During and after the Industrial Revolution, mass-production manufacturing was birthed and nurtured to provide the large quantities of increasingly complex devices and machines required by a burgeoning population and mechanized society.

Techniques of scale were developed to harness the investment of money, materials and personnel to achieve the goal of mass-producing effectively in cost and time.

As successful as this revolution was in meeting the new demands of society, industrialization required a shift from the individualized output of artisans to the standardized output of factories.

It also necessitated the construction of concentrated plants to the detriment of distributed cottages — two outcomes that are ill-suited to the adaptability required during sudden and massive crises, such as the unpredicted onslaught of COVID-19.

Enter 3D printing. Three years ago, I realized the potential of 3D printing to recapture the lost benefits of artisanship and cottage industry: the ability to make just what you need, when you need it and where you need it.

When global transportation is impeded, all the high-tech factories of the world are of little value, and citizens must return to the time-honored traditions of local production.
3D printing, while still in its natal stages, provides a pathway to local production-on-demand better and faster than ever before.

Fortunately, Fayetteville Technical Community College’s Simulation and Game Development department already had a functioning 3D printing lab when COVID-19 first threatened society and the modern supply chain that underpins it.

As everyone is painfully aware, an unprecedented demand for protective face masks in the pandemic’s wake quickly led to such a complete dearth of this relatively simple piece of gear that the entire medical response to COVID-19 was imperiled.

While anyone can fashion a mask of basic materials, medical personnel require a more standardized and effective device.

The members of my department were quick to respond and create, and the FTCC administration quick to endorse, a start-up mask production facility utilizing the equipment of our 3D printing lab.

What these dedicated faculty accomplished with no preparation is impressive.

We began reading about attempts to print PPE for front-line medical workers and went through dozens of designs and assembly routines, partnering with the Fayetteville Police Department and Cape Fear Valley Medical Center to ensure the most effective design possible.

Eventually, we came up with something that was quick to print, effective at preventing viral penetration and doable on our improvised assembly line.

We assembled approximately 700 masks and face shield supports, along with a thousand strap holders to relieve ear strain from constant mask wear.

We were able to get each mask to print in just over an hour. We had 10 printers printing 24/7. We peaked at around 75 masks per day, plus other items such as inserts, strap holders and
face shields.

In the end, we donated printed gear to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, local essential workers, and students, faculty and staff on campus.

The masks can theoretically be worn indefinitely, as long as they are properly sanitized after usage.

Learn more about the exciting Simulation and Game Development program at FTCC at faytechcc.edu. Fall eight-week classes begin Oct.15.

Choices have consequences! As a dad, grandpa and great-grandpa, I have always taught my children and grandchildren that they are responsible for their actions. Working with children in the Boys & Girls Clubs in Cumberland County, and as the Executive Director for the past 37 years, I have emphasized that same basic principle with them — everyone should be accountable for their choices.

Chemours/Dupont has made choices for years. Those choices were made in its best financial interests, not those of our community’s. Now the consequence of their choices has come to light — GenX contaminated water throughout our community. Drinking water, showers, animals and gardens can be affected. The solution that was accepted was to bring water lines to two Gray’s Creek elementary schools. Someone has to pay for that! Who? The Cumberland County Schools will chip in. PWC has agreed to fund part of it. Where do those entities get that money? From you and I! That’s where — from the taxpayer.

Did you benefit from the financial choices Chemours/Dupont made? No. Gray’s Creek homeowners have had to readjust their lives with bottled water for drinking. Some have accepted filtration systems for drinking water in their homes. Others are concerned about property values declining. Many are experiencing severe health issues. Who knows how pets and livestock are affected? What is the effect of this ecological disaster on our crops? New housing developers have to increase costs by paying for running water lines, they, in turn, pass those costs along to the new homeowners. Why would any business develop this area? Where is Chemours/Dupont’s accountability in all this? Why aren’t they paying? Why do we, the taxpayers, and the Gray’s Creek community have to feel the brunt of choices someone else made?

You may think you are a small fish in a big pond, but together we can make a difference. We can hold people and industries accountable for their choices. A strong Cumberland County Board of Commissioners should hold Chemours/Dupont accountable for its choices. These choices don’t just affect Gray’s Creek — taxes come from across our county. Everyone is paying for Chemours/Dupont’s choices. Help me help us all hold them accountable.

To discuss this further, please contact me via email at boysgirlsrobeson@carolina.net . I am Ron Ross, and I am running for the Cumberland County Board of Commissioner District 2 seat to make your voice heard and your tax-dollar valued.

Computer logins and digital high fives are replacing school bus rides and hugs for many students and teachers who started the new school year Aug. 17.

More than two-thirds of North Carolina’s 1.5 million public school students are going to school remotely instead of getting face-to-face instruction. Internet learning will last for at least two months and potentially longer if the coronavirus pandemic doesn’t ease off.

Cumberland County Schools Superintendent Dr. Marvin Connelly Jr. introduced Operation Smooth Start to ensure that remote teaching and learning are a new normal for students, educators and staff members.

Teachers are to connect with students, communicate classroom expectations and host classroom-level orientation sessions to help students become acclimated to the internet learning environment. District and school staff continue to ensure that laptops and tablets were delivered to schools based upon the requests from families.

Eighty modem-equipped school buses have been parked around the county to provide regional Wi-Fi capabilities.

With only a few years' exception, we have always had a family dog. On two separate occasions we were stationed abroad, and that's the only time in 40 years I can recall not having a four-legged family member.

It wasn't until recently, though, that we had a pet that used a crate in the house. When it was first suggested to us, I declined; the notion of leaving a family member in a cage while we were away seemed cruel to me. To my surprise, he warmed up
to it immediately.

Champ is a good-sized dog. He's an American Bulldog — and a bunch of something else — tipping the scales at almost 80 pounds, and we nearly go nose-to-nose when he stands on his hind legs. But something I've observed about him and the crate speaks to the need we all have for a place of refuge.

While I've attended more services since March of this year than I did in all of 2019, it's been five months since I've been to church. I miss it. I miss the camaraderie, the fellowship, the hugs and handshakes. Initially, the doors at my church and many other churches were closed as people moved to online church services in response to COVID-19.

During that time, though, I started working with local church leaders to facilitate drive-in services over the radio. But as my home church began meeting again, I found myself having to miss in-person gatherings for the new Sunday morning work obligation I'd created. I enjoy 'visiting' other churches online, whether it's my sister-in-law's church in Wichita, Kansas, or the congregation my friend pastors just outside Stedman, but I miss gathering with my church family even more.

There's something about the closeness of gathering in a church setting that makes me feel safe. Not meeting for Sunday morning worship service hasn't hindered my ability or desire to worship God at all, but there's something about the collective experience with others that adds an altogether different dynamic.

Observing my dog and his crate, in light of my longing to gather, I begin to understand the passage in Psalm 91 a little more clearly: “This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God, and I trust him.”

This hulk of a dog, whose size and appearance made neighbors choose social distancing before it was a thing at all, will run to that crate when he's afraid. He'll retreat to the seeming safety of that simple shelter when he senses anger, and he will voluntarily curl up and sleep within its four open walls whether we're home or away. It's his refuge.

He has the run of the house and yard, but chooses to return to something simple that promises a closeness and protection nothing else can.

As many of us are figuring out how best to protect ourselves and our families during these uncertain times of COVID-19, one thing that most people do not have on their radar is the issue of legal immunity (protection from being sued). North Carolina has passed laws in these last months that provide immunity protection to businesses from lawsuits stemming from COVID-19 exposure and some immunity protections that go well beyond COVID-19 exposure.

The broadest immunity law came when the legislature passed, and the governor signed into law House Bill 118, which creates qualified immunity from legal liability over claims arising from the transmission of COVID-19. Initially, immunity was for essential businesses only and was effective from and during the governor’s declaration of the state of emergency on March 10. As of July 2, this immunity extends to everyone and will run until 180 days after the recission of the state of emergency order.

So, what does this mean? If you believe you have been negligently exposed and/or contracted COVID-19 at the grocery store, gas station, doctor’s office or other business, if they provided notice at their business of actions taken to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19 and opened and/or are operating within the restrictions of the governor’s orders, you will not be able to bring a legal claim for damages against them.

For example, when swimming pools were reopened in the state, a law was passed that protects places like apartment complexes, homeowners associations or condo unit owners associations against lawsuits from people seeking damages for injury or death resulting from the transmission of COVID-19 as a result of using their pools. As with other businesses, these community associations must show that they reopened under the executive orders of the governor and have acted in compliance with those orders to benefit from the immunity law.

One of the broadest immunities granted in the new law is to “health care facilities” and “health care providers” giving wide-sweeping immunity not only from lawsuits regarding COVID-19 exposure or transmission but from any negligence claims that arise in arranging for or providing health care services during this state of emergency.

With the unknowns, high risks of exposure and high level of contagion of COVID-19, as well as the fact that a percentage of the population could have it a not even know it, many of these measures of legal protection make sense. Frankly, it would be very difficult legally to prove just where and when an individual was exposed or contracted the virus to bring a legal claim. In the end, what is important is for businesses and individuals to follow the governor’s orders and protect themselves and each other as best as possible — both from a legal and personal perspective.

North Carolina is projected to gain a seat in Congress thanks to population growth. The state is the ninth-largest by population in the U.S. Each district in the U.S. House of Representatives includes approximately 700,000 residents. North Carolina currently has 13 House members. 2020 census data should disclose sufficient growth to warrant a 14th member. The Bureau of the Census conducts a constitutionally mandated decennial census whose figures are used to determine the number of congressional districts to which each state is entitled. This process is called apportionment. Census information is also be used for federal, state and local election redistricting. The goal is to have everyone who lives in Cumberland County counted in 2020. An accurate count of all residents is critical for receiving the state’s share of the $675 billion in federal funds that are distributed to states and communities each year.

In light of the coronavirus pandemic, virtually all of us have considered health-related issues. But for people facing a serious, chronic illness, such as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, diabetes or cancer, health concern s are an everyday matter. If you’re fortunate, you may never be afflicted with such maladies, but the future is unpredictable. Of course, going through these health challenges brings physical and emotional concerns — but also financial ones. How can you prepare for them?

Essentially, you’ll need to consider four key areas: investments, insurance, legal arrangements and taxes. Let’s take a quick look at each of them:

Investments – You’ll likely need to draw on your investments for at least some of the expenses associated with your illness. So, within your portfolio, you may want to establish a special fund devoted entirely to these costs, whether they be health care, modifications to your home, transportation and so on. A financial professional can help you choose investments for this fund, as well as make recommendations for your overall investment strategy, including techniques for boosting your income, such as adding investments that can provide an income stream that kicks in when you think your costs will rise.

Insurance – Depending on your health status, you may be able to collect Medicare earlier than the traditional starting point at age 65. Even so, you’ll likely need to supplement it with additional coverage. But you may also want to look beyond health insurance. For example, you might be able to purchase a “chronic illness rider” that allows you to tap into life insurance benefits while you’re still alive. Or you might consider adding a “long-term care rider” to a life insurance policy; this rider offers financial benefits if you ever require daily care that you can’t provide for yourself. And some foundations, states and drug companies offer programs that can help pay for some costs that your insurance won’t cover.

Legal arrangements – If you haven’t already done so, you may want to establish the legal documents most appropriate for your situation, such as a durable power of attorney for finances, which gives someone the authority to manage your financial affairs if you become temporarily incapacitated, possibly due to flare-ups of your chronic disease. Once you’ve recovered, you regain control of your financial decisions. You might also want to consider a health care proxy, which appoints an individual to make medical decisions for you if you can’t. In creating or revising these documents, you’ll need to consult with your legal professional.

Taxes – You might qualify for Social Security disability payments, which, like other Social Security benefits, are taxable, so you’ll need to be aware of what you might owe. But you might also be eligible for some tax breaks related to your condition. If you still itemize tax deductions, you may be able to deduct some medical expenses, as well as certain home improvements such as wheelchair ramps, bathtub grab bars, motorized stairlifts and so on. Your tax advisor may have suggestions appropriate for your situation.

Dealing with a chronic illness is never easy. But by considering how your illness will affect all aspects of your life, getting the help you need — and taking the right steps — you may be able to reduce the financial stress on you and your loved ones.

“Phoenix Rising: From the Ashes of Desert One to the Rebirth of U.S. Special Operations,” is a new book by Col. Keith Nightingale. “Phoenix Rising” recounts the birth of Special Operations Forces through the prism of Operation Eagle Claw, the failed attempt to rescue 52 Americans held hostage in the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Iran. When terrorists captured the American embassy Nov. 4, 1979, the Joint Chiefs of Staff quickly realized that the United States lacked the military capability to deal with the issues they faced. Nightingale graduated from Airborne, Jumpmaster and Ranger schools and retired as a colonel in 1993. He served two tours in Vietnam and he was an original member of Joint Special Operations Command.

Can North Carolina’s beloved author Ron Rash protect the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and other environmental treasures from commercial exploitation?

Can he do it by resurrecting the evil, enticing central character of his 2008 best-selling novel, “Serena”?

Serena, you might remember, was ambitious and dramatically attractive, riding a white horse and displaying her well-trained eagle. In the early 1930s, she and her husband were determined to get rich by clear-cutting thousand acres of North Carolina mountain forestlands, destroying a rich, stable and precious environment.

Rash made Serena a symbol of corporate greed and anti-environmentalism.

Serena was also driven by personal passions. She was determined to eliminate her husband’s illegitimate son and the child’s mother. This assignment went to Galloway, a one-armed employee utterly devoted to Serena.

Galloway’s effort, chronicled in the original book’s dramatic last pages, was nevertheless a failure. The boy and mother were safe, and Serena was off to exploit the forests of Brazil.

A novella that is part of Rash’s new book, “In the Valley,” brings Serena back to North Carolina to take charge of a logging project to meet a hard deadline.

Galloway also returns to take on Serena’s murderous assignments, including the search for the mother and her son.

Readers will again be impressed and horrified at Serena’s determined and brutal efforts that destroy more of the environment and decimate the crews.

What is the connection to Rash’s worries about the environment?

In an interview last week with Mountain Times Publication’s executive editor Tom Mayer, Rash explained, “I’m seeing now this peril for the national parks. There’s a lot of push to change what is considered wilderness that can be mined or timbered. My hope is that this [story] would remind us how hardwon these national parks were and what they were fighting against.”

The new book has a bonus for fans of Rash’s short fiction.

There are nine finely tuned short stories. All deal with mountain people like those he knows from growing up in or near the mountains or from his long years teaching at Western Carolina University.

These are folks that Rash clearly cares for and worries about. But the time settings vary, giving readers a look at mountain life over hundreds of years.

In the opener, “Neighbors,” set during the Civil War in the Shelton Laurel community, a Confederate foraging and raiding party targets the farm of a young widow and her two young children.

“When All the Stars Fall” deals with a poignant breakup of a father’s and son’s construction business because their value systems are different.

In “Sad Man in the Sky,” a helicopter pilot who sells 30-minute rides takes on a troubled but inspiring passenger.

In “L'Homme Blesse” a mountain college art professor explores the connection between the artwork of a Normandy invasion veteran and the images on the walls of ancient caves in France.

“The Baptism” is the story of a country minister and a wife abuser who wants to be baptized. The story has a satisfying surprise ending.

A young female probationary park ranger in “Flight” encounters a bully who lacks a fishing license and breaks all the rules. Her daring retort is illegal but satisfying.

A struggling late-night storekeeper in “Last Bridge Burned” helps a troubled woman who stumbles into his store. Years later, he reaps an interesting reward.

In “Ransom,” a wealthy college student survives a lengthy kidnapping only to face another set of challenges.

Set 60 years after the Battle of Chickamauga, “The Belt” tells how a belt and its buckle that saved a Confederate soldier’s life now saves the life of his great-grandson.

Any one of these stories would be worth the price of the book, but getting all of them plus the new Serena installment makes “In the Valley” the literary bargain of the year.

A bipartisan group of 35 lawmakers have written to Defense Secretary Mark Esper, citing concerns that a “child care dilemma” could affect the Department of Defense’s readiness. “In light of COVID-19-related school closures, approximately 1.2 million children under the age of 13 in military families will now require child care,” the lawmakers wrote.

They based their numbers on the DoD 2018 demographics report. The members of Congress noted that while DoD has an extensive network of child development centers, about 18,000 military children remain on waiting lists nationwide. Schools around the country are reopening in a variety of ways, in addition to the traditional in-person learning. Some, like Cumberland County Schools, are operating through remote learning. With the pandemic shutdown of schools and child care this spring, military families and others around the country found themselves suddenly at home with their children, who were now being educated through remote learning. Fort Bragg schools, which are operated by the Department of Defense Education Activity, are set to open with face-to-face learning this fall.

Hi, I am Diane Wheatley, I am running for the North Carolina House of Representatives in District 43. I am so proud to have this opportunity. This November, you will decide whom you send to Raleigh.

There are four issues I feel incredibly passionate about. I can make a significant difference in education, health care, public safety and — finally — I can make a substantial impact on the economy of Cumberland County.

I spent 10 years on the Cumberland County Board of Education and worked diligently to improve education for children and their families. I was instrumental in starting the academy system, which gave parents school choice within the public school system. I am proud to say that during those 10 years, test scores improved every single year I was on the board, including the two years in which I served as its chair. Furthermore, we passed a major bond referendum and built 10 schools on time and under budget, enabling us to build two additional schools for the same cost.

Following my 10-year tenure on the school board, I was successful in being elected to the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners. During that time, I served on the Board of Directors of Cape Fear Valley Hospital. Furthermore, I chaired the ethics committee while on the hospital board. That helped me tremendously in understanding the issues facing health care today. As a registered nurse, I traveled all over the world as a medical missionary to provide health care to those in need.

Let us make this clear, I support affordable, sustainable health care for all and for one. I am sick and tired of big pharma and its ridiculous price gouging of the American people. The hospital billing has done nothing but compound this ever-rising cost in health care.

I do not know about you, but when it comes to public safety, I do not feel safe. My guess is you do not either. The police department and all first responders are one of my top priorities. Do you really think now’s the time to cut budgets for those entrusted with our public safety? My opponent does! When people feel compelled to rush out to take concealed carry classes and purchase guns and ammo just to protect their families, something is wrong! Thank God for our Second Amendment rights, which give us the ability to protect ourselves during times like these.

My opponent has never met a payroll. I spent over three decades in the business world and made payroll every single year. Our firm was recognized as one of the top five contractors on Fort Bragg for price, quality and service. I have a passion for entrepreneurs and have the background to prove it. I know what it takes for economic development and job growth, and that is crucial experience we will need in recovering from COVID-19.

Send me — the unbureaucrat — to Raleigh! I have got the experience and know-how and will not need any training wheels.

In August seven years ago, five local women — all dear friends — and I were knee-deep in trying to put off an original stage performance, and only one of us had any idea what we were doing.

Bo Thorp, a founder of Cape Fear Regional Theatre and its longtime Creative Director, knows more than a thing or two about theater, but the rest of us were blanks slates, veterans of different worlds altogether. Bo had recruited us to tell our life stories onstage, which entailed writing them, trying to memorize them —although we had cheat sheets — learning how to move around on a stage in the proper order with music and overcoming stage jitters. Our little band included corporate CEO Terri Union; former teacher, Fayetteville City Council member, and Cumberland County Commissioner Rollin Shaw; real estate mogul Suzanne Pennink; Army brat turned judge and former North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Patricia Timmons-Goodson; and me.

We bonded, named ourselves “The Dames You Thought You Knew,” and much to our surprise, performed to four sold-out audiences. We had been expecting family and friends. Human beings are innately curious about each other, though, and it was fascinating to learn about the lives of people we thought we knew well, but really did not. Some of it was funny — teenaged disasters and first loves. Some of it was painful — divorces and lost elections. All of it was very real. Years later, Bo conceived of and put together another performance, “LumBees: Women of the Dark Water,” featuring women of Lumbee heritage and put it on at CRFT. It, too, was an instant hit.

Seven years creates lots of change, and the Dames have been through our share. Three of us now live away from Fayetteville, mostly for family reasons. Two of us have been widowed. More grandchildren have arrived, and all but two of us are officially retired.

Those two Dames are still going at it in the working-world arena. Suzanne Pennink continues to work successfully in local real estate and is a downtown Fayetteville booster extraordinaire. She and her husband live downtown and open their city center home for various charitable causes. Pat Timmons-Goodson, the youngest of the Dames, whom the rest of us called “our baby,” continues her life’s work for justice in all areas of American life, having served as a Cumberland County prosecutor, a judge and a Justice on the North Carolina Supreme Court. She served as Vice-Chair of the United States Commission on Civil Rights as an extension of her judicial work. She is the backbone of her large, extended family as well.

This year, Pat has volunteered for a new challenge as well. She is running for Congress and would be the first Fayetteville resident to represent us since Charlie Rose left office more than 20 years ago. She has chosen to take this on during one of the most toxic political climates in American history. The Dames are behind her all the way.

COVID-19 has given all of us plenty of time to think and reflect, and prominent among my thoughts these days are the value of deep and long-running friendships and how they shape and enrich our lives. Another is how time alters us all, sometimes so slowly we are not even aware of the changes and sometimes with knocks that take our breaths away. The Dames have evolved since this time in 2013, but each of us continues to play roles in our communities, whatever they may be at this point. Keeping on keeping on is one of life’s enduring lessons as well.

Pictured (left-right): Margaret Dickson, Suzanne Pennink, Terri Union, Rollin Shaw, Patricia Timmons-Goodson.

The Cumberland County Animal Shelter is observing the sixth annual nationwide Clear the Shelters pet adoption event during the month of August. The shelter hopes to find homes for 300 pets by month’s end. Pet adoptions will be $28 thanks to a grant from PetSmart Charities. Included in the $28 fee is a rabies vaccination, pet privilege license, microchip and spay or neuter operation. In addition, every adopter will go home with a swag bag full of goodies for their new best friend.

“Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Clear the Shelter event will look a little different,” said Animal Control Director Elaine Smith. “Instead of a daylong event... a monthlong adoption campaign will enable us to maintain social distancing protocols and coordinate appointments for all adoptions.” Adopters must wear face coverings, have photo IDs and be at least 18 years old. All adoptions will be by appointment only.

A judge has dismissed Democratic attempts to throw out North Carolina’s protections against absentee voting fraud. But his ruling ensures the State Board of Elections must give voters due process to fix problems with their mail-in ballots.

The decision offers good news for North Carolinians who will vote from home due to COVID-19, said Mitch Kokai, John Locke Foundation senior political analyst.

On Tuesday, Aug. 4, U.S. District Court Judge William Osteen said fears about COVID-19 aren’t sufficient to change state laws for mail-in ballots. The General Assembly got serious about potential voter fraud after a 2018 scandal in North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District. The state ordered a new election after a Republican political operative and several associates faced charges of allegedly collecting and falsifying absentee ballots to flip a congressional race. Lawmakers enacted a law providing accountability during absentee voting.

The lawsuit, filed in May by the League of Women Voters of North Carolina and Democracy North Carolina, targeted several of those new provisions. Plaintiffs asked the court to end an early voter registration deadline, provide “contactless” drop points for absentee ballots and nix requirements that a witness sign every mail-in ballot.

Osteen didn’t grant those requests, which are akin to a “Democratic Party wish list,” Kokai said. He did, however, address a legitimate concern about an election that will rely more heavily on mail-in balloting. Current rules allow voters to fix mistakes on their ballot if they vote in person. Under Osteen’s ruling, the State Board of Elections can’t reject absentee ballots until they’ve installed a similar process for voter appeals.

Osteen also made way for the General Assembly to enact a law to protect voters’ rights to fix their ballot and have it counted.

“One of the best parts of Judge Osteen’s decision was his willingness to defer to the General Assembly for decisions about the details of addressing the plaintiffs’ issues,” Kokai said. “The court order will remain in place only until lawmakers take their own steps to resolve critical election-integrity issues.”

Data from the liberal Southern Coalition for Social Justice show more than 282,000 absentee ballots were rejected in North Carolina’s March primary election. Forty-one percent of those could’ve been counted if voters had been notified and given a chance to fix their mistakes, the League of Women Voters said in a Tuesday news release.

Sen. Ralph Hise, R-NC District 47, chairs the Senate Elections Committee. He praised Osteen’s decision in a news release Tuesday while also criticizing Democrats for what he says is an attempt to “undo bipartisan absentee ballot fraud protections passed by the legislature.”

“These partisan lawsuits undermine trust in elections by seeking to legalize ballot harvesting and make it easier to commit absentee ballot fraud. We’re glad a federal judge drew the line on these dangerous attempts to undermine election security.”

This article first appeared in Carolina News Journal.

Great change has been forced onto parents, families, students, teachers and school administrators.

Yet every day these leaders, citizens and ordinary folks put on a brave face before leaving the house to face new challenges.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tell us that children are less susceptible to COVID-19, and politicians tell us that kids returning to school is the only way to stabilize the economy, but still there is a deep sense of fear, uncertainty and distrust.

We’re at a critical juncture in history where we are forced to look at how we live, what we stand for, and what we value.

We can choose to recoil and hibernate in survival mode or we can ask how we can serve and show up for others. We are being forced to live in the present moment, to live fluidly to move through stress, unanswered questions, and well-founded concerns.

A lot of the individuals I work with in therapy are faced with the choice of who they want to become and how they want to show up in light of this pandemic.

I am so proud of our teachers, our parents and our students. These trailblazers are rising to the demands instead of being paralyzed by fear. They show up to classes, login to their remote assignments and make the best out of a terrible reality.

Thank you for not hiding and playing small. Thank you to our leaders who are making difficult decisions and facing public scrutiny.

Right now is the time to lead with empathy, expansiveness and patience. Your family, friends, employees and clients need you to take decisive action, to lean in and to be fully present.

Your hope and vision for a better future can help others see through this tough time. An antidote to the fear, panic and overwhelm is helping people to feel seen, heard and validated.

While it’s wise to show up for yourself first and foremost, it is important to balance that obligation with supporting others. Let those under your leadership fall apart and break down and express their worry and fear, and be the one to offer them hope and certainty.

Right now calls for personal and professional evolution. Make room for a new, better identity and society to emerge. Push past judgement and survival mode. Guide yourself and others to do the best possible, to channel their emotions into action.

Let us be grateful for this opportunity to transform and discover what we’re really made of. I hope you are able to see how amazingly resilient, compassionate and truly brave you are.

2020 has not been a normal election year. From rallies cancelled because of COVID-19 to talk of mail-in voting and whether or not the U.S. Postal service could support such an endeavour, nevermind concerns about how that might work, voters may want to consider how they will cast ballots this year, including voting early.

An individual’s eligibility to vote is set out in the Constitution of the United States. The Constitution states that suffrage (the right to vote) cannot be denied on grounds of race, color, sex or age for citizens 18 years or older. Beyond these basic qualifications, it is the responsibility of state legislatures to regulate voter eligibility and all elections. In the U.S., elections are held for government officials at the federal, state and local levels.

At the federal level, the nation's head of state, the president, is elected indirectly by the people through an Electoral College. The number of electors in each state is equal to the number of U.S. senators and members of the House of Representatives to which the state is entitled in Congress. North Carolina has 15 electors and requires that electors support the popular vote of the state.

Members of Congress are elected directly by the people. Each state elects two U.S. senators and members of the U.S. House of Representatives, the latter based on population.

The 2020 presidential election could come down to just half a dozen states. Experts generally agree that the key swing states to focus on this year are Arizona, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, all of which were won by President Trump in 2016.

"Those will be the six most critical states," Paul Maslin, a longtime Democratic pollster, told Newsweek. "There will be others that'll be important in varying degrees," he said.

“The Electoral College creates strange incentives for campaigns to ignore most of the country and pour their attention into a small number of places," Barry Burden, a professor of political science and director of the Elections Research Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, told Newsweek.

"Voters in these states should expect to see a lot of advertising, a lot of visits from the candidates and their surrogates and a ton of field activity with offices opening and volunteers appearing at their door," Burden added.

"To some extent, it's not really a national election. It's all about the Electoral College," Newhouse said.

The names of electors are not on the ballot in most states. Rather, when a voter casts a vote for a presidential candidate, he/she is also casting a vote for the electors already selected by the party of that candidate. For instance, if a majority of voters in North Carolina votes for the Republican candidate for president, the Republican slate of electors is elected. If a majority votes for the Democratic candidate, the Democratic slate of electors is chosen.

There are many elected offices at the state level, including governor and lieutenant governor in North Carolina. Members of the Council of State are also elected statewide. There are also elected offices at the local level, in counties, cities, towns and townships as well as school districts and special districts that may transcend county and municipal boundaries. According to a study by political scientist Jennifer Lawless, there were 519,682 elected officials in the U.S. as of 2012.

To register to vote in North Carolina, one must be a U.S. citizen; live in the county of his/her registration and have resided there for at least 30 days prior to the date of the election; be at least 18 years old, or by the date of the general election (16- and 17-year-olds may preregister to vote); and not be serving a sentence for a felony conviction, including probation, parole or post-release supervision. In North Carolina once an individual has completed a felony sentence or been pardoned, he/she is eligible to register and vote.

Early voting is available from Oct. 15-31 at a dozen sites around Cumberland County. Registered voters may update their addresses and change vital information in an existing registration record at the early voting site, but they are not allowed to change their party affiliations during the one-stop voting period that precedes a partisan primary.

North Carolina citizens can vote by mail. The election office must receive ballot application requests by Oct. 27, and completed ballots must be postmarked by or received in-person by Nov. 3. For more information, visit the North Carolina State Board of Election’s website.

The Cumberland County Boards of Elections’ office maintains precinct lines and notifies all voters of correct precincts and districts and also provides elected officials, candidates and the general public with reliable information as requested, along with administering the Campaign Reporting Act in Cumberland County. In addition, the elections office is responsible for maintaining contact with precinct officials at all times concerning elections, new laws and training.

The Cumberland County Board of Elections is in urgent need of poll workers for the Nov. 3 general election and the early voting period in October.

The board will follow state guidelines to protect the health and safety of election workers and voters. Social distancing measures and routine cleanings have been put into place and poll workers will be provided appropriate personal protective equipment.

Election worker duties include staffing polling places during early voting and on Election Day, setting up and taking down voting enclosures, checking in voters, issuing ballots and assisting voters upon request. Poll 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.

There are 75 polling places in Cumberland County, 35 of them inside the Fayetteville city limits. To locate your polling place, go to ncsbe.gov. Click on Polling Place, Search and then enter your information.

On election day, Nov. 3, all polling sites will open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m. No politicking is allowed within 50 feet of the main entrance to the polling place. In Fayetteville, those who post political yard signs on their property must remove them within a day or two following the election or be subject to a fine.

This week, our publisher, Bill Bowman, yields his space to April Olsen, the new editor of Up & Coming Weekly.

It is a good week to be taking over the editor’s seat because this issue of UCW has great information about women, voting, protecting your finances and sage advice on dealing with stress from a dog named Champ.

This week while learning procedures around the UCW office, I also found out that Annie Alexander, a North Carolina native, was the first licensed woman doctor in the American South. On page 6, you can read about how she was tending patients and serving in the Army before she even had the right to vote.

I had never heard of Annie, but it seems fitting that I would read about her this month, as it is the centennial celebration of the U.S. Constitution’s 19th Amendment guaranteeing women the right to vote. On August 18, 1920, the amendment was ratified. On August 26, 1920, it was certified by the U.S. Secretary of State, allowing eight million women across the U.S. to cast their votes that November.

I also felt a connection to Annie’s story because I, too, served in the Army. Although not a doctor, I traveled to many places around our great nation and ended up at Fort Bragg, right here in Fayetteville, where I retired a few years ago.
Serving in uniform and traveling to countries where citizens have so few rights helped me cherish my own American privilege of voting. It is something I take a lot of pride in, whether I am standing at the polling place or mailing in an absentee ballot.

You can find out information about voting in our cover story on page 13, written by Jeff Thompson. Some of you are active in politics, and some may be registering to vote this year for the first time. Whichever is your situation, I applaud your efforts. Research the issues and the candidates. Speak out for or against. Make your voice heard. Having a say in who our leaders are is one of the greatest things about America.

UCW is committed to helping you research local candidates when we receive submissions from them. On page 8, you can read what issues Dianne Wheatley is passionate about: education, health care, public safety and the economy. Wheatley is running for North Carolina House of Representatives in District 43.

Most of us are also concerned about the economy, especially since COVID-19 has shut down so many businesses and put so many people out of work. A health scare during these times can be especially stressful on a family’s finances. On page 12, we offer a quick review of four key areas to consider if you are in such a situation.

No matter what your circumstances look like, it is important to remember that taking care of yourself and your tribe is a necessity, not an afterthought. Licensed Psychologist Rebecca Crain offers her perspective on page 15.

If none of these articles help you face whatever challenge you are encountering, please flip on over to page 17. On occasion, dealing with a problem may require you to step back and catch your breath. Like Champ, Dan Debruler’s canine companion, you may need to seek refuge in your own quiet space.

Catching our breath is what we have been doing at UCW. Now is a perfect time to state what we want to accomplish in the community and review our vision.

UCW will promote good things happening and work to expose negative things for the good of the community. As social distancing allows, we will continue to highlight plays, concerts, sports, education, celebrations and a patriotic sense of serving a greater purpose.

That sense of purpose reflects our vision for the future of UCW — to share information on the many opportunities in Fayetteville, Fort Bragg and Cumberland County while being a champion of small business, highlighting the people making things happen, providing a platform for the public exchange of ideas and sharing an unapologetic pride for our community.

Our brand of community journalism carries a responsibility to inform, educate and entertain while being fair and honest. As the UCW editor, I will strive to meet this responsibility by including opposing voices and ideas to highlight the diversity we are blessed with in Fayetteville. I encourage our readers to submit your thoughts and ideas.

With so many options for print and online information, we appreciate that you spend some of your time reading Up & Coming Weekly.

Excluding people based on their race, sex or other characteristics doesn’t just keep those individuals from pursuing their dreams. And it doesn’t just violate moral principles of human dignity and equality. It does great harm to others.

Think of it this way: among every human population that has ever existed, there is a wide range of skills, aptitudes and personal preferences. Some are good at talking, others at counting. Some thrive in large teams and crowds, others in small groups or solitary ventures. Healthy communities allow people to find their best “fit,” the best possible way to apply their distinctive combinations of talents to serve others.

Because some goods and services are particularly challenging to produce, requiring either special gifts or lengthy study to master, only some of us will be able to do such jobs really well. That’s why casting the largest net we can makes us all better off. It makes it more likely we will get what we need or want.

And that’s why discrimination, in addition to being wrong, is so foolishly self-destructive. It keeps companies from hiring the best people and serving the most customers. It throttles innovation. It makes our families and communities poorer.
When only white men were allowed to become doctors, for example, that artificially restricted the quantity and quality of medical care. One reason we are, on average, much healthier than our grandparents and great-grandparents is that healers of great skill, daring and determination smashed through that barrier.

One of them was Annie Alexander. She was the first woman to become a licensed physician in the American South. As I continue my survey of pathbreaking North Carolinians who deserve greater acclaim, and commemoration in the form of statues and other monuments, the case for Annie Alexander seems irrefutable.

The daughter of prominent Charlotte physician John Brevard Alexander and his wife, the original Annie Alexander, the young Annie was only 14 years old when a horrifying event prompted her to choose her path in life. It was 1878, and medical care for women was hampered by both law and custom. Out of modesty, a female patient of her father’s refused to allow him to conduct a full examination. The patient died.

Young Annie’s horror hardened into determination. After beginning her training under her father’s tutelage, Annie went off to medical school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, ultimately moving to Baltimore, Maryland, to practice and teach medicine. When she and 99 men took Maryland’s licensing exam in 1885, Annie Alexander earned the highest score.

A bout of tuberculosis took her to Florida, then home to North Carolina, where she began a solo practice. It was revolutionary for women in the Charlotte area to be able to see a female doctor, although her practice wasn’t limited to women. And as it grew, Annie Alexander attracted both acclaim and opprobrium.

Some of her own relatives refused to have anything to do with her. Accepting whoever was willing to seek treatment, Annie struggled at first to pay her bills. She was “received with cold indifference by the professions and open curiosity by the laity,” she later wrote.

But Annie Alexander persevered. She joined the North Carolina Medical Society. In 1903, she cofounded the Mecklenburg County Medical Society, serving as its first secretary-treasurer and as its first female president a few years later. She cared for patients in local hospitals and for 23 years served what is now Queens University as its physician.

During World War I, Doctor Annie Alexander became Lieutenant Annie Alexander, treating soldiers at Camp Greene and helping to lead Charlotte’s fight against the Spanish flu epidemic. She served on dozens of boards and commissions. She championed freedom and equality. “Women nowadays,” she wrote, “can no more be withheld from her public duty than she can be exempt from taxes.”

Annie Alexander is commemorated by a historical marker on Charlotte’s Tryon Street. She deserves a great deal more than that, I think. Her influence extended statewide and beyond. Let’s honor her accordingly.

Cumberland County Schools has outlined how students will be educated as they head back to school under a remote learning plan. School officials say that to establish consistent expectations and quality education from school to school, the plan provides answers to numerous questions. A daily learning schedule has been established for elementary, middle and high schools. It includes live time with teachers, independent work time for students, student breaks to manage attention span and time to visit the district’s meal sites for lunch. An online districtwide learning management system for instruction will provide interactive learning, align assignments, house lecture recordings and quizzes/exams and provide online grading. The district will use a uniform grading structure that assures student assignments, quizzes and assessments are balanced and will provide quality feedback. The distribution of devices and instructional materials is underway now. About 80 school buses are outfitted with internet connectivity to serve as hotspots and will be strategically placed in areas throughout the community to make sure students have access. School officials have also built into the remote learning plan ways that parents can share concerns about their child’s remote experience with teachers and principals. For detailed information about the plan, visit http://ccs.k12.nc.us/.

Imagine this scenario: at approximately 2300 hours, you are dispatched as a member of law enforcement to a residence with a possible home invasion. You received information that the caller was a male child approximately 12 years of age and hiding in a closet. The child said he heard his back door kicked in and people walking around in his house. The child was crying on the phone, whispering that he was home alone, scared and didn’t know what to do.

Does this type of challenging situation positively motivate you when you consider a career?

If so, a career in law enforcement could be for you. Fayetteville Technical Community College offers convenient ways for you to learn about being a law enforcement officer and how to get started in this rewarding career. FTCC conducts a Basic Law Enforcement Training Informational/Application Workshop once a month.

If you’re not sure if law enforcement is for you but want to learn more about FTCC’s BLET Academy, we invite you to a workshop to meet the staff. We will discuss what to expect before, during and after the academy. We encourage you to bring your support (significant other) with you, so we will be able to answer any and all questions you or your significant other may have.

For those who want information and are ready to start the application process, sign up for our information session and application workshop with the BLET staff. Print out the application packet and bring it with you to the workshop. By the time you leave, the majority of your application process will be complete, and you will be on your way to a rewarding career in law enforcement!

For those who already know what BLET is all about, you can skip the informational session and move right into getting the application process completed with BLET staff assistance. Print out the application packet and bring it with you to the workshop. Sign up for our application workshop where a BLET staff member will assist you through the lengthy process.

If you already know a career in law enforcement is for you and you are ready to complete the application process on your own, no problem! Download the application from home and get started. I recommend starting the application process 5-6 months prior to your desired class start date. Anything submitted more than 5-6 months in advance could expire before the class begins.

Get started by signing up two ways:

(1) Visit our website at www.faytechcc.edu and type “BLET” in the search box. Click on “How to Enroll” to sign up for the workshop, or just download the BLET Application.
(2) Visit our Facebook page at FTCC Basic Law Enforcement Training BLET and click on the “Sign Up” button located on our cover photo.

We look forward to serving you at FTCC, and your community awaits your service as a member of law enforcement. Contact me at
vesty@faytechcc.edu if you have questions.

Now that warmer days are upon us, I seek the refuge of water with my activity of choice kayaking. I have always had a mermaid soul that draws me to the water for activities such as paddle boarding, boogie boarding, swimming and surfing, but the kayaking experience has been unique. This versatile sport can be enjoyed in many different settings, from the river to open lakes and even the beach. I also love that the kayaking community is quite diverse in terms of age and physical ability. Anyone, even you landlubbers, can enjoy this sport.

If you do not own a kayak, a few places offer kayaks for rent. I appreciate these options as different types and sizes allow people to try them out and find a comfortable fit. I own a sit-in kayak, where my legs fit inside the vessel. Some buccaneers own sit-on-top kayaks, a flat style allowing legs to stay exposed, and prefer that style for both the rowing and what else – tanning. My 10-year-old daughter uses this type of kayak; it is safer, I feel, in the event she has to abandon ship. Everyone seems to have their preferences, so I think renting for a day to “test the waters” is a great option.

When I first began kayaking, I found it a pleasant surprise the number of places available for kayak access in the local community. The locations vary in level of difficulty and offerings regarding fees and amenities such as shuttle services, guided tours, events and classes. Some kayakers like such programming, while others prefer to strike out on their own.

Spring Lake Outpost on the Lower Little River in Spring Lake has rental options, guided tours and self-guided options. Book a fun float such as the SLO Glow Canoe or SLO Glow Kayak trip; Freedom Float for the Fallen; Memorial Candle Release or an adult, youth or tandem short-route trip. One option allows you to rent their vessel or use your own kayak to put in. You travel downriver to a designated location where SLO guides pick you up and drive you back to the starting point.

Another site for a similar shuttle experience is Cape Fear Adventures in Lillington. I enjoy this area of the Cape Fear River in neighboring Harnett County as it is wide enough to give paddlers the freedom to explore with minimal obstacles. I have visited on days when it was calm enough to row upriver and then almost sail back down to the ramp for departure. With a kayak, canoe or paddleboard rental, you can book the Leisure Paddle, Easy Float, 10-mile Challenge, Epic Overnight or Sunset Paddle. Rev up the action with Stand-Up Paddle Board Yoga or Whitewater Kayaking. Slow it down with Lazy River Tubing.

If you are not into the river scene, several lakes in the local area allow you to launch your kayak free of charge. A few of my favorites are Hope Mills Lake in Hope Mills, Lake Rim in west Fayetteville and Mott Lake on Fort Bragg. All have ramps for easy water access, but Hope Mills Lake provides a nice kayak ramp that makes embarkment a snap. Lake Rim Park offers guided lake tours and off-site paddling adventures as well.

I like to take a few things on my kayak adventures that you may wish to take, too: a small cooler with water and snacks, bug spray, a sun hat or sunglasses and flip flops or water shoes. Requirements are life jackets for each person and an emergency whistle, just in case.

Don’t forget to batten down the hatches, as even on calm days, it’s easy to lose a phone to the water. How devastating it would be to miss out on sharing pictures of your adventure with your social media mates. So, grab your Mer Pals, hit the open water and beat the heat this summer.

Brandon has three little girls, no job and no health insurance.

His company launched mass furloughs just weeks after North Carolina shut down its economy over the coronavirus pandemic. Brandon’s job didn’t last long, and his health insurance became a casualty.

Brandon is familiar with the risk of being uninsured. Years ago, he racked up medical bills when depression turned his life “upside down.” But he came back to get a job he loved, working as a residential project manager in Charlotte.
Now the only reason he still can see his therapist is her decision to treat him, free of charge.

“I finally started getting help, met the woman of my dreams, I turned my life around,” Brandon told Carolina Journal. He preferred to use his first name for privacy reasons. “If I didn’t have her, if I had someone who went by the book — it scares me. And it sucks, because none of this was any fault of our own. No fault. That’s the sad part.”

Brandon is one of an estimated 723,000 North Carolinians who lost their health insurance to the economic devastation unleashed by the pandemic and the lockdowns, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. The loss has forced patients to delay or forfeit care while they wait for the economy to restart and for the pandemic to ease.

Americans’ dependence on employer-based health insurance — a result of government regulations and union activism — exacerbates the problem, experts say.

During World War II, the War Labor Board exempted health benefits from its wage freeze. After the war, unions fought for health benefits in a wave of strikes. They won a victory in 1953, when the Internal Revenue Service upheld a tax break for employer-based health insurance.

The system has its strengths, but its weaknesses become acute in a global pandemic, said Mark Hall, the director of Wake Forest University’s health law and policy program.

“You can’t live with it, can’t live without it — whatever cliché you want to use,” Hall told Carolina Journal. “On the whole, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. But the drawbacks are significant when you have these economic downturns that cause people to lose their insurance when they need it most.”

More than 1.2 million people have filed unemployment claims in North Carolina since the outbreak began and Gov. Roy Cooper shut down the economy.

“I honestly thought I’d be back working by now,” Brandon said. “I absolutely loved my job; best job I ever had, they took care of me. … It’s a nightmare for a lot of people.”

Months after being diagnosed with cancer, Sherie Bradshaw’s husband lost his job and his health insurance during the pandemic.

The cancer diagnosis, they expected. Genetics was against them, they knew, and the same cancer had killed Frank Bradshaw’s father within 10 years of its diagnosis. Father and son each were age 58 when doctors discovered prostate cancer.

Bradshaw went in for surgery just as the pandemic neared its first peak. At his company, sales plummeted 90%, federal money ran out, and the Bradshaws found themselves uninsured and unable to afford insurance. His cancer diagnosis eliminates catastrophic coverage, and Obamacare premiums are prohibitively expensive. They make too much to qualify for Medicaid, even if the program were expanded under the Affordable Care Act.

“I’m angry, and a little nervous,” says Sherie Bradshaw, a physician assistant in Charlotte. “Are we going to have to dig into our retirement savings to pay $1,000 just to be covered? And that’s sad when you’re our age.”

In Apex, Dr. Brian Forrest says many of his patients have lost their jobs to the pandemic. Two of his uninsured patients were saving for hernia repair surgery, but he worries the pandemic has hit their finances, too.

“A hernia isn’t an emergency, but you want to get it fixed before it gets twisted, or it is life-threatening,” Forrest told Carolina Journal. “It can cut off the blood supply, and kill you in an hour … They’re just biding their time.”

Expanding Medicaid would open coverage to households who make less than 138 percent of the federal poverty level. But there’s a shortage of Medicaid providers, and the pandemic has damaged the health care system, said Joe Coletti, John Locke Foundation senior fellow.

Even if the General Assembly expanded Medicaid today, it couldn’t help these families in time, Coletti said. Oklahoma approved Medicaid expansion this July, but coverage won’t take effect until July 2021 — a year later.

“Expanding Medicaid would run into the same problems as every other legal remedy,” Coletti said. “It’s not immediate, where you pass the law and it takes effect that day. They’re still in the same spot.”

In Raleigh, Ruth Porter had health insurance for two weeks before losing her job in May. She’s trying to make ends meet with her 24-year-old autistic son sleeping on the couch. Her other son lost his job when salons and restaurants closed. She cancelled the medical visits she scheduled for May.

There are gaps in Porter’s job history. She’s worked a slew of part-time jobs, and she didn’t have health insurance for the past two years. Her request for unemployment benefits was denied. But Porter says she wants to get back into the workforce.

For now, Porter is relying on her sister and her savings, but she’s starting to use her credit card. She says she can make it until the end of September. After that, she doesn’t know.

“Just looking for a job, just applying constantly. I haven’t heard anything back from any of them,” Porter said. “I’m hoping I don’t even have to think about all that, and I’m working, and it’s not even an issue. But I have no idea, the pandemic seems like it’s getting worse, and the situation with the shutdowns.”

But if schools stay shut, Brandon doesn’t know if he could take a job. His oldest girl is 10.

“I’m ready to get back out there and work,” Brandon said. “What are we going to have to do with child care? We couldn’t afford it. … What’s the government going to do, issue another $1,200 check six months from now? It is a joke.”

Cumberland County Schools Superintendent Dr. Marvin Connelly Jr. has selected a new executive director and four new principals. Jackie White was named executive director of Elementary School Support. She has served as the principal of College Lakes Elementary School since 2010. White holds an associate’s in early childhood education from State Fair Community College in Sedalia, Missouri, a bachelor’s in elementary education from Central Missouri State University and a Tier I administrative credential and master’s in elementary education from Chapman University, Santa Maria, California. Tremaine Canteen and Nathan Currie were named principals of Cumberland Academy. Brenda Ware-McAllister was appointed the principal of College Lakes Elementary. Kamal Watkins is the new principal of Lillian Black Elementary, where he currently serves as the assistant principal.

Have you been enjoying the year of our Lord, the very festive 2020? So far, it has been really swell, what with the Rona, the riots and the rational reactions. If you have spent any time on social media, you may think that 2020 thus far has stunk. Perish the thought. In a continuing effort to keep on the sunny side of the street, today’s stain on world literature will highlight some of the good things that have happened so far. Sit back, light up a stogie, pour a glass of your favorite adult beverage, and take a ride on the Reading Railroad to Happy Town, U.S.A.

Like the Overlook Hotel in “The Shining,” misquoting Mr. Halloran: “Lots of things have happened in 2020, and not all of them was good.” So, while the smell of burned toast may hang heavily in the air when you ponder the progress of 2020, as long as you stay out of Room 237 on your calendar, you should be OK. But you have no reason to go into Room 237 of 2020. So, stay out! There are places in 2020 that you should avoid. This column is not going into Room 237. You can get all the horror and anger you need by reading your social media feed. Today we shall put on a happy face.

Let us begin. Some really bad things that have not happened in 2020. There has been no invasion of body snatchers. The only evil pods that have shown up are the mystery seeds mailed here from our Chinese friends. There is no truth to your suspicion that evil Pods from another planet have replaced the loved ones with whom you have been confined while sheltering in place for the last five months. They are still the same people who existed in February — before cabin fever set in. They are not aliens from another planet, despite what you may think. It is still safe to go to sleep. You will not turn into a Pod. Take Sominex tonight and sleep safe and restful, sleep, sleep, sleep.

There has been no attack of the Mole Men this year. The Mole Men remain underground, digging diligently but silently like the Pennsylvania Miners unit of Union Army at the Battle of the Crater during the siege of Petersburg in the Civil War. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee the Mole Men won’t erupt if Dear Leader loses the election and refuses to leave office, triggering Civil War 2. To be on the safe side, buy a barrel of Talprid Mole Bait for any pesky infestations of Mole Men who may pop up in your yard after the election.

Another cheery thought for those of you who are gifted with the weight of many winters is that Soylent Green has not yet been suggested as a remedy for Social Security’s accounting issues — too many people, too little money. For those who don’t remember this excellent 1973 movie, “Soylent Green” is set in the far distant future of 2022. Life is grim, overpopulation, pollution and not enough food to go around. A big corporation has a monopoly on a food supplement called Soylent Green, which is supposedly made of plankton. It turns out Soylent Green is actually made of ground-up excess people. If the U.S. Department of Agriculture starts pushing Soylent Green instead of government cheese for the masses of unemployed Americans, at that point, you may legitimately begin to worry.

Recently TCM showed Alfred Hitchcock’s movie “The Birds.” So far, homicidal birds have been confined to Bodega Bay, California and Tippi Hendren’s bouffant hairdo. To be on the safe side, keep feeding the birds. We don’t want to rile them up. Birds descended from dinosaurs. There are more of them than there are of us. Mr. Google says there are about 7.5 billion people in the world versus about 200 to 400 billion birds. Keep buying bird seed, and all will be well.

There are good things that have happened, not just bad things that have not yet occurred in 2020. For example, Lassie came home and Timmy got out of the well. That’s a plus. Despite demands from Marvin the Martian to quarantine Earth due to the Rona, NASA recently launched the Perseverance Rover on a mission to Mars. The Rover will look for signs of life, and possibly bring Martian rocks back to Earth. Unless Marvin is able to build a great big beautiful Martian wall to keep us out, Earth will be knocking on Marvin’s door in February 2021. We shall boldly go where no man has gone before to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations and to spread Rona across the universe.

Now don’t you feel better already? There is some good stuff out there. Kindly focus on it. As John Prine once sang, “Blow up your TV/ Throw away your paper/ Move to the country/ Build you a home/ Plant a little garden, eat a lot of peaches/ Try and find Jesus on your own.”

As Floyd the barber once told Andy, “Time heals everything. Know who said that? My Latin teacher at barber college.”