A $35.8 million project that will make driving and walking safer along a congested stretch of Raeford Road in west Fayetteville begins in February. A 2.1-mile section of the busy highway between Bunce and Old Raeford Roads will receive raised medians, additional turn lanes and a new storm drainage system. Sidewalks will be constructed on both sides in that locality. Intersections with no traffic signals will redirect cross-street traffic into right turns only.

"This will be a big safety enhancement and a major investment in one of the city's busiest corridors," said Drew Cox, a DOT engineer.

The construction contractor, Highland Paving Co. of Fayetteville, will be required to keep a minimum of four lanes open between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. when traffic volumes are higher. The project is scheduled for completion by the fall of 2024. Additional details are available on NCDOT's website.

It's amazing how a line, a chorus or even an entire song seems to know us better than we know ourselves — or better express what we're feeling, at the very least. The best songwriters probably have the gift of teaching.

After celebrating several dozen Christmases here on earth, I thought I'd heard songs about the Christmas story and season sung from every possible angle. But then the song, "I Need Christmas" from Daniel Doss came along.

Not a big name — he had some nominal success in Christian music circles in the mid-2000s and is well known around the Nashville area — but his new Christmas song is just what I was looking for this year. It’s not even new.

He wrote and released it himself last year, but it landed on my desk on the first day of November 2021. As the song begins, the words identify with the weight we've collectively carried the past couple of years:

I need reason again to sing

I need peace here on earth

I need His joy in this world

Like I never have before

But then it gets personal, acknowledging the questions, pain and struggles that seem to never go away.

When the early Christians celebrated Christmas, the focus was on the birth of Christ and the true gifts He brought into this world: love, joy and peace.

For centuries, we've crowded the season with all sorts of extra traditions and expectations. 2020 gave us a taste of a simplified Christmas. There were no parties, gifts arrived in Amazon boxes and many church services and family gatherings were celebrated through phone or computer screens.

Despite sadness over the loss of connection, the slower pace we gained opened my eyes all the more to the true meaning of Christmas. And now — Christmas 2021, I was ready to be reminded that Jesus — Creator of the entire universe — chose to live in the world He created as one of us.

In the Daniel Doss song he reminds us of His humanity:

Jesus had problems, He had family

And sometimes those were one and the same

He had friends and, He had betrayers

But showed us how to love them anyway

He had vision, He had dreams

No one understood and not many believed

He had loved ones that passed away

Oh it’s good to know He understands our pain

That's what we need to hear. That's what we need to remember. Jesus has been showing us the way from the very beginning.

So celebrate the sweet little baby in the manger, but don't stop there. Follow the baby who grows into a man showing us how to treat others with kindness, correct others in love and honor relationships at home and everywhere we go.

Follow Him as He teaches us to trust God and His plan for man-kind. It's a journey, and somewhere along the way you'll look up and realize you've reached the point — as in the song — that we have a responsibility and say: I’ll be Christmas this year. I'll remind everyone.

We are surrounded with the joy of the holidays, gatherings, parties, celebrations decorating and food. The thought of tasty morsels and delicate treats tempt us in every turn with commercials, magazines and social media. The famous Lucille Ball bonbons in the chocolate factory episode comes to mind as she struggles to keep up with the assembly line while devouring countless bonbons. An exaggeration but if you think about it, we tend to gobble down the once-a-year treats in a similar fashion. The average amount of calories consumed on Christmas day is from 5000 to 7,500 and that does not include the added daily consumption.

The Holiday season is a challenging time to watch your diet but there are ways that you can have your cake and eat it, too. With a mindful approach to eating and continuing with exercise, you can enjoy the holidays and not face the extra pounds in January. A little holiday strategy can help you not to fall into food overdrive.

Attending a holiday party? Holiday parties are enticing with lavish displays of goodies high in calories during your mealtime. Eating something before you go lessens the desire to fill the plate.

Avoid grazing at parties. It is easy to rationalize if you did not get a plate then you are not eating as much with the one bite pickup approach. The one bite pickups quickly become more than the serving you would have enjoyed if you had gotten a plate. The joy of baking and receiving baked goods are a seasonal highlight and easy to take the approach that just one will not hurt. By the end of the day, one has turned into two or three with mounting calories.

Enjoy your treats by cutting down on the amount you eat and try to eat them earlier in the day. While dining at home limit your portions by eating off a smaller plate such as a salad plate and, if you are dining out, take home a portion of your meal or the next day’s lunch or dinner. When ordering a dessert, opt to share with a friend or spouse. There can be a tendency to skip meals during the holidays because you are so busy. Skipping meals adds to more caloric intake when you finally eat. Carry a protein bar with you while you are on your shopping excursions and avoid that tempting drive-through for the fast food. Take a healthy food choice as your contribution to a holiday party or family gathering.

At the hors d’oeuvres table, instead of eating that ham or turkey in a roll, pick up that protein and dip it in a sauce or roll it up with a veggie. Try to avoid continuous taste testing while you are preparing a meal or making holiday treats.

Liquid calories in signature holiday drinks, hot chocolate and eggnog are large contributors to added calories. Enjoy your beverage with just one mindset. Drink water in a fancy glass with seasonal fruit.

In addition to diet challenges, your fitness routine may take backstage during the season, but you can put pep in that step with a little creativity. Park further away in the shopping center and walk briskly to and from. Take the stairs when they are available or brisk walks for lesser distance and time. Runs during the holidays can be fun with themed runs and you can dance around the house to holiday music.

Live, love, life and embrace the season by having your cake and eating it, too.

The 82nd Airborne Division and the 82nd Airborne Division Band and Chorus are set to host their annual Holiday Concert at the Crown Coliseum on Dec. 10. This event marks a return for the in-person performance of the Holi-day Concert; as last year, the event was an all-virtual event. In 2020 the concert was recorded in the Crown Coliseum with no live audience and released over social media.

"We are thrilled to be bringing this event back for a live audience this year," explained Sgt. 1st Class Tyler Goodwin, band member, 82nd Airborne Division Band and Chorus.

The Holiday Concert will feature several holiday classics. Goodwin explained that his favorite pieces scheduled for the event are "White Christmas," the "Armed Forces Ser-vice Medley," and the "Nutcracker Suite."

"This really gives the amazing vocalists in the Chorus the chance to demonstrate their talents on a classic piece of music," Goodwin said of "White Christmas." While the "'Nutcracker Suite'" is a "beautiful arrangement [that] takes a new twist on some classic melodies and showcases virtuosity from within the band."

Goodwin also explained that the "'Armed Forces Service Medley' is another favorite because "honoring all who have served past and pres-ent in this manner is an amazing experience and allows for a musical tribute that is both entertaining and sophisticated."

Organizers and band members hope the community will walk away from the event with an appreciation of the 82nd Airborne Division.

"The legacy of the Division is rich with history and important military milestones and a concert like this is meant to showcase the diversity and values that all paratroopers live by and promote," Goodwin said. "In addition, we want to celebrate the opportunity to share in the enjoyment of the holidays and live music after such a tumultuous almost two-year period."

The 82nd Airborne Division Band and Chorus will be accompanied by four accomplished country musicians: Craig Morgan, Michael Ray, Abby Anderson and Natalie Stovall.

"This has been a challenging year for so many, and we've asked a lot of our paratroopers and their families," said 82nd Airborne Division commanding general Maj. Gen. Christopher T. Donahue. "We've invited some of the best talent Nashville has to offer to play alongside our band and chorus as a way to give back to our families for all they've given the nation."

A world-renowned fiddler and Grand Ole Opry on-air personality, Natalie Stovall, will serve as hostess for the event. Stovall was also a contestant on season 13 of NBC's"The Voice." While Stovall did not win the competition, she has continued to reach audiences through solo and group performances.

Craig Morgan, originally from Tennessee, is a U.S. Army veteran. Morgan served as a forward observer and started his musical career in 2000. He has charted 17 times over the years. His song "That's What I Love About Sundays" topped charts for four weeks in 2006. Also, in 2006, Morgan was awarded the USO Merit Award for his tireless support of U.S. soldiers and their families. Morgan told American Songwriter Magazine, "Because I have been there, I can appreciate that and have the ability to communicate with them a little differently."

Michael Ray originated from Florida and began his country music career in 2010. His most recent album, "Whiskey in the Rain," was released in September of this year.

Country music personality, Abby Anderson, debuted her musical career at the age of 16 on the Glen Beck show and moved to Nashville after graduating high school in Texas when she was 17 years old. Anderson has performed at the Country Music Awards and has received multiple musical accolades.

Santa will also be at the show and sitting for photos with children from 4 to 6 p.m. The country music performers will be in attendance at a meet-and-greet and take photos with fans from 5 to 6 p.m.

In accordance with Cumberland County mandates, ticket holders must show their COVID-19 vaccination card or a negative COVID-19 test from 72 hours before the event. Masks will be required while in the venue. All tickets are free and available to Fort Bragg soldiers, their families and the general public.

Tickets will be distributed to soldiers and their families through their units. To inquire about and reserve tickets, the general public is asked to contact WKML 95.7 at www.wkml.com or call 910-496-2000.

Higher wages and bonuses may turn around recruiting and retention issues in the Fayetteville Police Department. The starting salary for officers who enter the Basic Law Enforcement Training Academy will be $41,500 beginning Jan. 3. When the recruits graduate and begin field training the salary goes up to $43,500. The current starting wage is $38,000. It used to be that potential officers weren’t paid during academy training. New recruits will also receive $4,000 bonuses if they make commitments to spend at least two years on the force.

City council was briefed on Dec. 2 by Police Chief Gina Hawkins and Captain Todd Joyce who oversees recruiting. Joyce told the council that of the 433 authorized positions for sworn officers, there are 57 vacancies. Joyce said last year’s COVID-19 pandemic created a significant setback, but that “2021 has been the most diverse year in our hiring.”

AXIOS has noted that interest in law enforcement careers is down. Applications for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department were down 26% during the first four months of 2021 compared to the same period last year. Fayetteville City Council members were generally supportive of the local agency.

“We’re doing the best with what we’ve got,” said Mayor Mitch Colvin.

While crime is down for the most part, homicides are up. According to police files, the record for annual murders was 33 in 1993. So far this year there have been 44 homicides.

Collaboration was key to achieving a large budget for Cumberland County.

At a press conference at Fayetteville State University Dec. 1, Rep. John Szoka, Rep. Diane Wheatley, Rep. Marvin Lucas, Rep. Billy Richardson and Sen. Kirk deViere talked about the budget and how they were able to come together across political lines and parties and focus on Cumberland County residents first.

$412 million was allocated by the state to Cumberland County. More than $198 million will be going towards higher education. $64 million will support local government. $27 million will be used for veterans and the military. $19 million will be allocated the environment and natural resources. $11 million is being allocated to health care. $4 million will boost economic investment. Lastly, $87 million will go towards the funding of local projects.

Several of the elected officials said that this was a transformational budget for the county. Lucas said that after serving as an elected official for over a decade, this is the first budget he really felt proud of.

Richardson, the chairman of the Cumberland County Legislative Delegation, said that this budget did not happen by accident.

"We were the only delegation that stood together and said, we are going to put this state and this county first. We're not going to put the party first. We're going to put the state and our community first," Richardson said.

Despite some regrets on the state-wide level, locally many of the representatives agreed that the best thing to happen was getting this budget finalized for Cumberland County residents.

"I think everyone realized that with the opportunity of the amount of money that was here in the state, both from the federal dollars as well as additional dollars that were here at the state level, that this budget had to be a negotiated budget. It had to be a compromise," deViere said. "I believe, just like others around this table believe, that good government happens when you bring everybody at the table and they can have a conversation."

However, when it came to projects and line items left on the table, Szoka said that there weren't any that he can recall that were local.

"But we all coordinated with the commissioners, with the mayors and city councils and municipalities. And we talked to not-for-profits. We talked to economic developers and people, and most came to us with their ideas," Szoka said."There may have been something that's left out, but it wasn't for lack of any of us reaching out and trying to determine the true needs of the community."

Most of the funds are already in motion for use in the near future, like the bonuses for school teachers. Other funds may already be put towards a project or may have to wait until officials allocate it. When it comes to infrastructure and construction projects, it may be years until people see the outcome of those.

However, for the local delegation, one of the most exciting prospects is to see what will happen in the local community decades from now.

"Because of these projects and these programs, one day there will be a business that rises up in Cumberland County and will have an impact on this nation," Richardson said.

Segra Stadium is preparing to be jam-packed with tens of thousands of holiday lights for two weekends in December.

Fayetteville Holiday Lights, presented by the Fayetteville Woodpeckers and AEVEX Aero-space, invites people to walk through the baseball stadium to see not just light displays but different themes each night. Fayetteville Holiday Lights will be the first event of its kind at Segra Stadium.

Pete Subsara, the assistant general manager of the Wood-peckers, says that they found inspiration from their sister base-ball team, the Houston Astros. The Astros also do a holiday light display that runs for approximately two months. While it won't run for as long, Subsara hopes people will enjoy the new Fayetteville Holiday Lights event.

"We just want to bring something downtown that families and people visiting their loved ones can go do," Subsara said.

Each night will have a different theme. On Dec. 9, the Wood-peckers will host an opening night ceremony with an 18-foot tree lighting. Dec. 10 and 19, the Woodpeckers will feature fireworks around at 8 p.m. Local merchants and vendors will be selling their items market-style along the concourse, Dec. 11. On Dec. 12, Princesses Tiana, Belle and Cinderella will make an appearance. On Dec. 16, there will be drink specials. Dog Day is on Dec. 17; visiting fur parents should be sure to bring shot records, a requirement for the dogs to enter the stadium. Queens Anna and Elsa will make an appearance on Dec. 18. Santa will be in attendance each night and available for free pictures.

While the lights themselves are something to enjoy, Fayetteville Holiday Lights is also an event that gives back to families. Community members and organizations can participate in "Trees for Charity." Organizations will partner with a local non-profit of their choice to decorate a tree. Throughout the event, people who attend can vote on the best-decorated tree. The tree voted best decorated will receive $2,000 for their designated non-profit. The second place will receive $1,500, and the third place will receive $1,000.Following the event, the Wood-peckers will donate the trees to families in need during the holiday season.

Subsara says he is expecting 15,000 people total to attend the eight-night event.

Adult tickets are $10 and chil-dren’s tickets are $8 if purchased in advance. Tickets will go up by $2 if purchased on the day of attendance. All current or former military will receive $1 off their ticket with DoD ID at the Box Office. To purchase tickets for Fayetteville Holiday Lights or for more information on the event, visit their website or call (910) 339-1989.

Dirtbag Ales Brewery and Taproom is set to host their fifth annual Christkindlmarkt This unique German Christmas Market offers attendees a selection of German-inspired food, local artists and makers, Weihnachts Musik — Christmas music — and community spirit.

The annual Dirt Bag Ales Christmas Market has changed and grown over the years.

“We started with 20 vendors the first year in Hayat’s Yoga Studio,” said Shannon Loper, the operations manager at Dirtbag Ales Brewery and Taproom. “That year we donated the beer."

This year there will be triple the number of vendors.

"There will be about 60 vendors taking part in the event this year,” Loper said.

What began as a small one-day event is now a weekend event like no other in the area.

"Five years ago, the German Christmas Market was a mutual collaboration with Hayat Hakim. Since then, we have carried on the tradition annually, growing it to a full weekend of events,” Vernardo "Tito" Simmons-Valenzuela, Dirtbag Ales Brewery and Taproom, co-owner/head brewer said. “People come because it is the only event like it in the area.”

German music is a part of the experience and there will be several groups performing. The Fayetteville Bavarian brass band, Cross Creek Chordsmen and Fayetteville Barbershop will all add to the ambiance of the market. Vendors will be selling different wares including soaps, honey, metalwork, Christmas tree ornaments and more.“We strive to find vendors that fit with the theme and spirit of the event,” Simmons-Valenzuela said.

The special food offerings at the event will focus on German favorites such as schnitzel, brats and German potato salad. The food trucks scheduled for the Dirtbag Ales Brewery and Taproom German Christmas Market are R. Burger, Vagabond, Street Fare, Household Six, Grazing Buffalo, Beefy Buns and Authentique.

Finally, what would a German market be without German beer? Dirtbag Ales Brewery and Taproom will be serving Ein-bahnstraße-Hefewiezen, Märzen Attacks (an Oktoberfest Lager), a special vanilla, bourbon, and cinnamon cask-aged beer and a house made Gluvine. This event runs into the evening and the market will be lit to create a magical space.

Dirtbag Ales is located at 5435 Corporation Drive. Dirtbag Ales Brewery and Taproom describe themselves as being “about great friends, a genuine passion for hand-craft-ed beer and breaking the status quo.”

The event will be at Dirtbag Ales Brewery and Taproom is located at 5435 Corporation Drive, just off Tom Starling Road. Dates and times of the event are Dec. 10 from 5 to 10 p.m.; Dec. 11th from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Dec. 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

A place where nature and adventure meets — that’s what Sweet Valley Ranch promises its visitors. They have offered Dinosaur inter-actions during the hot summer months and a terrifying haunted house around Halloween. Now that it’s December, the Ranch will be covered in Christmas and holiday lights. Festival of Lights was started last year during the pan-demic.

Fred Surgeon came up with the idea and soon enough, 18,000 people came out to look at the lights over the course of 17 nights.

This year, there are more lights, more attractions and an entirely new interactive section of the event.

“Be prepared for an amazing, dazzling, sparkling light show,” Debbie Munn, executive assistant, Surgeon & Associates, Inc., said. “This year at Festival of Lights, we are going to incorporate all of the attractions we’ve had during the year into the light show.”

The Festival of Lights features over one million lights and 350 animals throughout the show. The light displays range in themes as well. Dinosaurs, Star Wars, a Gingerbread House, a life-size nativity scene and a Military and First Responders Tribute. The Grinch will also be by Tiny's Winter Wonderland and be causing some chaos of his own at the Grinch’s Mansion. There are two sections of the festival. The main part of the event will be drive-thru only where visitors in their cars can see all different types of light displays. There is also a Drive-Thru concession called Cattleman’s Loft.

“You don’t even have to get out of your car,” Munn said. “You can buy food, you can buy gifts, you can buy T-shirts from all of our attractions.”

The Cattleman’s Loft will also feature a 14-foot Christ-mas tree, named Gabriel’s Trumpet Tree for how it is decorated.The other section of the event will where the corn maze was for the Halloween attractions, Tiny’s Winter Wonderland. This is where people can walk around and interact with the attractions. People can park, get out of their cars, get some food and enjoy amusement rides as well as visits with Santa.

But the lights are not the only thing that will create excitement at the Sweet Valley Ranch. They also are aiming to help local charities and local non-profits.

The Surgeons have created the Sweet Valley Ranch Gives Back Program. This program, which only launched a little more than a month ago, is to help charities that help people locally.

If charities can man one of the concession trucks over in Tiny’s Winter Wonderland, during one of the nights of Festival of Lights, they will receive at least a $500 portion of the proceeds as well as a match of up to $1,000 from Fred Surgeon and his wife.

They started the program with their Halloween event. They plan on continuing the Give Back program throughout their other events next year: Dinosaur World, Tiny’s Corn Maze, and Backwoods Terror Ranch.

The goal of Sweet Valley Ranch Gives Back, backed by Surgeon & Associates, Inc., is to give $50,000 minimum over the course of the year. So far, $8,000 has been donated to three different charities. Operation Inasmuch received $2,000, Agape Pregnancy Support Services received $2,000 and the Fayetteville Area Habitat for Humanity received $4,000.

They are open to working with more local charities over the course of the year. If you are interested in your organization being considered please email svrgives-back@surgeon-associates.com the organization name, contact person, phone number and a brief statement on why you would be a good fit for the program. The charity must be a non-profit and provide services within Cumberland County.

Tickets for the Festival of Lights can be purchased online or at the ticket booth. Tickets for adults and children are $10 a person. Children aged 2 or under are free. Farm Wagon tours are also available for large groups. Prices start at $230 and can go up to $750.

Sweet Valley Ranch will be closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The final night of the event will be on Dec. 26.

A 15-year-old was murdered, Nov. 29. Police said officers who responded to a call for help on the night of the murder found the victim in the parking lot of a small strip mall at 594 South Reilly Road.

“He had been shot in the chest and officers attempted lifesaving measures,” Police spokesperson Lt. Diana Holloway said. “He was pronounced deceased on the scene.”

The boy’s name was not released by police, but a family member identified him as XaeVion Thornton. He was a sophomore student at Westover High School. Homicide detectives learned that a second person had been taken to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center with gunshot wounds. Holloway said he had non-life-threatening injuries.

Anyone with information regarding the investigation is asked to contact Detective J. Arnold at (910) 824-9539 or Crimestoppers at (910) 483-TIPS.

Governor Roy Cooper has appointed Fayetteville Mayor Pro Tem Kathy Jensen to the North Carolina Military Affairs Commission. The Commission provides advice, counsel and recommendations to the governor, state lawmakers and state agencies on North Carolina’s military installations.

“Now is a great time to raise issues important to our current service and National Guard Members,” Jensen said. “There are more active-duty soldiers at Fort Bragg compared to any other installation across the U.S. Army.”

Jensen says she will work to prioritize the city of Fayetteville’s military interests. She will serve a two-year term on the Commission. Jensen was born and raised in Fayetteville and owns a local business.

The annual State of the Community was presented last week with leaders from Cumberland County, Fort Bragg, Fayetteville, Spring Lake and Hope Mills all talking about the past year, what's to come and their biggest challenges.

CUMBERLAND COUNTY

Cumberland County Chairman Charles Evans spoke in a pre-recorded video about Cumberland County. He said that some of the accomplishments the county had, over the past year, included creating and running massive COVID-19 vaccination sites, implementing an Emergency Rental Assistance Program, creating a new American Rescue Plan committee, creating a military food policy council to address food insecurity among military service members and their families and addressing racial injustice and diversity initiatives. Looking forward, Evans was excited to announce that several companies like Metronet, Amazon and Cargill will develop jobs locally and invest in local businesses. Other future plans include the construction of a homeless shelter, new emergency services and 911 call center and entirely replacing the Crown Theater and Arena. The biggest challenge for the county is continuing to get clean water and sewer to all areas of the county. Specifically in the area of Gray's Creek.

"Getting water to Gray's Creek and other areas of the county remains a priority," Evans said. "The county is working to partner with available Public Works Commission to have utilities serve as the water supplier at Gray's Creek."

FAYETTEVILLE

Mayor Mitch Colvin spoke live at the Greater Fayetteville Chamber about the state of the City of Fayetteville. Colvin said that the city made several investments in the community this past year. City wages have gone up to $15 an hour, over $50 million will go to the airport, a new aquatic center was built and $33 million was dedicated for public and government housing. Colvin confirmed that Amazon will be coming to Fayetteville, which will bring in an additional 500 jobs and $100 million of investment. He also announced that the Cape Fear River Trail will continue to be developed in the upcoming months. The biggest challenge for the City, according to Colvin, is getting people trained and having a ready workforce in Fayetteville.

FORT BRAGG

Garrison Commander Col. Scott Pence spoke on behalf of the ongoing work at Fort Bragg. Over the past year, community meetings about the renaming of the base have been taking place but other positives, such as Smith Lake reopening this year and new strategies from the Army to help attract, retain and enable people are just a few positive takeaways. One major renovation the installation is looking at is the creation of Liberty Trail - a 14-mile loop around Fort Bragg. That trail will open in January. One concern for Fort Bragg is that one-third of soldiers, who are usually on deployment, are now at the post — creating a demand on resources.

SPRING LAKE

Spring Lake Mayor Larry Dobbins spoke briefly about the town’s financial troubles but primarily focused on what the town needs to do in the future: restructure, rebuild, rebrand, regain trust and rebirth. Dobbins will be stepping down as Mayor later this month. Mayor-elect Kia Anthony will take his place.

HOPE MILLS

Hope Mills Mayor Jackie Warner spoke about that change is happening in the town. Many officials have or will retire and the town will need to find new replacements for these town figureheads. In addition, a new City Manager, who is relatively unfamiliar with the area will need support. Warner says other challenges Hope Mills faces are the replacement of roads and dealing with traffic. Overall, she says the future is bright for Hope Mills continues to grow.

Jodi Phelps has been hired by the city to replace Kevin Arata as Fayetteville’s Corporate Communications Director which is a fancy way of saying spokesperson. Arata resigned earlier this year. Phelps will work with the news media and oversee strategic communications and marketing plans.

“I am honored by this chance to serve the community my family calls home,” Phelps said. “I look forward to working alongside City leadership and staff to ensure our residents are well-informed and engaged while we collectively work to build upon the strong foundations in place.”

The city said Phelps brings more than 20 years of experience in communications, marketing and organizational leadership. She previously worked at the University of North Carolina–Pembroke, where she served as Chief Communications and Marketing Officer since 2016. Before UNC–Pembroke, Phelps served as Action Pathways Chief Operating Officer in Fayetteville.

“We believe she knows this area well, which is one reason why she stood out,” City Manager Doug Hewett said. "I’m sure she will develop beneficial relationships amongst staff, neighbors and at all levels of government.”

As the mother of three adult children, I am wired to be interested in their particular thoughts about life, and more generally, the views of their generation.

Does their generation see the world the same way I did at their ages? The answers are not encouraging. They are disheartening. A survey conducted earlier this year by UNICEF and Gallup of 21,000 people in 21 different nations throughout the world found stark differences not only between generations but between different parts of the world. My generation of Americans believed that we would be healthier and wealthier than our parents' generation, and for the most part, those beliefs have proven true. By and large, we are more educated than our parents, have enjoyed higher incomes and look forward to longer life expectancies.

Our kiddos and their kiddos are less optimistic, and some statistics bear out their thinking.

Of the six wealthiest nations in the world, including the United States, only about a third of young people believe they will be better off financially than their parents. What's more, they no longer believe that hard work alone will get them where they want to go or that everyone starts at the same place. Increasingly, they believe that family wealth and connections are significant success factors.

"On one hand, you want and need people to believe that they can make a difference in their own lives, but on the other hand, you need people to understand it's about more than just their own hard work," as Bob McKinnon, founder of a non-profit helping people understand influences in their lives says, in the New York Times. According to UNICEF and Gallup, older folks of my generation believe this as well. Moreover, many younger people believe quite rightly that earlier generations, including mine, have compromised our environment at best and destroyed it at worst.

Interestingly, these lines of thought are more prevalent in wealthier, more developed nations, most of them in the northern hemisphere. Young people in less developed countries, mainly below the equator, are more hopeful than Americans of their generation.

Around two-thirds of young people below the equator believe that they will be better off economically than their parents have been and that the world is becoming a better place with each new generation. They are more likely to believe that they have control over their lives through hard work and education. As Kenyan Lorraine Nduta, 21, put it in The Times, "we do not get to choose our families or social status, but that has never been a hindrance for anyone to succeed... In fact, I think when you have less, it fuels you to seek more. The power to change any situation lies with us — hard work, consistency and discipline."

It isn't easy to imagine such sentiments coming from many young Americans in 2021.

Every generation from time immemorial is formed by its times, its culture, its geography and an individual's circumstances. Every generation believes itself unique, and the hope for a better life for the next generation still exists, even if it seems to be slipping from the grasp of some in certain parts of the world.

What stands out in this survey is that the traditional American Dream, long a standard for both Americans and people in other nations, needs some work.

It remains true that hard work and education can lift young people, but the cynicism and anxiety surfacing in our young people is worrisome.

Local politicians interested in running for office can now officially file their intentions to run. Offices open for filing include the 4th U.S. Congressional District, N.C. General Assembly, Cumberland County Board of Commissioners (at large and District 1), Sheriff, Clerk of Court, District Attorney, District Court Judge, City of Fayetteville Mayor and City Council.

Sen. Ben Clark, Rep. John Szoka, former Fayetteville mayor Nat Robertson, former police officer Christine Villaverde, high school teacher Denton Lee, DeVan Barbour IV and Cumberland County Commission Chairman Charles Evans have announced they are all running for the 4th U.S. Congressional District seat.

The Fayetteville Mayor seat will also be contested. J. Antoine Miner, Nyrell Melvin, Efrain "Freddie" Delacruz and Franco Webb have all announced that they will run. The current Mayor, Mitch Colvin, announced last Friday that he will run again for the Mayor seat.

Sen. Kirk deViere announced that he will seek re-election to the Senate District 19 seat for a third term. Rep. Diane Wheatley also announced her intention to file for re-election for the 43rd District of the NC house.

Filing ends at noon on Dec. 17 at the Cumberland County Board of Elections. The primary will be held on March 8.

The Community Police Advisory Board is closer to being finalized and should start in the new year. The board's mission is to provide recommendations to the City Council, City Manager and Police Chief to improve the quality of policing in Fayetteville in a cooperative effort between the community and the police. 

Fayetteville City Council members finally voted to select a new commissioner for the Fayetteville Public Works Commission.

Last Monday night, City Council selected Retired Col. Don Porter to serve as the new PWC commissioner. He was supported by Councilmembers Johnny Dawkins, Larry Wright, D.J. Haire, and Christopher Davis. Mayor Mitch Colvin also voted in Porter’s favor.

Porter is a retired Military Logistics Specialist and served 20 years as an Executive Director of Economic Development in Hoke County and the City of Raeford. In his application, he says that he believes that city-owned water and sewer is good not just for citizens but also for business recruitment.

Porter was initially recommended to the position by the city’s Appointment Committee last month. City Council was split on the decision and kept delaying the vote. Porter's term is expected to end on Sept. 30, 2025.

Only a few weeks until showtime, the main room at Charlotte Blume School of Dance is packed and abuzz with energy. More than forty dancers stand, in fifth position, the floor a mixture of soft and pointe shoes, legs extended, and arms outstretched with delicate fingers pointing toward the ceiling.

The room is small but warm, a far cry from the thirty-degree weather outside. Upon each call from one of their instructors David Alan Cook, the dancers shifted positions in unison — a dance so precise it looks as if they are pulled by strings. Along the walls of the room are nutcrackers, candy canes, tin solider hats and pictures of Christmas lore — all relics of Clara’s fantastical dream, and fifty-one years of tradition. In the back sits the head of the mouse king, crown and all, awaiting his on-stage debut.

At Charlotte Blume School of Dance and throughout Fayetteville, it’s time for “The Nutcracker.”

Just beyond the dancers plays a video of Pepta's “The Nutcracker.” The dancers strive for precision. They match their movements against Pepta's dancers. In the studio, the only sound that can be heard is the soft, shallow pattering of feet on laminate floor. The dancers lightly glide to the tape on the floor that marks particular fractions of the stage. Their bodies remain angled out toward the audience. They check their position, readjust and do it again and again. This will continue dozens of times.

“We’ll run the same two minutes for an hour to get it right,” Dina Lewis, the school’s executive director, says as she watches her dancers’ arms and feet. Lewis says they’ll tell the girls to pretend they are holding pennies between their knees for their bourrée.

“We say it because quarters are too big.”

Technique, according to Lewis, is why students come to this dance group.

The music stops, and just like that, the current dancers run “off stage” and others run on to take their place.

“Dancers, you have to pay attention while you are working on the stage,” Cook says, his shoulders held back and feet held in position. Like an orchestra leader, he brings his attention to different areas of the room, tightening the dance and congratulating dancers on their hard work. In the other corner, Emalee Smith, another instructor, is perfecting the dance of some of the older dancers.

The dream continues.

In many ways, so does the dream of Charlotte Blume. Blume passed away in 2016. “The Nutcracker Ballet” is a legacy of sorts for the North Carolina State Ballet and for Charlotte Blume School of Dance. Blume started “The Nutcracker” in 1959 and it has run every year since, with the exception of last year. It is a legacy that is now kept alive by Lewis, the executive director for the school and the President of North Carolina State Ballet.

Lewis talks of Blume fondly and reverently like a maternal figure whose ghost is welcomed to haunt the school. Each part of this play, for Lewis and other dancers who knew Blume well, keeps her alive.

“Each set has a piece of her in it … we have pieces of her that we make sure is [on] that stage.”

In 2020, like much of the world, this version of “The Nutcracker” did not go on.

“We sat home last year watching 'Nutcracker' on TV like everyone else did,” Lewis said.

But in December 2020, around Lewis’s birthday, she received a card from a little girl who played a mouse in “The Nutcracker” just the year before. The note, which wished Lewis a happy birthday, also said, “all I want for Christmas is for "Nutcracker" to come back.”

When February came around, Lewis said the company was short of funding for the play due to all the closures during COVID-19. She and the board decided that regardless of the funds, 2021 needed

“The Nutcracker.” The community needed “The Nutcracker.”

“There’s a little mouse that we all need to thank … one I just couldn’t say no to.”

The little girl's note is now posted on Lewis’s mirror at home. The little girl has since moved with her family due to the military. Lewis says a lot of what she learned and embodies now comes from Charlotte Blume. It’s all about giving back, she says. While a mouse helped her bring back the beloved play, Blume has always been at the heart of it.

“You just feel like you owe it to Charlotte to continue this.”

Charlotte Blume School of Dance will hit the stages Dec. 11 at the Crown Theatre. There are 69 dancers in this year's production, from ages 5 and up. Each year, Lewis says, the choreography changes slightly to keep students and the audience engaged. This year, she tried to keep unification at the center of the play.

At the end of the day, Lewis sits back and looks at the pictures of “her kids,” handwritten notes from students and pictures of Charlotte and smiles when she speaks about this year’s production of “The Nutcracker.”

“When the picture comes together … [it’s] magical. It’s the coolest thing. I get chills thinking about it. I think Charlotte is going to be proud of us. She’s going to be pretty happy.”
Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for military and $10 kids ages 3-16. Kids under 2 are free.

Across town, in the top portion of Countryside Gymnastics is Leslie’s Dance Academy. Leslie Dumas, owner and executive director, sits among plastic storage containers of all shapes and sizes that house different costumes and props for her production of “The Nutcracker.” She sits, waiting on dancers to arrive. Her dancers, too, are preparing to go on stage and perform “The Nutcracker.”
Dumas has been running this version of “The Nutcracker” since 2000 when she took it over from Ann Clark, who owned another studio in town. Both Clark and Dumas trained with Charlotte Blume. Dumas trained with Charlotte Blume from a young age until 18.

For “The Nutcracker,” she collaborates with other studios in town, through The Dance Theatre of Fayetteville, to bring all their dancers together to perform the play. Last year, much like Charlotte Blume School of Dance, her company didn’t perform “The Nutcracker.”

This year, Dumas wasn’t told they could have their traditional stage at Methodist University until the end of September. This gave Dumas and the other studios two months to prepare the show.
She said this year they’ve had to make some changes in how they traditionally run it due to all the changes from COVID-19.

“We didn’t do an audition. I usually do most of the choreography, but I let other studios pick what they want to choreograph.”

On Nov. 21, the collective group had their second full group rehearsal, just a week and a half before the performance. For Dumas and others, this is about the collective and anyone who wants to be a part of the play can “come in.”

“It’s supposed to be fun.” Dumas relates the overall experience to the fun and chaos of the party scene at the beginning of the play.

As she talks, young dancers arrive and come to greet her. She smiles, asks about something personal to each and then they run off to get into dance clothes.

Dumas is set on getting the show to stage and bringing the dancers together.

“It’s going to be what it is after a COVID year of nothing,” Dumas says. “Everyone has to understand that perspective. The world stopped in March of last year. There was no dance, no gym, no nothing.”

The Dance Theatre of Fayetteville will perform the Nutcracker December 3-5 at Methodist’s University’s Huff Concert Hall. Tickets will be $10 in advance and $15 at the door. Kids ages 5-17 will be $5 and kids ages 4 and under will be free.

The City of Fayetteville will be requesting $20,000 to repair the property at 242 Hay St. They would like to use the money to power wash and repaint the exterior of the property. They would also like to rebuild the balcony structure using composite decking, install composite handrails, replace the rotted door and door frame to the balcony, repair rotted wood on the window frame closest to the balcony door and repair cracked tile at the front.

Since the location is part of a historically protected area, they will only be fixing what is rotted or broken and repainting the building in the original colors.

Members of the public have until Dec. 13 to submit written comments to the Economic and Community Development Department at City Hall about the
project.

Diane’s Vintage Market was previously located at the site but closed in October of 2019.

Many folks ask me about the correct spelling of the holiday. Confusion comes because the holiday’s name is in Hebrew, which uses an entirely different alphabet that includes sounds not found in English. The first letter has a guttural sound like the German achtung, so some people use CH while others opt for the closest sound in English, the letter H, to avoid people mistakenly thinking it has the English CH sound.

Additionally, depending on where you’re from, some Jews pronounce the final vowel as AH while others say OH. Also, when transcribing the name into English some do it based solely on sound while others try to parallel Hebrew spelling. In Hebrew, it ends with the equivalent of a silent H (like in Sarah), so some spell it in English ending with an H and some without. This all results in many legitimate renderings of the name into English.

Chanukah (my preference) means dedication or rededication and refers to the rededication of the ancient Temple in Jerusalem following its purification upon recapture from the Syrian army 2186 years ago. It celebrates the miracle of the successful revolt of a rag-tag force of faithful Jews, hiding in caves and frequently using guerilla tactics against their powerful overlords, who had prohibited the practice of Judaism and introduced pagan sacrifice into the holy Temple.

Because the Jews celebrated the rededication of the Temple by belatedly observing the eight-day biblical festival of Sukkot (Tabernacles), Chanukah was established as an annual eight day celebration of this miraculous preservation of Judaism. A legend, told hundreds of years after these events, relates that reluctant to delay the rededication of the Temple for the eight days necessary to acquire the special olive oil required for the sanctuary’s Menorah (a seven-branched, continually burning candelabrum), they lit the only pure oil they had found – a single day’s worth. Miraculously the Menorah burned for eight days until new oil arrived.

The main observance of Chanukah is the home lighting of an eight-branched Menorah each evening to publicize the ancient miracle of Judaism’s survival. A single light is kindled on the first night, adding one more each night, until eight are burning at the end.

Honoring the legend of the oil it is customary to eat fried foods during Chanukah, such as potato pancakes and jelly donuts. Chanukah gift-giving mostly originated in America so Jewish kids wouldn’t feel jealous of their classmates’ Christmas gifts. There is no requirement to give any, much less, eight gifts.

Chanukah shifts on our calendar because for religious purposes Jews follow a lunar calendar (although the periodic addition of leap months keeps the Jewish holidays aligned to the same season).
Finally, Chanukah is considered a minor Jewish holiday, because it does not originate in the Hebrew Bible, but in the later books of First and Second Maccabees. That makes it comparatively less significant than the biblical festivals like Passover. It receives oversized attention in America because of its proximity to Christmas.

Editor's Note: Chanukah runs this year from the evening of Sunday, Nov. 28 through the evening of Monday, Dec. 6.

Four red, white and blue coaches have been placed in service. Four more are on the way, according to Fayetteville Transit director Randy Hume. He said the change was made to bring the transit system in line with the city’s new color palette.

The City of Fayetteville, Cumberland County, plus nine businesses and civic partners, have launched an intensive project to develop a community-wide branding campaign to create an updated and unified approach to make known the area’s strengths, assets, diversity, vision and potential.

Another eight new buses are expected to be delivered after the first of the year. The cost of FAST buses is provided primarily by the Federal Transit Administration. 18 citywide bus routes are operational.

The Cumberland Choral Arts began in 1991 and are now celebrating their 30th anniversary. Sandy Cage, the President of the Board of Directors for the CCA, says they are still the best-kept secret in Fayetteville.

They are a community group that welcomes anyone to join. They don’t do formal auditions, rather they do voice placements. They hold several performances in a non-COVID year.

One of their annual traditions is to perform the Messiah, a classical work by George Frideric Handel that is best known for its “Hallelujah” chorus. The CCA will be partnering up with the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra for the second performance in a row to present the piece to the community, just in time for Christmas.

“I think there are people in the community who look forward to this every year,” Cage said. “There are some who say that it's not Christmas yet until they come and hear the Messiah.”

The annual tradition started at Fort Bragg but grew and is now performed for the majority of the Fayetteville community.

While COVID-19 did shut down CCA performances for close to two years, some positives did come out of it.

The CCA continued to post virtual performances on their social media pages and one of their videos went viral.

“We are extremely excited because last year when we couldn't do our normal concerts, we ended up doing virtual pieces, and our artistic director, Michael Martin, worked to put those together and one of them was noticed online and we received an invitation to sing at Carnegie Hall in May,” Cage told Up & Coming Weekly.

Cage explained that the composer of the piece is having a musical festival at Carnegie Hall, and because the composer noticed their cover of the piece online, the CCA has been invited to participate. There will be 32 performers going to New York to participate in May.

"We never dreamed anything like that could ever happen, so that invitation was quite a shock but a wonderful one. We are really looking forward to it,” Cage said.

The future of the CCA is looking bright as more people attend and join the choral group.

“We are looking forward to growth in our group, more people singing, more people attending our concerts and possibly sponsoring our own music festival,” Cage said.

She also tells Up & Coming Weekly that there are plans to possibly hold a European tour in the next couple of years.

The upcoming concert, Messiah, is free to attend and no reservations are required. However, they are asking audience members to wear masks during the event.

The concert will feature four soloists, one being a local school teacher - Leigh Montague.

Montague is a Fayetteville native and attended Pine Forest High School. She graduated in 2008 and attended UNC Pembroke. She currently teaches at Cumberland County Schools and has done so for the past nine years.

The community concert will take place at Cedar Falls Baptist Church. Doors will open at 2 p.m. and the concert will start at 3 p.m. on Dec. 5.

Cumberland County Commission Chairman Charles Evans has set his sights on higher public office. He says he will run for the U.S. House of Representatives in North Carolina’s revised 4th District. The 4th Congressional District is newly drawn with no incumbent. The district includes all of Cumberland, Sampson, Johnston Counties, most of Harnett County and a small fragment of Wayne County.

“This district is home to Fort Bragg and the county that's home to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base,” Evans noted. “As a veteran, I understand what military families and personnel need and will be their number one ally in Congress."

Evans has served on the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners for the past 11 years and previously served on the Fayetteville City Council from 2005-2009. He is affiliated with the Democratic party.

Sen. Ben Clark and Rep. John Szoka have also announced that they will be running for the seat. Szoka will be running against former Fayetteville mayor Nat Robertson and former police officer Christine Villaverde for the Republican primary. Clark and Evans will run against each for the Democratic primary.