolina.”

For many years I traveled across our state searching for old-time country cooking eateries and simple barbecue restaurants, places where locals meet to catch up with community news.

Ferris and the group of food experts she assembled for her book have taught me that I missed a lot about our state’s foodways. They are changing and there is a growing awareness of conflicts between the goals of low-cost food productions, fair compensation of food workers, and protection of the environment.

Ferris’s experts show how the state’s food scenes are changing. They explain the challenges that will face those who work for food equity and justice.

For instance, food writer Andrea Weigl explains how some barbecue restaurants have been transformed from modest places serving ‘que and a handful of sides and sweet tea to restaurants with “full menus with appetizers and desserts, table service, cloth napkins, a full bar and even valet parking.”

Back to the coast where Harkers Island advocate Karen Amspacher explains how the state’s commercial fishermen work to meet the demands of customers “who want fresh, local, sustainable seafood.”
She worries that “campaign contributions, lobbyists, and media campaigns assure well-funded recreational user groups that allocations of finfish in particular, a public-trust resource, will be dedicated to those who have the time and money to fish for leisure rather than those who fish for a living and provide North Carolinians with the state’s best, freshest seafood.”

Durham chef and Saltbox Seafood Joint restaurant owner Ricky Moore was recently named Tar Heel of The Year by The News & Observer. He supports Amspacher’s efforts, and believes that local, seasonal fish taste superior, offers more diversity, and, most important, supports North Carolina fisherfolk.

“My guests at Saltbox want to know where to purchase their seafood. My advice is to go to your local fish market. At your neighborhood restaurants, do they serve regional fish? Where do they source their fish? Do not assume that all North Carolina restaurants get their seafood from our coast. Ask questions. What part of the North Carolina coast does the seafood come from? Is the fish in season? How do they acquire their seafood, where and when and from whom?”

Former UNC Chapel Hill and current Emory University professor Melinda Maynor Lowery takes readers to Robeson County where her Lumbee Indian kin introduce us to fried cornbread and collard sandwiches, food traditions they share with non-Indian rural neighbors.

Durham resident and N.C. State community food system outreach coordinator Shorlette Ammons “grew up Black and Country, and honestly, I have never had a strong desire to be anything else.”
Her description of the annual hog killing contrasts with the “environmental cost of industrial hog farming.” Struggling “to work effectively within institutions that historically perpetuated racial injustice requires a fair amount of soul searching,” she says.

But, she continues, “Food, farming, family, freedom--and the audacity to confront the contradictions they muster--are inherent to our history these stories are weighted by ancestry and remembrance, like the heaviness of wet tobacco leaves.”

These examples and many others demonstrate how Ferris’s authors give recognition to North Carolina’s admirable food resources and the challenges that accompany them.

My dear friend Joy Cogswell has passed but leaves a legacy of extreme devotion to God, her family and her music. Bill Kirby of CityView Today has known Joy for decades. You will find his wonderful heartfelt perspective on Joy on page 10. His article first appeared online Jan. 3. What follows is my perspective.

Joy, a stunningly beautiful woman with exceptional God-given musical talent, touched and influenced thousands of lives during her 45-year career at Snyder Memorial Baptist Church. The Bowman family represents three of those lives.

In 2002, Joy became Snyder’s Music Director and head of the Snyder Music Academy. Even though she worked with many adults, it is incalculable how many young people owe their musical careers and success to her, too. I first met Joy at Methodist University in 1986 when we took our son Grady, then four years old, and enrolled him in her Kindermusik class. She was terrific at working with young children. She transformed the entire room into a symphony of love and patience as she gently transferred her passion for God and music in a way that would change their lives. We have always credited Joy’s influence on Grady as the genesis of his successful musical and theatrical career. A career that has carried him to Broadway and around the world, singing and dancing with Joy’s same enthusiastic penchant for dedication and creativity. She was the Musical Godmother of all her students and loved following their careers and celebrating their successes.

After Grady graduated from Kindermusik I had little contact with Joy until I started Up & Coming Weekly in 1996. By this time, her reputation as a highly gifted pianist was commonplace, nearing celebrity status. That year she recorded and released her music on several cassette tapes that I willingly helped her market and promoted during the Fayetteville Junior Leagues' Christmas Holly Day Fair. Several years later, as Director of the Synder Music Academy, we discussed how unfortunate it was that the children she taught had few opportunities to showcase their talents. So, together we created a youth ensemble with a singing, dancing, and educational mission called: The Kidsville Kids! These young people and Kidsville’s Truman the Dragon became ambassadors for our literacy and educational resource, Kidsville News! We publish and provide Kidsville News! free of charge to Cumberland County and Fort Bragg teachers, parents and children K-5th grades. For years, this enthusiastic troupe sang and danced their way into the hearts of children and adults, promoting reading, education, and fun-healthy lifestyles. Joy was on the board and past president of the nonprofit Kidsville News Literacy and Education Foundation. Because of this talent pool, Joy took a leap of faith and decided to produce the children’s opera, “Tom Sawyer.” It was performed on the banks of the Cape Fear River. This was an ideal location for this outstanding performance. “Tom Sawyer” was a huge success, and Cogswell's children's opera became the first and only to be performed in Cumberland County.

Joy came to Fayetteville in 1970 following her husband Bob, who got stationed at Pope Air Force Base. Like many others who arrive in our community temporarily, they found themselves enthralled with our friendliness and southern hospitality and found it hard to leave. The folks at Snyder Memorial Baptist Church had much to do with that. That church played a significant role in Joy and Bob's life. She called their Snyder family of nearly 50 years one of the most loving congregations she has ever known. And Bob is no doubt her biggest fan and advocate. In an interview with U&CW several years ago, she admits her career would not have been possible without her husband. “He has been so supportive; he even joined the choir and orchestra to see me. He has been my biggest supporter our whole marriage,” she said. “I love him dearly.”

Those who knew Joy loved her dearly, and will miss her sweet and gentle spirit. However, we are all better off having had her in our lives. For me, her memory will be unforgettable, and I'll take solace in the fact that she made this a better community and world to live in. Her memory and influences will live on in the thousands of people she touched during her 50-year career and 75 years on this earth. So, move over Beethoven, and listen.

That heavenly sound you hear is our girl, Joy.

Winter sports season is wildly popular. Sports such as basketball, hockey, swimming and track and field attract talented student-athletes each winter, making the season one of the most fun times of year for kids, their families and their classmates.

During the winter sports season, student-athletes can take various steps to ensure they’re ready to compete.

Ensure your academics are in order. Students must maintain a minimum grade point average to be eligible to compete. The winter sports season tends to overlap semesters in many school districts, so students preparing for the coming season must make sure their grades are good enough to allow them to compete, even if their sport begins mid- to late-semester. Students can work with teachers, coaches and academic advisors to ensure their grades won’t compromise their eligibility.

Schedule your physical. A preseason physical exam is mandatory to compete in may scholastic sports, so student-athletes or their parents should schedule their exams early so they can compete for a spot on the team and, if they make the team, play once the season begins. Physical exams also can shed light on any issues that may require medical treatment prior to the start of the season, so the earlier students get their exams, the more quickly they can address any issues that may compromise their ability to compete.

Speak with the coaching staff. Coaches may or may not conduct exit interviews upon the completion of a season. Such interviews can be a great chance for student-athletes to learn about what they can do to improve during the offseason. Student-athletes who didn’t get an exit interview or those who simply want a refresher can contact their coaches in advance of the season to discuss what they need to do to make the team and/or improve on last season’s performance.

Get in shape. Multi-sport athletes may already be in shape to compete, which can ensure the transition from fall to winter sports season goes smoothly. Student-athletes who don’t compete in fall sports can use fall as a time to get back in game shape. Start gradually to reduce your risk of injury, ramping up as the body reacclimates itself to physical activity.

Winter sports season is a fun time of year for student-athletes. Preparing before the season begins can ensure student-athletes compete at their highest level in the months ahead.

Are you an art lover? If so, come check out the Cumberland County High School Juried Art Exhibition. This public event will be hosted by Fayetteville Technical Community College.

“The High School Student Art Exhibition reflects Cumberland’s heritage as an arts community and showcases our county’s strong school art programs,” says Katharine Morrill, Director of the Art Gallery at Fayetteville Technical Community College’s Paul H. Thompson Library.

Morrill went on to say, “High school students throughout Cumberland County will exhibit original works of art showcasing their creativity and artistic talent. The exhibition will be reviewed by esteemed juror Kayla Coleman, director of the nationally acclaimed Visual Art Exchange in Raleigh. She will also serve as the curator for the Arts Center’s Spring Exhibition.”

The Cumberland County High School Juried Art Exhibition will launch on Jan. 20 and run through Feb. 24. The opening reception will be on Feb. 2 from 4 to 6 p.m. The awards ceremony will begin at 5 p.m. that day. The Art Gallery is located in the Paul H. Thompson Library on the Fayetteville Technical Community College campus.

Contestants of the Art Exhibition can come in first, second, or third place. First place goes to the Juror’s Choice for best submission among Cumberland County students. Second place will go to the Juror’s Selection for Best in Show. Third Place will go to the artist who has received the most votes by the public.

Visiting Author Lecture Series

FTCC will also host an “Artist Talk” with Sherrill Roland this month as part of the Visiting Artist Lecture Series.

Roland was formerly incarcerated for a wrongful conviction and since his release and exoneration, his art has been exhibited on a national platform regarding his experience with the justice system. During the lecture, Roland will talk about his artwork and the evolution of “The Jumpsuit Project,” which aims to raise awareness of the social issues of mass incarceration.

Roland's artwork has been exhibited nationally in cities such as Los Angeles and New York.
The lecture is free and open to the public. This event will take place on Tuesday, Jan. 24 from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Tony Rand Student Center Multi-Purpose Room.

For more information on the High School Art Exhibititon or the Roland lecture, visit www.faytechcc.edu.

The Spring Lake Board of Aldermen is expected to declare almost two dozen vehicles and pieces of equipment surplus when it meets Jan. 9. The surplus items will be sold on govdeals.com.

Interim Town Manager Jason Williams, who also serves as the town fire chief, said in order to sell the property it must no longer be needed for government use and it must be declared surplus by N.C. general statute.

Williams has spent the last few weeks looking into missing cars and at broken equipment that has been neglected while trying to find opportunities to replenish the general fund.

“We have also had cars that have been sold years ago, some of them for scrap that still had titles,’’ Williams said. “It’s unclear why we still had the titles, but we are documenting and moving forward. Some of what I’ve found is waste that can be sold.”

The vehicles include vans, trucks and even a dump truck that have been out of commission for several years. Other pieces of equipment include a woodchipper, bush hogs, rollers, mowers and a leaf vac.

Earlier this year, Alderman Marvin Lackman said he would like to see items like the wood chipper and roller replaced with better equipment to help beautify the town.

Williams said one of his priorities has been to help clean the town and update equipment for staff in order to pay attention to the details of town buildings, streets and parks.

“Declaring surplus hasn’t been done in a while, but we can use the money to replace equipment or help build the general fund back up,” Williams said.

The board also is expected to discuss unattended donation boxes and parking semi-trucks and 18-wheel trucks in residential neighborhoods.

Alderwoman Sona Cooper will be addressing both issues. Cooper said donation boxes have become a nuisance and contribute to the blight throughout the town.

According to Williams, most of the current donation boxes are on private property and lots.

“What (we) will have to do is look at eliminating or restricting donation boxes within town limits,” Williams said.

The board will look at sample ordinances, including one from Folsom, California, to address donation boxes. The sample ordinance would require anyone wanting a donation box to get a permit from the town and would limit the types of donations.

The other possible ordinance change is to restrict semi-trucks on residential roads, which, according to Cooper, causes potholes on residential streets, which were not constructed to support heavy vehicle traffic.

According to the information on potholes included in the agenda packet, potholes are caused by weather conditions such as a freeze-thaw cycle and rain as well as heavy vehicles, or trucks with multiple axles, which cause surfaces of pavement to collapse.

The board also is expected to go into closed session citing the N.C. general statutes for attorney-client privilege and personnel.

The board meets at 6 p.m. at the Spring Lake Town Hall, 300 Ruth St.

The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, Jan. 10 is scheduled to get updates on its priorities, including the establishment of a county water supply system.

Renee Paschal, the interim county manager, and various department heads managing the priorities will make the presentations at the board’s agenda session, scheduled for 1 p.m. at the Judge E. Maurice Braswell Cumberland County Courthouse. The session is slated for Room 564.

In a memo from Paschal to the board, she reminded commissioners that in November the idea of a “90-day priority session” in early January was discussed among the board chairman, vice chair and former County Manager Amy Cannon.

Among the priorities that commissioners will get updates on include:

• Preliminary FY 2022 fund balances
• Classification and compensation
• Water supply development
• Solid waste disposal options
• Crown Event Center
• Homeless shelter
• ARP and broadband
• Sales tax distribution method
• General fund major revenue update
• Debt models
• Governmental services complex
• Rhodes Pond
• Internal priorities

According to Paschal, the priority session’s first goal is to give commissioners updates on major projects the she and her staff are actively managing and to offer realistic expectations for what can be accomplished in the next 90 days.

The second goal is for the board to confirm these priorities and provide guidance to the staff whether to work on other priorities between now and March 1.
 Among the goals is the establishment of a county water supply system to address the contaminated private drinking water wells in the Gray’s Creek community and other areas affected by the seepage of contaminants from the Chemours plant off N.C. 87 near the Cumberland and Bladen county line.

Identifying a groundwater supply source has been the first phase of developing the proposed Cumberland County water system. Thereafter, groundwater resources will be developed to supply drinking water to residents with contaminated wells.

“Funding is being sought from all possible sources for the initial phases of source water development,” according to a draft of the presentation that has been provided to commissioners.

The next steps through March include:

• Issuing a request for proposals for the required property acquisition,
• Issuing a request for qualifications for hydro-geological services, and
• Notification of grant status for a water supply study.

Amanda Bader, the county’s Environmental Resources manager, is scheduled make the presentation on the proposed county water supply, as well as on another priority presentation: the future of the Cumberland County landfill on Ann Street. Bader has made several presentations to the commissioners stating that the landfill is expected to only last another eight years.

Delores Taylor, Community Development director, is scheduled to update commissioners on the homeless strategic plan, to include the status of the proposed county homeless shelter. The county is waiting for geo testing and soil boring results, which will allow the county to choose a location.

Tye Vaught, county chief of staff, is expected to update commissioners on the spending of Cumberland County’s American Rescue Plan allocation of $65,168,690. The federal dollars can be used to cover eligible costs incurred between March 3, 2021, and Dec. 31, 2024. However the money must be obligated by Dec. 31, 2024, and expended by Dec. 31, 2026.

Under the ARP program, the county also is looking to expand broadband into under served areas of Cumberland County. The project is a partnership with the state of North Carolina’s Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (GREAT grant).

Through a competitive “request for proposal” process, the county has chosen Brightspeed as its vendor and allocated $1,000,000 for the project. The county is also looking to expand broadband beyond the GREAT grant initiative.

Debra Shaw, the county’s budget and performance manager, is scheduled to again update the commissioners on how the county and its municipalities split local sales taxes; whether on an ad valorem or per captia basis. Since 2003, the county has been in an agreement with its towns and cities to split the sales tax on a per capita basis. However, the agreement expires on June 30.

The current per capita distribution mostly benefits municipalities. While the county’s sales tax shrinks, its state and federally mandated responsibilities remain the same. Counties may change the method in April; the new method goes into effect 14 months later.

County staff wants to prepare commissioners for a decision on how sales taxes are distributed in Cumberland County. If the board changes the current method, it must vote to do so in April and send a resolution to the state within 15 days of adopting the new distribution method. Another option for the board is keep the current per capita distribution method but renegotiate the split with the municipalities.

The county estimates its loss in fiscal year 2024 at about $9.6 million, based on per capita method without an agreement.

Amendments to the city’s solid waste ordinance will be considered by the Fayetteville City Council on Monday, Jan. 9.
The council will meet at 5 p.m. at City Hall. At a Dec. 5 workshop meeting, the council asked the city staff to provide additional information on proposed amendments that address service limits, enforcement and other ordinance revisions.

The goal, according to the agenda for Monday’s meeting, is to “deliver consistent, predictable, financially responsible solid waste services that promote a safe, affordable, healthy and resilient community.”

Daniel Edwards, assistant director of public services who oversees the solid waste division, will speak to the council on topics including service limits of household carts, recycling carts, yard waste, limb pickup and service on private streets.

“That’s everything we’re going to talk about in a nutshell,” Edwards said.
Edwards said he will seek council members’ direction on solid waste issues.

“This is what we’ve been saying we need to do to be more efficient, better practices compared to peer cities," Edwards said.

“It’s basically just how many carts do we want to pick up from a household? How many carts we’re going to pick up for recycling? How many combinations of containerized material (do) we want to pick up for yard waste per household?” he said.

“For the private streets, the ability … to have a resident put that material on a regular street so we don’t have to go down some of these roads,” he added.

“That’s kind of where we’re going.”

Edwards said the last time the ordinance was amended was in 2013.

A man was killed Sunday afternoon, Jan. 8 in a shooting on Nutmeg Place, the Fayetteville Police Department said.

Officers responded to a report of a shooting just before 1:30 p.m. on the 3500 block of Nutmeg Place, the Police Department said in a release.

They found 20-year-old Julian Wright inside a home with a gunshot wound, the release said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

“The preliminary investigation revealed the individuals involved were known to each other and were inside Wright’s residence,’’ the release said. “An interaction between the individuals led to Wright being shot.’’

The Police Department’s Homicide Unit is investigating.

The Hope Mills Board of Commissioners on Monday, Jan. 9 is expected to receive the final report from the group working on the town’s overlay zoning initiative.

The board meets at 7 p.m. in Town Hall.

Thomas Lloyd and Associates has been working with town staff on the overlay initiative.

Commissioners adopted amendments to the Hope Mills Zoning Ordinance at the Dec. 5 board meeting. Those amendments concluded a six-month process that included three work sessions, consideration from the Cumberland County Joint Planning Board, final approval by the Hope Mills Board of Commissioners, and a moratorium that sunset on Dec. 31, according to a memo from Thomas Lloyd and Associates.

The firm plans to present its recommendations to the board for updates to the Southwest Cumberland Plan. The Southwest Cumberland Plan is the town’s planning guideline for development, according to Mayor Jackie Warner.

Warner has previously said it was time to revise the plan because of the town’s unprecedented growth.

According to the memo from Thomas Lloyd and Associates to the board, Hope Mills is one of the fastest growing municipalities in the southeastern portion of the state.

“The commercial growth, scattered along major entrance corridors, has led to a saturation of certain commercial uses which don't fit in with the overall harmony of the town and aren’t compatible with the desired vision for future development,’’ the memo states.

The update for the Southwest Plan would call for “the prevention of uncoordinated commercial strip development,” according to the memo.

The town hired the firm to help develop an overlay zoning policy after the town experienced a saturation of similar businesses. Overlay zoning is a regulatory tool that creates a special zoning district over existing zoning. It can include additional or different regulations that apply within the district.

Last year, the board implemented a six-month moratorium that restricted certain businesses from filing a business permit.

Businesses which specialize in motor vehicles parts and accessory sales; motor vehicle repair shops or bodywork; and tobacco stores and smoke shops were some of the businesses affected by the moratorium. The moratorium ends on Jan. 18.

Other business

The board also is expected to discuss amending the town charter to alter the terms served by the mayor and the Board of Commissioners to four-year staggered terms and setting a date for a public hearing.

According to a resolution of intent in the agenda package, “At the regular municipal election in 2023, there shall be elected five members of the town board to fill the seats of those officers whose terms are then expiring.

“The three members who receive the highest number of votes shall serve a four-year term, while the remaining two members elected shall serve a two-year term. Thereafter, in the 2025 election, there shall be elected two members of the town board to fill the seats of those officers whose terms are then expiring.

“The two commissioners elected in the 2025 election shall serve four-year terms. In each election after 2025, board members shall be elected to fill the seats of those officers whose terms are then expiring and shall serve four-year terms in staggered biennial elections.’’

The Fayetteville-Cumberland Human Relations Commission is seeking nominees for its 2023 Community Awards, according to a news release from the city.

The awards recognize “dedicated residents and organizations who are committed to the well-being and the promotion of positive human relations” in Fayetteville and Cumberland County, the release said.

Nine awards are presented annually in these categories: youth; humanitarian; lifetime achievement; individual; industry and business; educator; military; religious leader; and organization.

The deadline for nominations is Jan. 17, the release said.
Nomination forms are available on the city’s website under the "Human Relations" tab.
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 can be purchased at the Human Relations Department offices at 225 Ray Ave., Suite 100. Tickets must be purchased by Feb. 8, the release said.

The money raised will support the higher-education scholarships for high school seniors.

More information is at https://www.fayettevillenc.gov/city-services/human-relations-4154 or by contacting the Human Relations Department at 910-433-1698 or DionaCurtis@FayettevilleNC.Gov.

City officials aim to round up a problem that shoppers encounter in retail parking lots everywhere: abandoned shopping carts.

The problem is not only one of safety, officials said, but one that cost the city at least $78,000 over a period of two and a half years.

The Fayetteville City Council voted 8-1 on Jan.3 to direct city staffers to develop an ordinance setting rules for businesses on retrieving stray carts on their property.

Councilman Derrick Thompson made a motion calling for the ordinance, and Councilwoman Brenda McNair seconded it.
Councilman Deno Hondros voted against the motion.

No city or county in North Carolina has a similar ordinance, according to Brook Redding, special projects manager for the city manager's office.

“This has been a project over the past three years that we’ve spoken about,” Redding told the council during a work session on Tuesday.

Redding asked council members for direction on what the ordinance should address.
Since August 2019, he said, Mayor Mitch Colvin has requested that the staff investigate the problems that errant shopping carts cause for pedestrians and drivers.

Redding said he researched the problem that year to identify ways to track and manage the shopping cart problems and determine the city’s cost to collect abandoned carts. Over a 20-day period, Redding said, his staff identified more than 143 displaced carts citywide. They were found in residential areas and on street curbs, Redding said.

In May 2020, with the help of the N.C. Retail Merchants Association, he said, the city entered into an agreement with big-box retail chains such as Walmart to manage the problem.
That agreement expired in April 2021, but the city continued to collect data on abandoned shopping carts. From May 2020 to October 2022, city crews collected or found more than 1,000 abandoned carts across the city.

Assuming that it takes about two hours of an employee’s time to locate, collect and dispose of abandoned carts, and to talk with the business, he said, since May 2020 the city has spent more than $78,000 picking up shopping carts.
That cost does not include the equipment needed to collect the carts and disposal fees, Redding said.

A state statute classifies abandoning a shopping cart as a misdemeanor, Redding said, but police officers can’t be expected to enforce that law when they are dealing with more serious crimest.
Councilman D.J. Haire asked Redding whether his staff and the city’s legal team can craft an ordinance to address the problem.

“It is a problem,” Haire said. “It is a concern, regardless if other cities don’t have ordinances in place.”

Redding said he would need direction from the council on what the ordinance would cover.

The financial disparities between male and female entrepreneurs are far-reaching. Women-led businesses receive lower valuations, less capital and fewer conventional small business loans than those led by men. Women entrepreneurs also pay themselves less than men and often take the brunt of balancing their family’s needs while growing their business. In spite of these challenges, women-led businesses of all types are thriving across the United States, thanks in part to initiatives offering tactical support and networking opportunities.

Take it from Racquel Garcia, whose substance abuse recovery and life coaching business HardBeauty had substantial outside funding but needed guidance in becoming an efficient and sustainable operation. She applied to join the Milestone Circles program offered by the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center and funded by Wells Fargo Foundation.

As part of Wells Fargo’s Connect to More program, the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center places women entrepreneurs from across the country into “circles” that receive virtual and in-person peer and professional coaching over 12 weeks, plus the support of a growing network of fellow business leaders. As of June 2022, the program has graduated more than 540 entrepreneurs in 47 states, with an aim of graduating another 1,000 women over the next 12 months. Built by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs, the goal is to create space for women to step away from business pressures, identify goals and support each other’s growth.

With the assistance of her program “sisters,” Garcia built two revenue streams that were less grant-dependent, growing her income by $200,000 in 12 weeks. But the impact of this support went beyond the business. For Garcia, who is one of the only women of color in her small Colorado town, the program was a rare opportunity to share her dreams with other women she would not have crossed paths with otherwise.

“Many women entrepreneurs suffer from imposter syndrome. This confidence gap and the systemic financial barriers and pressures faced by women entrepreneurs are just some of the reasons I saw a need for this program,” says Jenny Flores, head of Small Business Growth Philanthropy at Wells Fargo.

For Terriekka Cardenas, a sixth grade teacher, engineer and owner of Perceptive Engineering, having this support is what helped her embrace the title of CEO. “That was the first moment for me that I didn’t box myself in,” she says.

Others, such as Ruby Taylor, who graduated from the first Milestone Circle in 2021, haven’t stopped meeting with their peers after the initial 12 weeks. In 2020, Taylor created a card game, LEGACY!, to teach people how to close the racial wealth gap and have fun doing it. Being able to craft a mission statement while enrolled inspired her to amplify her vision and found Financial Joy School, which coaches Black families on building generational wealth.

“My circle is a tight-knit group that continuously supports each other when we get stuck. We’re just a telephone call away when we feel discouraged,” she said.
While founding and growing a business comes with risks, support from peers and mentors can make all the difference, say program organizers. “When you’re able to show up authentically and say what you need help with — the real things, the hard things — and people can come around and provide support in an environment free of competition or judgment, that’s really game-changing,” says Flores.

For paranormal romance writer Krista Masotto, the idea for her first book came from a rather unexpected source — a place where the absurd and the “could-be” walk confidently hand-in-hand.

“I was going through a huge ‘Bachelor’ phase,” she admitted. “I’d binge-watch that show until it eventually grew into a bigger world that was fun to hang out in.”
Masotto, who writes under the name K.M. Rives, has taken the idea of women vying for the attention of one gorgeous, mercurial man and transformed it into a world of vampires, fiery witches, and other figures of fantasy in her series “A Culling of Blood and Magic.”

“It’s a paranormal romance that starts with a vampire prince finding his queen,” Rives explained. "As you read, the story devolves into a world of war, mystery and the supernatural —with some spice sprinkled in.”

The saga of vampire prince August Nicholson and doomed twin Emery Montgomery begins with “The Replacement,” which recently held the #1 spot on Amazon’s Vampire Romance and its Fantasy/Futuristic Romance lists and is followed by “The Intended,” and “Hybrid Moon Rising.”

Book four, “The United,” is the series’ final installment and was released on Dec. 6 — just in time for Christmas. Early reviews suggest it will be as popular as its predecessors and a fitting end to “The Culling” saga. It's been a long journey with these characters, first conceived in 2018, but Rives feels their story is over, and she's ready to write new adventures.

“It’s such a bittersweet moment for me as an author, but I am so excited for everything that comes next! Enjoy every minute of August and Emery's journey to happily ever after!” she told her fans via Facebook on release day.

With several irons in the fire, her trusty laptop always open, and two or three notebooks overflowing with ideas, the military wife and mother of two girls never saw herself as a professional writer.

“I’ve always loved writing,” she shared. “I was that kid in high school that loved writing letters to my friends, always had my head in the clouds with ideas, and was always an avid reader. I didn’t start writing fiction or taking myself seriously as a writer until 2019.”

Seeking advice from other authors in her writing group, Rives set out to create a story with characters in which she, herself, could invest within a genre she was already familiar. “I wanted to write something I knew and enjoyed reading,” she said.

As any “Twilight” fan can happily tell you, vampires have been seducing audiences for centuries. Stoker’s Dracula never fails to draw in readers with each new interpretation of the source material — not too shabby for a book published nearly 130 years ago. So while vampires and the women who love them are nothing new, something about Rives’ slick, stylish world-building brings fresh blood to the evergreen content. Her penchant for spice and her electric turns of phrase make for a wholly satisfying read for anyone looking for a searing romance novel with some bite to it.

Though she’s comfortable in the world of immortals, Rives is excited to explore other genres and keeps her mind open to new story ideas no matter how unlikely the inspiration may be.

“I have a duet planned — an extension of this world,” she recently shared with Up & Coming Weekly. “It will be about gods and the realm of mythology from characters you already know, with some surprises thrown in.”

Rives is also ready to try her hand at contemporary romance. This sub-genre and romance as a whole have seen an incredible rise in popularity and revenue due to social media and the persuasive power of #booktok posts. Now a billion-dollar industry, it’s one of the highest-earning genres across fiction.

With so many avenues to publication, global publicity through social media, and a built-in audience that consumes, on average, one new book a week — it’s an exciting time to write exciting prose.

As a military wife, the Hope Mills resident understands how easy it is to get lost in the shuffle of deployments, moving trucks, and the demands of military life; Rives knows how fortunate she is to have not only a satisfying career but a legacy to pass down to her daughters. And while the commitment to serve her craft every day is sometimes difficult to meet — her motto: “write the words,” keeps her on track.

“Sometimes I get up early or stay up late — whatever it takes,” Rives explained. “Both of my kids are in school, so that helps. I utilize any downtime I get, and it helps that I have an incredibly supportive husband,” she beamed.

When not writing, Rives is a rabid sports fan and can often be found at nearly every Woodpeckers game with her family during the team’s regular season. She’s also maintained the same fantasy football league with the same group of friends for nearly ten years. With her long hair dyed in her trademark kaleidoscopic range of blues, greens, and purples — Rives somehow manages to be exactly and not at all what you'd expect of a romance writer.

Despite her rock star looks and surprising knowledge of who’s on first, Rives’ talent as a writer is apparent, and she's optimistic about whatever’s next.

“I love all the people I get to meet,” she shared when asked what she enjoys most about being a writer. “Other military spouses, authors and readers from all walks of life have opened up so many opportunities and doors for me — it’s been amazing.”

All four books of “The Culling of Blood and Magic” series are available to purchase or download on Amazon, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09CN39SDZ?binding=kindle_edition&qid=1670475233&sr=8-3&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tukn.
You can follow K.M. Rives on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/kmriveswritesbooks.

The new year brings new opportunities to take the kids out to local parks to explore, learn and have some fun. There are a variety of events scheduled at Clark Park and Lake Rim Park to interest all ages.

Clark Park

www.fcpr.us/parks-trails/parks/clark-park or 910-433-1579
Clark Park and its Nature Center join the Cape Fear River Trail and Moses Mathis “Bicycle Man” playground/trailhead to form a complex suited to hours of enjoyment and education. It remains a natural woodland area dedicated to preserving the environment, educating the public on North Carolina plants and wildlife, and providing a place to passively commune with nature. The Nature Center features exhibits and free viewing of live animals. You can walk an outdoor storybook on the trail near the playground.
Visitors can picnic overlooking the woods and one of the highest waterfalls in the coastal plain. For those interested in walking or jogging, the park has its own set of unpaved trails. Well behaved, leashed pets are welcome on trails as long as you clean up after them.
Clark Park Nature Center offers nature and recreation programming for educators, groups, individuals and families. Programs meet at the Nature Center unless otherwise noted. You must pre-register for all programs. Register early; space is limited in most programs. If enrollment is low, programs are canceled.
For more program information follow the park on Facebook at www.facebook.com/fcprnature. Clark Park is located at 631 Sherman Drive. The Center hours are Nov.- Feb.: Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; March-Oct.: Mon.-Fri. 8a.m. to 5 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Trail Hours are 8 a.m. until dusk.
Free programs scheduled for January and early February are listed below.

Animal Feedings!

Alligators chomping, snakes swallowing, and turtles snapping, come see what is for dinner at the nature center. All ages; Wed.: 4 p.m.

Mystery Animal Identification

Do you know the clues to identifying local animals by their tracks? Help the rangers look for tracks around the park to identify what animals call Clark Park home. Make a track of your own to take home. Call or register online. All ages; Tues., Jan. 3: 3 to 4 p.m.

Nature Story Time

You and your child are invited to Clark Park for an interactive story time with the Cumberland County Public Library and Information Center. The story will be followed by themed crafts and activities. Call or register online. 6-under yrs. with adult; Tues., Jan. 10: Frogs; 1 to 2 p.m.

Winter Magic Nature Potions

It’s Brew a Potion Day so let nature be inspiration to brew up a special potion in the Loblolly Garden. Bring a jar and your imagination, nature will supply the rest! Call or register online. Age 10 and under; Thurs., Jan. 19: 11 a.m. until noon.

Dung Beetle Derby

Scarabs, tumblebugs, dung beetles. It’s a dirty job but somebody in the animal world has to do it! This special group of beetles is nature’s cleanup crew. After learning about their unique lifestyles, participants can make a craft tumblebug and participate in a “Dung Beetle Derby” for prizes. Call or register online. All ages; Fri., Jan. 27: 3:30 to 5 p.m.

National Draw a Dinosaur Day

Learn about dinosaurs, play with some and draw a dinosaur! All supplies provided, just bring your creativity. Call or register online. All ages; Mon., Jan. 30: 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

The Groundhog’s Big Day!

Will the groundhog see his shadow? How did this tradition get started? Just what is a groundhog? Come to Clark Park to discover this unique underground creature through games, stories, and a craft. Call or register online. All ages; Wed., Feb. 1: 10 to 11:30 a.m.

Lake Rim Park

www.fcpr.us/parks-trails/parks/lake-rim-park or 910-433-1018
Whether you want to take a stroll on the one-mile border trail through the wetlands to Bones Creek, play a game of soccer with friends, or have a family picnic, Lake Rim Park offers something for everyone. An assortment of outdoor amenities, including picnic areas, horseshoe pits, walking trails, tennis courts, sand volleyball courts, athletic fields, natural areas, and children’s playgrounds are available to enjoy.
All facilities are open to the public on a first come, first serve basis unless they are reserved. To find out how you can reserve a picnic shelter or athletic field for your special event contact the park office. Well-behaved, furry family members are welcome to enjoy a walk around the park too, but they must be on a leash and under your control at all times.
Lake Rim Park is located at 2214 Tar Kiln Drive. Park winter hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Park summer hours are 7 a.m. until dusk. Office hours are Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Free programs scheduled for January and early February are listed below.

Feel the Soil

Bring an empty two-liter bottle to help explore our local soils. Find out why the place we call home is known as the Sandhills. Call or register online at register.fcpr.us. All ages; Fri., Jan. 13: 4 to 5 p.m.

Stars and Constellations

Winter nights are the premier time to view the night sky. Learn about our constellations, other celestial objects and the folklore behind them. Bring telescopes and binoculars if you have them. This program occurs after park operating hours. Please arrive promptly at 6 p.m. so staff can let you in the gate. Dress for the weather. Call or register online at register.fcpr.us. All ages; Fri., Jan. 20: 6 to 8 p.m.

Here’s to the Land of the Longleaf Pine

The pine tree is North Carolina’s State Tree. While it wasn’t officially designated as such, most people believe that the honor was reserved for the longleaf pine specifically. Find out what makes this tree so important to our state's history and to the nature of the Southeast. Call or register online at register.fcpr.us. All ages; Tues., Jan. 31: 3 to 4:30 p.m.
Fruit or Vegetable Munch and Learn
Munch and learn as you look inside food to discover what parts of the plant makes it a fruit or a vegetable. Call or register online at register.fcpr.us. All ages; Mon., Feb. 6: 3 to 4 p.m.

Bird Walk

Take a walk around Lake Rim Park to see which of our feathered friends are flitting about while counting birds for the Great Backyard Bird Count. Bring binoculars if you have them. Meet at the park office. Call or register online at register.fcpr.us, space is limited. Adults and mature children ages 8+; Fri., Feb. 17: 3:30 to 5 p.m.

I’ve been on the redistricting beat a long time. Back in the early 1990s, I wrote numerous articles criticizing the collaboration among Republican and NAACP activists to maximize the number of Black-majority districts. After the egregious Democratic gerrymander of 2001, I cheered on the lawsuit that ultimately became the Stephenson v. Bartlett case, which overturned the gerrymander and enforced the state constitution’s rule against unnecessarily splitting counties in legislative maps.

Later I endorsed and helped organize multiple coalitions to reform the process by amending North Carolina’s constitution. Just as the whole-county provision had acted as a check on gerrymandering in Stephenson, we argued that adding other redistricting criteria such as compactness to the constitution could erect additional guardrails against abuses.

What I never believed is that North Carolina’s constitution already contained redistricting rules discoverable in such clauses as “all elections shall be free” and “no person shall be denied equal protection of the laws.” We had, after all, spent many years seeking to persuade state lawmakers to place a redistricting-reform amendment on the ballot precisely because the current state constitution did not contain the safeguards in question.

Other reformers disagreed. More to the point, Republicans had won legislative majorities in 2010 — running in districts drawn by the other party, mind you — while a few years later Democrats regained a majority on the North Carolina Supreme Court. State and national Democrats decided they couldn’t pass up the opportunity to sue. Their federal litigation ultimately hit a dead end. The U.S. Supreme Court declared that similarly vague language in the federal constitution did not empower the federal judiciary to police partisan gerrymandering or supplant the role of state legislatures in drawing congressional maps.

Their litigation in the state courts went a different direction, however. Back in February, the four Democrats on the state’s highest court ruled in Harper v. Hall that the North Carolina constitution’s general protections of free elections, equal protection, free speech, and free assembly did, in fact, constitute legitimate grounds for state courts to judge the fairness of districts drawn by the General Assembly — and even for judges to use their own consultants and resources to draw the maps instead.

The practical effect was that the 2022 elections for General Assembly and U.S. House of Representatives were held within districts that were either drawn by court-appointed “special masters” or by legislators subject to a court order. Republicans still won a supermajority in the state senate and came within a seat of winning one in the state house.

Both the Democratic plaintiffs and Republican defendants were dissatisfied. Both appealed separate elements of the decision. On Dec. 16, the North Carolina Supreme Court issued another decision in Harper v. Hall. Once again by a party-line vote, Democratic justices affirmed their original findings and even threw out the senate districts we just used in the election, ordering the legislature to try again in 2023.

To my mind, the folly of the Democrats’ original decision is clearly exposed. By liberally construing the state constitution to prohibit what its text clearly does not, and then refusing to spell out specific legal and numerical criteria for lawmakers to follow, the Democratic justices have created an intolerable mess.

Whatever happens next year, the defendants are likely to appeal to a new North Carolina Supreme Court with an originalist majority. The Harper v. Hall standard “is a dead man walking,” as my John Locke Foundation colleague Andy Jackson predicts.

That doesn’t mean redistricting reform itself is dead. It just means we’ll have to do it the proper way: by amending the state constitution.

The year 2022 took the nation through many economic, legislative and political twists and turns and North Carolina marched in step.

The state started the year with a winter storm that dropped as much as five inches of snow across central NC; COVID-19 tests and vaccines continued to be rolled out and the state experienced the spread of new coronavirus variants as the pandemic left in its wake an economic upheaval.

Later in the year, inflation surged across the nation, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned abortion rights in June and Governor Roy Cooper signed an executive order to protect access to abortion; Hurricane Ian ravaged the coastal cities at the end of September, leaving thousands without power or homes and killing at least four people.

Mass shootings increased, reaching epidemic levels, with a mass shooting occurring in October in Raleigh, North Carolina when a 15-year old went on a rampage in a suburban neighborhood — killing five and injuring two.

Politically, North Carolina also made some turns in the road. The state gained a congressional seat, sitting congressman Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.) lost the primary, and voters elected a new U.S. Senator. To wrap the year up, the U.S. Supreme Court is hearing a case, Moore vs. Harper, originating in North Carolina, that could change election law in the state and the rest of the country.

Throughout the year Carolina Public Press reported on the in-depth stories that mattered to our communities. The stories for this end-of-year edition were selected based on human interest, impact and inclusiveness, relevance, timeliness, uniqueness and alignment with Carolina Public Press’ mission. We also took into consideration the readership of each of these stories. They have been arranged chronologically.

Why NC legislators are arguing a legal theory that could upend US democracy (April)

House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, and Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, tried out a legal theory in 2020 elections litigation that had the potential to change the balance of power between the state legislature and the executive branch.
It failed at every level of state and federal courts.
Now, they’re trying to apply that theory again with a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court, this time over a disagreement with the other branch of government, the state courts.
https://carolinapublicpress.org/53029/why-nc-legislators-are-arguing-a-legal-theory-that-could-upend-us-democracy/

Pilot program brings sexual assault nurse training to historically Black university (May)

By the end of summer, a handful of nursing students at Fayetteville State University will have started taking courses on how to care for sexual assault survivors. It’s a small start but one Sheila Cannon has worked toward for more than two years. The funding comes from the state legislature, which allocated $125,000 for a pilot training program in Cumberland County late last year.
https://carolinapublicpress.org/53627/pilot-program-brings-sexual-assault-nurse-training-to-historically-black-university/

Child’s death triggers new state response to Cherokee County DSS (May)

The death of any child whose family was in contact with a county DSS unleashes a hurricane of bureaucracy. In North Carolina’s system of state oversight and county administration, state workers examine whether county workers followed law, policy and accepted practice.
https://carolinapublicpress.org/54341/childs-death-triggers-new-state-response-to-cherokee-county-dss/

What does Supreme Court action on abortion mean for North Carolina: An FAQ (May)

This summer, the U.S. Supreme Court may overturn the nearly 50-year-old legal precedent upholding the legal right to an abortion. If that happens, North Carolina is one of the few Southern states where abortion would remain legal after six weeks.
https://carolinapublicpress.org/53758/what-does-supreme-court-action-on-abortion-mean-for-north-carolina-an-faq/

Judge orders Cherokee County DSS to turn over open case records (June)

The Cherokee County Department of Social Services must hand over all documents related to all open DSS cases on the calendar, a District Court judge ruled at a Monday hearing. Last month, local attorney David Moore said he filed a subpoena for DSS records after learning that Cherokee County DSS was under investigation by the state of North Carolina yet again after a 5-month-old’s January death.
https://carolinapublicpress.org/58454/carolina-public-press-top-stories-of-the-year/?utm_source=Subscribers&utm_campaign=2611f7a0ba-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1545d58992-2611f7a0ba-207707765&mc_cid=2611f7a0ba&mc_eid=ed69f794fd

NC town set to cease existence as state treasurer calls for criminal charges (June)

For the first time in North Carolina’s history, the Local Government Commission used a new law, Senate Bill 314, to vote unanimously to dissolve the town’s charter, which is scheduled to take place on June 30.
https://carolinapublicpress.org/54987/nc-town-set-to-cease-existence-as-state-treasurer-calls-for-criminal-charges/

Monkeypox cases spreading in NC (July)

North Carolina officials have confirmed 11 cases of monkeypox, a disease caused by the monkeypox virus, in the state as of Wednesday. Of those cases, 10 involve North Carolina residents, and one involves a nonresident. At least 929 people in the United States — and over 7,500 people around the globe — have been infected with it since May 18, according to the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
https://carolinapublicpress.org/55329/monkeypox-cases-spreading-in-nc/

‘Ghost forests’ are creeping across NC’s coast at an alarming rate. Researchers are trying to stop them (August)

The spreading stands of dead trees are what’s known as “ghost forests,” a general term to describe contiguous areas of dead trees. And they are the focus of Duke University ecosystem ecologist and biogeochemist Emily Bernhardt’s research.
https://carolinapublicpress.org/55902/ghost-forests-are-creeping-across-ncs-coast-at-an-alarming-rate-researchers-are-trying-to-stop-them/

NC child welfare leader says system is ‘in crisis’ and state could be sued ‘at any point’ (September)

The state’s child welfare system “is in crisis,” and “at any point there could be a massive class-action lawsuit,” the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services told county directors of social services departments during a presentation earlier this month.
https://carolinapublicpress.org/56616/nc-child-welfare-leader-says-system-is-in-crisis-and-state-could-be-sued-at-any-point/

 Automated gunshot detection is coming to Fayetteville. The community is split on whether it’s the right fit for the city (December)

Cynthia Leeks, 60, lives in a neighborhood off the Murchison Road Corridor in Fayetteville. She moved back to the area five years ago to be close to her aging parents. She is now the secretary of her local neighborhood watch. She loves her neighborhood, she said, even though it’s in a city where gun violence is commonplace. Even with the violence, Leeks doesn’t want police officers knocking on her door after a ShotSpotter gunshot alert has been sent to them.
https://carolinapublicpress.org/58197/automated-gunshot-detection-is-coming-to-fayetteville-the-community-is-split-on-whether-its-the-right-fit-for-the-city/

 Editor's note: Carolina Public Press is an independent nonprofit news organization dedicated to nonpartisan, in-depth and investigative news built upon the facts and context North Carolinians need to know. Their award-winning, breakthrough journalism dismantles barriers and shines a light on the critical overlooked and under-reported issues facing the state’s 10.4 million residents.
Ben Sessoms covers local government in eastern North Carolina, primarily in Cumberland County and the surrounding region. He can be reached at bsessoms@carolinapublicpress.org or 828-774-5290 extension 414.

For many Cumberland County residents, the annual black-eyed peas dinner was a decades-old Southern tradition.
Each New Year’s Day, thousands of people gathered at the Crown Expo Center to share bread — and the signature black-eyed peas and other fare — with others from the community.

The dinner, which was free, hasn’t been held since January 2020 because of concerns related to COVID-19. After being put off for several years, organizers said this seemed like a good year to stop the event.

“At this point, there are no plans to have the black-eyed peas dinner in the future,” Cumberland County District Attorney Billy West said.

West and Cumberland County Register of Deeds Lee Warren have hosted the event for years, but its roots date back much further.

“I kind of have mixed emotions,’’ Warren said Dec. 28. “It’s a phenomenal amount of work and a phenomenal amount of expense. Seems like with COVID, along January of this year and February, it seemed to be getting a little better. As the year progressed, it started getting worse. It’s kind of like a roller-coaster.

“We can’t seem to get a grip on all of the illness. All the COVID,” he added. “We just don’t feel comfortable getting people together like we did. That’s a lot of people. We can’t risk making anyone sick.”

The prevailing theme of the dinner evolved from a long-held belief that eating black-eyed peas would bring you good luck and prosperity for the coming year. Along with the black-eyed peas, participants were served such down-home country favorites as pork barbecue, candied yams and collard greens. You also would find dignitaries from the Fayetteville area. For many, it was the ideal setting to see and be seen.

“We had Larry Chason who provided gospel music. We just always had such a nice time,” Warren said. “We had congressmen every year come. Occasionally, somebody from the senate. We had the lieutenant governor come before. It was just a good way to get together and renew old friendships.”

The idea of a single black-eyed peas dinner came about when former Cumberland County Sheriff Ottis Jones and local attorney Willis Brown held separate New Year’s Day dinners, inviting their friends to come.
Following years of that, everyone who had attended the separate functions gathered together for the one meal, Warren said. That ended in 1987 with the death of Jones. Warren, at the time a county commissioner, and Owen Spears, who was elected to the N.C. General Assembly in 1992, started the tradition again at the suggestion of Warren’s father.

“Owen and I did them together,” Warren said.

When Spears got out of the General Assembly, Warren partnered with District Attorney Ed Grannis. Eventually, West joined the hosts and carried on with Warren after Grannis died, the register of deeds said.
“So, Billy and I had been doing it ever since,” Warren said.

According to the old Southern superstition, eating collard greens on New Year’s Day will bring you dollar bills and eating black-eyed peas will bring you pennies throughout the upcoming year.

“Many of the folks who helped us each year have either passed away or are not able to help us anymore,” West said. “After not having it because of COVID the last few years, we decided this was the best year to stop it. We will miss it. It was a great community tradition.’’

Not sure which one rescued the other. After making the rounds of all the shelters on a cold January day, I told Dorothy I really wanted to bring him home with us. There was something about the way he looked at me when I spoke to him.

It had been less than two months since our son was killed; our 10- year-old Rottweiler mix had died suddenly just before that. Though surrounded by family, friends, and acquaintances, I was experiencing a general sense of loneliness.

I think, in retrospect, it was simply grief. Whatever it was, this great big hunk of unruliness seemed to take the edge off it. We were quizzed, interrogated and even cautioned by the shelter that he might be too big and unmanageable for people ‘our age’, but I was adamant. This was my next best friend. And so he has become.

Champ was full of personality from the first day he came into our home and family. Full of energy and enough curiosity for any five cats, at a whopping 90 pounds he could be a challenge for a couple ‘our age’ at times.

But love. As his challenges were met by grace and love from his new family, we all began the journey of growing toward center. Just three years later, I can barely move from room-to-room without him wanting to be there. This dog, once deemed unruly and destructive and cast aside, has become one of the best friends I’ve ever had. It’s clear he simply wants to be near us, be loved, and experience life as one who is accepted.

To a great extent, he defines my relationship with God.

As a young man I was defiant and unruly, constantly looking for the boundaries I was not yet living on. Situations I could not control I lashed out against, and I found myself written off by even those who were closest to me. Perhaps especially by them. But God. God saw more in me than I saw in myself. He saw the look in my eyes as one person warned another I wasn’t worth the effort. He took me in, called me son, and my many challenges were met repeatedly by His patient grace and love.

Today, when I see God moving, that’s where I want to be. Just as Champ sits at (or ON) my feet, I want nothing more than to be near my master and enjoy simply being together. In every situation, I pray I find myself resting in God’s favor, pleasing Him in all I do.

Thank you, God, for showing me what rescue looks like and for transforming me into someone who sees the value you place in others regardless of their past, their hurts or defiance. Thank you for teaching me to look others in the eyes — whether two-legged or four — and respond with the same love you’ve shown me.

The Annual Grinding of the Greens Christmas tree recycling program, a Fayetteville holiday tradition since 1994, continues in 2023. The annual program is celebrating its 29th year of protecting and enhancing the environment.

Grinding of the Greens encourages Fayetteville residents to recycle their live Christmas trees and, since its beginning, has kept thousands of pounds of recyclable material out of our landfills.
The long-standing partnership between Fayetteville Public Works Commission, Cumberland-Fayetteville Parks & Recreation and Duke Energy Progress turns cut Christmas trees into mulch for the Fayetteville Community Garden and other local parks.

The Cumberland-Fayetteville Parks & Recreation will collect the trees from Fayetteville city residents in a special tree pickup beginning Monday, Jan. 9, 2023. Pickups are separate from yard waste, trash or recycle pickups and city residents should put their trees out for curbside collection by the morning of January 9 . All lights, stands and trimmings should be removed from the tree.

Residents who live outside the city or those who miss the pickup, may drop off trees at the Fayetteville Community Garden, located at the corner of Van Story and Mann Streets, just off Old Wilmington Road, any day by Jan. 20. PWC and Duke Energy Progress volunteers will grind them into mulch at the Grinding of the Greens at the Community Garden on Jan. 21 following a ceremonial start at 8:30 a.m. For more information: www.faypwc.com/grinding-of-the-greens/.