The Fayetteville History Museum in downtown Fayetteville is offering walking tours every third Monday of the month, beginning at 1 p.m.

The walking tours meander through downtown Fayetteville and the Cool Spring area, with a historian from the museum talking about the historical places the tour encounters along the way. They are free for all to attend.
The Fayetteville History Museum, like most other museums in the area, is closed on Mondays. Historic Properties Supervisor for the museum, Heidi Bleazey, enjoys the opportunity to offer something to the community on those days the museum is closed.

“We’re here working on Mondays, and sometimes we see folks come to the doors, peek in. This is going to be something to offer those folks and gives Mondays a chance for us to come alive,” she said.
The tours start right in front of the museum, with a discussion of the architecture of the building. The Romanesque Revival-style building was built in 1890 and was formally the Cape Fear and Yadkin Valley Railroad depot. The tour then continues through one of the various archways found in downtown Fayetteville and onto Hay Street.

“We are able to highlight things from all time periods and talk about some of the people who have been a part of our downtown story,” Bleazey said. “We walk by Capitol Encore Academy and talk about Jacob Stein coming here in the early days of the 20th century. He was a Jewish merchant and formed that very famous and wonderful department store, the Capitol, in our downtown.”

Tour attendees can step into the shoes of a fictional character, John Warwick from Charles Chesnutt’s “House Behind the Cedars,” as they walk through the streets of downtown Fayetteville. The tour focuses on the State House and Market House before continuing to Liberty Point. A stop is made at the LaFayette statue at Cross Creek Park, which is right next to First Presbyterian Church.

“Sometimes we lollygag so that the 2 p.m bells are going off as we are there,” Bleazey said.
Occasionally, the tour will go down Maiden Lane, by the Cumberland County Public Library and Segra Stadium, where the guide discusses the history of baseball in Fayetteville.

“If we are bold and daring and the sun isn’t too scorching, we can head to Cool Springs Tavern on North Cool Springs Street,” said Bleazey.
The next tour will take place on June 20, and that, Bleazey said, is a very special day in Fayetteville history.

“June 20 falls on a very historic day in our community’s history. The Cumberland Association, or the Liberty Point Resolve, is a document that 55 patriots signed here near the acute intersection of Bow and Person Streets,” she said. “In 1755, there was a tavern there, and 55 patriots signed a document pledging their lives and honor in defense of liberty. That document, then known as the Cumberland Association, now known as the Liberty Point Resolves, was an early document of independence in our city’s history, our state’s history and our nation’s history.”

Those interested in attending the tours don’t have to pre-register, although Bleazey said the museum does like a head’s up for larger groups coming together. If rain is in the forecast, the museum staff still tries to provide something for those who wish to learn more about history in the area. If it’s light rain, the tour will continue. On very rainy days in the past, the staff has set up a power point and given a virtual walking tour. Bleazey suggests bringing a hat, sunscreen and umbrella for the tour.

The museum plans to continue offering tours throughout the fall and may even conduct them during the winter months.

“We are happy and excited to share and answer questions, point out things that even local residents, long-time residents, who haven’t put two and two together, may have driven past a bajillion times and not really put connections together,” said Bleazey. “I think it’s an exciting thing downtown; I’m glad we can offer it for free and have something on a day when normally we have been closed to the public.”

For more information about the Fayetteville History Museum, visit https://www.fcpr.us/facilities/museums/fayetteville-area-transportation-and-local-history-museum.

As prices soar across the country, tips on cutting costs when and wherever possible have become valuable information.

With that in mind, Fayetteville's Public Works Commission is hosting its Power and Water Conservation Expo at Skyview on Hay, Friday, June 24.

The Expo is a symposium dedicated to giving citizens "the power to save" through helpful tips, demonstrations, a panel of experts and giveaways.
Though this is the Expo's eighth year, it is the first in-person meeting since 2019 due to COVID-19 precautions. The event coincides with downtown Fayetteville's 4th Friday event to take advantage of the built-in audience and capitalize on an opportunity to reach as many people as possible.

Open from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. to ensure everyone, no matter their schedule, can come to learn about the many ways to conserve energy and save money — the Expo speaks to the service provider's desire to educate and empower their customers.

"We wanted to create an event that could highlight our services as well as give information and tools designed to help people save," said Carolyn Justice-Hinson, PWC's communications and community relations officer.

"We have so many helpful programs that people just don't know about."
Stating that most people don't think about their utilities until the bill comes in the mail, she sees the Expo as an essential educational tool. She hopes it offers some perspective on what it takes to run a reliable utility service.

For nearly 12 hours, the Expo will offer no shortage of opportunities for people to ask questions and learn the ins and outs of services necessary for day-to-day life.
The Expo will feature PWC linemen there to discuss power outages, customer service reps will be available to answer billing questions, and specialists will offer demonstrations on new features of the service, such as the Online Energy Resource Center tool.

Those in attendance can look forward to a few giveaways with prizes that stay on message. Spray nozzles and washers that help conserve water inside their water hoses to LED lightbulbs are just a few goodies people can expect.

Whether a customer of PWC or some other utility provider, Justice-Hinson feels the importance of energy conservation and how to save money is something from which everyone can benefit and therefore encourages everyone to stop by and learn what they can.

"We hope as many customers come as possible, but utility usage is universal, and conservation is valuable for everybody."
And as for the best way to save on those utility bills, Justice-Hinson told Up & Coming Weekly that it doesn't take much.

"These days, saving everywhere you can is so important. You don't have to make huge adjustments to save money. That's what's great about this Expo; you can pick up practical tips to manage the cost of electricity and water. We hope people will take the time to come out and learn and ultimately save."

This event is free and open to the public. Skyview is located at 121 Hay St. in downtown Fayetteville.

For more information, visit https://fb.me/e/2xiTfdyzQ.

Fayetteville Area Habitat For Humanity will host its Framing the Future event at Sweet Valley Ranch on Sunday, June 26, from 4 to 7 p.m.

The "Kool in Khaki" themed event will feature live musical performances by the Throwback Collaboration Band, a barbecue chicken dinner provided by Mountaire Farms, and door prizes from local businesses.
While the event's primary goal is to raise funds for ongoing and future Fayetteville Area Habitat for Humanity projects, current CEO Ron Gunter very much sees it as a celebration. A celebration of all things accomplished and the accomplishments yet to come.

Gunter also sees this event as an opportunity to say goodbye before his retirement at the end of June.

Gunter, who came out of retirement to act as CEO in 2019, reflects fondly on his time with the organization and is very excited about things to come.

"I love what we do here, our mission, and what we're about," he told Up & Coming Weekly. "We have a great, passionate staff and we're very team-oriented. Together we've built over 55 homes, completed over 100 repairs, and we're excited about what we've done and the possibilities of the future."

Gunter takes his exit at a time of tremendous transition within the organization. Brandon Price, current advocacy and compliance officer and recent law school graduate, is poised to take over as CEO starting July 1.

Additionally, Fayetteville Area Habitat for Humanity's geographic service area has expanded to include Cumberland, Robeson, Columbus, Sampson and Bladen Counties, making it the largest land mass affiliate in North Carolina. Gunter is especially thrilled with the inclusion of Robeson and Columbus counties as neither has had the support of a Habitat for Humanity Affiliate before.

In addition to recognizing the exciting new developments on the horizon, Framing the Future will reflect on one of the organization's most significant accomplishments, the completion of Oakridge Estates.

Oakridge Estates, located off Old Bunce Road in Fayetteville, comprises 47 homes, nine of which have veteran homeowners, and 15 will house those displaced by hurricanes. The project, which broke ground in the summer of 2019, is expected to be completed by the end of June. Currently, every home in the subdivision is occupied, except for four still under construction.

For Gunter, the immense pride he has for the project and the people who made it happen is immeasurable.

"We did this in a remarkable amount of time. Prior to 2019, with hurricanes Sandy and Matthew, almost all of our work was repair work. We've built three homes in Cumberland, Sampson and Bladen County in the last three years — no other new homes were built during that time. To turn that around and build 55 homes in three years, we're very excited to keep that pace and build more homes for families in need."

To that end, Gunter spoke of a need for more community outreach as the need for safe and affordable housing becomes greater.

"Single-family housing is our specialty," he explained. "The City of Fayetteville has been a wonderful partner, and we work with churches, several panhellenic organizations and service groups."

Despite high visibility on a global scale, consistently reliable help is still sometimes difficult to come by and is vital in completing these projects, according to Gunter.

"We want people to know and realize Habitat is here and involved, and it cannot do what it does alone. We need the community to volunteer, donate and understand that building a whole house takes a lot of time," he explained. "As a brand, we're very well known, but we still need help to create change and affect change in the lives of people in the community. We need more people that will come work alongside us — lots of people are necessary to help make the changes we need to make, and together we can make a difference."

The Framing the Future event is free and open to the public. Still, April De Leon, Director of Marketing for Fayetteville Area Habitat For Humanity, hopes to attract people who want to get involved with the organization.

"We're hoping to see county leaders and create potential volunteer partnerships. All of our staff will be there to answer questions about donations, volunteering, and all the ways available to get involved," she said.

Gunter also hopes the fundraiser will bring awareness to what exactly Habitat for Humanity is and what it isn't.

"There is a lot of Habitat for Humanity misinformation out there," he said. "We don't just give homes away. Our homeowners have a mortgage, and we're the underwriters, the builders and the mortgage-holders. Habitat homeowners put 300 hours of sweat equity into their homes. Most are first-time homeowners, so 50 of those hours are spent in classes on budget building, property tax, insurance and the ins and outs of owning a home. Most people only see the front side, us building the homes, but we do all we can on the backside to keep the families in that home. Our goal is to help build generational wealth by putting them in a safe, high-energy-efficient home and will last their lifetime — something to leave their children."

For those interested in donating, there are several ways to do so outlined on the event's website. People can donate items to the silent auction, sponsor a table or become a FAHFH partner.

From Friday, June 24, until Sunday, June 26, a portion of all sales at Sweet Valley Farm will be donated to Fayetteville Area Habitat For Humanity.

Another way to support the organization's efforts is shopping at the Fayetteville Area Habitat for Humanity ReStore. Proceeds from all sales go toward underwriting new homes.

Framing the Future is an opportunity for people to come out, eat good food, listen to good music and enter a conversation about what it means to be a good neighbor.

Sweet Valley Ranch is located at 2990 Sunnyside School Road in Fayetteville.

This event is free and open to the public, but an RSVP is required. To RSVP, visit the FAHFH website at www.fayettevillenchabitat.org/.

Following the attacks of September 11, 2001, a 12-man team of U.S. Army Green Berets inserted deep in northern Afghanistan to aid local partisans in their unconventional war against the Taliban.

Working with officers from the CIA, the Special Forces soldiers helped raise an army of some 5,000 Afghans, in a campaign across some of the most inhospitable terrain in the world.
Over a course of two months, the Green Berets advised Afghan commanders and directed a massive air campaign to rout the Taliban from power. It was the most successful unconventional warfare campaign in modern history.

The Americans were dubbed “The Horse Soldiers” by western media reporting on their triumphs. The team’s exploits have been portrayed in the Hollywood movie “12 Strong,” the Emmy-nominated documentary “Legion of Brothers” and various books and monographs.

A monument to their honor, “America’s Response Monument,” was erected at Ground Zero in New York City, where it is viewed by thousands daily.
The newly published book, “Swords of Lightning,” is their story, told from their point of view for the first time, with never-before revealed details and insights of the campaign, their struggles, and how close they came to failure and death.

This story, as written by the Horse Soldiers, has never been told directly by the men who shared the experience first-hand. It has been dubbed a must read for all interested in history and war.

On June 15, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. the public is invited to hear their story and enjoy a Horse Soldier® Bourbon tasting and specialty cocktails at a fundraising event hosted by the Airborne & Special Operations Museum Foundation at the U.S. Army Airborne and Special Operations Museum. Admission to this special event includes a presentation by Operational Detachment Alpha-595 team members Mark Nutsch and Bob Pennington, along with author Jim DeFelice, and a signed copy of “Swords of Lightning.”

Mark Nutsch, a former U.S. Army Special Forces Major, is a Kansas native. Nutsch served for 24 years in the Army, as an infantry, 75th Ranger Regiment and Special Forces officer with unique combat and leadership experiences. As America’s response to the attacks of 9/11, then-Capt. Nutsch led one of the first “Task Force Dagger” combined teams of CIA, Special Forces A-team (ODA-595), and Combat Controllers into northern Afghanistan.

Advising the armed resistance leadership against the Taliban and al Qaeda they spearheaded unprecedented Unconventional Warfare operations, while mounted horseback. The “Campaign for Mazar-e Sharif” resulted in the liberation of six northern Afghanistan provinces within weeks. Recognized as the catalyst for the collapse of the Taliban regime and expanded pursuit of al Qaeda terrorists. He is currently involved in efforts to evacuate American citizens and his team’s Afghan allies, aiding their resettlement.

Featured in various books, museums and as a guest speaker. Nutsch, his wife, and the ODA-595 team are featured in the Emmy-nominated documentary film “Legion of Brothers.” Nutsch is portrayed by actor Chris Hemsworth in the feature film by Jerry Bruckheimer Studios entitled “12 Strong.”

Bob Pennington, a retired senior warrant officer, served in the Army for thirty-plus years and is a Georgia native. Pennington commanded Green Berets in combat and trained candidates attending the Special Forces Qualification Course.

Pennington has written military doctrine, as well as lectured and consulted on film, books and military monographs. He was recently inducted as a Distinguished Member of the Special Forces Regiment and the Georgia Military Veterans’ Hall of Fame. He is the recipient of many combat and peacetime awards, to include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device and two oak leaf clusters. Pennington is a recipient of the 2018 MG Shachnow Award (special recognition for combat actions), and the 2014 Bronze Order of Saint Philip Neri (20 plus years outstanding achievement in Special Forces). He also received a Special Commendation from the Governor of Georgia and honored through a State Resolution by the Georgia House of Representatives for his military service. He is a lifelong member of the distinguished Office of Strategic Services Society.
Pennington, Nutsch and their business partners operate a nationally growing, whiskey distillery brand, Horse Soldier Bourbon at American Freedom Distillery, featuring their double gold award-winning Horse Soldier Bourbons.

Jim DeFelice is author or co-author of 16 New York Times bestselling books, including “American Sniper” and “Everyman a Hero.” He has written over 50 fiction and non-fiction books. Among his recent nonfiction works are “Every Man a Hero”, a memoir based on the World War II service of combat medic Ray Lambert. The book won the 2019 Army Historical Foundation Distinguished Writing Award. An international blockbuster with over 5 million sales, “American Sniper” (2012) detailed the life and service of Navy SEAL Chris Kyle. Made into a record-breaking blockbuster movie of the same name in 2015 starring Bradley Cooper and directed by Clint Eastwood. “Sniper” was followed by two more New York Times best-selling nonfiction works, and a limited television series movie based on “American Wife” (2015) with Taya Kyle is under development in Hollywood with DeFelice as a consulting producer. His work in video games includes “Afro Samurai: Revenge of Kuma” and “Ace Combat: Assault Horizon,” the number one selling air-combat franchise in the world. A winner of the Army Historical Foundation Award for his writing, he lives in the Hudson Valley.

Tickets to the fundraiser are $75 per person/ $125 couple, and include a bourbon tasting, appetizers, presentation by members of ODA-595 and a signed copy of “Swords of Lightning,” while supplies last. The first 10 who reserve a spot will also receive a custom Horse Soldier® Bourbon glass.

For event and ticket information, contact the Airborne & Special Operations Museum Foundation office at 910-643-2778 or visit the event website at https://shop.asomf.org/whiskey-and-war-stories.

On Friday, June 17, the Public Works Commission will host its 17th Annual Public Works Art Exhibition. The event will be held from 6 to 9 p.m.

The self-proclaimed "biggest local art show" will be on display at The Arts Council of Fayetteville and will be an evening filled with much to see.
To celebrate 100 years of service, PWC teamed up with The Arts Council of Fayetteville|Cumberland County and became an official sponsor of their annual art show. This event, previously titled Public Exposure, was a part of the community before PWC's involvement in 2005. With a name change to Public Works, the event has become one of PWC's most valued endeavors.

The Public Arts Exhibition is the Arts Council's largest attended show each year, with as many as 200 pieces of art on display. According to PWC Communications and Community Relations Officer Carolyn Justice-Hinson, for PWC, each year continues to get bigger and better.

While some might question the pairing of a utility service and local art, Justice-Hinson feels it makes perfect sense.

"This event is a great celebration of art in our community because it's open to everyone — just like us," she explained. "We take the opportunity to be there on opening night, and we'll have information available on conservation, and we exhibit a few of our trucks and equipment. For us, it's a good tool for community outreach and education about some of our services.

Like so many other major events around the city, this summer is the first Public Works Art Exhibition since 2019 due to COVID-19 restrictions. The event, held downtown during the Juneteenth weekend, will feature art and artists of all ages, backgrounds and skill levels.

Justice-Hinson is excited to see new art and artists back up on the wall and is excited for them to share their work with the public.

"I love opening night," shared Justice-Hinson. "It's open to so many people, there are a lot of first-time artists, and that's my favorite part of it — to see the artist and their friends and families, standing by their work and sharing their inspirations. It's really gratifying."

The art on display is for sale at the artist's discretion and can at times cause a bit of a frenzy. Justice-Hinson recalls the entrepreneurial spirit of one young artist and his desire to sell his picture of a giraffe, drawn in crayon, for $35 to donate to his Boy Scout Troop. A bidding war ensued, and the little artist walked away with a hefty donation. In short, the PWC Art Exhibition is a place where anything can happen.

This year, the People's Choice Award for favorite art pieces will be online on the Arts Council of Fayetteville|Cumberland County website. Voting will stay open until July 23.
Justice-Hinson feels the show is for everyone, even those not normally inclined to think much about it.

"We have fabulous artists in this community who submit year after year, and you never know what to expect, but you always know it's going to be great. Even if you aren't really into art, people can find something with which to identify in this show. There will always be something that speaks to the times."

The PWC Art Exhibition opens Friday, June 17, and will run until Sunday, Aug. 20.

The Arts Council of Fayetteville|Cumberland County is located at 301 Hay Street in downtown Fayetteville. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/events/403683081667234 or www.wearethearts.com/exhibits.

City elections are coming up, and the Greater Fayetteville Chamber wants to make sure people are informed before voting.

Tonette Johnson, the events coordinator for the Chamber, says the forum was the idea of the Chamber's Government Relations Committee Chair Eva Houston-Henderson, Chamber member George Breece and the Chamber Board's Chairwoman Tammy Thurman. Johnson said the three partnered together to build this forum and help get the information out to the community about the candidates.

"It was just a seamless decision because we're so already heavily involved in what's going on in the community," Johnson said.

The Chamber has invited all the candidates for Mayor and the nine city council seats to the forum.

The Mayoral Candidates are Mitch Colvin and Freddie de la Cruz. The city council candidates up for election include Kathy Jensen, Alex Rodriquez, Shakeyla Ingram, Tyrone Williams, Antonio Jones, Mario Benavente, D.J. Haire, Thomas Greene, Derrick Thompson, Peter Pappas, Larry Wright, Brenda McNair, Yvonne Kinston, Deno Hondros, Johnny Dawkins, Frederick LaChance III, Courtney Banks-McLaughlin and Michael Pinkston.

Candidates will not take questions from the audience at the event. Instead, questions have been submitted ahead of time by Chamber members, business owners and community members and will be vetted before being asked.

"We're not playing any games. We want to get to know the candidates. We want to know their agenda, what their plans are for the community," Johnson said. "We wanted to make sure that the topics that needed to be touched on, that needed to be heard, and it is a wide range of topics. However, we just kept it to our community's growth and development."

Johnson said most of the questions would be directed at all the candidates, but some will be explicitly directed toward the mayoral candidates.

Gary Rogers from Beasley Media Group will be the Master of Ceremonies during the forum. Rogers is a board officer with the Chamber and is an Ambassador for the Greater Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce. He will direct questions to the candidates and keep people on topic.

The forum will not be live streamed. However, it will be recorded and broadcast at a later date.

Other media outlets will be present, including Up & Coming Weekly, CityView Today and The Fayetteville Observer.

The forum will take place at the Crown Coliseum Thursday, June 30.
Attendees are asked to enter the Crown Coliseum through the West VIP Entrance to get to the event venue.

The free event will also have a continental breakfast.

Reservations are not required to attend. Instead, it will be first-come, first-serve for seating and food. The event starts at 8 a.m. and is expected to end around 11 a.m.

Up & Coming Weekly has been recognized as one of the Best of the Best in the Association of Community Publishers for our entertainment columns, our front pages, best ad series and self-promotion.

The Association of Community Publishers announced on Wednesday, June 8, the winners of the 2022 Best of the Best awards.

Up & Coming Weekly column writer, Pitt Dickey, won second place for Best Original Column that entertains the reader.

Up & Coming Weekly’s former Art Director, Dylan Hooker, was key in the publication receiving 3rd Place for Best Front Page, 3rd Place for Self-Promotion, and an honorable mention for Best Ad Series.

"Winning National Newspaper Awards for local journalism, design, and proficient writing and reporting has always been an honor. It's our annual
barometer on how Up & Coming Weekly community newspaper stacks up against other national top-ranking community newspapers. It is also an opportunity for our local writers, editors, and designers to get the national recognition they deserve," Publisher Bill Bowman said.

The Association of Community Publishers represents community publications from coast to coast, reaching millions of homes on a weekly, biweekly or monthly basis.

These publications are united in providing the best advertising coverage to their clients and valuable advertising information to their strong and loyal readership base.

The former Spring Lake Finance Director was arrested, June 10, on charges of Embezzlement, Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft.

The federal indictment alleges that 63-year-old Gay Cameron Tucker embezzled more than $560,000 from the Town of Spring Lake during her tenure as finance director and accounting technician for the town. The indictment further alleges that Tucker carried out the embezzlement through fraudulent checks containing forged signatures of the mayor and town manager.

“City government officials are entrusted to spend taxpayer funds on public needs – not their own,” United States Attorney Michael Easley stated in the press release. “Our prosecutors and law enforcement partners are committed to vigorously investigating all allegations of public corruption.”

This arrest comes after the Office of the State Auditor released its final report into allegations of the misuse of funds in Spring Lake.

According to the indictment, approximately $148,000 in checks were made payable to “Gay C Tucker” or “Gay Tucker,” and roughly $177,000 in checks were made payable to “Heritage Place,” “Heritage House” or “Heritage.”

The audit report states that Heritage House was the nursing care home where Tucker’s husband was living. The report states that these checks were used to pay her husband’s monthly resident bills.
Approximately $240,000 in checks were made payable to “Bragg Mutual Federal Credit Union” or “BMFCU.” These checks were deposited to an account belonging to Tucker.

The indictment states that after receiving the town’s money into her bank account, Tucker used the funds for her interests. Those interests included rent, personal living expenses, cash withdrawals and money transfers to individuals.

Tucker has been released without bail.

She is being charged with one count of embezzlement from a Local Government Receiving Federal Funds, four counts of Bank Fraud, and two counts of Aggravated Identity Theft.

The maximum punishment for embezzlement is 10 years in prison. The maximum punishment for Bank Fraud is 30 years in prison. The maximum punishment for Aggravated Identity Theft is not less than, nor more than, two years in prison consecutive to any other sentence imposed.

The Fayetteville Police Department went to Puerto Rico for several days to recruit 25 new officers — costing the city more than $20,000.

The FPD, as well as many police agencies nearby, have several vacancies. This makes the job of current officers more difficult. Several incentives have been added to help attract potential recruits, including higher wages, signing bonuses, education incentives and relocation reimbursements.

The agency is also looking at other police departments to see if experienced officers would like a job with them. One place that is becoming a popular site for police recruitment is Puerto Rico. The FPD isn’t the only police agency to find recruits in Puerto Rico. The North Charleston Police Department in South Carolina has recently sworn in three out of ten incoming officers from the island as part of a partnership with the University of Puerto Rico.

According to Fayetteville Police Chief Gina Hawkins, the U.S. island territory’s pension system for its police officers does not compare with the retirement and benefits provided by the FPD. Last year, officers went on strike to demand a better public pension plan. The Puerto Rico Police Officers do not receive Social Security or health insurance upon retirement, obtaining only 30% to 40% of their salary.

Seven people from FPD flew to Puerto Rico on April 3. Those in attendance included Hawkins, Police Major Roberto Bryan Jr., Sgt. Gerald Poland Serrano, Sgt. Kendra Faire, Detective Brandy Bohannon, Detective Stephanie Berrios-Rivera, and Officer Asbel Torres. They left on April 7.

For FPD to travel to Puerto Rico, the tickets cost FPD $4,584.70. This cost did not include the $176.47 for the Main Cabin Extra seating, which is $25.21 for each person flying.
The recruiting event took place at Embassy Suites by Hilton San Juan Hotel & Casino. The FPD spent $5,352 for two conference rooms on April 4, April 5 and April 6. The hotel also charged FPD $4,084.80 for four rooms and $169.52 for parking.

$4,989.63 was spent at Publi-Inversiones Puerto Rico, the owner of the daily newspaper, El Vocero. It is a free Puerto Rican newspaper that is published in San Juan. FPD ran several advertisements from March 16 to April 5 in the El Vocero. The ad on Facebook received 537 reactions, 476 shares and 160 comments.

Other costs include a $258.04 visit to Walmart, an $86.73 visit to a grocery store, $75 to park at Raleigh-Durham International Airport, $130 in baggage receipts, and $620 in passenger receipts.

On April 4, there were three separate time slots for orientation. On April 5, there were two time-slots for the written and physical exams. On April 6, there were the interviews.

Applicants had to be at least 20.5 years of age, have a driver’s license, have an acceptable driving record, have a high school diploma, and be fluent in English. Those that passed the exams will have to travel to North Carolina to take the Police Officer Physical Abilities Test, the Computer Voice Stress Analyzer, the Medical and Psychological Testing and pass an interview with Hawkins.

Sixty people applied during the recruiting event. Hawkins told Up & Coming Weekly that 25 of those applicants passed the entry test. That means that the FPD, and the city, spent $825.07 to recruit one applicant from Puerto Rico.

However, Hawkins told Up & Coming Weekly that the recruiting event was worth it.

“What’s the cost of going without an officer?” she asked. “How much money is spent on overtime when we are short 50 officers?”

Up & Coming Weekly reached out to FPD about the price totals and when the recruits will be expected to start but have not received a reply at the time of publication.

 

Put on your walking shoes. Today we shall enjoy yet another stroll down the pot-holed-pocked Memory Lane.

It’s time to look at our old friend, the year 1972, who just turned 50 in January 2022. A decade here, a decade there, pretty soon, it adds up to some real time. Join Mr. Peabody and his boy Sherman in the Way Back Machine to see what was happening just one short half-century ago.

At least one of my readers will be able to recall 1972 from personal experience. If the other reader can stay awake for the rest of the column, some vague memories may be stirred and some historical factoids blurbed.
January 1972 saw the return to civilization for Japanese soldier Sargeant Shoichi Yokoi who had been hiding in the jungles of Guam since the end of World War II. Shoichi was not a quitter. He had been hiding out in a jungle cave for almost 28 years. Two local men bumped into Shoichi, who promptly attacked them, fearing for his life. Shoichi knew the war had ended in 1952, but he did not want to surrender due to his training.

Once back in Japan, he said, “It is with much embarrassment that I return. We Japanese soldiers were told to prefer death to the disgrace of getting captured alive.” You have to admire his perseverance despite its overtones of insanity.

Once back in 1972, he may have wished he had stayed in the jungle.

Like the Overlook Hotel in “The Shining,” many things happened in 1972, and not all of them were good.
The friendly skies were not so friendly in 1972. There were at least 16 airplane hijackings that year. The Vietnam War was winding down but was not over. Palestinian terrorists attacked the Munich Olympics, killing 11 Israeli athletes.

The troubles of 1972 were part of Earth’s Manifest Destiny for craziness. Not to be outdone by 1972, the year of our Lord 2022, brags, “Hey, watch this!”
In March, the U.S. Congress passed the Equal Rights Amendment sending it on to the states for ratification, where it died a death of old age.
June 1972 saw the birth of Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen franchise in Arabi, Louisiana. This led to a proliferation of Popeye’s restaurants across the breadth and width of the fruited plain. The invention of its new chicken sandwich ultimately led to the Popeye’s Fried Chicken Sandwich Riots in 2019, when the restaurants could not keep up with demand for that culinary delight.

June also brought America’s most famous third-rate burglary. Nixon’s version of the Beagle Boys got caught in the Watergate, breaking into the Democratic National Headquarters to bug the joint. This caper eventually led to Nixon resigning in disgrace. However, that is a story for another time. But Happy 50th Birthday anyway to the Watergate scandal.

July saw the World Chess Championship in Iceland between American Bobby Fischer and defending World Chess Champion Boris Spassky the Russki. It may be hard to believe, but in the summer of 1972, America caught chess fever. People cared about chess. They were excited about chess. That is a sentence I never expected to write. It was the Americans versus the evil Commies. Bobby was a chess genius and nutty as a fruitcake. Boris was the epitome of Commie chess Grandmaster — big-haired, boring and relentless. Bobby complained about everything, driving the tournament officials up the wall and unsettling Boris. Bobby came out the winner 12.5 to 8.5 games. America rejoiced, then promptly forgot about chess when a new diversion appeared in November.

Atari produced Pong, the first commercially successful video game. Pong was extremely simple and highly addicting. The video game progeny of Pong have lived long and prospered. They now live on your smartphone.

In October, an Uruguayan plane carrying a rugby team crashed high in the Andes mountains. The passengers were not rescued for 72 days. Twenty-nine passengers survived the crash, but by the time they were rescued, only 16 were still living. The passengers had to resort to cannibalism to survive. Two passengers climbed a 15,000-foot mountain without equipment and then hiked for 10 days until they found help. It was an amazing story of self-reliance and courage.

On a final celestial note, on 13 December 1972, the Apollo 17 space mission touched down on the moon. Astronaut Eugene Cernan got out and took a stroll. Eugene’s lunar walkabout was the last time any human touched the moon. Fifty years have now passed, with the moon remaining a human-free zone. Time flies when you are Earthbound.

So, what have we learned today? As usual, not very much. But if you think 2022 is the worst of all times, kindly think again — 1972 wasn’t a peach. History moves on. Remember what Led Zeppelin once sang, “Good times, bad times/ You know I’ve had my share.”

It rains on the just and the unjust. Keep washing your hands. Keep moving. It’s the key to life.

A couple of months ago, the University of North Carolina Board of Governors voted to keep the system’s admissions process “test optional” through the fall of 2024.

University leaders said that to do otherwise in the aftermath of COVID-19 would be unfair to students and harmful to UNC’s constituent campuses.

If you squint really hard, you may detect some validity to this claim. But I recommend going into the next two years with eyes wide open.
Political activists have been trying for decades to get rid of standardized testing as a major factor in college admissions. They will pressure UNC to make what is now a four-year suspension of the test-score requirement into a permanent abolition.

Critics of requiring SAT or ACT scores from prospective students have long made two arguments. First, they argue that standardized tests are biased against non-white and low-income students. Second, they argue that test scores aren’t necessary to make good admissions decisions because grade-point average is the best predictor of college success.

The first argument is incorrect. There are significant gaps in average scores between low-income test-takers and other students, and among various racial and ethnic groups. But these gaps are not by themselves evidence that the tests are biased. By high school, there are very real differences in academic preparation across these categories. For the most part, standardized tests are reporting these differences, not causing them.

That’s what the preponderance of the empirical evidence shows. It’s also a logical conclusion to draw from the fact that students of Asian descent, for example, tend to have significantly higher average test scores than white students do. Are the SAT and ACT culturally biased in favor of Asians, including many who are first- or second-generation Americans? Of course not.

There’s stronger support for the second argument against standardized tests, that GPAs are better at predicting performance in college.
Research findings differ, but generally speaking the correlation between GPAs and college success is a bit stronger than the one between test scores and college success. That may well be because GPAs reflect years of study, writing and test-taking while an ACT or SAT score reflects student performance at a single (often stressful) point in time.

Still, if the goal is accurately to predict how high school students will fare in college, there’s a better option than just relying on GPAs, which may in some cases be skewed by school location or grade inflation.
What’s that option? Combining GPAs and test scores together, as admissions offices have been doing for decades.

Consider the findings of a 2019 study in the American Educational Research Journal. The authors concluded that grades were a good predictor because they signified forms of self-discipline likely to boost student success in both high school and college. “Affirmation of the relevance of teacher-assigned grades, however, is not an indictment of standardized admissions tests,” they stated. “In our investigation, test scores added unique predictive power, over and above grades and demographic characteristics, for college graduation.”

A 2021 study published in the journal Educational Assessment also found that “institutions could better predict undergraduate academic performance when using [GPA] and standardized test scores together than when using [GPA] alone.

As American Enterprise Institute scholar Rick Hess points out, the elimination of test scores from the admissions process is unlikely to result in a laser-like focus on grades, anyway.
What would happen instead is a rise in the importance of other factors — essays, letters of recommendations and lists of extracurricular activities — that can be difficult to compare fairly and that may even work to the advantage of well-off students with comparatively poor study habits.

COVID-19 certainly did disrupt both schooling and test preparation for many young North Carolinians. So I can understand why university leaders proposed the original suspension of test-score requirements in 2020, and why some think the suspension should last until 2024.

But setting the precedent was itself risky. The rigor of the UNC system merits defense.

Fayetteville’s May 2022 City Council primary election was historic in voter turnout compared to the past 20 plus years of city council primaries. Two obvious reasons drove this turnout.

Fayetteville’s primary was paired with Cumberland County and state-wide primary elections, and for the first time in recent memory, eight of the 10 city council seats actually had a primary election.

Media personalities and reporters often regurgitate initial voter participation numbers over several weeks after an election without actually analyzing the complexity of the City of Fayetteville electorate.

Being polite, most media personalities and reporters don’t know the nuances of Fayetteville’s ever-changing voter rolls. Specifically, active voters within Fayetteville corporate limits. Not their fault, as most media personalities and reporters don’t have time to interpret Fayetteville registered voter data before they report voter participation data.

Fayetteville’s City Council electorate is unique for a couple of reasons.

I provide a different approach within this opinion piece, identifying which Fayetteville voters actually showed up and pulled a ballot for the City of Fayetteville primary election.

Thanks to publicly available state online voter records and our Cumberland County Board of Elections Office, I have a by-name list of everyone that voted and active voters choosing not to vote during Fayetteville’s May 2022 primary. Two things to remember.

1. Council Districts 1, 3 and 8 include portions of Fort Bragg (Manchester voter precinct). Over the past ten years, less than 100 people on Fort Bragg have voted in Fayetteville City Council elections across the three districts. They usually show up for the presidential elections. Not Fayetteville City Council elections.

2. “Active Voters & Inactive Voters” are contained within Cumberland County’s voter database, just like the State of North Carolina voter database. Inactive voters across Cumberland County skew actual voter participation numbers and lower the perceived voter participation rate. Very few inactive voters are ever reactivated for municipal-level elections like in Fayetteville. Several are reactivated for presidential elections.

I removed all inactive voters and eliminated the Manchester voting precinct from the equation in my analysis. I found there were just under 101,000 “active voters” on the Fayetteville City Council 2022 primary election rolls that resided within the non-Fort Bragg portion of Fayetteville’s corporate limits.

Hopefully, this simple chart explains active voter participation numbers across all nine Fayetteville City Council districts during the May 2022 primary.
In the upcoming July city council general election, all 10 seats are contested, and voters will be able to vote for the mayoral position and their assigned city council district.

Since there is no truly contested mayoral race I predict Fayetteville’s final/general election in July will have much less voter turnout compared to the May 2022 primary election.

Just my personal prediction based on past voter turnout results. We will know in about seven weeks.

 

 

Municipal employees would be paid a minimum of $15 an hour as a result of additions to the proposed 2022-23 budget approved by the Fayetteville City Council on Thursday night.

The eight additions would increase the budget by a total of $899,000.

In its third budget work session, the council spent much of the time discussing specific items that members want to see incorporated into the budget.

The additions would be the only changes to the $248.25 million budget recommended by City Manager Doug Hewett. The property tax rate would remain at 49.95 cents per $100 valuation.

“It will not change,” said Kelly Olivera, the budget and evaluation director for the city.

A public hearing on the budget will be held during the council’s next meeting at 7 p.m. Monday at City Hall.

“They’re not extensive by any search of the imagination. They’re reasonable,” Olivera said of the additional expenditures.

Most will be paid for from the fund balance, a kind of savings account.

The items that were added by a consensus vote of the council include:
● $15 an hour pay for all city employees, including seasonal part-time workers. That will add an outlay of $484,000.
● A multipurpose indoor sports facility in partnership with an existing facility.
● Resurfacing the walking trail at Lake Rim Park for $35,000.
● Outdoor basketball courts that have already been funded.
● $100,000 for a “next generation” workforce initiative. The city will pursue partnerships with schools and businesses to provide training and job opportunities for students and others to learn skills for jobs in demand.
● An additional $200,000 for micro-grants for at-risk youth programs, doubling that allocation. The grants would range from $1,000 to $5,000. Community groups will be able to submit ideas to the city for funding. The increase is meant to allow for bigger initiatives.
● $30,000 for neighborhood signage, a project added to a community beautification initiative that had already been allocated $20,000.
● $50,000 for a concierge program intended to add security to the downtown area.

Mayor Mitch Colvin said the concierge program is important for downtown.

“That environment is not good,” Colvin said. “We have a bad environment down there.... It is bad down there after the (baseball) games.”

He said visitors to downtown are being solicited for money by homeless people and others, which puts a blight on the city.

Left off the list of consensus budget items were gunshot detection technology, a $260,000 outlay that will be covered by money from the American Rescue Plan; financing a makerspace and the Sherwood Road recreation center; a beautification plan for the Bonnie Doone neighborhood; and homelessness and affordable-housing programs that also will be funded by the American Rescue Plan.

 

The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit on Monday executed a search warrant on Clinton road and seized rifles, money, over 50 pounds of marijuana and various THC products, including edibles.

The search was conducted Monday morning at 9095 Clinton Road, Autryville. Agents seized four rifles, over $28,000, pills, two sets of body armor, hundreds of rounds of assorted ammunition, over 50 pounds of marijuana and 500 various THC products, including edibles, vapes, hash, and wax resin, the Sheriff’s Office said in a release.

Jon Alan Davis, 37, was charged with drug offenses, including two counts of trafficking in marijuana and one count each of possession of marijuana, maintaining a vehicle and dwelling for a controlled substance and possession of a firearm by a felon, the release said.

He was placed under a $14,000 secured bond.

The planning director told the Hope Mills Board of Commissioners on Monday that it may want to consider establishing an overlay zoning district to help guide development in the town.

The discussion came up after the Board of Commissioners approved the consent agenda, which included back-to-back zoning requests related to two tire businesses: Discount Tire and Mavis Tires.

That prompted smiles and laughter from some on the board.

Some board members expressed concerns about the influx of vape shops, gas stations and tire services that recently have popped up in Hope Mills. 

The town can’t legally tell a landowner what kind of business he or she can put on the property if the land is zoned for its use, said Chancer McLaughlin, director of Planning and Economic Development.

McLaughlin told the board that establishing an overlay district may be a solution to help guide growth in the town. He said he had been working on the language for such a district.

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.

“An overlay is a mechanism in zoning that allows the city to put a boundary on map in a particular area that helps groups like businesses,” McLaughlin said.

An overlay would allow the town to say, “it’s not that you can’t have that vape shop, you just can’t have it right here next to these rows of restaurants,’’ McLaughlin said hypothetically.

“It would help the town be more deliberate in its planning,” he said.

“Without the overlays, the businesses can come in wherever they want,” McLaughlin said.

“This helps with the quality of life in Hope Mills,” he said.

McLaughlin told CityView TODAY that the quality of life in Hope Mills is what helps drive the department’s decision-making.

“I’m always asking myself is this business or subdivision good for Hope Mills? Will it make people want to move here?” he said.

Commissioner Grilley Mitchell and Mayor Jackie Warner agreed with McLaughlin about the overlay zoning and said they were looking forward to what McLaughlin would present to the board.

Mclaughlin said the department was not trying to hinder any proposed business and its right to exist, he was trying to suggest a tool that would help the town be more deliberate in its planning.

A Georgia man was killed Wednesday when the motorcycle he was driving ran off the road and crashed into a tree, according to the Fayetteville Police Department.

The accident was reported about 9 a.m. in the 300 block of Airport Road.

The victim was Roberto Miguel Garcia, 30, said a police news release.

No other vehicles were involved, the release said.

The executive director of the Fayetteville Dogwood Festival faced questions about her organization’s commitment to diversity as she asked the City Council for financial support.

The council voted 8-1 on Monday night to provide $15,000 to support what Executive Director Sarahgrace Snipes called the sustainability of the festival. But council members asked that Snipes report back to them with a plan of action to tackle their concerns about diversity in the festival’s entertainment lineup.

Councilwoman Shakeyla Ingram cast the lone vote opposing the appropriation. Earlier in the meeting, Ingram expressed concern about a lack of diversity, agreeing with Mayor Mitch Colvin and saying, "There are a lot of missing pieces to the puzzle."

Snipes has overseen the Dogwood Festival since being hired in April 2021.

The $15,000 will be used to pay off costs of the spring festival and contribute to financial sustainability “so we do not have to dip into the savings account," she told the council.
Snipes reminded council members that the spring festival and other activities were canceled in 2020 and scaled back in 2021 because of restrictions on crowds gathering during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“When I started on April 19, 2021, I’ll be honest; it was my first job,” Snipes said. “I was super-excited, eager to get into the office and start planning events. But along with the job, I saw that there were many challenges that the Dogwood Festival still has to iron out, and one of them was COVID-19 and making sure that we were financially stable.”

On her first day, she said, she found out that the organization had to postpone a mini-festival that was scheduled for the following weekend.

The event was rescheduled to June 2021 and moved to Festival Park. Then the state relaxed its mass-gathering policies, which meant the minifestival could be open to public and not have to charge for tickets.

“It was quite successful,’’ Snipes said. “And might I add, we received funding from the city of Fayetteville, which contributed to its success.”

A couple of Fayetteville After Five concerts also were staged in July and August 2021. Organizers struggled with attendance at those shows, according to Snipes.

“We demonstrated a strong presence in the community while building sustainability for the winter months,” she said. “... There is no sustainable income other than sponsorships, and that depends on when sponsors choose to pay.”

The spring Dogwood Festival returned in April 2022 for its 40th edition.

City Council members Kathy Jensen and D.J. Haire voiced support for the festival.

"Dogwood Festival is our heritage. It's part of what we do," Jensen said.

Councilman Larry Wright asked Snipes if she believes this year’s festival was a success.

"Yes, I believe it was successful," she said, adding that attendance was roughly 215,000 over three days.

But Wright said he is concerned about "the diversity of people" who perform for festivalgoers.

Mayor Colvin asked Snipes what festival organizers are doing to diversify the music lineup. He said he has heard complaints about a lack of diversity of entertainment since he joined the council in 2013.

In 2022, he noted, Friday’s concert featured rock bands, Saturday’s featured country performers and Sunday’s was a band that pays tribute to the artist Prince.

“What are you doing to speak to the diversity of the community with your lineup?” Colvin asked.

Snipes said financing is a factor in that.

“My concern with expanding the nights – I would like to touch on every population in Fayetteville. Get the country night, get the rock night, get the tribute night. … And also add on another night," Snipes said. “I believe we did hip-hop in past years. I think that is an excellent idea, but my concern is that if we do not have the funding to spread into four nights, then we’re not going to be able to expand into four nights.”

Colvin asked why the festival favors rock and country artists.

“My knowledge is that is what Dogwood Festival has always done,” Snipes responded.

“That is what I wanted to draw out,” Colvin said. "You’re here today, so only your 2022 request is being considered, not historical performance. Historically, the community hasn’t really done a good job being inclusive and diverse. So what is your plan to change that? …”

Snipes said, “I personally would like to hear from the community what they would like to see. Because my goal as executive director -- and I’ve stood very firmly since my hire -- is to provide an inclusive and welcoming environment for all community members to enjoy. So I am always open. I cannot change what Dogwood Festival has done historically or my predecessors have done. I am always open to hear.

“And I want to be the change for the organization,” she said.

Snipes said that in the festival’s annual operating budget, the top three expenses are the music acts on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.

“All the acts are close to $75,000,” she said.

Administrative costs include $108,000 for insurance, payroll, permits and facility maintenance.

Production costs of the spring festival are close to $40,000, she said.

For the fall Dogwood Festival, she said, the cost is about $30,000. The Miss Fayetteville Dogwood Festival, which this year was rescheduled to September, costs an average of $10,000 to put on.

The festival’s summer concert series averages $43,500, Snipes said.

The festival organization received $25,000 from the Tourism Development Authority of Cumberland County, Snipes said. Sponsorship income since April 2021 totals $180,000.

Over the past year, the festival has received grants in collaboration with The Arts Council of Fayetteville-Cumberland County, Snipes said.

 

What’s the worst thing you can imagine ever happening?

All you know and hold dear swept away in a flood or reduced to ashes in a fire? The loss of a child or sibling?
Channel that emotion for a moment as you read or hear the news of a catastrophic event in the life of someone in a distant city. Or the next town over. Maybe even someone you know and work with.

We’re not even halfway through the year 2022, and we’ve already seen and heard so many painful stories of death, loss and destruction it’s become difficult to remember them all — the wave never seems to subside.
Even locally, we’ve seen violence erupt as one man has the audacity to use a gun to kill another man in midday traffic at one of the busiest intersections in town.

We struggle uncomfortably with how to provide aid to one nation invaded by another while the next state over is reeling from a series of tornadoes.
Then our attention is drawn to the devasting loss of life in a shooting in a suburban school.

We search for something to pin the blame on; Second Amendment advocates scream, “arm the teachers,” while the teachers say, “more police.” The police point to mental health, while the psychology community is helpless in admitting they can only treat those who come.

All the while, our communities and their governments standoff over whether life begins inside or outside the womb.
We want answers. We want something better for ourselves and those who come after us.

One problem is that, in all the turmoil, we have lost sight of the question: “Who Am I?”
In the first verses of the first chapter of the first book of the Bible, God steps out into the vast nothingness that existed. With his big, booming God-voice, he said, “Let there be light!” and there was. Then the earth, water, land, animals of every kind, and finally, his crowning creation: man. Conferring with his ethereal partners, they chose to make man — male and female — in their image. Beings that work together to create, think, reason and love. And somewhere along the way to today, we have all but completely lost sight of that.

We have forgotten who we are. We have forgotten whose we are. We have devised ways to destroy, manipulate, control and even to wear our hatred for others, the God who created us, as if it were a crown of our own glory.

And as we look for answers to the evil and deconstruction of all we know to be good and right, let’s look at who we are. Or at least who we were made to be and how we were designed.
We know the symptoms all too well. Now it’s time to open the manufacturer’s manual, see how we were designed to function, and begin restoring ourselves to our original condition. We were made for more.

When we think of exercising, images of dumbbells or exercise machines may come to mind. This is not the only type of equipment used for muscle toning and fitness training. There are a variety of resistance bands and versa tubing at all levels of strength resistance to obtain benefits.

A prime example of an athlete that uses resistance bands is Tom Brady. It is reported that he gave up weights years ago in favor of resistance bands for training. When he started struggling with injuries, he decided to forgo the traditional training methods and worked with his trainer to develop a resistance band training program. He must have the right approach to training because he continues to dominate on the football field.

Resistance bands conform to your body’s natural movement and allow people of all ages and fitness levels to obtain a full low-impact workout. They enable the user to get a workout without overstraining muscles, irritating joints and are great for helping to keep good form.

The major difference between bands and weights is that they allow you to work at a resistance level that is beneficial to your muscle groups and can target isolated muscles. If you attend my classes, you will often see me carrying bands, balls and gliders. I use them in various ways to help with strength, balance and flexibility.

Let’s look at some of my favorites and what they do. Versa Tubes are a long stretch band with a handle, and they come in a range of colors related to strength. They are a versatile band in a full range of workout options, from bicep curls to squats targeting all muscle groups. You can work muscle groups in various directions, seated in a chair, standing, wrapped around a barre or during floor work.

The intensity is up to the participant by selecting a color or increasing tension by shortening the band. They can also be used with balance exercises and multiplanar movements.
Versa Loops are a band that looks much like a large rubber band. They come in a variety of colors, indicating their strength levels.

The band fits comfortably around the upper and lower legs, mid-thigh or mid-calf. They are used in shorter movements and target the glutes, calves, thighs and core.

A Bender Ball, created by Leslee Bender, is about nine inches in diameter and can support weight up to 300 pounds. The ball aids in a greater range of motion and provides an effective abdominal workout. Placing the ball behind the small of the back helps eliminate excess strain during abdominal work. The ball can be used for balance, strength training exercises, functional workouts and rehabilitation movements.

Gliders are discs that look like a Frisbee and come in materials that can be used on carpet or hardwood. They are used in balance, strength and flexibility training. The disc’s fluid movement assists in a greater range of motion for various lunges. They are an excellent tool in making planks and burpees more challenging and used for increased cardio in high-intensity interval training classes and circuit training.

All the items above are easily used in the home, gym or on vacation, take up minimal space, and are easy to use, with an average cost of about $15 per item. How-to videos can be found on the internet, seated or standing for many levels. Live and love life with a gym in the bag.

Would you be interested in a new privately published memoir by a Bozeman, Montana lawyer, titled “Tilting at Montana’s Windmills for 50 Years”?
No?

But what if he were my law school classmate? Still, no?
But what if I told you my classmate-author had been the lawyer for Charles Kuralt's long-time extramarital lover in her effort, after Kuralt's death, to secure a valuable tract of land in Montana that Kuralt had promised her before he died?

Does that get you interested?
Kuralt was beloved by people all over the country, but especially in his native North Carolina, for his human-interest stories on CBS TV’s “On-the-Road” and “Sunday Morning” programs. His warm, authoritative voice with perfectly pitched rhythms was irresistibly convincing.

Kuralt was married for many years to his second wife, Petie, and they lived together in New York City. Only a few people knew about his dual life and his long-term friendship and financial support for Patricia Shannon.

My Yale Law School classmate, Jim Goetz, is a hero in Montana for his work saving creeks and rivers. In his memoir, Goetz writes that Kuralt, “who fished in Montana, particularly in September, purchased land located on the Big Hole River.”
Kuralt and Shannon had planned for him to convey this property to her in the fall of 1997 when Kuralt would be in Montana to fish. Earlier, however, Kuralt became very ill, suffering from lupus.

To reassure Shannon about his intention to convey the parcel of Montana land on which she was living Kuralt wrote the following:

"June 18, 1997 Dear Pat - Something is terribly wrong with me and they can't figure out what. After cat-scans and a variety of cardiograms, they agree it's not lung cancer or heart trouble or blood clot. So they're putting me in the hospital today to concentrate on infectious diseases. I am getting worse, barely able to get out of bed, but still have high hopes for recovery... if only I can get a diagnosis! Curiouser and curiouser! I'll keep you informed. I'll have the lawyer visit the hospital to be sure you inherit the rest of the place in MT [Montana] cx. if it comes to that. I send love to you … Hope things are better there! Love, C.”

Kuralt died in a New York hospital on July 4, 1997, at age 62.

Goetz agreed to represent Shannon. Although it was clear from the handwritten letter that Kuralt intended to give the land to Shannon, Goetz writes that the sole issue is whether the language or the letter “is sufficient to establish Kuralt’s intent to devise that property to Shannon.” Goetz writes that most of the estate lawyers he talked to thought that the language was “well short” of what is required to constitute a valid will.

The judge in the first hearing agreed, ruling against Goetz and Shannon. But after four appeals to the Montana Supreme Court, “the first in 1999, the fourth in 2003,” they won. Shannon was awarded the property.
Goetz acknowledges, “Although we won, most estate lawyers I’ve talked to think the result was wrong. Nevertheless, the case is discussed routinely in many courses in law schools around the country, probably because of Charles Kuralt’s celebrity status.”

Goetz does not have a high opinion of Kuralt. He writes, “My impression, by the way, is that Kuralt, although a very warm public personality, had a dark, depressive streak. Rumor was around Dillon [Montana] that he and Shannon were heavy drinkers.”

Goetz is a good friend and is entitled to his opinion, but if he ever comes to visit, after I thank him for his fascinating book about lawyering for good causes in Montana, I will remind him that for me and most others in this state, Kuralt will always be one of North Carolina’s great heroes.

Every Saturday from April to December, the grounds of the Fayetteville History Museum transform into a bustling street market full of good food and local crafts for sale.

City Market at the Museum brings together 25 to 30 of the city’s artisans and makers to create a unique shopping experience for those visiting downtown Fayetteville.
Vendors at City Market must sell produce, farm products or food from a certified kitchen. If selling crafts, vendors must have had a hand in making them, maintaining the market’s commitment to selling local products to local consumers.

“I think the City Market is just another important element in the concept of a ‘vibrant downtown,’” said Bruce Daws, museum director. “People have an opportunity to enjoy an outdoor market that offers farm-fresh, local and organic products. It’s also great for people interested in different types of art.”

Originally a farmer’s market operating out of the parking lot at the Cumberland County Courthouse, City Market at the Museum, as it’s known today, has been in operation on the museum grounds for a number of years.

The Fayetteville Area Transportation & Local History Museum, located in a restored railroad depot, tells the story of Fayetteville’s rich history through a series of engaging rotating exhibits. Recipient of the Gertrude S. Carraway Award of Merit for historic preservation, the museum itself and its annex give visitors to the City Market a little more bang for their buck.

“It’s a nice crossover, with the market located here,” Daws said. “People wander into the museum and get another cultural opportunity. They come to buy tomatoes and leave with a little dose of history. It’s shaded; it’s grassy and nicely landscaped. I think it’s just a total experience.”

City Market at the Museum aspires to be a place where people of the city come together to enjoy the local color of downtown Fayetteville. It’s a place for families to get outside and an opportunity for small businesses to share their offerings with the community.

“It’s’ a very friendly environment,” Daws told Up & Coming Weekly. “People bring their children and dogs, and it’s nice to see regular customers interacting with their favorite vendors and witness the camaraderie between them.”

Downtown Fayetteville strives to bring culture, art and support to local businesses through a wide variety of weekly events. Daws sees the City Market as directly in line with those aims and enjoys offering people a new experience.

“[The market] is just something else in the larger scheme of things. There are lots of restaurants and unique boutiques; this is just another piece of that patchwork quilt that makes the downtown so vibrant and gives it character. For everyone here at the museum, probably the greatest thing to see is people walking around and talking to one another.”

City Market is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday.
The Fayetteville Area Transportation and History Museum is located at 325 Franklin St. in Fayetteville.

For information about City Market at the Museum, visit www.facebook.com/Fayettevillehistorymuseum/.

Discipline In Action (DNA) Sports Performance LLC, in partnership with Catch These Hands Massage Co. LLC, invites everyone to come down for a unique Father's Day celebration. The third annual Father's Day Footrace will occur at Mazarick Park on June 18, starting at 10:30 a.m.

Unlike previous years, this year's festivities will include a Debonaire Dad's Walk to honor those fallen. This event will also roll into a Juneteenth celebration.

The Father's Day Footraces began with Calesio Newman, DNA Sports Performance LLC owner, school teacher and retired pro track and field athlete. Newman, embroiled in a contentious custody battle for his daughter, wanted nothing more than to run outside and play with her.

After being granted custody, Newman wanted his first Father's Day with his daughter to be a celebration. The Father's Day Footrace was born from there.

"Our first year, five people showed up," Tiffany Newman, owner of Catch These Hands Massage Co. LLC, said. "We bought about twenty pizzas, had a DJ, and nobody came, but we weren't discouraged. We rode around and gave away pizzas and juice to the homeless. It was bittersweet but an awesome experience."

From those humble beginnings, the Father's Day Footraces has grown into a massive undertaking for the Newmans and a supportive slew of sponsors, community volunteers and dads from all walks of life.

"Every year, it's gotten bigger," Tiffany Newman said. "It more than doubles each time, and I'm expecting over 100 kids this year for the foot race and even more for the Juneteenth celebration. I reserved 666 tickets on our event page to represent the 6 protons, neutrons and electrons that make up melanin," she continued. "This event is for everyone, but we're proud to celebrate Black excellence whenever and however we can."
Kids and their families will be treated to footraces of the old-school variety from 10 to 11 a.m. Newman hopes three-legged foot races, potato-sack races and a little healthy competition will help families enjoy time together outdoors.

E.E. Smith's Magnificent Marching Machine will lead the Debonaire Dad Walk in a traditional funeral procession starting at 11 a.m. The walk is one of solidarity and is intended to commemorate fallen fathers, who, in giving their lives for freedom, are no longer here.

Folks in attendance can look forward to a pizza party at noon, tribal face painting, a bouncy house, DJ Scooby, fun cultural facts, spoken word artists, Father's Day swag bags and more.
The Newmans feel the importance of an event like this cannot be overstated, especially within the African American community.

"The Black community doesn't have enough fathers available," Tiffany Newman said candidly. "We wanted to create an environment where there are enough dads for everybody. We always want to encourage male groups and fraternities in the community to come out and volunteer some of their time to run races with these kids. And what better way to celebrate Black fatherhood than on Juneteenth?"
This is the event's second year incorporating the newly minted federal holiday. A family-reunion-style barbecue is set to kick off around 2 p.m. There will be drinks, food, music and fun — all free of charge.

"This is a party for all of us," Tiffany Newman explained. "I just want to feed my family. You never know who's your family, so we're all family. Enjoy your sister from another mister or your brother from another mother," she joked.

People are encouraged to bring blankets, chairs and coolers. There will be pavilions open for games, dominos and dancing.

"This is a family gathering, everything is provided, and people are expected to come and have fun," Newman stressed.
More than anything, the Newmans hope important connections are made during this time of joy and celebration.

"We want to show fathers some love," said Tiffany Newman. "But I want to hear how much the kids had a good time, made new friends or found new role models. I hope everyone understands that this day is about family, the ones we have and the ones we make."

This event is free and open to the public. However, donations toward next year's event are accepted. Mazarick Park is located at 1612 Belvedere Ave. in Fayetteville. Tickets can be found on Eventbrite at debonairedadwalkjuneteenthinthepark2022.eventbrite.com.

Rock’n On The River concert series featuring Fayetteville’s The Fifth and Stone Whiskey will be held Friday, June 17 at 6 p.m. at Campbellton Landing on the Cape Fear River.

“We are known for our high energy live shows, and it is a very crowd interactive rock ‘n’ roll experience,” said Roy Cathey, lead singer of The Fifth. “We like to give the audience the kind of performances of the good old days when the bands were on the stage really entertaining the crowd.”

The Fifth is an 80s rock band that has been in existence for 20 years, and the members are Justin Womble, lead guitar and vocals; Gary Smith, vocals and drums; Jake Tripp, vocals and bass guitar; and Roy Cathey, lead singer.

“We are a pretty good mixture between modern rock and classic rock,” said Cathey. “We have three CDs out, and we were just recently signed to RFK Media, which is a new label headed by Ron Keel.”
He added, “Ron was the front man for an 80s metal band called Keel, and The Fifth is the first band that he decided to sign to his new label.”

“We also have a new video out, and we have just come off of a nine-state tour,” said Cathey. “We have been very busy lately supporting our new EP, which was released a couple of months ago.”
The band’s hits include “Shake Little Sister” and “Lost.”

“We will do a mixture of our music, and we are going to play some favorites for the audience to give them a little taste of yesteryear,” said Cathey. “We are going to throw in some Guns N’ Roses, some old-school Van Halen and make sure that everybody has a little bit of something.”

Some of the greatest songs that are written come from a specific inspiration, and the band’s three CDs have songs that were written about life’s experiences. The song “Shake Little Sister” comes from Cathey spending many years as a DJ in a nightclub. “Lost” is about his experience during a divorce and “Even To This Day” is about dealing with child abuse and was featured on the TV show “Grey’s Anatomy.”

“So we have really tried to touch on many subjects with our music, and it is not only about partying, chicks, sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll because we always try to put a message behind our music as well.”
The band is a national touring act, and they also toured in Japan in 2008. They are looking forward to an upcoming tour that is on the horizon.

“It has been a long time since we played for Fayetteville, and we look forward to everyone getting a shot of The Fifth,” said Cathey. “We are going to give you something for your ears, something for your eyes and everyone will walk away happy.”

The concert is free and open to the public. For more information, call 910- 797-7140.

While the third Sunday in June is typically reserved for celebrating dads, the SouthEast Crab Feast is hosting an event the whole family will enjoy.

On Saturday, June 18, Southeast Crab Feast will bring their wildly popular low country heritage all-you-can-eat blue crab event to the John D. Fuller, Sr. Recreational/Athletic Complex.

The event will start at 1 p.m. and continue until about 6:30 p.m. The day will be split into two sessions, each lasting two and a half hours.

Ticketholders can bring their plates up to a serving station doling out fresh, perfectly seasoned blue crab and then slide over to get a side of fish and chips.

The SouthEast Crab Feast supports fishers and crabbers of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida who harvest and deliver blue crabs and other seafood within 48 hours of the event. Everything is hot and fresh and cooked on site.

In business now for over a decade, Jamell Hamilton, owner of SouthEast Crab Feast, initially just wanted to bring the saltwater memories of his coastal South Carolina childhood to a few friends and family.

“Prior to this business, I was in corporate America,” Hamilton explained. “I would have conversations with people about where I grew up in Hampton, South Carolina, and people were intrigued. They encouraged me to throw a feast in Charlotte. I went home to South Carolina and brought back some fresh seafood to enjoy with friends and family at no charge. I estimated about 23 to 30, and over 100 showed up.”

Later that same summer, Hamilton organized an event selling out around 150 tickets in just two days. That’s when, he said, a light bulb went off. “I wondered if people in other cities would enjoy the same experience. The following year we did three cities, Columbia, Charlotte and Raleigh.”

Since that initial feast in 2010, the Charlotte, North Carolina-based business has grown to include stops in about 32 cities up and down the Southeast. Fayetteville has been a popular stop for about the last five years or so.

Hamilton credits the success of the SouthEast Crab Feast to keeping things simple and delivering a great experience in a family-friendly environment.

“People love it, and they come to have a great time,” Hamilton told Up & Coming Weekly. “We’re well-organized, I have a great staff, and people walk away with a smile on their faces. We cater to all demographics and celebrate a love for crab. We offer something most people can’t get anywhere else.”

Keeping ticket prices low is a commitment Hamilton takes seriously. Opting to play jazz music over a PA system instead of offering live music, for instance, is a choice driven by a desire for this experience to not be out of reach for people and their families.

“If you compare our ticket price to other crab feasts, it’s easily doubled,” he explained. “I wanted to kick the ticket price down so whole families can come out without it being a burden. We make it accessible — if I can walk out and see a table of three generations eating our food, that’s a success.”

SouthEast Crab Feast events help raise funds for cancer research and treatment organizations such as the American Cancer Society and St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.

Adult tickets for ages 12 and up are $38, and kids tickets for ages 5-11 are $15. Tickets can be purchased at https://southeastcrabfeast.com/.
The John D Fuller, Sr. Rec Center is located at 6627 Old Bunce Road in Fayetteville.