The Cumberland County Board of Elections is in urgent need of voters who are registered as unaffiliated or Republican to work at precincts during the Nov. 3 General Election and the early voting period in October.

The General Assembly has allocated additional funding to the State Board of Elections to increase election day worker pay by $100, and precinct officials’ unemployment benefits will not be affected by the compensation received for working the polls during the 2020 General Election.

The Board of Elections will follow state guidelines to protect the health and safety of election workers and voters.

Social distancing measures and routine cleanings will be put into place and precinct workers will be provided appropriate personal protective equipment. Duties include setting up and breaking down voting enclosures, checking in voters, issuing ballots and assisting voters upon request.

Interested individuals must be registered voters in Cumberland County and available to attend required training.

You may check your registration status at https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup/. To register to vote, go to https://www.ncsbe.gov/Voters/Registering-to-Vote.

Precinct workers are compensated for attending training and for working during early voting and on Election Day. Interested registered voters can complete the online application by going to electionready.net.
State Employees Can Get Paid Leave to Help During Elections

The N.C. Office of State Human Resources announced on Sept. 10 that State employees may use up to 24 hours of Community Service Leave (CSL) to serve in roles needed by their County Board of Elections during Early Voting (Oct. 15-31) and on Election Day (Nov. 3). For additional information about using CSL to volunteer as a poll worker, please review the FAQs posted to the Office of State Human Resources website or contact your Agency Human Resources Office.

Absentee Ballot Requests
Absentee ballot requests must arrive at the Board of Elections office by 5 p.m. on Oct. 27. On Sept. 4, the Board of Elections mailed more than 14,800 absentee ballots to voters who had requested them.

To obtain an absentee ballot you must complete an Absentee Ballot Request Form, which can be printed at www.ncsbe.gov. If you have any questions or are unable to print an application, please call the Board of Elections Office at 910-678-7733 to receive one in the mail.

The State Board of Elections announced on Sept. 11 that North Carolina voters who vote by mail can now track the status of their absentee ballot with a new online service called BallotTrax. The service is available through links on the State Board of Elections’ website, NCSBE.gov.

For more information, go to co.cumberland.nc.us/election-board. The Board of Elections is located at 227 Fountainhead Lane. The office is now open to the public. You may call 910-678-7733 or email boardofelections@co.cumberland.nc.us Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for assistance.

It’s that time of year again, where, if you work for a medium-to-large employer, you’ve got some decisions to make because it’s open enrollment time. Of course, depending on your situation, you may have been working remotely for a while, but, even so, you will likely have the opportunity to review your benefits package and make changes. And you’ll want to make the right moves because your choices can have a big financial impact on your life.

So, take a close look at these key areas of your benefits program:

Health insurance — Think about your health care needs over the coming year — will you or someone in your family be coping with a chronic illness or facing a surgery? Will you need to at least consider testing and possible treatment for COVID-19? In any case, make sure you’re choosing the right plan for your needs. And pay close attention to any changes in your health insurance, such as whether the plan’s provider networks have changed — you may want to make sure your own doctor is still in-network. Also, check to see if you can reduce your health care premiums by taking part in a wellness program or health-risk assessment.

Life insurance — Your employer may offer a group life insurance policy for free, or for a small amount. It’s probably worth your while to take this coverage, but it may not be enough for your needs. If you only had this group policy, but your family situation has recently changed through marriage or the addition of a new child, you may well need to add some private insurance.

Disability insurance — In addition to offering group life insurance, your employer may provide short-term disability insurance. Like group insurance, this disability coverage may not cost you anything, but it may not be adequate — typically, short-term disability only replaces part of your income for three to six months. And while you may never need to miss work for an extended period of time, you never can tell — after all, more than one in four 20-year-olds will become disabled before they retire, according to the U.S. Social Security Administration. You may want to consider purchasing your own long-term disability policy on top of the coverage offered by your employer.

Retirement plan — You can probably make changes to your 401(k) or similar employer-sponsored retirement plan at any time, but why not look at it now, when you’re reviewing all your benefits? If you can afford to increase your contributions, you probably should, because a 401(k), with its tax advantages and ease of contribution through paycheck deductions, is a great way to save for retirement. At a minimum, put in enough to earn your employer’s match. You’ll also want to review your 401(k)’s investment mix. Is it still providing you with significant growth potential within the context of your individual risk tolerance? You may need to make some adjustments, either because an investment is underperforming or because you’re getting close to retirement and you need to reduce your risk exposure. In any case, it’s a good idea to check up on your 401(k)’s investments at least once a year.

Your employee benefits are an important part of your overall financial picture — so do what you can to get the most from them.

Do you believe in Corn Dogs in a young tree’s heart? Apologies to the Lovin’ Spoonful. The world is full of wonders if you know where to look. Many wise men have said this better. Yogi Berra said: “You can observe a lot by just watching.” The 18th Century English poet William Blake wrote, “To see the world in a grain of sand/And a Heaven in a wild flower; Hold infinity in the palm of your hand/And Eternity in an hour." The baseball player Satchel Paige opined: “Don’t look back. Something might be gaining on you.” Today’s stain on world literature will ponder what you can see if you stop watching Netflix to pay attention to the wide world around us.

A friend of mine who shall remain nameless (John Bantsolas) sent me a picture of a Corn Dog in a tree. Someone had sent the picture to him. John’s friend did not know how the Corn Dog got into the tree but he realized it was something special. He immortalized it with his handy smart phone. And now you, Gentle Reader, will also get to marvel at the spectacle of a Corn Dog sitting in a tree.

The Corn Dog in the tree raises more questions than it reveals answers. How did the Corn Dog get there in the first place? Can Corn Dogs climb trees? Did someone put it there? If so, why didn’t he finish eating it? Had the Corn Dog escaped from a county fair and run away to the country to socially distance from other Corn Dogs who might have The Rona? How long will the Corn Dog remain in the tree? Do the semi-eaten remains of a Corn Dog prove there some things that even Turkey Vultures won’t eat? Will it be there until the end of time? Had the Corn Dog been placed there by Ozymandias, the King of Kings of the desert? Did Ozzie put the Corn Dog in the tree and recite the words of Percy Shelley’s poem chanting: “Look on my Works, (My magnificent Corn Dog), ye Mighty and despair!” Did Ozzie think the Corn Dog would be an eternal monument to his greatness? Who knows? But we shall try to puzzle out why the Corn Dog was in the tree and what it may mean to we poor inhabitants of the ugly year 2020.

First a bit of Corn Dog history to set the stage. The origin of the species of Corn Dogs is shrouded in the mists of time and conflicting folk tales. According to legend, Corn Dogs originated millennia ago in the lonely plains of the Dakotas, when a native warrior stuck a deer sausage on a cat tail to cook it over an open fire. The warrior fell asleep and dropped the cat tail/sausage into a puddle. Upon hitting the water, the cat tail/sausage spontaneously generated and became the first Corn Dog. A phenomenon like when a horse hair falls into a puddle and morphs into a snake. The Corn Dog rolled away from the warrior’s camp into the night. Fun Fact: Corn Dogs do not have legs; they can only move by either rolling on the ground or curling up and stretching out like a Slinky. Once safely away, the Corn Dog reproduced itself into the millions of Corn Dogs that you can still see growing in gently undulating fields along the High Plains and Bad Lands of the Dakotas. Modern agricultural methods have revealed that annual crop rotation between Corn Dogs and Dental Floss will keep the land arable and the yield of both Corn Dogs and Dental Floss profitable.

As JFK said: “Victory has a thousand fathers, but defeat is an orphan.” This is evident with the many cooks claiming to have invented the Corn Dog. Boring tales of the origin of Corn Dogs from Mr. Wikipedia credit German sausage makers with inventing the stickless Corn Dog consisting of a sausage dipped in corn meal deep fried in oil. In 1926, Albert Barth marketed in his restaurant supply catalogue a “Krusty Korn Dog” baking machine. A U.S. patent was issued in 1927 for a “Combined Dipping, Cooking, and Article Holding Apparatus” for cooking this tasty snack. Carl & Neil Fletcher birthed Corn Dogs at the Texas State Fair in the late 1930s. Mr. Wikipedia says the “earliest known preparation of Corn Dogs was in 1937 during a high school baseball game in Iowa when the ballpark vendors ran out of hot dog buns in the third inning. Roger Newman took the remaining hot dogs and breaded them in cornmeal, which he had prepared for a fish fry.”

Another pretender claimed to invent Corn Dogs as the Pronto Pup at the Minnesota State Fair around 1941. A culinary genius at the Cozy Dog Drive-In claims credit for being the first to put Corn Dogs on a stick in 1946. The rest is Corn Dog history.

So, what have we learned today? A Corn Dog by any other name would smell as sweet. Ask not for whom the Corn Dog in the tree tolls, it tolls for thee. Never look a gift Corn Dog in the mouth. Beware of trees bearing Corn Dogs. One Corn Dog makes you larger/And one Corn Dog makes you small/And the Corn Dogs that Mother gives you/Don’t do anything at all. A Corn Dog is only perfect for a very short time. Carpe diem — seize the Corn Dog.

As Joyce Kilmer once almost wrote: “I think that I shall never see/A Corn Dog sitting in a tree/Corn Dogs are made by fools like me/But only Roger Newman can bread a hot dog.”

Pictured: The Corn Dog in the tree raises more questions than it reveals answers.

When Billy West is not prosecuting cases as the district attorney of Cumberland County, he is trying to win golf tournaments.

When Gary Robinson is not building houses or working at the golf course he co-owns, he, too, is seeking victories on the links.

West, 46, and Robinson, 61, have been the two best amateur golfers in Cumberland County for decades. They have each won the county golf championship eight times, far more than anyone else.

They will renew their friendly rivalry when the 52nd annual Cumberland County Golf Championship is held Oct. 9-11 at Gates Four Golf & Country Club.

Time would appear to be on West's side to eventually win the most titles since he is 15 years younger than Robinson.

“I hate the fact I'm 61 and he's 40-something,” Robinson laughed. “It's not a fair fight. I've enjoyed playing with Billy throughout the years. He's a great competitor and it means as much to him as it does to me. We might both say the proper things but we both want to win more than the other guy. I want to have the most titles and I'm sure he feels the same way. I need to get one or two more because I know Billy is going to.”

West shrugs off the age difference.

“Gary is kind of ageless,” he said. “He still hits the ball a tremendous long way and the rest of his game is solid. I would love to win this year and break the tie but I'm very aware that Gary may not be finished adding championships either.”

Robinson holds the amazing record of winning the county championship in four different decades. He won it the first year he played in the tournament in 1982. He added titles in 1987, '89 and '90.

Then he didn't play in the event again until 2001 and, naturally, won again. He added titles in 2002, '13 and got his last victory in '15. Five of his championships have occurred at Gates Four.

“I have an incentive this year to win in five different decades,” Robinson said. “That's a pretty lofty goal. That would be something special. I still feel I can be competitive. I wouldn't play if I didn't think I could win.”

West said, “One thing that has made Gary so fantastic is winning titles in four different decades. He certainly has the game to win it in a fifth decade. He is one of the best senior players in the Carolinas.”

To reinforce that, Robinson shot 3-under to tie for third place in the Carolinas Senior Amateur Championship early in September.

If West wins this year, it would give him county titles in four different decades, as well. He first played in the event in 1990 and won his first title in 1994 at the age of 19. His other wins came in 1997, 2004, '05, '10 and '11, '17 and '19. He has won five of the last 10 county tournaments including last year with a 7-under total of 209. Twice, he has won back-to-back titles. Three of his wins have come at Gates Four.

He has missed only one county tournament since he started playing in them 30 years ago. That came in 1993 when he was a golfer at N.C. State and he had to play in a collegiate tournament.

“I hate that I missed it,” West said. “I regret that kind of broke my streak.”

The tournament clearly means a lot to West, who has lived in Cumberland County his whole life.

“For me, this is my favorite tournament,” he said. “It's always the one that meant the most to me through the years. If you win it, you are your county's champion for a year.”

The tournament is recognized as one of the longest running county golf championships in the state. Its most famous champion is Chip Beck, who went on to a storied career on the PGA Tour. He won in the early years of the tournament in the late 1960s.

“We've always had great players, great champions and a great history,” West said. “It's always been the most special tournament to me. It's been the one I've always wanted to win the most. One reason is the tournament has kind of followed me through my golf life. When I won it in 1994, I was a young 19-year-old kid. When I won it last year, I was 45 years old with a wife and two kids.”

West holds the distinction of winning the tournament at all four public golf courses in the county where the tournament has been held. Besides the three titles at Gates Four, he has won three times at King's Grant and once each at Baywood and Cypress Lakes.

For West, the tournament is about more than golf. It's about friendships made and the sense of community that he feels by playing in it.

“Life has changed a lot but one thing that hasn't changed is competing every year against the same group of golfers who I became very close friends with,” he said. “I really believe it's the premier county championship in the state. It has a special feel to it that other tournaments don't have.

“I often say when I'm in the drug store or the grocery store the week after the county tournament, everybody's going to say, 'Hey, Billy. I saw where you played well or I saw where you came up a little short.' There's not another tournament all year where you get that kind of reaction from the public. A lot of people in the community follow it year to year and that's what makes it special.”

Another strong contender is Thomas Owen, who won the title in 2016 and has finished second the last three years. Originally, Owen had decided to skip this year's tournament because a jammed fall golf schedule caused by COVID-19 would have forced him to be away from his family for six straight weekends.

“I just had to pick and choose which ones I'm playing in,” he said. “It's just a matter of balancing everything between golf, family and business.

“Coming in second three years in a row leaves a bad taste in your mouth. I need to get back out there and see if I can Billy and Gary a run for their money. I like my chances. I'm playing pretty well, I've just got to make more putts.”

Owen has won the county match play championship for the last five years and is ranked among the best players in the Carolinas Golf Association.

West and Robinson know that at some point their stranglehold on the tournament will end and they both feel the 31-year-old Owen may be the player to take over.

“I think Thomas Owen is the guy,” Robinson said. “He's the guy who is going to play in the most number of them if he doesn't move. He definitely has the game. He's got a couple of bad breaks the last couple of years where he finished second. He's just got to get comfortable in that last round.”

West likes Owen's chances to be their successor, too.

“Thomas has been incredible,” he said. “He's either won or been the runner-up the last four years. Thomas is not only one of the best players in the area but he's one of the best in the state. He doesn't have any weaknesses. He hits the ball a long way and he has a good mental game. He's going to win many more county championships.”

But whoever takes over as the best golfer in Cumberland County won't do it overnight. It will take decades for anyone to beat West and Robinson's accomplishments.

“It's going to take some serious golf over quite a bit of time to catch up to what they've done,” Owen said.

Robinson agreed.

“There will be somebody to come along at some point to beat us,” he said. “But they're going to have to play for a long time. You don't win eight, nine or ten times by just playing in it eight, nine or ten times.”

One top player who will be missing from the field is Spencer Oxendine, who won in 2018 when he was a senior at Jack Britt High School. Now, he is a sophomore on the golf team at N.C. State. Although the Wolfpack fall season has been cancelled because of COVID-19, Oxendine still has team activities and school work that will prevent him from playing.

This marks the fourth straight year the tournament will be held at Gates Four. Bill Bowman, the publisher of Up & Coming Weekly and a major sponsor of the event, took over as tournament director in 2016 and has staged it at his home course.

Gates Four has a large clubhouse to host the pre-tournament Champions Dinner and pairings party and an outside pavilion for the awards presentation after the tournament. Of course, the pre-tournament events have been cancelled this year because of COVID-19 and the awards ceremony has been scaled back.

“We're going to do everything virtual for the awards on Sunday,” said Gates Four general manager Kevin Lavertu. “We don't encourage everybody to hang around and we're taking all the precautions like trying to provide single-rider carts.”
Bowman is attempting to build up the tournament participation to where it was years ago when nearly 200 golfers played and two courses were used to accommodate them. Last year, there were 88 players.

Lavertu is hoping for at least 100 players this year.

“Because of Covid there hasn't been the event fatigue like we've had in years past,” he said. “People have not been traveling and playing in a lot of events so I'm thinking registration and participation might be up. The rounds are up all over the county this year because golf is one of the only things you've been able to do during the whole pandemic.”

West and Robinson like the Gates Four course but they would like to see the tournament rotate to Cypress Lakes, King's Grant and Baywood as it has in the past.

“I think Gates Four is a great competitive test, particularly from the back tees,” West said. “But I would like to see it rotate. Each course presents its own challenges. I think that is one thing that makes the tournament special, the fact that it has moved around. Gates Four has been a great host while we have gone through a transition period with some of the other courses doing some renovations.”

Robinson is a co-owner of King's Grant and said he would like to host the tournament “but not every year.”

“I've won a lot of tournaments at Gates Four and I think it's one of my favorite courses in the county, other than King's Grant,” he said. “ But holding the tournament in one place is not how the tournament was founded and I don't think that's how it should be. I think it should be spread around at all the courses and let them enjoy it.”

Lavertu said, “King's Grant and some others have shown some interest so I don't know what the future holds. I think some of the players would still like to see it rotate around, so whatever works the best for everybody.”

The tournament was pushed back from September to October this year because of COVID-19 and Lavertu thinks that will make playing conditions at Gates Four even better.

“We've always played the tournament the second week in September, historically, but that's really the worst time for the golf course coming out of the heat of summer,” Lavertu said. “We've usually just aerified and it takes two or three weeks for the greens to heal. The green speeds will be up a little bit. It actually worked out better this year to have a delay with all the uncertainty. It seemed to be a natural fit. It should be a tough challenge for three days.”

Any golfer who lives in Cumberland County and is at least 16 years old is eligible to play. There are divisions for championship, men's open, senior men and super senior men (65 years old and up), women's open and senior women (age 50 and up). The super seniors and women will play 36 holes on Oct. 10-11 and the entry fee is $145. All other divisions are 54 holes and the entry fee is $175. The deadline to enter is Oct. 2 at 5 p.m.

Players can register online at cumberlandcountygolfclassic.com or return an application to Lavertu at klavertu@gatesfour.com.

Toni Blackwell won the women's title last year when she was a senior at Cape Fear High School. But she will not be able to defend this year. She is now a freshman on the UNC Pembroke women's golf team and their season starts in October.

 

Pictured above: Gary Robinson and Billy West

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gary Robinson playing in the U.S. Amateur Fourball at Winged Foot

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Gary Robinson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Billy West

Many of us do not know life without social media, cell phones, texting, Facebook posting, tweeting, etc. As a baby boomer, social media, let alone cell phones, did not exist when I was a teenager or even in my 20s. One thing that is clear, however, is that no matter what age bracket you may fall into, everyone who uses social media tends to forget the permanent nature of it. While we have many reasons for posting, tweeting, etc., some of which includes getting likes, loves, cares and comments from our friends, what we have, after the fun and/or comfort fades, is a post, tweet, or picture that lasts forever … on the internet.

Let’s put this into the context of litigation. When you bring a civil lawsuit as a plaintiff or are being sued as a defendant, your social media activity will be something that insurance adjusters, lawyers and paralegals on both sides will want to review extensively. There is a process in civil litigation called “discovery,” where both sides are entitled to seek documents, information and ask written questions that require written answers from each other. This process also includes “depositions,” where the other side’s attorney can ask you questions under oath before you ever get to court. Part of this discovery process will include asking you about your social media posts that are or may be related to the claim and/or litigation. If you put the information out there, you may have to explain it and answer questions about it and, possibly, watch and listen to the other side use it against you.

I often advise people to limit their social media to “friends only,” which at least can help prevent someone who is not your friend from freely rifling through your content at will to use it against you. In the setting of litigation, however, the discovery process (or a judge) may require you to produce your social media content — or at least any content that may be related to your claim — to the other side. “Post regret” is not a good thing to have when it comes to litigation.

If you are involved in litigation or an event from which you may bring a claim or end up in litigation, keep these three social media tips in mind:
1) Do not post anything about it.
2) If you are going to post something, do not post anything that you would not want the other side or a judge or jury to see.
3) Really, do not post anything about it.

It is far too easy to overshare information that, at first, seems innocent, but that can be used, misconstrued or misinterpreted against you later. The best course of action is to keep all information about any claims or litigation off social media.

An increased reliance on virtual home instruction has many students rethinking their organizational strategies and daily school schedules.

Learning at home is different from being in a traditional classroom environment, but with some effective strategies, students can persevere without missing a beat.

Stick to a schedule. Many students are successful because they follow a schedule. The Center for Social and Emotional Foundations of Early Learning says that routines and schedules are important because they influence a child’s emotional and cognitive development. Children feel secure with schedules, which may help them recognize what’s expected of them.

When learning at home, students should strive to maintain as consistent a schedule as possible, including bedtimes, wake times, hours devoted to learning and time to get outside or engage in downtime activities.

Connect live if possible. There are many free tools and resources available that enable teachers to provide live video lessons or to record them so students can watch them later.

Similarly, social networking apps and virtual meeting programs enable students to connect digitally. This can be helpful for collaborative learning assignments or just to see a familiar face.

Stick to tools that work. Once students find apps or systems that work, they should stick with them, offers Khan Academy, an educational tutoring resource. There are many factors outside of one’s control during virtual instruction, but maintaining consistency with tools and schedules is one way to feel more confident and secure.

Check student accounts frequently. Just like students, teachers may be learning as they go in regard to remote learning strategies.

Students should be sure to check school email accounts or other places where teachers post assignments a few times per day so that they stay on top of all assignments and are aware of due dates.

Reach out to instructors. Allegheny College suggests students contact their teachers if they are unsure of how to participate in remote learning environments.

Ask questions about assignments, get clarification on key topics and be sure to tune into any remote chats or virtual “office hours.”

Stay in touch with guidance, if needed. Remote learning is a new experience for many students, and there may be certain struggles or road blocks. It can be easy to grow frustrated with equipment failures or lack of in-person interaction.

Schools employ qualified therapists and guidance counselors who are just a click, call or email away if issues need to be talked through.

Students should utilize all resources made available to them.

Virtual home instruction can be made even easier with some extra assistance and guidance.

After more than a year’s separation, a Fort Bragg soldier has been reunited with a former partner. Army Sgt. Nicholas Milano got a big surprise when he arrived at his Nash County home the other day for a birthday party. A surprise gift was hidden among the well-wishers. But it didn’t take long for “Lion” to bolt from the crowd into Milano’s arms. Lion is a retired military working dog. He and Milano traveled the world in the Army for almost seven years. The pair even went to war together, serving two deployments in Afghanistan. The 10-year-old German Shepherd is in retirement now and gets to live on the couch.

“And he’ll be sleeping in bed with me and you,” Milano laughed while looking at his wife.

“I had zero idea, this is crazy,” Milano said of the surprise. “His [Lion’s] job was either to bite people, which he never had to do, or find bombs and weapons.”

When Milano got orders for Fort Bragg, they parted ways. He had to leave Lion at the base in Germany. “This dog has saved my husband’s life, more than once, along with others,” said Kristy, Milano’s wife.

Kristy secretly adopted Lion upon his retirement. She worked with Mission K-9 Rescue to make the dog’s adoption happen. The nonprofit paid to fly Lion from Germany to Houston, Texas. Once he arrived in Texas, a staff member drove 20 hours to reunite him with Milano in North Carolina.

The Army Airborne & Special Operations Museum in downtown Fayetteville and the Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex in Haymount are doing business again. Both museums had been closed since March because of COVID-19 restrictions. The ASOM is now open from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays. Weekend hours will be phased in gradually. Museum of the Cape Fear hours of operation have also changed temporarily. The new hours are Wednesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Attendance is limited at both facilities. Visitors are expected to wear face masks and maintain physical distancing of at least 6 feet from one another. Hand sanitizer stations are located throughout the buildings. Anyone experiencing symptoms of illness or who have recently been in contact with people who tested positive for COVID-19 are asked to postpone their visits.

No tours of the 1897 Poe House are being provided for at least 30 days after reopening.

At the ASOM, water fountains are off, but visitors may bring clear containers of water. Food is not permitted. Reservations can be made online. Upon arrival, visitors should scan the QR code at the museum entrance to complete guest registration. The gift shop is limited to five visitors at a time. Only debit and credit cards will be accepted for payment. Donations to support museum operations can be made online or during checkout in the gift shop.
Some areas of the Museum of the Cape Fear remain closed to the public. They include the steamboat exhibit, the Civil War soldier teaching corner and the general store. Visitors will be able to view these areas but not enter them. Residents can keep up to date by visiting the museum’s website at www.museumofthecapefear.ncdcr.gov. The facility is located at the corner of Bradford and Arsenal Avenues and is operated by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

In 2007, the Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex Foundation received a planning grant from the North Carolina General Assembly to perform a benchmarking and assessment study to determine whether a new museum should focus on the Civil War and Reconstruction period in North Carolina. Because of the existing museum’s location on one of North Carolina’s most important Civil War sites, consultants recommended that a new facility replace the existing regional museum with a major statewide history center. Much of the planning has already been done.

According to the history center’s website, planners concluded that the entire state’s story is the most compelling one. A feasibility study validated this finding, demonstrating that the completed project will attract wider attention and stronger support by reaching beyond Fayetteville to tell the larger story. The result is an $80 million project involving a phased, multi-year approach to both fundraising and the history center’s overall development.

The site will include a 60,000-square-foot visitor center built just outside the Fayetteville Arsenal’s archaeological footprint, protecting the remnants of the asset seized by Confederate forces in 1861 and leveled by William T. Sherman army four years later. The existing 1896 E. A. Poe House and three Civil War-era structures will comprise “History Village” and are incorporated into the larger, interpretive plan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Picture left: ASOM is now open from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays. Weekend hours will be phased in gradually.

Picture right: Museum of the Cape Fear is set to reopen. The new hours are Wednesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

 

The Cumberland County Tax Administration office is mailing tax bills to property owners. Residents and business owners have until Jan. 5, 2021, to pay taxes with no interest charges. After that, unpaid tax bills incur a 2% interest charge the first month and .75% interest charge each month after that.

The tax collector’s office is closed to the public because of COVID-19. Still, the county can assist taxpayers by telephone and email Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tax bills may be paid online, by mail, by phone or by using the dropbox located outside the tax administration’s customer service office on the fifth floor of the county courthouse.

It is sad and somewhat ironic that at a time when here in Fayetteville we are celebrating Marquis de LaFayette, the French aristocrat and American Revolutionary War hero who lead American troops into battle and successfully assisted our young nation in winning its independence, the French, with their American accomplice Netflix, would introduce us to the motion picture “Cuties.”

It is a pathetic movie exploiting and sexualizing very young girls that has Netflix scrambling to conjure up a socially acceptable defense justifying what many parents, grandparents and concerned American citizens are categorizing as disturbing child porn and blatant adolescent exploitation.

On the surface this film is without any redeemable social value. And, even if the French movie maker, Ms. Maïmouna Doucouré, intentions were to make a pertinent social statement about the social pressures and challenges facing young girls today she missed the mark disgustingly on many fronts. Actually, she would have been better off hiring liberal activist Michael Moore to do a legitimate documentary on the subject matter. Regardless of Doucouré’s intentions, there was no mistaking the intentions of the California based Netflix Corporation after they released a sexually explicit poster sensationalizing and exploiting the innocence and sexuality of these very young girls.

This movie was released on Sept. 9 and the storyline follows an 11-year-old girl named Amy who with her newly found 11-year-old friends form a dance group. They refine their moves by dancing and mimicking the adult sexually provocative and suggestive chorography they see on social media. They dance to sexually suggestive music with pelvic thrusts, twerking, touching themselves and gyrating around in skimpy outfits while broadcasting their own sexual immaturity and attracting enablers who lure and direct such innocents into a world of human slavery and bondage. Yes, it’s a pedophiles dream come true!

Well, now people are outraged and rightfully so. Netflix is experiencing tens of thousands of cancelations that are costing them hundreds of millions of dollars. This is bipartisan outrage and disgust as it should be. Sexual exploitation of young children has no bias. It has no advocates. What concerns me and should concern all God-fearing Americans is the gross hypocrisy that accompanies these outrageous assaults on children and how these deplorable acts coalesce into our culture negatively transforming our communities and corrupting our way of life.

Only we the people can stop this transformation of our country and deplorable acts such as the suggestive, overly sexual depiction of young girls. I said people … not Sheeple! (Sheeple defined: those who are uninvolved and apathetic to the world around them. They keep their heads down and prefer not to voice their opinions regardless of their convictions. Sheeples have no resolve or intestinal fortitude and are apt to be mindless followers without question or resolve.)

I could opine for days on this subject, however, I will conclude with these thoughts. It was only a few weeks ago when the Fayetteville community gathered at a successful and heartfelt awareness rally about human trafficking and
missing children. I heard several speakers call out appeals for assistance in searching out and finding these victims. I heard one person yell out “…children, we’re coming for you! We’ll find you. We will bring you home!” This was just days after celebrating the rescue of 39 young children from deviate criminals in Georgia and surrounding states. Yet, it will be the Sheeple who will allow movies as corrupt, disgusting and influential like “Cuties” to exist only to empower criminals and deviates.

Worst of all, while the Sheeple are voicing their sentiments and lame bravado behind the anonymous screens of social media their young and vulnerable children and grandchildren are in the next room being victimized utilizing the same unsupervised social media conduits. Social media becomes their teacher, their parents and, their role model. A young girl’s life is now judged by anonymous critiques and her worth as a human being is measured by how many “Likes” she can accumulate. No wonder suicide rates among teenage girls age 10-14 are rising at a rate of 12.7% per year. This is 5.5% higher than boys. Google it!

Netflix is making big, big money. Many prominent Americans are associated with Netflix and they too are making big, big money. So, don’t expect things to change anytime soon. However, what you can do is encourage people to stand up and speak up for American and Christian values. Secure and defend what they believe in. Don’t become a Sheeple. America and our freedom will depend on this. We need more loyal patriotic Americans standing up for what is decent and right. “Cuties” is not decent or right, yet it is the near perfect example of what we are up against in the 21st century.

Sheeple cannot and will not protect or children, our freedom or our country.

Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

You surely recognize the name Frederick Douglass and know the major role he played in American history after escaping his enslavement in Maryland in 1838. You may even know that the publication of his memoir — "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave" — was a turning point in American letters.

But do you recognize the name Harriet Jacobs?

She also emancipated herself through acts of courage and determination. She also wrote a widely read memoir of her enslavement and liberation. And she was a North Carolinian, one of the many of our state’s heroes who deserves memorializing in the form of monuments, statues or other works of public art.

Harriet Jacobs was born in 1813 in Edenton, one of three children born to her mother Delilah Horniblow. After Delilah died in 1819, Harriet came under the care of her white owner’s daughter, who fatefully taught Harriet how to read and write.

Her next owner, Dr. James Norcom, was a cruel man who soon made his lustful intentions clear. With few options available to protect herself, Harriet initiated a relationship with another prominent Edenton citizen, Samuel Sawyer, a University of North Carolina-trained lawyer later elected to Congress.

Harriet had two children by Sawyer, fending off Norcom’s advances for a while, but eventually Norcom was able to remove her to a more-remote location and threatened to subject her children to great suffering if she didn’t do what he wanted.

She refused, and this is where her tale took an even more remarkable turn. Escaping first to a swamp, and then to her grandmother’s house, Harriet Jacobs hid in the attic’s crawl space — only nine feet long, seven feet wide and three feet high — for nearly seven years.

Finally, in 1842, she escaped to a ship, then to the North, where she found a home in New York. Her brother John Jacobs had made it to freedom, as well, and she took refuge with him in Boston the following year when James Norcom came hunting for her in New York.

Both Harriet and John Jacobs became active in the abolitionist movement. During the 1850s, white and Black friends alike urged Harriet to tell her own story, as Frederick Douglass had done. But Harriet worried that readers would condemn her morals for initiating the affair with Samuel Sawyer in order to escape Norcom’s advances.

Finally, after several false starts, "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl" was published in 1861. Although presented as a novel with names and places changed, it became widely known that Jacobs had written her own story in its pages.

Contrary to her expectation, readers across America and beyond admired her fortitude and perseverance amidst great suffering — among other things, her seven years hiding in the crawl space had permanently impaired her health.

During the Civil War, Harriet first toured the Northern states as a speaker and fundraiser, then plunged into relief work in the South, cofounding a school for freed slaves in Alexandria and, later, in Savannah. She lived to be 84 years old, dying in Washington.

One of my favorite passages of the book describes a visit Harriet makes to England with the orphaned daughter of a white friend. After a dinner in a London hotel, she and the girl retire to their room. “For the first time in my life I was in a place where I was treated according to my deportment, without reference to my complexion,” she writes. “I felt as if a great millstone had been lifted from my breast. Ensconced in a pleasant room, with my dear little charge, I laid my head on my pillow, for the first time, with the delightful consciousness of pure, unadulterated freedom.”

Pure, unadulterated freedom is what she and so many other North Carolinians were long denied. Pure, unadulterated freedom is the goal for which so many fought, sometimes paying the ultimate price. By commemorating Harriet Jacobs, we can honor and advance that freedom for future generations.

Some N.C. felons who have finished their active prison time will be able to cast ballots in the 2020 election, based on a 2-1 ruling from a state Superior Court panel.

The court’s order applies to any felon who is out of prison but still must pay fees or fines before his criminal sentence is considered complete.

The ruling in Community Success Initiative v. Moore represents a partial victory for the “Unlock Our Vote Campaign,” led by an advocacy group called Forward Justice. The group’s lawsuit filed in November 2019 aimed to restore voting rights for almost 60,000 convicted felons not serving active prison time. Supporters argued that state laws regarding restoration of voting rights for felons violate the N.C. Constitution.

The Sept. 4 ruling in the case offered plaintiffs mixed news. The judges refused to strike down voting restrictions for all felons who have completed active prison sentences. But two members of the panel — Judges Lisa Bell and Keith Gregory — agreed that money-related requirements for post-release felons create unconstitutional restrictions of voting rights.

“As Defendants correctly argue, the express words of [the challenged state statute] do not in and of themselves create different classifications of persons convicted of felonies — all such persons remain disenfranchised until they have been ‘unconditionally discharged,’” the judges wrote. “However, by requiring an unconditional discharge that includes payments of all monetary obligations imposed by the court, [the statute] creates a wealth classification that punishes felons who are genuinely unable to comply with the financial terms of their judgment more harshly than those who are able to comply.”

Bell and Gregory agreed to grant a preliminary injunction allowing those felons to cast ballots this year. The judges limited their injunction to felons now prevented from voting “solely as a result of them being subject to an assessment of fees, fines, or other debts arising from a felony conviction.”

Felons on probation or parole with no outstanding fees or fines would not be affected.

The third judge in the case — John Dunlow — agreed with his colleagues only in the parts of their ruling that rejected plaintiffs’ arguments. Dunlow would have thrown out the entire lawsuit and ruled in favor of the defendants.

“The Plaintiffs, throughout their complaint, briefs, filings, and arguments, complain of North Carolina’s ‘disenfranchisement scheme,’ ‘disenfranchisement statute,’ and ‘disenfranchisement of citizens,'” Dunlow wrote. “The disenfranchisement of which Plaintiffs complain is in no way attributable to [the challenged statute]. No reasonable reading of the plain language of [the statute] could be interpreted to disenfranchise any person. Rather, the sole purpose of [the statute] is to provide a mechanism whereby individuals who have been convicted of a felony offense may be re-enfranchised.”

The N.C. Republican Party responded to the ruling. “It is outrageous for these judges to change the rules for an election when absentee ballots have already started going out and voting has begun,” N.C. GOP Chairman Michael Whatley said in an emailed statement. “This is yet another example of why we need to elect Conservative Judges who will apply the law rather ran re-write the laws they don’t like.”

President Donald Trump used to refer to military commanders as “his generals.” Recently, he claimed that “the soldiers are in love with me.”

U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville has pushed back on Trump’s assertion that Pentagon leaders go to war to please arms manufacturers. “I can assure the American people that the senior leaders would only recommend sending our troops to combat when it’s required for national security and as a last resort,” McConville said during an interview with Defense One online. Trump told White House reporters that “the top people in the Pentagon” don’t like him “because they want to do nothing but fight wars so that all of those wonderful companies that make the bombs and make the planes and make everything else stay happy.”

McConville made a point of saying he was not responding to Trump’s claims. A recent Military Times poll found that Trump’s support among active-duty service members has fallen over the past year. The Atlantic magazine this month reported that Trump disparaged U.S. service members as “losers” and “suckers,” allegations that have been confirmed by the Associated Press, CNN and other news organizations. The White House has vehemently denied the allegations.

Pictured: U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville

He had to tell me that my beloved Uncle Remus was not coming back — ever. Randall Kenan was jovial, kind and wise, not unlike the Uncle Remus he was taking away from me.

Kenan, died last week at a much too early 57. Like Uncle Remus, he was an expert on trickster stories, mainly based on legends from Africa and about animals and mischievous creatures who were cunning and smart and had an ability to somehow get around the powerful and the oppressive by tricking them.

That, I said, is just like Br’er Fox who tricked Br’er Rabbit into hitting and getting stuck in a tar baby figure.

Then the rabbit told the fox he could do anything with him, but “Please don’t throw me in the briar patch.” So, of course, the fox threw the rabbit in the briar patch, where the rabbit called out happily, “I was born and bred in the briar patch.”

I told Kenan that I loved these stories told by the old African American man to the young white boy, the son or grandson perhaps of the owner of the farm where Uncle Remus spent his life.

Kenan explained that the African-based trickster stories had been appropriated by a white man, Joel Chandler Harris, who put the stories into the mouth of Uncle Remus, who was a caricature of a subservient and happy black man, content with his subservient condition.

I tried to persuade Kenan to take the trickster tales and repurpose them. Reframe them, I said, so that current and future generations would have the same benefit of the wisdom that I had found in the Uncle Remus stories.

Kenan did not preach to me about the underlying racism in the Uncle Remus stories. He just smiled, shook his head, and said simply, “I don’t think I want to do that.”

Kenan had multiple other projects that worked better for him. In 1989, he published his first novel, “A Visitation of Spirits.” In 1992 came a collection of short stories, “Let the Dead Bury Their Dead.”

In 1999 he published “Walking on Water: Black American Lives at the Turn of the Twenty-First Century,” a much admired account of his journey to African American communities across America.

A book of his short stories, “If I had Two Wings,” came out just a few
weeks ago.

Most important for him, he had his students at UNC-Chapel Hill to care for.

I liked him best when he wrote about food. In 2016, he edited “Carolina Table: North Carolina Writers on Food,” a beautiful set of essays about food in the South.

His essay in that collection was based on the foods served at funerals in his native Duplin County, specifically what neighbors brought when his great uncle died.

“People showing up heavy-laden with food to the homes of the recently deceased. Hams, fried chicken, oven-baked barbecue chicken, pork chops smothered in gravy, dirty rice, Spanish rice, potato salad galore, slaw, sweet potato casseroles, candied yams, hushpuppies, cornbread, soup, chopped pork barbecue, collard greens, pound cake, chocolate cake, coconut cake, pineapple cake, red velvet cake, sweet potato pie, lemon meringue pie.”

Kenan appeared on North Carolina Bookwatch twice and was guest host two other-times.

Those four programs are worth watching just to see the cheerful smiling twinkling eyes shining from his dark face.

At another time he could have passed for a younger Uncle Remus, but his wisdom, quiet intensity, and commitment to racial justice always shone through on Bookwatch whether he was asking or answering questions.

Thanks to his wise counsel, I have learned to live without Uncle Remus. But I am not sure how I am ever going to learn to live without Randall Kenan.

People rely on the internet every day. In recent months, reliance on digital technology was pushed even further as social distancing measures had the world going online for school and work and to maintain relationships with friends and family.

A report from Pew Research Center indicated that nearly 25% of young adults in America reported being online almost constantly.

Common Sense Media says teens spend an average of nine hours a day online, compared to roughly six hours for those between the ages eight and 12 and 50 minutes for kids younger than eight.

Students must exercise caution when spending time online.

Connectivity can be empowering, but it also puts students at risk from others and even their own, sometimes irresponsible behaviors. Staying safe online should remain a priority for students who must spend more time on the internet and using digital education tools.

These are some tips for maintaining cyber safety.

Exercise caution when sharing information like your name, address, phone number, and other personal data online.

Check with a trusted parent or teacher before sharing private data.

Report any online activity that makes you feel uncomfortable, scared or confused, whether it is directed at you or a classmate.

Think carefully before you post comments online. Data remains online indefinitely, and your words and actions today can greatly affect your future.

Respect others online by refraining from demeaning or bullying comments.

Do not try to get around firewalls and blocked websites set up by school administrators. These limitations are there for your protection.

Stick to school-sanctioned assignments and internet browsing when using school-issued devices.

Administrators may have the right to monitor student activity without students’ knowledge and you can easily get yourself in trouble.

It is easy to hide or fake one’s identity on the internet, so never take someone you meet or speak with online at face value.

Never meet up with someone you do not know or only met online.

Talk to your parents or educators about extortion and ransomware that tries to trick you into providing payment in some shape or form to prevent a perpetrator from releasing private information about you, advises the Readiness and Emergency for Schools Technical Assistance Center.

Various steps can be taken to promote cyber safety among students, parents and administrators.

The little canoe my wife and I like to paddle across Hope Mills Lake is far from what I'd call a boat, a ship or anything else. I'm not a sailor. But in addition to the myriad shows I've watched, I have listened closely to the stories of those who set sail in larger craft on deeper waters.

Here's one thing I learned: On the surface, the winds can sweep across the sea at stunning speeds, bringing with them blowing rain, lightning, thunder and an ominous darkness. Waves can grow to 20 or 30 feet high.

During a storm like this, a ship can be tossed around like a toy boat. It’s not uncommon for an oceangoing craft to be lost in such storms.

But underneath the surface, just 100 feet down, there’s no storm. All is perfectly still. No sound. No tumult. Not even a ripple.

Let me take an intentional side journey and apply those verifiable facts to the people like you and me, caught in the tumultuous events that occurred (and are still occurring) in our city, nation and world.

If you observe closely, there is a clear view of those who react much like the surface of the water in an ocean storm. They're tossed around, at once gathered and scattered, dissipating their own strength as the wind of another change blows them where it will.

Then there are those who seem largely unaffected. Same sea, same storm, just more calm. The difference for those people is very much the same as the ocean — there's more depth.

My family has endured some ridiculously weighty circumstances in our short time on earth. Probably not unlike you, I expect. Maybe different storms, but we've all been tossed around in one way or another during our lives.

I've been surprised by the peace I had as we walked through some of the worst storms imaginable.

So let me share what I know about peace — it's tied to something Jesus said as recorded in John 14:27 “I am leaving you with a gift — peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”

Author and apologist Ravi Zacharias tells of an Indian proverb that says, "whatever you are overflowing with will spill out when you're bumped. It has in mind, a village woman carrying a port or an urn of milk or water or something on her head. And it's right to the brim. And suddenly as some careless lad runs across her path and she stops for a moment and whatever is up to the brim there, begins to spill out.

"It is intended to convey what your real character is about. Whoever you are in your character, that characteristic will spill out when somebody annoys you or cuts into your path.”

The U.S. will send about 2,200 troops home from Iraq by the end of this month, CENTCOM Commander and Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie announced from Baghdad.

President Trump made the formal announcement. "That announcement will be followed by another one in the coming days on a further reduction in U.S. forces in Afghanistan," Reuters reported.

This would be the first big reduction of U.S. troops deployed to the Middle East since the ISIS war started more than six years ago.

The 82nd Airborne Division was among the first military units mobilized in response to the escalation of tensions in the middle easy earlier this year. Four thousand 82nd troops deployed to Kuwait and Syria as the result of Iranian threats.

Actions by the Iranians and the U.S. increased tensions in the region not seen since before the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Kindred Ministries announces a partnership with Cape Fear Regional Theatre and its Passport Series, with the help of a grant of $2550 from the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County.

"Kindred Ministries is so grateful to have received this grant from the Arts Council,” said Dr. Scott Cameron, founder of Kindred Ministries.

“It will enable our community of adults with and without intellectual disabilities to access an incredible arts program at CFRT!"

Kindred Ministries exists to create opportunities for adults of all abilities to grow in friendship, primarily through the avenue of a daytime program.

A valuable component of that daytime program is the Passports Series with CFRT. Throughout the course of the Series, participants gather weekly to create, write and eventually perform an
original story.

The community is then invited to the performance, encountering a stage where people typically pushed to the margins are at the center.

Much of what Kindred does is dependent upon the gracious support of grants and other outside funding sources.

“The Arts Council is pleased to partner with Kindred Ministries in support of the partnership with CFRT for the Passport Series," said Bob Pinson, interim president and CEO of the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County.

“Project Support Grants for 2020-21 will help fund 20 projects facilitated by 15 nonprofit organizations.

These projects help strengthen our communities through festivals and concerts, youth education programs, art exhibitions and workshops, and more.”

Project Support Grants increase opportunities for access to arts, science, cultural and historical programming in Cumberland County.

The grants are awarded to nonprofit agencies in Cumberland County that demonstrate financial and administrative stability.

Kindred Ministries exists to create a community where our friends with disabilities are at the center and, as a result, everyone thrives.

It is built on the foundation of mutuality: that we can help each other, that we can learn from each other, and that when you really get to know each other, you might just encounter a kindred spirit.
The Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County serves more than 330,000 residents of Fayetteville and Cumberland County.

Since 1973, the Arts Council has ensured growth in our children’s education, our community’s cultural identity and our economic progress.

The Arts Council’s grants, programs and services are funded in part by contributions from businesses and individuals and through grants from the City of Fayetteville, Cumberland County and the North Carolina Arts Council, with funding from the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural & Cultural Resources.

We Americans talk a big game about voting, but we have not always and do not now walk the walk. When our nation was founded in the late 18th century, the only legal voters were white tax-paying or property-owning men, estimated at about 6% of the new country’s population. Gradually, voting qualifications loosened to include nonproperty owning white men. North Carolina was the last state to do this in 1856 and later included Black men after the Civil War. With the struggle for civil rights in the middle part of the 20th century, and especially the Voting Rights Act of 1965, women of all colors were the cow’s tail of voting, achieving suffrage only 100 years ago, in 1920.

It is no exaggeration to say that Americans fought and died for the right to vote, as have people in other countries. So, to say that I was offended by President Donald Trump’s remarks in North Carolina about voting twice — once by mail and once in person — is no exaggeration. Voting is nothing to make light of, make fun of, or test the waters with. Voting, in my mind at least, is a scared responsibility for every American, every adult’s right to participate in guiding our nation in the path we find most appropriate for us and the rest of humanity.

Trump suggested that North Carolinians and other Americans vote more than once — for him, of course, and what he was actually saying is “commit a felony.” In doing so, he cheapened himself, his office and us, the American voters.

********************

While we are on politics, North Carolina recently received a big fat “D” for women’s participation in the political process. The NC Council for Women and Children and the Institute for Women’s Policy Research finds that only 25% of our legislators are women, as are only two of 13 members of Congress.

And why should we care? Women are not necessarily better legislators than men — some are, and some are not. We are different legislators with different life experiences and different priorities. Our points of view need to be at the public policy table when decisions are made.

U.S. Senator and former presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar says flatly, “Women are held to a higher standard.”
Brianna Wu, a candidate for Congress from Massachusetts, agrees. “…men are given the most generous interpretation possible about who they are and what they want to do, and women are held to the most skeptical, cynical standard possible.”

This is a real phenomenon. So is male privilege.

******************

Everyone — man, woman and child — has COVID-19 fatigue. We are tired of confinement and not spending time with the people we care about. Conversely, we are also tired of spending time with the same people day after day, of working remotely and of shepherding our children through virtual school. We are tired of worrying about the pandemic’s economic effects, not only on our own families but on our state, nation and the rest of the world. That we are having occasional meltdowns and urges to “be free” is no surprise.

That said, we are also having a great time with the amazingly creative and funny side of confinement. Being cooped up has brought out the wacky observer in many of us, and the rest of us are enjoying it. There is the at home COVID-19 test involving sniffing and tasting one’s favorite adult beverage to determine whether those senses remain operational. One friend said she took that test seven times one evening and planned to take it again the next day. My current favorite is an impersonation of a school administrator. Dena Blizzard bills herself as One Funny Mother, and that she is. Check her out for a good laugh, especially for teachers and parents trying to navigate virtual education.

The middle of September ushers in the unofficial beginning of fall, a time of year when many feel reenergized by cooler temperatures and are eager to spend more hours outdoors enjoying all the local area has to offer. Whether one is collecting leaves, picking pumpkins, exploring corn mazes, or biking one of the many trails, autumn is full of fun opportunities that can make the season that much more enjoyable.

Fayetteville Cumberland Parks and Recreation offers a number of outdoor activities for the whole family, from a community garden, bike and jogging trails to the new skate park. Although COVID-19 restrictions have closed many facilities, all parks, trails and the Rowan Street Skate Park are open. Playgrounds reopened earlier this month. Basketball courts at all parks remain closed. Recreation centers remain closed. The pools and splash pads have been closed the entire summer due to COVID-19 restrictions.

FCPR posts updates to hours and restrictions on its webpage and Facebook page. For more information on specific locations, visit www.fcpr.us/ or www.facebook.com/fcpr.us, or call the administrative office at 910-433-1547.
Gardening can be a fun and educational activity for all ages and can be physically and mentally engaging. The potential benefits are endless.

The Fayetteville Community Garden is a five-acre area with plots available for planting vegetables, flowers and herbs. Plots are raised beds about 20 feet by 20 feet. Patrons rent space, and FCPR supplies garden boxes, compost and water. The garden is organic in nature, therefore no chemicals or synthetic herbicides, insecticides, fungicides or fertilizers are allowed. Plots may be rented for $25. The garden is open year-round during daylight hours. The garden is located at the intersection of Vanstory and Mann Streets.

Clark Park and its Nature Center join the Cape Fear River Trail and Moses Mathis “Bicycle Man” playground/trailhead to form a complex suited to hours of enjoyment and education. The city’s second largest regional park remains a natural area dedicated to preserving the environment, educating the public about nature, and providing the only camping in the area. The Nature Center's museum features displays and free viewing of live animals.

Visitors can picnic overlooking the woods and one of the highest waterfalls east of the mountains. For those interested in walking or jogging, the park has its own set of unpaved trails and also serves as a trailhead for the paved CFRT. Well behaved, leashed pets are welcome on trails as long you clean up after them.

Clark Park Nature Center offers nature and recreation programming for educators, groups, individuals and families. You must preregister for all programs. Contact the park office at 910-433-1579 for program information or visit www.facebook.com/fcprnature.

The Cape Fear River Trail is a 10-foot-wide paved path for walkers, joggers and bicyclists. It winds for nearly 5.3 miles, one-way, through a beautiful blend of trees, plants and wildlife with views of the river. The terrain can be flat or slightly hilly. In addition to wooden bridges, including one covered bridge, there is more than 1,000 feet of boardwalk through the marsh and wetlands along the trail.

Along the trail are signs explaining the wildlife and plant life found in the area. There are more than 700 species of plants and trees and 150 species of birds. Frogs, lizards and turtles are common sights, with an occasional deer. The River Trail area is home to an unusual combination and diversity of hardwood trees.

The Cape Fear Mountain Bike Trail is a feature of the Cape Fear River Trail/Clark Park area with just under three miles of trail accessible off the CFRT. Access is located 1 mile north of Clark Park, traveling towards Methodist College (not far from the intersection with Eastwood Avenue). It consists of two sections on opposite sides of the trail. The first half mile is more technical with tighter turns and rollers, suitable for experienced riders. After crossing the CFRT it becomes a meandering woodland trail for beginners.

The trails are open daily from 8 a.m. to dusk. Parking is available at Clark Park. Restrooms are located at the Jordan Soccer Complex and at the Clark Park Nature Center during Clark Park’s operating hours.

For those interested in agritourism, Gillis Hill Farm is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m.

The Gillis family has been farming the same land for nine generations, starting in the timber business, moving to traditional row crops and agritourism over the years.

For the price of an ice cream (or a $3 ticket), visitors can go on a self-guided tour of the working farm.

Gillis Hill also offers school and group tours that run twice daily at 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Wednesday through Friday. Group tours consist of a "Farm Life" movie showing what it’s like as a kid growing up on the farm, a historic walking tour, a wagon ride, animal feeding and a seed kit to take home.

The farm is located at 2701 Gillis Hill Rd. in Fayetteville. To schedule a tour or find additional information, call 910-867-2350 or visit https://ghfarm.square.site/.

A visit to Gross Farms offers fun and entertainment for the whole family with sites and activities including a 10-acre corn maze, a pumpkin patch, hayrides, a play area and a picnic area. Visitors can purchase a combo ticket for access to everything or buy tickets for individual activities. Military and group discounts are available.

Gross Farms is located at 1606 Pickett Road in Sandford. For information, call 919-498-6727 or visit www.grossfarms.com.

Hubb’s Farm is another agritourism destination with activities to entertain the whole family, including a corn maze, pumpkin patch, animals and a long list of attractions. In addition to being a year-round venue to book parties and events, the farm offers school and group tours.

In addition to regular farm activities, there are a number of seasonal events scheduled.

Sunflowers Galore is scheduled to open today with opportunities Sept. 17, 18, 19, 23, 24, 25. Sunflower stems can be purchased and visitors can take photographs in the sunflower field.

The Fall Drive-In Movie Series begins Sept. 26 and runs every Saturday in October. Gates open at 7 p.m. and the movie starts at 8 p.m. Movie titles will be posted on the website.

The corn maze and pumpkin patch will run Sept. 26 through Nov. 7 on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays from 1–6 p.m. Weekday hours are yet to be set.

The Flashlight Maze will be open 7-10 p.m. on Friday nights in October. Visitors can navigate the maze under the stars. Fire pits can be reserved.

Hubb’s Farm is located at 10276 US Hwy 421 North in Clinton. For more information call 910-564-6709 or visit www.hubbsfarmnc.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/HubbsFarmNC/.

 

Pictures left to right:

Sunflowers Galore opens Sept. 16 at Hubb's Farm. For a small fee, visitors can pose for photos in the field, or purchase stems to take home.

The Cape Fear Mountain Bike Trail is accessible off the Cape Fear River Trail. It offers areas for beginners and experienced riders.

Gillis Hill Farm is open for self-guided walks or group tours through the farm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mothers Against Drunk Driving, celebrating the 40th Anniversary of its founding on Saturday, Sept. 5, has released a new survey that measures the American public’s attitudes and knowledge about the impact of marijuana on traffic safety.

According to the survey, one in eight U.S. adults admits to having driven under the influence of marijuana. And as more states legalize marijuana use, it’s no surprise that 76% of the American public believe that incidents of driving after consuming marijuana will increase.

The alarming new findings came just ahead of Labor Day weekend, one of the most dangerous times for travel on America’s roads. Nearly 40% of all traffic deaths on Labor Day weekend in 2018 were caused by drunk driving. While traffic deaths caused by marijuana and other drugs are not yet tracked with the same consistency as alcohol, law enforcement officers have reported a steady rise in marijuana-impaired drivers, which increases the risk of more preventable tragedies.

“MADD has spent 40 years changing the culture so that drunk driving is now unacceptable in America. Over that time, we have seen drunk driving fatality rates cut in half due to our efforts, and yet we still see major spikes in traffic deaths during busy travel weekends like Labor Day,” said MADD National President Helen Witty, whose 16-year-old daughter Helen Marie was killed by a drunk and marijuana-impaired driver. “We are deeply concerned about the combination of alcohol consumption and other drugs such as marijuana increasing the risk of tragedies on our roads.”

To keep our nation’s highways safe, MADD is embarking on a broad initiative to educate all U.S. drivers of the dangers of driving under the influence of marijuana. Through program enhancements, public outreach and corporate alliances, MADD will continue its fight to eliminate drunk and drugged driving.

In February 2020*, MADD commissioned IPSOS, a global leader in market research, to conduct a nationwide study of adults 18 and older. The research was aimed at understanding the attitudes and awareness related to driving under the influence of marijuana, along with knowledge of the laws that surround it.

“With two-thirds of the states now allowing some form of legal use of marijuana, MADD is concerned that a clear lack of understanding about the risks of marijuana-impaired driving threatens the safety of our nation’s highways,” Witty said. “The survey highlights the confusion that exists and the shocking number of people who are consuming marijuana and driving.”

Additional findings include:
• 27% recall a friend or family member driving within two hours of consuming alcohol sometime during the past three months.
• 26% think that driving after recent consumption of marijuana is “not too concerning” or “not at all concerning”.
• 31% of parents and grandparents report discussing the consequences of driving under the influence of alcohol “often”. While 43% of parents and grandparents surveyed reported “never” broaching the subject of driving high with the next generation.
• There is uncertainty whether it is legal to drive impaired by marijuana: 40% view this as a serious crime, 27% say it is only a minor traffic offense, 4% think it is legal, and 27% are unsure.
• 41% are unsure or incorrectly believe that people who regularly use marijuana are generally not impaired, making it safe to drive.

“This survey is critical to directing our outreach and education programs as we look to the next 40 years of our mission and our strategies to stop these 100% preventable and violent crashes, deaths and injuries caused by driving while impaired by marijuana and other drugs,” Witty said. “MADD is grateful to State Farm© and General Motors for their support in funding this important project. We thank them for their dedication to our shared mission to stop these tragedies that destroy families and devastate our communities.”

To review the survey results, visit https://www.madd.org/the-solution/drugged-driving-prevention/

*This survey was conducted February 14–18, 2020, before widespread impacts of the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S. It is viewed as a baseline of perceptions and attitudes.

About Mothers Against Drunk Driving
Founded in 1980 by a mother whose daughter was killed by a drunk driver, Mothers Against Drunk Driving® is the nation’s largest nonprofit working to end drunk driving, help fight drugged driving, support the victims of these violent crimes and prevent underage drinking. MADD has helped save more than 390,000 lives, reduce drunk driving deaths by more than 50% and promote designating a nondrinking driver. MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving® calls for law enforcement support, ignition interlocks for all offenders and advanced vehicle technology. MADD has provided supportive services to nearly one million drunk and drugged driving victims and survivors at no charge through local victim advocates and the 24-Hour Victim Help Line 1-877-MADD-HELP (877-623-3435). Visit www.madd.org or call 1-877-ASK-MADD (877-275-6233).

Beginning Oct. 1, the city of Fayetteville’s Development Services Department will be operating digitally. All development projects and plans will be serviced electronically through a new web portal, which will serve as a one-stop-shop for information developers need. The department oversees planning and code enforcement, zoning and rezoning, special-use and building permits as well as inspections, plus city engineering and infrastructure assignments. It’s a means by which city officials can be more transparent and accountable to its customers.

“It also saves them time, money and headaches tracking down what is happening to their plans,” said Development Services Director Gerald Newton.

In 2019, the city’s Development Services and Information Technology Departments caused the new portal for site plans to be submitted and reviewed electronically. To learn more about Fayetteville’s development rules and future land use plans, visit https://www.fayettevillenc.gov/city-services/development-services.

The Veteran’s Farm of North Carolina, Inc. will host its inaugural “Boots to Roots: A Farm Tasting” at the Dirtbag Ales Brewery & Taproom in Hope Mills on Sunday, Sept. 20.

After receiving a National Institute of Food and Agriculture grant in May from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the VFNC began organizing the launch of the Veterans Agricultural Training and Education Program.

The VATEP is a new initiative designed to provide 60 military veterans with hands-on vocational training on a farm in the agricultural industry.

VFNC Executive Director and Marine Corps veteran Robert Elliott will launch the organizations first VATEP class this fall, in a partnership with Fayetteville Technical Community College.

"VFNC's ultimate goal is to train, network and equip veterans, allowing them to easily transition into the agricultural industry to further serve our country while experiencing a life of peace," Elliott said in a release announcing the upcoming farm tasting event.

The VFNC is striving for program sustainability through efforts such as the “Boots to Roots” series of fundraiser events.

The “Boots to Roots” events are collaborations with other veteran-owned businesses who will facilitate and host the farm-to-table tastings. The goal is to raise money to assist the VFNC with funding to support and expand its
mission.

Transitioning from the military to civilian life can be challenging. The VFNC strives to assist veterans with training and networking while equipping them with a toolbox of skills needed to transition into the agricultural industry. North Carolina is home to many veteran-owned businesses, including veteran farmers. Creating a support network between these businesses and the general public is a win-win for the local community and veterans alike.

Kicking off this VFNC series of events is veteran-owned favorite Dirtbag Ales Brewery & Taproom, affectionately known as DBA to locals. This first “Farmer-Veteran Celebration” will be held under the DBA outdoor pavilion.

Brewmaster Vernardo “Tito” Simmons-Valenzuela will serve up signature craft beer flights paired with the small plates created by Brian Graybill, veteran owner of the DBA on-site restaurant, Napkins.

Graybill takes his inspiration for the fall-inspired tasting menu from the produce, meat, seafood and other products all grown, raised and produced on farmer-veteran farms in North Carolina.

The menu includes fall bruschetta, autumn salad, empanadas de chorizo, catfish croquetas, lamb bulgogi, beef barbacoa and bisteca con chimichurri. Ingredients for the menu are being provided by Watson Sanders Farm, Pappy’s Urban Farm, CATHIS Farm, Cedar Creek Fish Farm, Purpose Driven Family Farm, Green-Eyed Farms and Spartan Tusk & Feather Livestock.

Featured farmer-veterans will be located at various stations around the tent during the event. Each will serve attendees their featured small plate created by Napkins as attendees rotate from station to station.

Ernesto Rivas, veteran and acoustic guitar player, will provide live music. Guests will have a chance to win harvest baskets donated by local veteran artisans and business owners in a 50/50 raffle.

All staff and servers will wear masks and adhere to COVID-19 guidelines. Guests are asked to wear masks when not seated, drinking or eating.

This farm-to-table event will be split into two seatings with the first from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. and the second from 7-9 p.m.

The cost is $65 per single ticket or $120 per pair, which covers food from Napkins, a flight of 5-ounce beers from DBA and live music.

No refunds will be issued, but tickets may be transferred to others. The event is open to adults, 21 years and older. DBA is located at 5435 Corporation Drive in Hope Mills.

For tickets, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/boots-to-roots-a-farm-tasting-tickets-114750521900

Pictured: The Veteran's Farm of NC, Inc. is a farm designed and dedicated to instructing and training servicemembers on all aspects of agriculture.