After nine months of renovation, the Cape Fear Regional Theatre is good to go. Demolition started in March, and everything is to be complete just in time for the "The Wizard of Oz" show in January.

"We had our first indoor performance in 21 months on Dec. 4," Ashley Owen, marketing director at CFRT, said. "Our last performance inside our theater was March 15, 2020."

The theatre's 285 seats are now wider with more legroom, but that is not all that has improved.

"Renovation highlights include brand new seats that are wider, rows that are deeper, a brand-new sound system designed by TONY-Award winning Sound Designer Rob Kaplowitz," said Owen. "There also is a new fresh-air intake HVAC, upgraded energy-efficient lighting, new flooring, new paint and upgraded ADA accessibility. Pretty much, if you can name it, it's new."

Marc de la Concha, the education director at CFRT, has been at the theatre for two and half years.

"CFRT is special because of the relationship we have with our community," de la Concha said. "Whether here as audience members, class participants or volunteers, the theater is always full of people who share their love and passion for the arts."

"People come back to the theater because our productions are the perfect blend of local and out-of-town talent. Each production that we present is an entirely new experience in terms of content, diversity and talent," de la Concha said.

Owen agrees, "CFRT is special in so many ways. We are a professional theater that is deeply rooted in its community, and you can feel that when you walk in the front doors. It has a magical essence to it that sticks with you the entire time you're there."

The productions at CFRT are home-grown, providing the community with unique and quality events.

"People should come to the CFRT because the performances you see on our stage are created here and feature people who live and work in this community," Owen said.

The theater offers unique quality shows for value and honors military and educators.

"Depending on the show and the night you come, tickets range from $15-$32. $32 is our top ticket price.

We have military discounts for every performance and host military appreciation nights where tickets are 25% off for service members. We also host educator appreciation nights where educators receive 25% off ticket prices," Owen said.

Productions are not the only thing that CFRT offers the community. There are multiple classes for various ages, summer and single-day camps for children and special educational programs for military children.

"In addition to our productions, we offer a wide range of educational opportunities for all ages," de la Concha explained.

The CFRT has a range of programs scheduled for 2022. Based on the classic film everyone knows and loves, the 60th Anniversary Season at CFRT will kick off with "The Wizard of Oz" featuring a cast with both new and familiar faces and amazing special effects, including flying characters and pyrotechnics.

The "Wizard of Oz" runs from January 20, 2022, to February 1, 2022. CFRT will follow that up with "Welcome to Arroyo's" (March 10 - 27, 2022),"Clue" (April 7 - 24, 2022), and "The Color Purple" (May 5 - 29, 2022.)

Spring Lake's new mayor believes a new board of aldermen wants to see changes in government operations.

"We need to rebuild trust in our government in the midst of a financial crisis," said Mayor Kia Anthony. The mayor and board took their oaths of office in a ceremony on Dec. 13.

State Sen. Kirk deViere administered the oath to Anthony, an entrepreneur and director of a nonprofit group.

She is an Army veteran and a native of Michigan but has been a Spring Lake resident for 17 years.

On Oct. 5, North Carolina's Local Government Commission took control of Spring Lake's finances, citing years of mismanagement.

A $1.8 million budget deficit resulted from maladministration, misappropriation of funds and budgeting issues. Anthony told Up & Coming Weekly that only one incumbent member of the board of aldermen was re-elected because of the financial situation. Anthony believes Sona Cooper was re-elected because she brought attention to concerns that the firm that conducted the town's annual financial audits had not noticed the monetary issues.

Anthony beat two board members who challenged her and succeeded Larry Dobbins, who did not seek reelection.

The mayor said she would devote much of her time to the part-time post.

"I'm no stranger to a long day's work," she said.

The new board of aldermen, in addition to Cooper, includes Robyn Chadwick, Marvin Lackman, Raul Palacious and Adrian Thompson. Chadwick was named Mayor Pro Tem.

Questions about Spring Lake's finances first surfaced in 2015 when a resident told officials that employees and leaders had misused town-issued credit cards.

A year later, the state auditor's office suspected problems with nearly $579,000 with town expenditures and found apparent faulty record-keeping from 2010 through 2015.

State Treasurer Dale Folwell's office said besides the deficit, the town has outstanding debt of at least $6.7 million. He said this is by far the largest takeover in state history.

The LGC monitors the financial well-being of more than 1,100 local government units in North Carolina.
It had its eye on Spring Lake for a while. According to the LGC, Spring Lake permitted the expenditure of funds not in the town's General Fund budget and allowed the General Fund to fall into a deficit.

The town's accounting system is also not compliant with state standards.

State law says local governments and public authorities are required to have their accounts audited as soon as possible after the end of each fiscal year.

Reports are due on Oct. 31 each year, with a grace period extension to Dec. 1. Spring Lake's audits have been at least two months late for the past five years, and the 2018 audit was 16 months late.

Spring Lake is adjacent to Fort Bragg and is home to about 12,000 people.

The true meaning of Christmas. It's a phrase we often tuck into a meaningful sentence after spending too much, going too much or simply having too much on our schedule during December.

Beyond the phrase, the true meaning of Christmas is something I want to embrace. But in all honesty, I'm not sure there's not a singular meaning that can be attached to the notion ­— or celebration — of Christmas. For those of us in the Christian faith, the celebration centers around the birth of Jesus Christ. The story itself is full of miracles and surprising answers to hard questions.

So what is the true meaning of Christmas? For the shepherds, it meant being included. Their rough, smelly work on the outskirts of society relegated them to spending more time with each other or alone with their sheep than any time hanging out in nearby establishments. But it was these outsiders to whom the news of the Messiah's birth was first announced. Can you imagine their fear and astonishment when they were visited by an angel who told them they'd find the long-awaited savior — a baby — just down the hill in Bethlehem? If one angel wasn't enough, an entire sky full of angels singing and praising God soon joined in! Some of the lowest class of society were fully included and became messengers of the greatest thing ever to have happened.

And Joseph. The Christmas story for him is one of obedience and loyalty. He was engaged to the young Mary, who told him she was pregnant. The cultural repercussions of the entire scenario were potentially grounds for Mary's execution. Not wanting to disgrace Mary, he planned to divorce her in private. But in a dream, an angel appeared to Joseph and told him to trust Mary. The angel also told Joseph that the child should be called Jesus.

And Mary. Think about it. She was a young, unknown girl from a small town often ridiculed. How could she have imagined what the Lord had in store for her? You can't blame her for having questions, yet she only asked one. "How?" Not "Why?" Or "When?" Just "How?"

With the answer the angel provided, she stepped forward. She believed. She obeyed. She must have been so frightened! There was so very much at stake. Her upcoming marriage. Her reputation. Her family and its reputation. And even her life. Yet she said, "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said."

Do you wonder if she ever regretted that response? Did she ever think, "What have I gotten myself into?" Perhaps she wished the angel had stayed just long enough to tell her mother, too. He had told her not to fear. Can you imagine how often she had to remind herself of that?

What's the real meaning of Christmas for you? Is it the awe and joy of being included? The doubt and wonder of social implications? Or is it perhaps, like Mary, a humble heart willing to believe His promises and follow God's plan?

Should the University of North Carolina System headquarters be moved from Chapel Hill to Raleigh where it could be conveniently closer to other state educational agencies and the state legislature that has ultimate control over it?

In its recently adopted budget bill, the legislature provided for this move. Nobody argues with its power to direct such a move. But there is a widespread difference of opinion about the wisdom of this action.

I will share some of these different views and then tell you my own thoughts.

Respected columnist and longtime observer of North Carolina government and culture, Tom Campbell, writes that the move would be a good development. Despite disagreeing with the senate majority leader, Phil Berger, about many educational issues, Campbell thinks a university move to Raleigh would be positive.

Even though Campbell supports the move to Raleigh, he criticizes legislators for meddling in university life, writing that “their hackles have really been raised by our state supported universities, which they contend doesn’t offer enough conservative philosophy to balance liberal teachings.”

But after his harsh criticism of the legislature, Campbell writes “there is one initiative in which they are on the right track. Prompted by Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger, arguably the most powerful politician in the state, lawmakers have long wanted to move the General Administration of the UNC System out of what they consider the liberal bastion of Chapel Hill. But Berger’s reason for including $11 million for the move in the current state budget makes sense. Berger is convinced the leadership of the universities should be housed in the same building with K-12 public schools and our community colleges in order to promote closer communication and cooperation, something long discussed but never accomplished.”

On the other hand, Art Padilla, author of “Portraits in Leadership: Six Extraordinary University Presidents,” and former UNC System associate vice president of academic affairs, recently wrote, “The move appears to be about politics and control and not about vaguely described synergies.”

Padilla remembers the late university President William Friday’s “philosophy about institutional freedom and independence.”

“As Mr. Friday was wont to say, the university was of the political process, but it was not in politics. In part, it is why we insisted that individual campuses not pressure the legislature on their own.”

Padilla recognizes that “Some may think the university should be treated like another state agency.”
But he uses Friday’s words to challenge that view. “No society can survive without an institution at its heart dealing with values, teaching the importance of history and revealing the relationship between man and nature.

It’s there, in the beating, human heart of the university where you get sustenance for the soul, where you find out what’s making your heart sing, where you are motivated to go against the odds to do something.”

For almost ten years in the 1980s and 90s I worked as the UNC System’s lobbyist, driving the 25 miles from Chapel Hill to Raleigh almost every day.

That distance served the university and the people of the state. It discouraged legislators from probing directly into the day-to-day details of university or campus life and viewing it as a state education agency rather than a real university.

Along the way, I had to respond to numerous complaints and inquiries about the political views expressed by some faculty members and activities of university-affiliated projects. But even the harshest critics usually understood that the vigorous and free conflict of ideas is part and parcel of a strong university where the preparation of a thinking citizenry goes hand in hand with the creation of new ideas and new solutions to society’s problems. I hope the legislature will do itself a favor: save money, protect the university system and keep the system’s headquarters away from Raleigh.

When people have concerns or complaints about potential police misconduct, those concerns need to be heard, investigated and resolved.

The Fayetteville City Council has selected the citizens who will serve on the new Community Police Advisory Board. It was established in August of last year, but members were just named at a special council meeting on Dec. 13.

The objective is to promote an atmosphere of trust between Fayetteville residents and the city police department. The CPAB will review and recommend ways to improve police department policies and practices.

The panel has the authority to examine public records, but it does not have subpoena power.
Chief of Police Gina Hawkins has said she welcomes the development knowing the Fayetteville Police Department. is a top-shelf organization. City council appointed ten members, one of whom will be a non-voting alternate. Three of the new members were selected by name. The others were picked randomly from those who had applied.

Those selected for three-year terms are Lionel Cartwright, Jim Bove and Julie Aul. Two-year term members include Jacqueline Clay, Pablo Arroyo and Sidney King. Debra Slaughter, Tony Haire and Gregory Perkins were selected for one-year terms. Juana Magnum will serve as the alternate.

The Cumberland County Board of Education elected vice-chair Greg West to serve as the chairman and Deanna Jones to serve as the vice-chair of the Board for 2022.

West will serve as the chairman for the fifth time in his 20 years of serving on the board. West will be replacing Board Chair, Alicia Chisolm.

During the same meeting, the school board voted to not take action on a proposal to lower academic standards to allow more students to participate in extracurricular activities - a topic that’s been discussed for more than a month now. The board also voted to keep face masks in place.

The empty seat for District 3 will now be filled by a local realty broker and Air Force veteran.

Antonio B. Jones, 48, was appointed by the Fayetteville City Council in a 6 to 3 vote Monday night. He was supported by Mayor Mitch Colvin, Mayor Pro-Tem Kathy Jensen, Councilmembers Larry Wright, D.J. Haire, Johnny Dawkins and Christopher Davis.

The other three council members, Yvonne Kinston, Courtney Banks-Mclaughlin and Shakeyla Ingram voted in favor of Mario Benavente.

“I believe that the city is growing and is in need of continual progressive leadership, of which I can provide,” Jones stated in his application for the seat. “My interest in serving on the council is truly that, a sincere interest and desire to serve the citizens of the city and represent them in the best manner possible as it relates to any manner of business taken up by the Council.”

Within 24 hours of the City Council vote, he was sworn in.

“I do not take this appointment lightly. Even though it is a short term, I am dedicated and committed to do my very best,” Jones said at the swearing-in ceremony.

Jones is a broker for Jones Realty and leads the Temple of Faith Church on Camden Road. He also serves on Cumberland County's Juvenile Crime Prevention Council, where he serves as the chair of the nominating committee.

He previously worked as the regional supervisor for the State Department of Health and Human Services.

Jones spoke with Up & Coming Weekly about the appointment and applying for the position. He said he’s been thinking about applying for a City Council position for over a year now.

“So when the vacant seat came, I felt that an urge in my spirit that this was the time I would go for it,” Jones said. “It was perfect timing for me.”

The most urgent issues that the city faces, according to Jones, are affordable housing, youth delinquency rates, and consistent and inclusive growth and development of Fayetteville. He says he already has ideas to help deal with these issues.

He says that Fayetteville’s economic growth and the crime issue are interlinked. When jobs are low, crime increases. He also believes that not only should the city be looking at the high-tech jobs that every city wants, but also increase the work availability that is accessible to the current workforce.

He says that when combatting youth delinquency and crime rates is to look at the existing programs that are already established in the County.

“I want to look at the prevention and diversion programs of the organizations that we have here,” Jones said. “There is a lot, a lot of organizations that are doing a lot of great things.”

Jones wants his new constituents to know that he will continue to listen and make decisions that are in the district’s best interests.

“My best interest will be that of the constituents,” Jones said. “I can stand on my own two feet. I can make my own decisions, with or without other individuals influencing me.”

Jones will fill the position up until May. At that point, the people will vote on the next seat-holder. Three candidates have filed including Benavente, John Zimmerman and Kurin Keys. Jones has not officially filed for the elections but tells Up & Coming Weekly that he plans on filing when it re-opens.

He says no matter what happens in the election, whether he gets elected or another person does, he wants to make sure this transition period is put to good use and make sure this district continues to have good representation.

“What I really want to do, during these short few months, I want the public to know that they will have their opportunity to speak,” Jones said. “I also want it to be known that during this short time, being realistic, it’s nearly impossible to address every single issue in this short term. My goal is to get feedback from the community regards to who is coming behind. Whether it’s me or if it’s someone else.”

Have you noticed that COVID-19 has become the most popular excuse for everything and anything since "the dog ate my homework?" Late for work? Blame it on COVID-19. Forgot your anniversary? COVID-19. Missed a deadline? COVID-19. Terrible restaurant service? COVID-19. Your car ran over the neighbor's cat? COVID-19. Yes. COVID-19, that tiny five-letter and two-number powerhouse of a word, has extraordinary exoneration powers. Well, this holiday season, there will be no excuses, COVID-19 or otherwise, for not leaving your homes. Take the necessary precautions for yourself and your family, and come out to celebrate the New Year with friends and family here in the Fayetteville and Cumberland County community. Even Mother Nature is cooperating by providing us mild spring-like temperatures. So, no excuses, folks; get ready to leave this crazy year behind and celebrate the start of 2022.

Celebrating the New Year will be easy to do in our community.

The City of Fayetteville, in conjunction with the Cool Spring Downtown District, is hosting Fayetteville's inaugural New Year's Eve celebration in Festival Park, The Night Circus. This spectacular event will be Fayetteville's most extensive collaboration and community event since competing for and winning the All America City recognition in 2011. (See page 2.) We will be showcasing this spectacular event in next week's edition of Up & Coming Weekly and recognizing the people, businesses and organizations who have been working diligently for months to make it possible. And, the good news is, it's a free event for the public. So, no excuses.

This holiday edition of Up & Coming Weekly showcases the Fabulous '70s Groovy Gates Four New Year's Eve Party that is being hosted in conjunction with the Fayetteville Dinner Theatre. Though not free, this "open to the public" themed event combines nostalgia, costume and dance contests, door prizes, great food, and a '70s musical tribute by one of the most sought-after party bands in eastern North Carolina, Rivermist. They will be playing music that celebrates and defines the decade of afro hairdos, bell-bottom trousers, silk shirts and paisley headbands. It's a party in a package! (See page 13.) So, no excuses.

Read all about these fun New Year's Eve events in Up & Coming Weekly, along with the many other celebratory events in the Fayetteville-Cumberland County community this holiday season. Our community newspaper is free, and it's online. So, no excuses!

Happy Holidays and thank you for reading the Up & Coming Weekly community newspaper.

There are 18 performing arts centers in every major North Carolina city except Fayetteville.

Cumberland County Commissioner Jimmy Keefe told Up & Coming Weekly that’s about to change, and that one may finally be on the horizon after decades of discussion.

Talk of a new performing arts center has been ongoing for at least 20 years, with its earliest mention in the city's 2002 Renaissance Plan. Keefe has been involved in the process for more than eight years.

The main takeaways of a survey confirmed the area's desire for a facility and showed a need for it to cater to a younger and more diverse market — that’s according to Conventions, Sports and Leisure, Executive Director, Adam Kerns. Kern’s firm conducted the study.

Keefe said the most viable source of funding for the center would be food and beverage taxes.

“We can do this without any additional taxation.”

Keefe envisions a 90,000 square-foot multi-purpose center on three to four acres of city or county-owned property in downtown Fayetteville.

“Everything is moving in the right direction for a facility to be up and running by 2025,” Keefe said.

The first graduates of a new education program available at Fort Bragg will now have the training and certifications to work on BMWs.

A newly renovated facility at Fort Bragg allows transitioning service members to receive a specialized on-base curriculum and hands-on technical training on diagnostics and technologies unique to the BMW brand.
While renovations were happening in the fall, Fayetteville Technical Community College allowed BMW to rent a space to conduct training during September and November. The joint collaboration allowed students to stay on track and finish in the renovated space in December.

“The Military Service Technician Education Program allows our transitioning service members to be extremely marketable candidates for rewarding careers. We are proud of the hard work and effort that our service members put into this course, and wish them the very best luck in their future endeavors,” Fort Bragg Garrison Commander Col. Scott Pence said.

As legendary multi-academy award-winning costume designer Edith Head said, “You can have anything you want in life if you dress for it.”

And this is just what the organizers of the Gates Four Groovy New Year’s Eve Party are hoping.

Afros, polyester, bell-bottoms, platforms and lamé, nothing is off the table.

“People will be able to dress up and put all of the stresses of 2021 behind them,” explained Bill Bowman, Up & Coming Weekly publisher.

Gates Four Groovy New Year’s Eve Party is the first event of this kind that the Fayetteville Dinner Theatre and the Gates Four Golf and Country Club have collaborated on, but not their first collaboration overall.
This summer, the two organizations teamed up for the Summer Concert Series. Earlier in the year, Gates Four hosted two Fayetteville Dinner Theatre productions, "A Sinister Cabaret" and "Beyond Broadway."

“The relationship over the last couple years is the Fayetteville Dinner Theater has partnered with Gates Four to bring more of entertainment art and culture aspect to that community,” Bowman explained.

The Fabulous 70s Groovy New Year’s Eve Party will break the mold for both of these organizations, and the event has been carefully crafted over the past year.

Headliners for the event, Rivermist, were booked a year in advance to ensure they would perform at the event.

Rivermist, a Fayetteville native group, has been performing together since the summer of 2015. They have won the Up & Coming Weekly’s Best Local Band for five years in a row and were the Fayetteville Observer’s Best Local Band Reader’s Choice in 2016. Most recently, Rivermist opened for Rick Springfield on Oct. 2.

Drummer and backup vocalist Greg Adair is already planning his costume.

“My favorite '70s costume piece is probably the bell-bottoms, and the vest [they] are pretty cool. My hair is pretty long; I am going to poof it out and wear an afro and a peace pendant and maybe some kind of headband,” Adair said.

The plan is to keep their music tuned to those '70s sounds. When asked what Rivermist will play for the event, Adair listed the Eagles, Earth Wind and Fire, Styx, and more. Adair says the band is all about a good time, and they will be bringing that vibe to the event.

“We are a party band; we have fun; we are full-time players, most of us are, and we are all about having fun,” Adair said.

The Gates Four Golf and Country Club Head Chef Patrick Riley is planning quite the spread in anticipation of the event. Guests will be able to choose from a manned prime rib carving station; a buffet touting smoked duck and hoisin purses, mini cordon bleu, hibachi beef, stuffed mushrooms and more. A wide selection of seafood will also be available with choices that range from shrimp cocktails to mini crab cakes.

D.J. Scott James will be playing tunes and stand as the event’s MC. He will be officiating costume and dance contests—another reason to break out the bell-bottoms and platforms.

The event will be held in the Gates Four Country Club Ballroom on Dec. 31 and will begin at 7 p.m.
There is no end time set, so be prepared to disco dance your way into the early hours of 2022.

Uniquely, this event will be open to the public, not just the residents and club members. The event is sponsored by Up & Coming Weekly, The River- 106.5 FM WMRV, Carolina Country radio 100.1 FM WFAY and Healy’s Wholesale.

Anyone interested in attending the event can purchase tickets at FayettevilleDinnerTheatre.com or call 910-484-6200.

A group of 12 teams, each composed of two Special Forces Green Berets and one celebrity, prepared to compete in a Tactical Challenge at Range 37 Miller Training Complex at Fort Bragg on Dec. 16.
The Green Berets volunteered for the event, and two soldiers from each of 1st, 3rd, 7th and 10th Special Forces Groups (Airborne) and four from 5th SFG (A) were in attendance.

Former NFL long snapper Andrew East, who won the competition the previous year, his wife Olympic gymnastics medalist Shawn Johnson, NFL wide receiver Eric Decker, Mixed Martial Arts fighters Dan Henderson and Ryan Bader (a Bellator Champion), country music artist and radio personality Chuck Wicks and his wife Kasi, actors Mark Valley and Charles Easton, Shawn Booth, a season 11 contestant on "The Bachelorette," three-time individual Crossfit Games veteran Jacob Heppner (who won this year's competition) and former Congresswoman, presidential candidate and U.S. Army Reserve Civil Affairs Lt. Col. Tulsi Gabbard teamed up with the Green Berets from across the country for the 2021 Tactical Challenge.

Weapons readied and targets sighted, each team competed in a series of tasks during four events.
While five contestants are repeat competitors from the inaugural event held in 2020, many celebrity competitors have had little experience with the weaponry and drills that make up the competition.
Retired Brig. Gen. Harrison Gilliam, operations director, Special Forces Charitable Trust, feels previous participants returned because they made real connections during the first event with the Green Berets.

"The soldiers they are training with left the impression," Gilliam said. "It was all about the phenomenal experience and the phenomenal soldiers they got to meet last year, and the team at the [U.S. Army John F. Kennedy] Special Warfare Center and School. It's just the professionalism and all that they do to train the next generation of Special Forces just really imprinted on them … They're all good patriots."

Jodi Burns, executive director of the Special Forces Charitable Trust, agrees.

"Bringing in the folks from last year, I think, actually really helped us because now they really understand. They understand the magic of this place as well, and how special it is that they're here, and they really forged some relationships, I think too, an understanding of the Green Berets," Burns said.

Over two days, the teams train together. The Green Berets school their celebrity counterparts on weaponry and marksmanship.

Most of the participating celebrities have little shooting experience.

"In just a little amount of time, that professionalism of the Green Berets, and they're [celebrities]hitting targets. It's pretty amazing," Gilliam said.

The event has multiple levels of purpose: to fundraise for the trust, connect the public to soldiers and expose potential recruits to the possibilities on offer through Special Operations.

A last-minute addition to the competitors, Gabbard said she was surprised when she was requested to attend. Despite the challenges of living so far from the competition in Hawaii, Gabbard said the timing worked out, and she was "grateful" to be asked and was "proud" to be a part of the fundraising.

"I'm glad to be out here today," said Gabbard.

While this was Gabbard's first competition of this kind and her participation was unexpected, she enjoyed the experience.

"It's just fun. It's a lot of fun."

She praised the men she was paired with for their coaching and patriotism.

"These Green Berets are just fantastic humans, great patriots, and for this, they have been great coaches through the practice day yesterday and have become fast friends," said Gabbard.

One of her teammates, a team sergeant from the 5th SFG(A), explained that they were notified late but spent a day on the range getting some practice in. The event he enjoyed most was an all-steel event.

"I liked the mostly all steel event. That one is a lot of fun. It is more fast-paced," he said.

The previous year's winner, East, explained that this event was the highlight of his year. His biggest takeaway from both competitions has been the impression left on him by the Green Berets.

"The reason we're out here is just to support the Special Forces," said East. "I think if there is anything I have learned, it's just how amazing these guys are. How much they sacrifice and how much they train, and how they really are the most prepared and equipped team in the world. So, just to be able to be out here side by side doing a competition with the Green Berets is amazing."

Celebrities are responsible for fundraising ahead of the Tactical Challenge and use their fame and presence to engage with the public and fundraise.

Special Forces Charitable Trust runs multiple programs which serve the seven current Special Forces Groups and their families. The trust offers a mix of programs for soldiers and their families and education grants for spouses and children.

"We focus really hard on families, is our focus, and the soldier," Gilliam explained. "Resiliency and building that resilient family and that resilient soldier, that can be there when he is needed and is ready, and then he knows his family is taken care of. That is an important aspect of working in conjunction with the commands to make sure that we help meet any requirements that they need to support their families and then support their soldiers."

With a $100,000 fundraising goal for this event, the 2021 Tactical Challenge celebrities exceeded expectations raising $210,000 with money still coming in as of the event's start.

Even more exceptional, Burns explained, is the visibility the event has garnered for the organization, explaining that the non-profit had gained almost 2,000 followers.

"Which for us that's huge because whatever we post is, of course, educating the community about who the Green Berets are and our programs and what we do," Burns said. "So, for us, that's huge."

Chuck Wicks's wife, Kasi and her sister-in-law, Brittany Aldean, raised over $40,000 by setting up an online pop-up boutique.

Wicks, who Gilliam credits with the initial idea for the Tactical Challenge, explained that this event is just getting started.

"Our goal is to continue to do this event and to have it continue to grow," said Wicks. "This should be a million-dollar event, and it's well on its way."

Close your eyes. Imagine that you are in a plane filled with young men about to parachute to the ground, or you are in an army hospital surrounded by fields in Europe. It's almost impossible to imagine what it must have been like to see the invasion of D-Day during World War II.

But almost impossible doesn't mean it can't be done.

Bruno de Sa Moreira, the CEO of Histovery, was always interested in making history interactive. He has helped create 20 interactive, virtual exhibits throughout France. In 2018, his company came up with the idea to use a tablet and allow people to become interactive at the Airborne Museum in Sainte-Mere-Eglise, Normandy, France.

"But then, for the 75th anniversary of D-Day in 2019, we decided to create an exhibition that could come here to the United States," de Sa Moreira said.

The U.S. Army Airborne & Special Operations Museum, here in Cumberland County, is the second place in the U.S. to host one of de Sa Moreira's interactive exhibits.

D-Day: Freedom From Above at the U.S. Army Airborne & Special Operations Museum is designed around historic D-Day artifacts. The exhibit utilizes twelve physical panels to guide visitors through the experience, focusing on the D-Day missions of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions at Sainte-Mere-Eglise, the first French town to be liberated during WWII. ASOM Curator Jimmie Hallis carefully chose the physical artifacts in the exhibit. Artifacts had to be related to D-Day and connected with the 82nd or 101st Airborne Divisions.

"I like artifacts to connect to a story, especially when that story hits close to home," Hallis said. "If I can tie it to the local community, it makes it really interesting."

One of the artifacts in the exhibit, and chosen by Hallis, is a parachutist coat and garrison cap that a Fayetteville native wore during the Normandy Invasion. Pvt. Robert W. Ryals was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division. He survived combat in Normandy, Holland and the Battle of the Bulge. Ryals passed away in 2011.

The virtual exhibit provides an immersive and interactive virtual reality experience of the events. The experience offers museum visitors the chance to encounter 3-D virtual relics, unpublished photos, excerpts of exceptional archival films and animated maps. The key to the interactive exhibit is the HistoPad tablet. By using the HistoPad, visitors can scan QR codes on the physical displays.

"Basically, the idea is to transform this into a time-traveling machine. So it's going to take you in the past and help you understand what this object in front of you in the windows of the museum is about," de Sa Moreira said.

"​​And this is something fun to experience because it's visual. What you have is primarily images, images of the past, of the characters of the scene going on, and by clicking on details, by manipulating the objects, you get answers to your curiosity. So basically, the trick is to increase the curiosity of the visitors."

Another interesting fact about the HistoPad is that people can leave real-time reviews.

"Since the opening of the exhibition in October, one visitor out of two is rating the experience. It's a very high percentage. And the ranking they gave is extremely high. It's 4.7 out of five," de Sa Moreira said.

Admission to the ASOM is free. However, there is a $5 rental fee for the HistoPad.

ASOM staff recommend you allow about 30 minutes to tour the entire D-Day exhibit. The exhibit is open until March 2022.

The United States Veterans Corps' (USVC) is "a group of military and first responder veterans performing 'hands on' community service with a mission deployment attitude," according to their website myusvc.com. Toys For Lil Troops Program, a part of USVC, is the Guinness World Record holder for the largest number of toys donated in 24 hours.

The goal of Toys For Lil Troops is to provide toys to the children of deployed and low-income troops. And USVC, with their Toys for Lil Troops program, plans to bring all their toy power to bear on behalf of Fayetteville area military and first responder affiliated children on Dec. 18. With the support of Skyfest, a North Carolina community festival that sports all variations of aerial displays, such as parachute demonstrations, flyovers, helicopter rappelling and memorable performances, Operation: Toy Drop is stacked for family fun success.

The event will begin with a flyover by the Bandit Flight Team during the national anthem.

Based out of Raleigh, the Bandit Flight Team flies vintage planes and describes themselves as "highly-trained, experienced pilots that combine their love of flying with an appreciation for vintage military aircraft."

Next, the All Veterans Group, a group comprised of active military and veteran parachutists, will do a demonstration jump and lay the foundation for the man of the season. Santa will be next to "drop-in," but Santa won't be alone; his elves and the Grinch will be parachuting in, too.

Toys wrapped in sacks will be dropped in from a Special Operations helicopter using special 5-foot parachutes specially sized for the task.

The American Bombshells will entertain the crowd during the aerial demonstrations and announce giveaway winners.

This is Operation: Toy Drop's third year; last year, the event was very different due to COVID-19 restrictions. Instead of folks walking around, it was a drive-up event.

Amelia Smith attended Operation: Toy Drop last year with her nephews and a friend's children. Even having to drive through the event, they had a great time. "It's really is an awesome event for anybody to take the kids to," Smith said. Smith explained that the USVC set up an organized and thoughtful event despite being set up to be driven- through. With limited information from each child, including age, volunteers could choose and distribute appropriate presents for each child.

Smith's group of kids could even hop out of the vehicle after the Grinch parachuted in to grab a few quick pictures.

This year will be much different; hotdogs, chips and drinks will be on offer for attendees, and visitors will be able to roam the event and experience all that is on offer.

Founder of the USVC and Toys For Lil Troops, Staff Sgt. Stan Pinkus will be in attendance with his family.

Pinkus, who has faced some health issues, was cleared to jump in with the parachutists for the event. The organization has a special surprise planned to honor him on his upcoming eightieth birthday.

Operation: Toy Drop will be held at Raeford Airport, located at 155 Airport Drive. The event is from 2 to 4 p.m. However, USVC President Andrew Ladner recommends attendees be on time. While the organization has secured what Ladner described as an "18 wheeler" of toys, they do go fast.

"Be on time; the toys go fast! So, while the event says 2 p.m to 4 p.m., it starts at 2. My advice is to show up when it is says to show up," he said.

On Nov. 24, I wrote about how our local elected officials in Fayetteville and Cumberland County could learn a lot about cooperation and teamwork, recently demonstrated by our Cumberland County Legislative Delegation led by Chairman Rep. Billy Richardson.

Undoubtedly, congratulations are in order to him and the other members of the delegation, Sen. Kirk deViere, Sen. Ben Clark, Rep. John Szoka, Rep. Diane Wheatley and Rep. Marvin Lucas, for their hard work and perseverance in passing North Carolina's first budget since 2018. Thanks to their efforts Fayetteville and Cumberland County will receive $412 million for projects and programs that will impact the residents of Cumberland County for decades. This money will address local infrastructure needs and funding for health care, K-12 education, broadband expansion, Fayetteville Technical Community College, Fayetteville State University expansion projects, expanded medical research, etc. The tax policy portion of the new budget is pro-growth and lowers personal income tax and corporate income tax rates. And, thanks to the perseverance of Szoka and Wheatley, who were co-sponsors of House Bill 83, North Carolina Veterans' military pensions will no longer be taxed. HB 83 is a massive win for both our veterans and our state. According to Szoka, North Carolina will become more attractive to military retirees from all over the country and aid in retaining retirees here in our community. Another major budget highlight and a massive win for Fayetteville is the $59.6 million earmarked for the North Carolina Civil War and Reconstruction History Center. Here we have another example of teamwork, cooperation and perseverance by project Chairman Mac Healy, Co-Chair Mary Lynn Bryan, and members of the North Carolina Civil War and Reconstruction History Center's board of directors.

This state-run venue will bring hundreds of thousands of visitors to our community; create jobs, and infuse millions of dollars of economic growth and development. Undoubtedly, at $412 million, this community has never achieved success of this magnitude.

Why and how did this happen, you may ask? Because, today, we are fortunate to have in place a dedicated local elected Cumberland County legislative delegation that understands the importance and value of teamwork. But, what about tomorrow? With the new district changes and the prospect of an additional Congressional District, our Cumberland County delegation and many of our city and county elected leadership will change, producing some new faces. Like many others, my question and concerns are whether these elected newcomers will embrace the same spirit of teamwork and cooperation when it comes to "doing the right things, for the right reasons" for the residents of Cumberland County; this is a very valid concern. After all, now that we have gained $412 million for improving our community, we must be confident that the people responsible for spending it are competent. They must have the talent, intelligence and common sense to execute their duties prudently and for their intended purposes.
The haunting question is, will future leadership follow the bipartisan examples of our current leadership by working and cooperating to better the city, county and state? Or will they retreat to the safe havens of their self-serving "what's in it for me" silos? Only time will tell. We have much at stake here. Cumberland County is losing population, and more importantly, we are losing our young professionals to other more progressive cities. Making the community better and serving all the citizens of Cumberland County diligently and honestly should be the highest of all priorities. No one political affiliation has all the knowledge, talent or intelligence needed to move a community into prosperity. It takes everyone. It takes teamwork. As demonstrated by our current bipartisan legislative delegation, it takes working together for a common cause.

Now is the time to pay attention to those seeking elected leadership positions. The 2022 elections have been delayed again until May 17, 2022. We should start now vetting candidates and ultimately vote for those who have a platform to better the quality of life in our community and not be just elected placeholders. We must elect honest and trustworthy leaders who understand the importance of transparency and citizen involvement. With $412 million, we have an excellent opportunity to transform Fayetteville and Cumberland County into a prosperous "Can Do" community, but only if we all work together. We must demand that our city and county elected officials work together. We must demand positive, cooperative actions and not empty promises.

The future of the Fayetteville and Cumberland County communities is in our hands. As demonstrated over the last decade, you can be assured that we will ultimately get the kind of leadership and local government we deserve. Let's all hope that we deserve the best.

Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

Today Mr. Science ponders some of the mysteries of the universe to explain them in 25 words or less. Or maybe more. Some mysteries are more profound than others. Climb on board to take a look at things through a glass darkly.

First Mystery: What are the actual lyrics to "Louie, Louie," the favorite song of teenage boys in the late 1960s? Louie first embedded himself into the consciousness of American youth in the version that the rock group the Kingsmen sang in 1963. Louie was written by Richard Berry way back in 1957. The song is about a Jamaican sailor who is pining for the girl he left behind. The soundtrack on the Kingsmen's version is mumbled, challenging to understand, and open to various misinterpretations. Teenagers in the 1960s, to put it mildly, chose to believe the lyrics were a bit off-color. Upon learning what the teenagers thought the lyrics were, adults freaked out at what those wild and crazy teens were singing. When teenagers knew their parents thought the song obscene, this led to an exponential increase in its popularity. The secret words in Louie were passed back and forth among high school students across the fruited plains. Concurrently with Louie's popularity, Ray Charles's song "Shake Your Tailfeather" enjoyed the same reputation for containing dirty lyrics. I personally witnessed classmates trading the secret lyrics of Tailfeather for the secret lyrics of Louie.
The popularity of Louie led to an actual FBI investigation to determine if the Kingsmen were corrupting the morals of America's youth. The thought of middle-aged white Brylcreamed FBI agents wearing white shirts with skinny black ties having to listen to the repeated playing of Louie, Louie to determine if it was obscene gives me great comfort. For a while, radio stations refused to play Louie while he was under federal investigation. After a lengthy probe, the FBI concluded that Louie, Louie was not criminal, or at least the words could not be understood well enough to prove a crime beyond a reasonable doubt. Once Louie's name was cleared, he went on to play at the University of Washington Huskey's football games for decades. International Louie, Louie day is celebrated on April 11 each year. As to actual lyrics, no one really knows. As stated at the end of many 1950's horror movies – "There are some things that man should not know."

Second Mystery: Why did Timmy keep falling into a well on the TV show "Lassie"? Was he a clumsy child? Did his parents Ruth and Paul Martin, tire of his weekly misadventures? Did they throw Timmy into a well only to be thwarted by Lassie repeatedly retrieving Timmy from a watery death? Did Timmy keep jumping into wells in a desperate cry for attention from his bickering parents, who were focused on ending their shell of a marriage in divorce? After Ruth left the farm, Timmy and Lassie, why did she change her name to Maureen Robinson and end up Lost in Space with the evil Dr. Zachary Smith? Once again, there is no definite answer. However, posing questions is the first step to enlightenment.

Third Mystery: Where do the lost socks go? What do they do when they get there? It is commonplace to put an even number of socks into the washing machine only to find that you now have an uneven number of socks after the spin cycle has ceased. Should you take it personally when your socks disappear one by one? Are the socks trying to tell you something? Do you have foot odor so intense that your socks commit sockicide in the dryer? Do you need Odor Eaters Expanded Fit Insoles? Are your feet so sweaty that a mere Odor Eater Insole will not stop the smell? Do you need to go hardcore and use Odor Eater Foot Powder, Odor Eater Charcoal Foot Scrub, and Odor Eater Stink Stopper for Kids and Teens? What will you do to stop the silent tragedy of lost sock syndrome in its tracks? It's up to you. Aren't you glad you use Odor Eaters? Don't you wish everybody did? The sock you save may be your own.

Fourth Mystery: How did this writer's Mom predict the Coronavirus more than 20 years ago? In an amazing example of mother's Christmas precognition, while decorating our Christmas tree this year, we found a COVID-19 ornament that my sainted mother made decades ago. A picture of this ornament adorns this column. It is the spitting image of the Coronavirus with the addition of a tail. The tail clearly anticipates a variety of the 'Rona that has not yet been discovered. It seems likely that the ornament represents the Upsilon variant of the Coronavirus, which is currently lurking in the lungs of some unvaxxed true believer. The mystery is how did Mom know way back in the 20th Century that the 'Rona was coming? The only answer can be that moms know everything.

If you still have a mom, give her a hug. She sees you when you're sleeping. She knows when you're awake. She knows if you've been bad or good. But she loves you anyway. Merry Christmas.

At a luncheon meeting at the Highland Country Club on Dec. 3, Fayetteville Exchange Club President Steve Milburn gifted five checks to five charities.

The Exchange Club of Fayetteville is a group of local individuals and business owners that focus on youth programs, Americanism and community service within their communities.

Milburn presented the first check to John Bantsolas, representing the Boys and Girls Club of Cumberland County.

He is the chairman of the board for representing the Boys and Girls Club of Cumberland County.

"Thank you all very much for your generosity," Bantsolas said as he received the giant check.

The following organization representative, Mark Pezzella Falcon's Children's Home stood to accept a check.

He explained that there are 101 children at the Falcon's Children's Home from Cumberland County.

"This is going to make a big difference, Pezzella said.

Fayetteville Urban Ministry's Jessica Cooper stood to accept a check from Milburn.

The Fayetteville Urban Ministry has been working to support the Fayetteville community for more than 40 years and currently is composed of four programs that "provide faith, hope, love and security to the lives of thousands of Cumberland County residents," according to their website, fayurbmin.org.

Executive Director of Operation Inasmuch, Craig Morrison, was then gifted a check.

"Thank you, everybody, appreciate your support," Morrison said to the crowd.

Operation Inasmuch is a religious-based community that provides support and resources to the local homeless community.

Milburn presented the final check to Tara Martin, development and marketing director and a recent addition at the Care Clinic. The Care Clinic is a free medical clinic that provides free primary health care to eligible adults who are uninsured or have low incomes.

The Cumberland County Foundation will amplify The $5,000 donated to each of these charities with an additional 40 cents on the dollar.

The Cumberland County Foundation is a community organization that receives donations on behalf of Cumberland County. They then provide "essential funding to programs that enhance the quality of life of every corner of Cumberland County," according to their website, cumberlandcf.org

The North Carolina Supreme Court decided last week to suspend candidate filing for all offices for the 2022 primary election that was originally scheduled for March. The primary election will now happen on May 17, 2022.

Any candidate whose filing has been accepted will be accepted in the May primary, subject to any court rulings that would impact that candidate's eligibility, according to the Supreme Court order. Dates for a new filing period have not been set.

Locally, four people have filed for the Fayetteville Mayor seat. Sixteen people have filed for the nine Fayetteville City Council seats.

The delay in the primaries are due to lawsuits over redistricting maps for congressional and state legislative districts. The lawsuits claim that the Republican-drawn district maps were unlawfully gerrymandered.

"This order is a transparent assist to Democrats who benefit from electoral uncertainty and false narratives at the direct expense of the North Carolina people," the North Carolina GOP statement said shortly after the Supreme Court announced their decision.

North Carolina Democratic Party Chair Bobbie Richardson said she was grateful for the pause.

"Halting candidate filing and delaying the primary election are important steps towards ensuring North Carolina voters have the freedom to elect their representatives. Voters don’t need help from legislators to decide who represents them," Richardson's statement said.

The Fayetteville Fire Department has been re-accredited by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International. On Nov. 16, Fayetteville Fire Department members appeared before the commission, and the agency has been for a third consecutive time as an accredited organization. Accredited institutions protect only 12% of the United States population. Fayetteville is one of only twenty-three accredited fire departments in North Carolina.

"As a result of this process, over three cycles of accreditation, we have identified the need for and procured additional staff, apparatus, equipment, and fire stations," said Battalion Chief John Bowen, FFD's accreditation manager.

The CFAI program is a comprehensive self-assessment and evaluation model that enables fire and emergency service organizations to examine service levels/performance.

"The citizens of Fayetteville are receiving faster, more efficient service as a result of our lessons learned from the accreditation process, and for us, that alone makes it worth the effort," Bowen added.

Accreditation assures colleagues and the public that the department has definite goals and objectives appropriate for the jurisdiction served.

Once a month, military families can take a break and enjoy a day to themselves at Rick’s Place. The Rick Herrema Foundation focuses on strengthening relationships and building community for military families through fun, quality activities. They host events and fun days at Rick’s Place, a 50-acre park, to not only offer kids a place to have fun but show military families to know they aren’t alone.

“Every month, we try to give back to families that give the most,” Vicky Jimenez, director of programs at RHF, said.

At this special holiday-themed event, not only will hayrides, inflatables and other fun activities be available, there will also be some special winter activities. There will be hot cocoa and cookies, for decorating, and Santa Claus will be posing for pictures.

Local food trucks are scheduled to be on-site and offer free lunches to everyone attending the event.

Jimenez told Up & Coming Weekly that, on average, 250 families come to their monthly Fun Day events.

However, last week she noticed that over 500 families have pre-registered.

Those numbers are great, especially since each family will also be helping an at-risk community while having fun, she said

“It’s the season of giving. We made it through another year with all of the ups and downs we’ve had,” Jimenez said. “We wanted to give back.”

The Rick Herrema Foundation is partnering with the Military Luggage Company and the Fayetteville Woodpeckers to help donate 187 backpacks to local at-risk and homeless veterans.

They are asking families attending the Holiday Family Fun Day to donate the following needed items to be put into the backpacks: new socks, toiletries, hygiene products, chapstick, warm blankets, winter coats, winter gloves, warm hats, new shoes, warm scarves, over-the-counter cold medicine and handheld first aid kits.

True Patriot Inc. Off-Road Outreach will give out the backpacks on Jan. 10 as part of the “Backpacks for Patriots” event at Operation Inasmuch.

This RHF event and others require volunteers. There are many volunteer opportunities, such as helping with significant events such as the Family Fun Day, but there are also hands-on opportunities like carpentry, working with horses and general labor.

To become a volunteer, contact the volunteer coordinator at volunteer@rhfnow.org.

The family fun day will take place on Dec. 18 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Pre-registration is required to attend and is open only to military families.

To register, visit rhfnow.org/event/ricks-place-holiday-family-fun-day/.

The park is located at 5572 Shenandoah Drive. For more information, visit rhfnow.org/events or call the Rick’s Place team at 910-444-1743.

The Military Order of the Purple Heart has designated Fayetteville State University a Purple Heart University, making FSU the first university in the University of North Carolina System to receive the honor.

"FSU has a long legacy of educating those who serve in the Armed Forces. At FSU, we lead HBCU's in military-connected student enrollment, and this honor demonstrates our deep appreciation to our military students. Our university sits right in the same city with the largest U.S. Army base in the country, and it makes us proud that our students reflect that and support that as well." Siobhan Norris, Associate Vice Chancellor for Military Affairs, said.

'The Carols' intimate, endearing, packed with comedy

The quaintness of the Gilbert Theatre is perfectly matched for its current holiday musical, "The Carols." This play is intimate, endearing and packed with comedy.

"The Carols" is set in 1944, when WWII is raging, and Christmas is just around the corner. With too few men in their small town, the Carol sisters have to figure out creative and "progressive" ways to continue their town's holiday musical tradition — the play "A Christmas Carol." They enlist the help of their boss at the Veterans of Foreign Wars hall and a drifter in the form of a Jewish comedian to bring a ridiculous and hilariously amusing version of "A Christmas Carol" to life.

While this play is a little left of tradition from the typical Christmas musicals and ballets, it is a welcomed journey into the antics of three quirky small-town gals in the 1940s. It combines the humor of "I Love Lucy" with heartfelt moments akin to Charlie Brown. The music, which found itself bouncing between Christmas tunes and big swing bands, added a rich depth to the story and the interlaced humor throughout.

The sisters, Lily, Silvia and Rose Carol, are played by Eden Kinsey, Molly Hamelin and Megan Martinez, respectively. Kinsey's singing and intermixed monologues were a great addition to the play, particularly when matched against Silvia's budding dream of becoming the next feminist heroine in the county and Rose's desire to land a man and her inability to pronounce words with silent letters correctly.

Both Hamelin and Martinez develop their characters well. Martinez's far-off looks, slap-happy smiles and general embodiment of a Marilyn Monroe-like character often stole the show. The interaction between the three characters was part of the magic that makes this show worth seeing.

This was an exceptional pairing with Karen Williams, who played Miss Betty, a middle-aged grouch who runs the VFW hall, and Evan Bridenstine, the Jewish comedian Melvin Shaatz. Bridenstine was missed on stage when a scene did not call for his presence. While Bridenstine's character on stage was a comedian, it was clear that the actor himself knew how to deliver a line. At the back of the stage, providing all of the piano accompaniments for the show, was Katherine Anderson playing Teddy. Teddy has little to no lines in the show except for a few comedic lines at the end.

While the play touched on heart-felt moments and serious topics, the show's true star was the humor. The neurotic and sometimes strange behaviors of the characters, embodied by the various actors, left the audience thoroughly entertained and laughing the whole way through. The serious moments paled in comparison to the main characters' tomfoolery. "The Carols" is definitely a show for those who prefer their holidays a little lighter and find the prospect of laughing through the holidays better than crying.

Untraditional Christmas show is a hoot

We've all heard the traditional classic Christmas songs and stories. They warm our hearts year after year.

But there is a new holiday show in town – "The Carols" at the Gilbert Theater.

The musical takes place in 1944 during World War II. All the men are away overseas taking part in the war. The three Carol sisters want to put on "A Christmas Carol," but they find themselves needing actors. They put up signs and nab Melvin, an entertainer passing through the town.

They convince Miss Betty, a Scrooge-like woman, to participate in the sisters' show.

Teddy plays the piano and the three Carol sisters star in their show. Eden S. Kinsey, who plays Lily, is the lead actress in "The Carols." She alternates acting with the cast and talking to the audience, moving the music forward.

Molly Hamelin plays Sylvia. Sylvia is interested in politics, especially Eleanor Roosevelt.

Sylvia goes as far as writing to Mrs. Roosevelt and inviting her to their Christmas show.

All the actors are talented, but Megan Martinez, who plays Rose, steals the show. Rose is a boy-crazed young lady who wants to get married.

She is silly, and her happiness is infectious. She had the audience laughing often.

Rose is quirky. For example, she doesn't believe in silent letters in words, so instead of "ghost," she pronounces it "Ga-Host." The moment you forget that fact, Barnes will mispronounce a word again, making the audience laugh.

The musical production highlights the cast's many talents. The Carol sisters' voices blend beautifully together. Lily and Melvin do a number in which they both sing and dance. It is unique because Lily tap dances, a highlight in the show for Kinsey. The Gilbert Theater, located downtown, is the perfect venue for "The Carols."

It's intimate, and you can sit so close to the stage that you feel like you are a part of the show.

The hairstyles and clothing are just the right fit for the play's era. Jennifer Childs wrote the book and lyrics for "The Carols."

The music is by Monica Stephenson and was originally staged by Robyne Parrish in Pennsylvania.

This untraditional Christmas show is a hoot.

It is the perfect way to feel the Christmas spirit with friends and family.

Snatch up some tickets and enjoy the show.

Veteran Cumberland County Commissioner Glenn Adams is the new chairman of the board. He succeeds Charles Evans. Both gentlemen face challenges in 2022. Adams' four-year term expires in the coming year and Evans will be spending a lot of his time campaigning for election to Congress. He is running as a Democrat for the newly created 4th Congressional District.

Adams was first elected to the board of commissioners in 2014 and served once before as chairman. Commissioner Tony Stewart has been selected as vice-chair for 2022.

Disney On Ice presents Mickey's Search Party at the Crown Coliseum on Dec. 16 through Dec. 19. Mickey and his friends go on an adventure to find Tinker Bell. Captain Hook's treasure map, which he used to capture her magic, guides Mickey to find Tinker Bell. With the help of Miguel from the Pixar movie Coco, the group crosses the Marigold Bridge, where they find the magical Land of the Dead. Here skeletons dance over the audience in a beautiful cultural celebration of family.

Mickey and friends also visit the wintery world of Arendelle, where Elsa is building an ice palace. The audience can sing along as a kaleidoscope of crystals turns into her home.

An enchanted chandelier will come to life over the ice as Belle is lifted into the sky. Then the audience will witness the power of teamwork when Buzz Lightyear, Woody and Jessie recruit the Green Army Men and plan a daring rescue in Andy's room.

In hopes that the pirates can impress Captain Hook, they flip, tumble and twist. Some of the pirates even walk on stilts. The audience will experience the fiery wrath of Te Ka on Moana's daring sailing voyage, and with the help of Aladdin and The Little Mermaid, Mickey's Search Party becomes an all-out celebration.

Getting ready for performance and saying y takes time and work. "Depending on the show and the variety of talent/skills being featured, training and building the show can take roughly two to three months," Jamie Hathaway, who plays Bo Peep, said.

Another performed trains x days a week to keep up with the physical demands of the performance.

"I typically practice on the ice or train in the gym six days a week," Sarah Dalton, the performer playing Moana in the show, said.

"I, like most of my cast members, came from a competitive background. We try to stay as limber and fit, specifically cardiovascularly, as possible. I love to run around the different cities, go to yoga/pilates studios and develop my upper body strength with friends. The show incorporates aerial elements, so we've taken the extra steps to hold ourselves while being lifted in the air."

Jaime Hathaway fell in love with the show when she was just about five years old.

"I remember how happy it made me feel, and the outside world ceased to exist for those two magical hours," said Hathaway. "I love being a performer and having the ability to distract someone in the audience. Even if it's only a few minutes, it is worth it to me."

Dalton also recognizes the memorable experience Disney on Ice is for small children.

"I get to be excited over an adorable child in the front row singing her heart out to Moana with someone else. Those shared experiences are some of my favorite aspects of this job," Dalton said.
Tickets for the show are on sale now at www.crowncoliseum.com.

Why are we the way we are? Can we blame it on somebody else, like the British colonists, for instance?

By “we” I don’t mean just you and me. I don’t even include us necessarily. I am thinking about folks who live in North Carolina and the surrounding regions.

You know the kind I mean. Hard-nosed, sometimes rebellious, resistant to direction from those who think they know it all, suspicious of people in charge, unwilling to give up individual choice to some kind of group direction.

It is not just those anti-vaxxers who will not accept an infinitesimal risk to themselves or their children in order to reduce to great risks all of us face from the ongoing series of COVID epidemics. It is not just them whom I am talking about.

Nor is it just the Republicans. Or the Democrats.

Lots of us on both sides of the political divide share a common resistance to authority. How do we explain it?

Writing in The New Yorker on Oct. 4, the author and columnist Joe Klein gave it a try, writing, “The divide between maskers and anti-maskers, vaxxers and anti-vaxxers is as old as Plymouth Rock. It is deeper than politics; it is cultural.”

For his ideas, Klein credited a 1989 book, “Albion’s Seed: Four British Folkways in America,” by David Hackett Fischer. This book, Klein says, “explains how the history of four centuries ago still shapes American culture and politics.”

Focusing on the South, Klein says the original settlers were, “a wild caste of emigrants from the borderlands of Scotland and England. They brought their clannish, violent, independent culture, which had evolved over seven centuries of border warfare.”

According to Fisher, these emigrants came from “a society of autonomous individuals who were unable to endure external control and incapable of restraining their rage against anyone who stood in the way.”

Fisher writes that the Scots-Irish in the southern hill country were “intensely resistant to change and suspicious of ‘foreigners.’ In the early 20th century, they would become negrophobic and antisemitic.”

Other parts of colonial America were settled by different groups.

For instance, Klein writes about the Virginia-Cavalier tradition.

“The Virginia definition of freedom was complex, contradictory — and remains problematic. It was hierarchical, the freedom to be unequal. ‘I am an aristocrat,’ John Randolph of Roanoke said. ‘I love liberty; I hate equality.’ Freedom was defined by what it wasn’t. It wasn’t slavery. It was the freedom to enslave. It was a freedom, granted to the plantation masters, to indulge themselves, gamble and debauch.”

“Over time,” Klein continues, “this plutocratic libertarianism found natural allies, if strange bedfellows, in the fiercely egalitarian Scots-Irish hill country folk.

Neither wanted to be ‘ruled’ by a strong central government.”

Klein says things were just the opposite in New England. For the Puritans, “Everything was regulated.”

“Order was an obsession.”

Local officials reported “on the domestic tranquility of every family in their jurisdiction. Cotton Mather defined an ‘honorable’ person as one who was “studious, humble, patient, reserved and mortified.”

About a different group of settlers, Klein writes that the Quakers seem an afterthought, but their migration was larger in size than that of the Puritans or Cavaliers. And their version of liberty seems most amenable today. It was ‘reciprocal freedom,’ based on the golden rule.

Fischer notes the Scots-Irish practiced the opposite: “Do unto others as they threatened to do unto you.”

The Scots-Irish, Virginia, Puritan, and Quaker legacies are very different and are, perhaps, diluted over the almost 300 years since these immigrants came. But the influence of each continues.

The Scots-Irish influence in our region is still tenacious, which explains why the “Do unto others as they threatened to do unto you” rule is widely practiced by people across the political spectrum.