Dr. Sheri Michel, a professor in the Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program at Methodist University, has received the Meritorious Civilian Service Medal, one of the U.S. Army’s highest civilian honors.

As our times often dictate, Michel was honored by the Army in a virtual ceremony with her physical honors (medal and proclamation) coming later.

“Without a doubt, it truly is an honor,” said Michel, who is now a part of MU’s ground-breaking program, the first entry-level OTD program in the state of North Carolina. “It is quite humbling and exciting to know that others saw my accomplishments as distinguished enough to warrant an award of this caliber.”

Prior to joining MU’s OTD program in August 2020, Michel worked as the Chief of Rehabilitation Services of the Soldier Recovery Unit (formerly Warrior Transition Battalion) at Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas. Her work with the Army dates back to 2008.

During the ceremony, former colleagues discussed Michel’s accomplishments, which include managing a team of more than 20 personnel, both military and civilian, and completing deployments to the Republics of Georgia and the Ukraine. She was nominated for the award by Lt. Col. Edward Bridges, M.D., who served alongside her as a battalion surgeon.

“I consider her to be a pioneer in the area of developing rehabilitative care and comprehensive recovery for soldiers who have experienced trauma, as well as soldiers who have just gone through difficult times over the history of their career,” Bridges said.

After returning from her deployments, Michel was ready to step aside to allow another professional to grow and mature as a leader in the newly reformed Soldier Recovery Unit.

“I was intrigued by the fact the OTD program at Methodist was new and developing and I was drawn to the challenge of being on the forefront of change,” said Michel.

For Dr. Meredith Gronski, director of the OTD program at Methodist, Michel’s unique background is a strong point. Professors with extensive backgrounds in unique settings have a special knowledge and expertise to offer future occupational therapists.

“We were immediately impressed with Dr. Michel’s prestigious career with the U.S. Army that highlighted her skills as a leader and trailblazer,” said Gronski. “Her successful development of rehabilitation programs and staff reflects exactly what we have done here at the MU OTD program as the first entry-level OTD program in the state.”

Michel hopes to simply “be a good professor” who instills her love of occupational therapy within her students. She looks forward to challenging future leaders of occupational therapy in hopes of advancing the practice beyond its traditional settings. These hopes are common amongst the faculty in the OTD program. According to Gronski, applicants and students quickly develop strong connections to the program’s faculty.

“A genuine care for students is a disposition that you cannot teach, and we have successfully built a team that embodies this as an essential value,” she said. “We knew Dr. Michel would be a good fit on our team to fulfill our mission to develop exceptional practitioners who will advance the profession through innovative, authentic practice.”

Pictured: Dr. Sheri Michel, a professor in the Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program at Methodist University, on the MU campus showing her Meritorious Civilian Service Medal.

A two-year College Readiness Program from the National Math and Science Initiative is launching at Terry Sanford High School, a military-connected school near Fort Bragg. The U.S. Department of Defense funds the program.

After one year in NMSI's CRP, students at military-impacted schools average a 45% increase in mastery of college-level concepts in math and science — compared to the national average increase of 5.6%. That increase is 81.5% for Black students, 34% for Latinos and 38.4% for females.

Students with family members serving in the military move an average of six to nine times while they're in elementary and secondary school. NMSI's CRP leverages the College Board's proven Advanced Placement framework, preserving local control and creating consistent learning across all schools. That means students are on pace from their first day in a new school — making all those moves a little easier.

More than 13,000 students enrolled in the Cumberland County School system are military/federally-connected. As one of the founding members of the Military Compact and Military Child Educational Coalition, the district has built a support system for the military child.

“At Cumberland County Schools, we are proud to serve the third largest concentration of military-connected students in the world,” said CCS Superintendent Dr. Marvin Connelly, Jr. “We remain committed to providing all students with high-quality resources and crucial support to help them be successful. The partnership with NMSI will encourage STEM learning and help our students prepare for college and life.”

The DOD STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) program seeks to attract, inspire and develop exceptional STEM talent across the education continuum and advance the current DoD STEM workforce to meet future defense technological challenges.

"Cutting-edge educational opportunities for our DoD students is a combat-multiplier for Fort Bragg," said Col. Scott Pence, Fort Bragg Garrison Commander. "Programs that enrich education for military families support the CSA's Army People Strategy. When we take care of our families, we will have a stronger and more committed Army. We appreciate our local school districts, NMSI and DoD STEM for providing this educational initiative to our military families."

As a nonprofit whose mission is to advance STEM education so all students, especially those furthest from opportunity, can reach their highest potential, NMSI has served more than 250 U.S. schools that have significant enrollment among military-connected students. Based in Dallas, NMSI has a presence in 40 states, serving more than 1,300 high schools to improve student access and achievement through teacher training, collaboration with campus leaders and student-focused resources. Schools that participate in the nonprofit’s CRP see rapid and dramatic increases in the number of students taking AP exams and earning qualified scores

NMSI is a member of the Defense STEM Education Consortium, which is committed to helping improve access for all students to pursue STEM careers and to consider Defense laboratories as places of employment.

Pictured left to right: Howard Lattimore, CCS Military Family & Youth Liaison; Gerhard Guevarra, Fort Bragg School Liaison Officer; Dr. Shevelle Godwin, Fort Bragg School Liaison Officer; Tom Hatch, Principal of Terry Sanford High School

Flu vaccines are available at the Immunization Clinic in the Health Department office building at 1235 Ramsey St.

To protect the health and safety of staff and clients, the vaccines are available by appointment only at 910-321-7116. Upon arrival at the clinic, participants will complete a short registration form and if insured the insurance company will be billed. Participants will not be billed for flu vaccinations.

Children 18 and younger can also receive free flu vaccines. Persons accompanying children must provide proof of custody.

The Health Department is also partnering with community agencies to provide free flu vaccination clinics throughout Cumberland County.

The public can choose between drive-thru or in-person flu vaccine services. No appointments are required for community flu clinics.

For the second time in as many weeks, Cumberland County Schools has another Sandhills Regional winner.

The district’s 2021 Principal of the Year, Suzanne Owen, has been named the Wells Fargo 2021 Sandhills Regional Principal of the Year.

The Cliffdale Elementary School leader will move forward to compete against seven other regional finalists from across North Carolina.

The next round of competition will be held on March 12 at the Umstead Hotel in Cary. The 2021 Wells Fargo North Carolina Principal of the Year will be announced on May 21 in a special ceremony.

Pictured: Suzanne Owen

To protect staff and patients from risk of COVID-19, all Cape Fear Valley Health System locations, including hospitals and outpatient clinics, are closed completely to visitors until further notice with a few exceptions.

Labor & Delivery: Laboring mothers may have one support person/coach for the duration of their stay.

Pediatric patients: A legal minor may have one parent or guardian with him/her.

Patients who need healthcare decision makers or require communication assistance may have one assistance person
with them.

End-of-life patients may have one one-hour visit with up to four people.

Visitors with symptoms of a fever or respiratory illness including cough or shortness of breath, should remain home. Hospitals will screen visitors for signs and symptoms of illness.

Earlier this year when peaceful protests turned violent I recognized that there were questions affecting North Carolina that I didn’t know the answers to. Those deeply disturbing events that tore apart communities made it clear that our state needed answers.

Are chokeholds applied by law enforcement officers legal or illegal in North Carolina? Is there a duty for law enforcement officers to intervene when observing potential official misconduct? And the list went on.

I went to Speaker Moore and suggested he convene a House Select Committee to investigate these and other issues. He agreed and the House Select Committee on Community Relations, Law Enforcement and Justice was formed and I was appointed a Chairman.

This committee was unique in that it not only had legislative members but also reached into the community to ask non-legislators to be voting members of the committee.

Committee members ranged on both sides of the political spectrum and included governmental and special interest groups as well.

We began committee work in early September with the goal of creating a forum where lawmakers could listen to diverse voices across the state, seek understanding, and work toward making meaningful recommendations for transformative change.

During the committee process members heard from various stakeholders across North Carolina, solicited recommendations from committee members and the public, explored potential changes and eventually adopted the committee’s final recommendations.

I am proud to announce that on Dec. 14 the committee ended its work and in a historic, bi-partisan vote unanimously adopted the recommendations.

It was an honor to lead this committee and I am thankful for the hard work of the members that allowed us to recommend targeted, meaningful reforms in such a short time.

The final committee report includes thirteen recommendations for action-oriented policy solutions that reflect broad community and stakeholder agreement. Those recommendations are:
• Creating additional statewide law enforcement training requirements that include requiring crisis intervention training and implicit bias training; as well as providing additional resources to officers and agencies to complete the new requirement training.
• Requiring mandatory reporting requirements for law enforcement agencies for disciplinary actions, resignations, terminations and de-certifications.
• Creating whistle-blower protections for officers that report misconduct.
• Providing law enforcement with additional resources when encountering mental health issues in the field.
• Providing law enforcement with additional resources to receive mental health treatment.
• Reclassification of some lower level criminal offenses.
• Directing the Administrative Office of the Courts to examine whether each judicial district would benefit from the availability of specialty courts such as drug treatment or Veterans Courts.
• Banning the use of chokeholds.
• Requiring psychological evaluations for all public safety officers.
• Requiring law enforcement to report use of force incidents.
• Mandating the duty to intervene and the duty to report officer misconduct.
• Creating and funding a pilot program for high school student law enforcement career exploration.
• Creating a system to allow individuals to receive additional notification of court dates, to avoid additional Failure to Appear charges.

These committee recommendations will provide guidance for potential legislative action by future sessions of the North Carolina General Assembly. A full committee report can be found on the committee website at www.ncleg.gov/Committees/CommitteeInfo/HouseSelect/200

This committee report is just the beginning; I look forward to working during the upcoming session with fellow legislators to advance these policy recommendations into meaningful legislation.

Well, it’s a medical miracle, and I couldn’t think of a grander Christmas gift to all Americans. Regardless of your political affiliation or sentiments, President Trump and his administration made good on the promise to produce a COVID-19 vaccine in less than a year. Operation Warp Speed made good on that promise when the first shipments of over 2 million doses of Pfizer vaccine were produced and shipped in only nine months. An impressive feat considering the normal R&D development process usually takes 5 to 8 years. Millions of doses of the Moderna vaccine are expected to be shipped soon.

Without incident, thousands of front-line medical workers have already received the first of two vaccinations needed to fend off this deadly disease. The second vaccination will follow in about two weeks.

The vaccine arrived in Fayetteville the morning of Dec. 15 to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center and to Womack Army Medical Center on Fort Bragg. Both hospitals began vaccinating front line health care workers at 1 p.m.

As of this writing, it is predicted that over 20 million vaccinations will be administered across the country by the end of January. This is excellent news and a feat that could only have been accomplished in America. This is a proud moment for our nation and should be celebrated. Not politicized.

There is more good news on the horizon. The CDC announced last week that approval was given for an over-the-counter COVID-19 screening test that will allow individuals to check for the disease by evaluating their symptoms. The results are ready in 20 minutes. The cost? $30.

Getting vaccinated is only one stage in getting this epidemic under control. We still need to use common sense: wash our hands, practice social distancing, etc.

More importantly, we need to make sure we keep our attitudes right by maintaining a positive outlook and focusing on the well-being of our mental health. After all, this is the holiday season, and emotions will be running high mixed with a little anxiety from being separated from friends and family. Usually, this is a joyful time when family and friends get together to celebrate the birth of Christ, congregate to eat, drink and be merry while sharing family traditions. Perhaps, not so much this year as everyone becomes COVID cautious and rightfully so. Almost everyone I come in contact with has either had COVID, know someone with COVID, or know someone who has passed away from the disease. Social responsibility here takes on a whole new meaning. In other words, when it comes to protecting your friends and family from the spread of the COVID-19 disease, consideration of those around you should be your first and foremost consideration.

We care about our readers and the businesses and organizations in our community. Yes, this is a crazy time, and 2020 will be a year for the record books. However, we will get through this. The development of America’s new COVID-19 vaccine has again proven the truth in the adage by philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche: “That which does not kill us makes us stronger.” I believe this, and so should you. Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

Pictured above: Spc. Adam G. Millett, a combat medic assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division, administers the first COVID-19 vaccine on Fort Bragg to Womack Army Medical Center emergency room nurse Roni Paul on Dec. 15. (Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Mary Katzenberger, 18th Airborne Corps)

Sgt. 1st Class Justin and Tawni Dixon were named the 2020 Family of the Year for Fort Bragg in a ceremony at the Main Post Chapel Dec. 2.

The award was presented by Lt. Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla, Commanding General of the 18th Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg. Following the ceremony, Kurilla and the Dixon family officially kicked off the holiday season by flipping the switch to light up the 20-foot Fraser fir Christmas tree at the Main Post Parade Field.

The Family of the Year award recognizes the contributions and sacrifices made by military families. The award is in its 18th year.

“Tawni and Sgt. 1st Class Dixon’s work with our families and single soldiers during the no-notice deployment in January and throughout the COVID pandemic has been so crucial during a very stressful period,” Kurilla said. “This kind of personal engagement is going to pay enormous dividends for our families in the coming months.”

Sgt. 1st Class Dixon and his wife were nominated by their unit’s chain of command along with 28 other families across Fort Bragg.

“Both Sgt. 1st Class Dixon and his wife, Tawni, have been instrumental in the success of 3-319 AFAR over the past two years,” said Lt. Col. Benjamin Shepherd, 3rd Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment commander.

Sgt. 1st Class Dixon served as the battalion’s digital master gunner and operations sergeant while Tawni served as the Soldier and Family Readiness Group leader for Headquarters Battery during the no-notice deployment on New Year’s Eve, supporting over 270 paratroopers and their families.

“I am incredibly thankful for the sacrifices their family has made, and I’m proud to see them receive this honor,” Shepherd said.

Sgt. 1st Class Dixon was recognized for volunteering over 350 hours in the development of a program for wounded warriors. Dixon leads fishing expeditions for veterans with injuries and PTSD. Dixon makes contact with the veterans, takes them to the lake to go fishing. Many veterans will exchange stories and share their experiences which often proves therapeutic for them, Dixon said.

“I volunteer my time and take them out on the water and it’s a stress relief thing for many,” Dixon said.

Veterans interested in learning more can contact the main organization ‘Operation North Star’ on Facebook. There are also a couple of other groups — ‘Airborne Fishing Vets’ and ‘Fishing Buddies for Veterans.’

The project started a year and half ago when Dixon participated in Warriors on the Water, a fishing tournament held twice a year, with active duty and veterans.

“I thought this is really great and I saw the positive impact it had on the vets that participated and thought why don't we just do it all year round instead of twice a year, I have the means to do it and we’ve been blessed so I kind of wanted to give back,” he said. “There’s no reason not to do it if I'm available.”

Dixon has received a donation of fishing supplies so that the veterans he takes out don't have to worry about purchasing bait or fishing poles.

Tawni Dixon was recognized for her role as the SFRG leader, maintaining dialogue between the battalion and the SFRG advisors, and in preparation for the battalion's return, she helped build care packages for redeploying single paratroopers.

In this effort, the battalion FRG collected over $7,000 in sundry items, linens, hygiene items and snacks to ensure their returning soldiers residing in the barracks came home to a care package.

Her most recent participation was a canned food drive with three battalions and one local apartment complex that resulted in the collection of 1,683 canned goods that were donated to the Armed Services YMCA — a resource on Fort Bragg.

“All of our Fort Bragg families are special, but this one was chosen based on their command nomination for not only the leadership and resilience they demonstrate in their day-to-day lives, but also their commitment to family,” said Catherine Mansfield, Family of the Year coordinator with Army Community Service. “It’s a great honor to be named the Fort Bragg Family of the Year, and we are thrilled to have the Dixons as this year’s winner. They represent the true spirit of our military families.”

The FOY award started in 2003 as the culmination of Military Family Month, a designation made by the President in 1996 to recognize the commitment, dedication and sacrifices made by military families.
Mansfield emphasized the importance of this annual event and said having worked in Family Programs for the Army for 30-plus years, she has seen first-hand the sacrifices military families make and how they exhibit undeniable strength and resilience, and this event recognizes that.

Dixon said receiving the award was incredibly shocking and humbling for him because of how many other worthy families are on Fort Bragg who volunteer and give back as well.

“Just to even be nominated and to win in general and we certainly didn't do this all by ourselves, it’s an incredible team effort,” the Dixons said. “We just kind of feel humble to be recognized and we represent all of the families together in receiving this award.”

Pictured above: Sgt. 1st Class Justin and Tawni Dixon were named Fort Bragg's Family of the Year. The Dixon's were recognized by the 18th Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg Commanding General Lt. Gen. Michael Kurilla in a ceremony Dec. 2. (Top photo by Audra Satterlee, Army Community Services.  Bottom photo courtesy Dixon family.)

Three Cumberland County Commissioners took the oath of office Dec. 7 during a special Board of Commissioners meeting.

Commissioners Michael Boose and Jimmy Keefe were sworn in after being re-elected, and Toni Stewart took the oath of office for the first time. Boose, Keefe and Stewart represent District 2.

The new board then elected Charles Evans to serve as chairman for the year. Glenn Adams was re-elected as the board’s vice chairman.

Boose is a Fayetteville attorney who was first elected to the Board of Commissioners in 2016 and served on the Board of Education for 18 years, where he was elected the board chair for four terms. Boose has practiced law for more than 35 years.

Keefe is a business owner and military veteran who was first elected to the Board of Commissioners in 2008. He served as chairman in 2013 after serving as vice chairman in 2012. Keefe was also elected to two terms on the Fayetteville City Council from 2001-2005.

Stewart, who earned her doctorate in Biblical Counseling from Family Bible College of Fayetteville, serves as the Special Project Manager at True Vine Ministries. She formerly served as the Executive Director of the Hope Center women’s shelter.

Evans was elected in 2010 and re-elected in 2014 and 2018 as an at-large representative. He was the board’s vice chair in 2017 and served two terms on the Fayetteville City Council from 2005-2009. He is a disabled veteran and executive director of Life is Worth Living-Project Fresh Start.

Adams is an attorney elected from District 1 in 2014. This will be his third term as the vice chairman. He was the chairman in 2017. He is an attorney and serves as the Chairman of Action Pathways Incorporated and the Cumberland County Juvenile Crime Prevention Council.

During his remarks, Evans outlined his priorities for the year. He said he wants to establish a plan to identify and assist the homeless in our community “with a one-stop center designed to help members of our homeless community locate and access resources throughout Cumberland County.”

Other priorities include:
•supporting clean and healthy water in the Gray’s Creek area, as well as throughout Cumberland County
•encouraging the development and construction of a Performing Arts Center
•completing a new 911 and Emergency Operations Center and a state-of-the-art Fire and Rescue training center in partnership with Fayetteville Technical Community College
•enhancing communication and transparency by re-establishing the facilities, finance and policy committees and live streaming those meetings
•working with the nine municipalities and the legislative delegation “to ensure our collective voices are heard and that they impact the decisions that impact our lives.”

During the meeting, Adams presented outgoing Commissioner Marshall Faircloth with a plaque and thanked him for his years of service as a commissioner. Faircloth thanked the commissioners and county staff for their work in serving our citizens.

Commissioners Jeannette Council and Larry Lancaster complete the seven-member board.

The board is scheduled to hold its next regular meeting Dec. 21 at 6:45 p.m.

Pictured above: Charles Evans, Chairman of the Cumberland County Commission.

Pictured below left to right, Row 1: Glenn Adams, Michael C. Boose. Row 2: Jeanette M. Council, Jimmy Keefe. Row 3: Larry L. Lancaster, Dr. Toni Stewart.

For the second consecutive year, Alicia Chisolm will serve as the chair of the Cumberland County Board of Education and Greg West will serve as the vice-chair. The Board approved leadership roles for 2021 during its regular monthly meeting Dec. 8. 

“I am humbled by the opportunity to continue serving in this capacity,” said Chisolm. “This unprecedented year has brought many challenges, but we have worked together — as a Board, school system and community — to support the needs of the whole child. Despite the challenges, we will continue providing our students with a safe, positive and rigorous learning environment to help them reach their maximum potential.”

At the beginning of the meeting, Deanna Jones and Nathan Warfel were sworn in after winning their seats during the Nov. 3 general election.

Jones, an Army veteran, served for 27 years. She is an active participant on various local and state education committees.

Warfel, who received his entire K-12 education in CCS, is a South View High School graduate. He holds a law degree from the Charlotte School of Law and works in the Cumberland County Public Defender’s Office.

Board members Alicia Chisolm, Carrie Sutton, Donna Vann and Susan Williams, were re-elected to serve another term on the Board during the Nov. 3 general election.

Charles McKellar and Judy Musgrave will continue to serve as at-large members of the Board.

Pictured above: Alicia Chisolm, Cumberland County Board of Education Chairperson

Pictured Below left to right, Row 1:Greg West, Deanna Jones.  Row 2: Nathan Warfel, Carrie Sutton.  Row 3: Donna Vann, Susan Williams. Row 4: Charles McKellar, Judy Musgrave.

Despite the current spike in COVID-19 infections and deaths, there is good news on the not-so-distant horizon. Three effective vaccines are in the pipeline. Some North Carolinians — those battling coronavirus on the frontlines as well as those put at greatest risk by infection — will being vaccinated in the coming weeks.

When vaccines become more widely available, will you be among those who get the shots? A large share of the general public won’t say yes, at least not yet.

According to a late-November survey by the Pew Research Center, 29% of Americans said they would “definitely” get vaccinated if the vaccine were immediately available. Another 31% said they “probably” would. That’s a majority, yes. But with 39% saying they would definitely or probably reject it, there are grounds to wonder whether enough people will get vaccinated to establish the herd immunity required to get us past the pandemic stage.

These are countrywide findings, admittedly. But North Carolinians appear to be, if anything, even more skeptical than the average American. In an October study by Elon University’s survey team, only 37% of registered voters in our state said they would accept a COVID-19 vaccine, with 36% saying they wouldn’t accept it and the rest unsure.

I think it is possible these poll respondent aren’t being entirely honest — or, to put it another way, that they aren’t accurately predicting how they will feel when the opportunity for vaccination actually arrives.

Some Democratic-leaning North Carolinians who are suspicious of the Trump administration’s Operation Warp Speed project to speed the approval and distribution of vaccines may be more willing to get their shots when a different president is in the White House. And some Republicans who tended to downplay their risk of contracting COVID-19 during election season may alter their perceptions of the risk for the same reason, because the political climate has changed.

Moreover, as December turns into January, and winter into spring, those worried that vaccine development was unsafely rushed during 2020 may get more comfortable with the final product. Millions will already vaccinated by then, likely with few or no side-effects. That will be reassuring.

Still, if we want some semblance of normalcy to return to our economy, our communities, our households, and our personal freedoms, we cannot afford merely to assume that vaccination rates will be high. To the extent some of our fellow citizens maintain a deep suspicion of medical providers and drug manufacturers, or continue to see the vaccination issue through partisan lenses, our leaders need a well-planned, sustained campaign to respond to their concerns.

That’s why three former presidents — Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama — have volunteered to get their shots in front of television cameras. That’s why Hollywood and Madison Avenue are getting involved. We need different messages for different audiences, addressing the different sources of public skepticism.

That skepticism isn’t limited to a single group. For example, the Pew survey revealed that 69% of Democratic-leaning voters said they would definitely or probably get vaccinated, vs. 50% of Republican-leaning voters. That’s a partisan gap, to be sure. But that still leaves lots of Democrats in the “no” camp.

Indeed, Pew also found that African-Americans, who overwhelmingly vote Democratic, are far less likely to say they’ll get vaccinated (42%) than are whites (61%), Hispanics (63%), and Asians (83%).

Widespread vaccination will be necessary to put this public-health crisis behind us. It’s the main way we’ll save the businesses, jobs, and community institutions threatened by the virus itself and by the cumbersome regulations governments have enacted to combat it while vaccines were being developed.

Even so, I believe neither that we should use force to get everyone their shots nor that such a recourse will be necessary. While the vaccination rate must be high, it need not be 100%. Some individuals have real health conditions or adverse immune-system responses that merit special consideration.

But for most other objections, I think persuasion will be a proper and effective response. Let’s begin.

More than 1,000 Fort Bragg paratroopers jumped from C-130 aircraft and helicopters for a good cause as part of the 82nd Airborne Divisions’ annual Presents from Paratroopers holiday toy drive.

About 600 of the soldiers were selected in a special raffle. To enter the raffle, each paratrooper donated a toy to the Travis Mills Foundation which serves as the program’s civilian partner.

About 1,500 toys were donated this year. The foundation distributes the toys to charities around the state including the North Carolina Children’s Home Society, the Armed Services YMCA, the Fort Bragg USO, the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office and the Fayetteville Urban Ministry.

This year’s jumpers had the opportunity to earn Chilean Army jump wings. Troops are authorized to wear the wings on their dress uniforms.

“It’s great to get your foreign wings, but [the toy drive] has a bigger purpose: giving back to the community and being able to bring the unit together,” said 1st Lt. Blake Wilson. “That’s what brings us all joy.”

He donated a new kids’ bike to secure his place in the jump.

Military women and female veterans are using the VA’s health care system for everything from mammograms and respiratory testing to prescription refills and urgent medical care. The VA says 50 percent of women see navigating VA benefits as their greatest challenge when transitioning to civilian life.

The Women’s Health Transition Training Program helps female service members and veterans learn about services the VA provides and how to enroll in VA health care.

The goal of the program is that participants leave the course feeling empowered to proactively manage their health care and to be comforted by their new support system at VA who can guide them through the military transition process and help them navigate personal health and wellness for the rest of their lives. It’s offered online twice per day, five days per week.

To register for a session visit VA Women’s Health Transition Training - Center for Women Veterans (CWV).

“This training provides a leg up to the new wave of women veterans by giving them the information they need about VA health care,” said one of the veterans who asked not to be identified. VA training sessions for women are conducted by military spouses and female health professionals.

Cumberland County Schools’ 2021 Teacher of the Year has been voted the Regional Teacher of the Year. Nicole Rivers learned that she had been named the 2021 Sandhills Regional Teacher of the Year while attending a routine meeting. She teaches ninth and tenth grade English at Gray's Creek High School.

"I'm just overwhelmed. I thought I would have found out with just a simple phone call,” she said. “They got me good with the announcement during the Zoom meeting." Rivers will compete against eight other regional winners for the state title. Interviews are scheduled for Feb. 19 in Cary.

The N.C. Teacher of the Year program is sponsored by Burroughs Wellcome.

The Army has concluded that Spc. Enrique Roman-Martinez’s death was a homicide, but the cause of death remains undetermined because only his head was available for examination, according to the Division of Forensic Pathology at East Carolina University’s Brody School of Medicine.

The soldier had been decapitated and dismembered, officials said. “A positive identification was made using the soldier’s dental records,” the report stated. Martinez, 21, was a member of the 82nd Airborne Division. His remains were washed ashore on Shackleford Banks Inlet of the Cape Lookout National Seashore.

A $25,000 reward has been offered for tips leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for his death, the Army said. The Army Criminal Investigation Command continues to probe the case.

The Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County announced the expansion of the Artists In Schools initiative with the assistance of a grant from the North Carolina Glaxo SmithKline Foundation.

The Arts Council received $25,000 through the Ribbon of Hope Grant Program to expand access to AIS for Title One schools in Cumberland County.AIS is a program explicitly developed to prepare students for the challenges they face in the next decade by including an interactive arts education experience.

Artists in Schools goes beyond painting, singing and dancing. AIS provides schools with highly trained professional artists who work with teachers and students in core subject matter areas through the arts.

Artists In Schools has operated in partnership with Cumberland County Schools for over two decades. Since 2005, AIS serves approximately 20,000 students in grades K to 12 each year in Cumberland County and over 300,000 in total.

“The Ribbon of Hope directly aligns with our goal for the AIS Program: expansion of a successful arts and culture initiative to meet the needs of our youth in Cumberland County,” said Bob C. Pinson, interim president and CEO of the Arts Council.

 The Cumberland County Department of Social Services is accepting applications for the North Carolina Low Income Energy Assistance Program to help qualified families with their heating costs. The federally funded program provides a one-time vendor payment to help eligible households pay their heating bills.

Households including a person age 60 or older or disabled persons receiving services through the N.C. Division of Aging and Adult Services are eligible to sign up for assistance until Dec. 31. Disabled persons are defined as receiving Supplemental Security Income, Social Security Administration or Veterans Administration disability.

All other households may apply from Jan. 4 through March 31 or until funds are exhausted.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services announced Nov. 30 that it will issue assistance to 2019-2020 LIEAP recipients. These benefits will be paid directly to their energy vendor. The traditional application process will be eliminated for elderly and disabled individuals who normally are required to apply for LIEAP funds.

Eligible households may qualify to receive the LIEAP payments for the 2020-2021 season if a member of the household:
•is age 60 or older or a person with a disability receiving DAAS services, and
•is currently receiving Food and Nutrition services, and
•received LIEAP during the 2019-2020 season.

To be eligible for the LIEAP program, a household must:
•Have at least one U.S. citizen or non-citizen who meets the eligibility criteria
•Have income equal to or less than 130% of the federal poverty limit
•Have resources, such as saving and checking accounts and cash on hand, at or below $2,250
•Be responsible for their heating cost

The following verifications must be provided to determine eligibility:
•Identification for the applicant
•Social Security numbers for all household members
•Copy of the heating bill
•Proof of gross income received in the prior month
•Proof of childcare expenses and legal support obligations paid in prior month

Since the Cumberland County DSS building remains closed to the public, applications can be accessed at www.ccdssnc.com/energy-assistance-programs/ and may be returned by:
•fax to 910-677-2885
•email to energyprogram@ccdssnc.com
•mail to P.O. Box 2429, Fayetteville, NC 28302
•drop off at CCDSS drop boxes at 1225 Ramsey St. in Fayetteville

Households that include a Native American who is 18 years of age or older who wish to apply for LIEAP benefits, must do so through the Lumbee Tribe at www.lumbeetribe.com/services.

For more information, contact the DSS LIEAP message line at 910-677-2821 or the Cumberland County Department of Social Services at 910-323-1540.

What is an A1c anyway? Besides being something that your doctor checks at most office visits, A1c is literally the amount of glucose attached to the red blood cells in your body. The more glucose in your blood, the more red blood cells have glucose attached to them. The A1c value is the percentage of red blood cells in your body that have glucose attached to them.

What does that information tell us? A lot of things. First, it gives us an idea of what your average blood sugar has been over the last few months. People without diabetes often have an average blood sugar less than 100. People who are at increased risk of diabetes, or have prediabetes, have an A1c value of 5.7 to 6.4. This means people with prediabetes have an average blood sugar of 126 to 140. People who have diabetes have an A1c value of 6.5 or higher. This means people who have diabetes often have a blood sugar greater than 140. The higher your A1c, the higher your average blood sugar. If your A1c is 9.0, your average blood sugar is 212. If your A1c is 10, your average blood sugar is 240. Having an A1c of 9.0 or higher means that on average, your blood sugar is almost twice as high as people who don’t have diabetes.

Why does it matter? Over time, diabetes causes a lot of problems in your body. The longer your blood sugar is above what is considered normal, the higher your risk of developing permanent, irreversible damage from diabetes. Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to skin infections, blindness, glaucoma, cataracts, nerve damage and loss of sensation in the feet, as well as kidney damage which may lead to dialysis. When uncontrolled diabetes is present with high blood pressure and high cholesterol, the risk of heart attack and stroke also increases. All of these problems can be avoided with keeping blood sugar as close to normal as possible.

How else does A1c help us? For one thing, it helps us determine if the treatment we put you on is working. Every time a medication is added, we should expect to see some level of improvement in the A1c. If we are trying lots of different medications and your A1c isn’t changing, it could be the medications. Testing the A1c helps us determine if your treatment plan is right for you. It also helps us determine if your blood sugar meter is correct. If you are checking your blood sugar at home and getting lots of low numbers or lots of normal numbers but your A1c is very high, it may be time to purchase a new meter.

What should my A1c be? Your target is your own. You are unique and your goal A1c is as unique as you are. Work with your doctor to understand your health and develop a goal A1c that is safe
for you.

Kelsey Simmons, D.O., is a family medicine physician who completed a fellowship in diabetes at Duke/Southern Regional AHEC in Fayetteville. She provides care at Southeastern Health’s Southeastern Medical Clinic Gray’s Creek.

Fort Bragg invited community members to assist the Engineering Division of the Directorate of Public Works in planting the next generation of Tulip Poplar trees at the Bastogne Gables Park on post Dec. 9 to kick off a series of monthly events leading up to Arbor Day in April 2021.

“Planting trees is a generational opportunity,” said Brian Vesely, registered architect with the DPW and Arbor Board chair. “It is an investment that will continue to make Fort Bragg a better place to live and work.”

In an initiative to be great stewards of the environment, 40 Tulip Poplar trees were planted. Tulip Poplars are large, upright and fast-growing trees with big flowers similar to a magnolia, producing yellow leaves in the fall.

At the event, DPW senior wildlife biologist Erich Hoffman demonstrated to the volunteers how to properly plant a tree.

“When you take the tree out of the pot, you see the roots are pressed against the soil, break the roots up to stabilize root growth because much moisture on the tree can cause some damage, it’s a little bit of a process,” Hoffman said. Mixing the amendment and the soil together helps to ensure there is extra room to grow. Always make sure when you look up the tree that it is straight, so it can grow properly, he said.

Hoffman instructed that adding mulch helps keep the moisture in the dry seasons and emphasized the importance of the first year of the tree’s survival.

“If you can get the tree to survive for the first year, it has a higher chance of survival afterwards,” Hoffman said.

Fort Bragg will host five other events, one each month, leading up to Arbor Day in April 2021. Each event offers the opportunity for volunteers to plant trees in designated areas throughout the installation, said Elvia Kelly, spokeswoman for Fort Bragg Garrison Public Affairs Office.

The other events will be similar to the kick-off, where volunteers will bring their own gloves, and DPW will provide the trees, shovels and other needed materials.

“The intent is to ensure Fort Bragg’s natural infrastructure, trees and vegetation are here for future generations to enjoy and is a highlight of the installation,” Kelly said.

The post will continue to manage and take care of its infrastructure and environment because it promotes readiness and a sense of community, she said.

Pictured: Volunteers help workers from Fort Bragg's Directorate of Public Works plant Tulip Poplar trees on post to kick off a six-month initiative leading up to Arbor Day 2021.

Taking us back in time, and yet reminding us very much of our current turbulent ones, “The Carols,” written by Jennifer Childs, transports its audience into a feel-good, nostalgic and wholesome family drama of Christmas and life.

“The Carols” directed by Robyne Parrish will run at the Gilbert Theater until Dec. 20, bringing a genuine good time filled with many laughs, great songs, a tear in your eye possibly, but also a reminder to enjoy the
present.

In the war and poverty-stricken setting of a 1940’s Veterans of Foreign War post where gloominess lingers, three sisters — Sylvia, Rose and Lily — shine bright with their optimistic natures.

Sylvia (played by Molly Hamelin) is determined to make a change in the world and is obsessed with Eleanor Roosevelt. Rose (played by Megan Martinez), dreams of marrying a general and Lily (played by Eden S. Kinsey) holds down the homestead with her charm.

The first half of the production focuses on the chaotic, hilarious challenges of putting on “A Christmas Carol.” This includes convincing the fascinating Miss Betty (played by Karen Morgan Williams), who runs the VFW, to have the production and find the right cast. Then enters Melvin Shaatz (played by Evan Bridenstine), the Jewish comedian who brings everyone a very Yiddish “Christmas Carol.”

The themes in the show touch on loss of those at war, the state of poverty in the present, and how everyone is looking forward to the future while enduring the present.

The actors put on a charming musical with wonderful jokes.

The second act brings an usual yet entertaining version of “A Christmas Carol” with Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim and the Ghosts of Christmas past, present and future with hilarious modifications. It brings a smile to everyone’s face.

The Yiddish punchlines, the 40’s slang, the “bah humbugs” is just what the audience needs — a two-hour escape from the times of COVID-19.

The talented actors do a great job in reminding everyone, while looking forward so much and focusing on the misfortunes of the past, that we should not forget to live in and enjoy the present, no matter how hard
things get.

For those who just need to get away for some light-hearted singing and comedy, "The Carols" is a must watch with its reminder to hold on to right now and cherish it.

The final weekend of the show is Dec. 18-20. For more information on the play and schedule, visit https://www.gilberttheater.com/season27/thecarols.php

The nomination of retired U.S. Army Gen. Lloyd Austin to become Secretary of Defense in the Biden Administration doesn’t surprise co-workers or politicians.

President-elect Joe Biden has known Austin at least since the general’s years leading U.S. and coalition troops in Iraq when Biden was vice president. Austin was deployed to command the Multi-National Corps-Iraq in 2008 while serving as commanding general of 18th Airborne Corps. As commander of MNC-I, he directed the operations of 152,000 coalition forces in all sectors of Iraq.

Austin’s service as a three-star general at Fort Bragg was not his only assignment at the local Army post. Soon after graduating from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, then-Captain Austin was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division where he commanded the Combat Support Company, 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 508th Infantry and also served as the Assistant S-3 (Operations) for the 82nd’s 1st Brigade Combat Team. Years later, in 1993, Austin returned to the 82nd to command the 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment and later served as G-3 for the Division. Following graduation from the U.S. Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, then-Colonel Austin returned again to Fort Bragg and took command of the 3rd Brigade, 82nd Airborne.

“I served under Gen. Austin when he was the commander of U.S. Forces-Iraq,” said retired Army Colonel Kevin Arata of Fayetteville. Arata said he did not work for Austin directly, but had “the opportunity to view his leadership style on many occasions. He always struck me as someone who exudes very positive leadership qualities.” Arata was Chief of Public Information in 2011, in Baghdad, Iraq.

If confirmed as Secretary of Defense by the Senate, Austin would be the first Black leader of the Pentagon. He also served in 2012 as the first Black vice chief of staff of the Army, the service’s number 2 ranking position.

As a career military officer who served 41 years in uniform, the 67-year-old Austin would need to obtain a congressional waiver to serve as defense secretary, exempting him from the legal requirement that a former member of the military be out of uniform at least seven years before serving as secretary of defense. The law was meant to preserve the civilian nature of the Department of Defense. There is some opposition in Congress who believe a clearer line should be drawn between the civilian and military leadership of the DoD.

Austin has a reputation for strong leadership, integrity and a sharp intellect. When he retired in 2016, President Obama praised his “character and competence” as well as his judgment and
leadership.

He would not be a prototypical defense secretary, not because of his 41-year military career but because he has always shied from the public eye. Officials in the know contend it would be an understatement to say he was a quiet general. Although he testified before Congress, he gave few interviews and preferred not to speak publicly about military operations.

Are you stressed out enough, Bunkie? Would you like some more tension in your life? Time to add a new layer of anxiety to your weary load. What are the perfect Christmas presents to magically cancel your loved ones’ 2020 stress? As a service to both my readers, here are some gift ideas that will turn 2020 into purple haze of happiness morphing this year into a triumph of comfort and joy.

Being a person of the oblivious male persuasion, I frequently encounter troubles finding the perfect gift for my wife, Lani. Other clueless husbands may have similar Christmas issues. Husbands, I feel your pain. I know you would rather watch a basketball game than go shopping, but that is not to be. You must buy the perfect gift. No pressure. Find something for her that will erase all of your shortcomings of the past year.

The first place to start looking for gift ideas is on the inside back cover of old Superman and Donald Duck comic books. There are more gift ideas there than a 19th Century Mormon would need for all his wives. I began collecting comic books back in the 1950s when they were only a dime. I had zillions of them. I ordered treasures from the back of the book: ant farms, toy soldiers and an Invisible Space Helmet. Really good stuff. A bit of background information about those ads to get us started. The Father of Comic Books ads was a dude named Harold von Braunhut. Harold was an inventor and better salesman than even Don Draper of “Madmen.” According to Mr. Google, Harold came up with 195 patents including the amazing Sea Monkeys, Invisible Goldfish, and X-Ray Specs which allegedly allowed adolescent boys to see under the clothing of ladies of the female race. (Author’s note: the X-Ray Specs did not work).

Enough history, you say: “What hath Harold wrought?” The ads on the back of the comic books were a wonderland of great gags, hilarious and disgusting products and phony teeth. Consider what you can buy from the inside cover: a 7-foot-long Polaris nuclear submarine which fires rockets and torpedoes for only $6.98. Learn to be a ventriloquist for only a quarter. See Behind Glasses with secret mirrors that let you see what was happening behind your back. Onion Gum that “looks like real gum but tastes like ONIONS!” (emphasis in original). A Joy Buzzer you wear like a ring “when you shake hands, it almost raises the victim off his feet with a shocking sensation.” (I had one of those) Trick black soap that “looks ordinary but the victim washes his face and gets blacker and blacker” for only 25 cents. A Secret Spy scope with “a wide field magnifier concealed in a pen sized pocket scope that lets you peek to your heart’s content. So handy for sporting events, counter-spying, and Girl Watching.” Only $2.98.

But wait! There are more items for your consideration: police handcuffs for $4.98. Fake bullet hole decals that are “strikingly effective on cars or windows. Looks like you’ve been shot at.” 49 cents. Fake vomit, providing loads of laughs. A squirrel monkey for only $13.50. A Geiger Counter for $24.95 — “This is no toy! It is a scientific instrument — yet a child can use it to find great wealth!” A tool that can remove ugly blackheads in seconds for only $1.00.

Need a gift for a 97-pound weakling? Give the gift from Charles Atlas who can make you a new man in only 15 minutes a day through his patented Dynamic Tension method. Remember the beach bully who yelled “Hey Skinny… Yer ribs are showing” at Joe the 97-pound weakling? His girlfriend tells him not to let the bully hit him. Unfortunately, the bully clobbers him, telling Joe: “Shut up, you Bag of Bones!” Embarrassed, Joe orders Charles Atlas’ system and works out. On Joe’s return to the beach, he socks the bully saying: “Here’s a love tap from the Bag of Bones.” Girlfriend dutifully impressed, takes Joe’s arm and says “Oh Joe, you are a real He-Man after all.” Two other girls on the beach say “What a man, and he used to be so skinny!” Turn your 97-pound weakling friend into a real He-Man.

Unfortunately, not all ads could be verified as truthful. The World of Hijinks page from Unsupervised Corp accompanying this column may have some fake items. Pet cigarettes featuring a cat smoking might be an exaggeration. A Door Mat Mine that explodes will make your friends fly. Pit Vipers “delivered direct to your favorite victim. What a hoot!” Eye Daggers with “spring loaded carbon steel knives shoot from your eyes.” Uranium Gum Looks like regular gum. But it will make their teeth glow in the dark.” A life-sized model guillotine for $3. A barrel of live monkeys —“Oh boy, that’s right, real monkeys! Don’t ask where we got ‘em. We have to move them fast. They already ate all our exploding sandwiches.” The famous Exploding Sandwich “Sit back and watch the fun. Your victim will go on a diet.”

Everyone on your Christmas list will be more than delighted to receive any of these fine items as a Yuletide treat. Sorry, no refunds. All sales are final. Merry Christmas!

Food plays a major role in our lives, especially during what we call “the holidays.”

We kick off the season with Thanksgiving turkey and all the “fixins,” whatever that means, at individual celebrations. Right now, we are in what I think of as the goodie phase of the holidays. Neighbors share divine treats — toffee, salted nuts, homemade holiday cookies with icing, even fruitcakes, and we love them all. Many of us have big Christmas dinners, maybe not the proverbial English goose and “figgie” pudding, but our own versions of feasting nonetheless. We top off the season with New Year’s bubbly and greens and black-eyed peas for good luck.

We also have huge problems with the systems that produce our food. Food production in the United States and in other parts of the world has become so industrialized that is endangering us and our environment. Food production of both crops and livestock is so mechanized that it bears little resemblance to the crops our forebears grew or the animals they tended.

What does industrial food production actually mean?

Since the mid-20th century, crops of all sorts have been increasingly grown with the use of machinery, irrigation and especially the widespread use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers. This growth takes place on huge fields of hundreds, sometimes thousands, of acres and often lacks crop diversity or crop rotation. This system is efficient and has been profitable for the large corporations which use it, but at a high cost to our environment. Agriculture accounts for as much as 90% of fresh water use in some parts of the nation, and farming the same crops in the same way year after year depletes the soil. In addition, it leaves behind chemicals and elements and, in truth, no one really knows the long-term impacts on our earth or on us. There are lakes and other bodies of water in our nation where swimming and other recreational activities are no longer allowed, dead zones where no plant or animal life exists because of agricultural chemicals.

Ditto for livestock — cattle, poultry, seafood — production, which is so industrialized that some animals’ feet never touch the earth. They go from “house” to “house” as they grow in size until the day they meet their maker and their body parts begin journeys to our neighborhood supermarkets, a practice known as confined animal feeding operations, or CAFO. These packed-in animals grow up on antibiotics, hormones and vitamins, whose effects on us or our environment are not always clear. Eastern North Carolina, including Cumberland and surrounding counties, have ongoing experience with this sort of livestock production and its consequences. No matter what we call them, “lagoons” of animal waste dotting the North Carolina landscape cannot be a state asset.

Industrial food production is efficient but unsustainable, with preserved food traveling sometimes cross-country and internationally before human beings consume it. We cannot continue this way without severe and long-lasting environmental damage and negative effects on the human beings in proximity to such operations. We do not really know the effects on those who consume these products, both plant and animal. Quantity may not be more important than quality.

To be sure, there is growing concern about industrialized food production, and increasing numbers of Americans are turning to more sustainably produced food, grown in more traditional and more humane conditions. Such food, however, is unavailable in some communities and when it is available, it is likely to be more expensive than industrially produced food.

Among the many challenges facing our nation and the world in coming decades is developing more sustainable and more humane food production and making it both available and affordable. Earl Butz, America’s Secretary of Agriculture in the 1970s, famously said to farmers “get big or get out,” and that has largely happened. It is time now to pay attention to a quote attributed to various 19th century Europeans, “we are what we eat.”

All I can say is that this American is trying to eat cleaner and closer to home this holiday season, goodies and all.

No doubt about it, the flow of relevant, truthful and honest news is being attacked on many fronts.

The business of media has experienced profound changes, and we find ourselves continually dealing with the way we gather the news, receive the news, and actually how we fund the news. Local media is under assault nationwide with chains absorbing community newspapers, and often decimating them.

The Fayetteville community lacks a strong, daily source of local news. We have a mediocre talk radio station, no local TV station, and a daily left-of-center daily newspaper that is a shadow of its former self. It's a sad situation for a community of 300,000-plus residents. No doubt, Fayetteville is on the verge of becoming North Carolina's next "news media desert." We cannot let this happen.

Here in Fayetteville, we have difficulty staying informed of important issues that go before the Fayetteville City Council, County Commissioners and the CC school board. Without dedicated news reporters no one is covering these meetings, asking pertinent questions and presenting the facts for analyses and discussion by the community.

Up & Coming Weekly, like other weekly newspapers across the country, has always been the local community's heart and conscience. We celebrate the community and promote people, businesses, organizations, music, the arts and culture. We showcase our community's uniqueness and provide a platform for views – both popular and unpopular. We reflect the values of our residents, businesses and organizations. When the occasion calls for it, we challenge decisions and actions made by community leaders. This is necessary to ensure transparency. Our citizens deserve no less than our best effort on these tasks.

Local community newspapers are different than dailies, many of which carry the same regional and national stories shared from content sources. The publishers of a daily in Raleigh simply are not interested in reporting on local details here that do not profoundly affect their city. That task is often left to local area community newspapers, like Up & Coming Weekly, and we’ve been doing that for 25 years.

You can get headlines anywhere. But, as more and more people rely on social media to keep up with their community, they realize they are missing the essence of what defines their community. This is why a community newspaper is so important. Locally, our citizens need a voice, and they need to know what is going on and taking place in the community. They need to know what their leaders are doing and what decisions are being made. Unlike the state, regional, national and international news, there is no substitute for locally-produced news and views. However, local coverage depends solely on local newsgathering. Local news is all about the community and what is happening in and about your neighborhoods.

At Up & Coming Weekly, we are committed to continuing to serve as a local news source. We endeavor to keep you informed of what is happening in our community and highlight people and organizations doing great things. We aim to hold our leaders accountable to you. We know Fayetteville and Cumberland County residents value Up & Coming Weekly and our efforts to provide news and information. We welcome your ideas and feedback. We hear you, and rest assured, our newspaper will be expanding to meet the demands of the community.

Thank you for a great 25 years. We look forward to continuing to serve as your community newspaper.

Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.