I say “no” a lot, especially to my toddler.

“No, don’t do that!” “No, that’s not kind.” “No, don’t touch that!” “No, don’t put that in your mouth!” “No, no, no!” So many nos have to be said for a 2 year old to learn how to do life well. But do they all need to be said?

I’ve caught myself over and over again saying no to things he wants that inconvenience me. He is full of curiosity and wonder, and I catch myself saying no to his adventures, even when there’s no good reason not to other than it makes more work for me.

“No, you can’t jump in puddles today. You’ll get dirty.” “No, you can’t get that out. I just vacuumed.” “No, that’s too loud!” “No, you can’t help me. It’s faster if I do it myself.”

“No, no, no!”

Parents with young kids, do you find yourself doing that too? Why do we say no when, yeah, it might take some extra cleaning up, hosing off, or time out of the day, but we could say yes and have some of the best memories with our kids? Why do I say no? Because its not good for him or because it's not fun for me?

I want to say yes, way more than I say no. I’m not saying give the child everything he wants at the drop of a hat, but take note of the things I’m saying “no” to just out of pure inconvenience for me. If I don’t, I’ll be robbing him of a childhood of exploration, contentment in the little things, imagination and discovery. I want him to know he’s capable, fun and smart. If he never gets to find out for himself, how will he ever know?

Proverbs 22:6 holds this age-old truth: “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” This definitely applies to training children in the ways of the Lord, but I think it applies here as well. What he learns now will serve him when he’s older. Hopefully, if I cultivate an adventurous heart in him, one that loves to learn, experience, imagine and discover, he’ll take that with him all the way through adulthood. Maybe he’ll teach it to his children one day. If I’m consistent, he’ll learn it, too. If I’m negative and self-centered, catering to my own convenience, he’ll learn it, too. But, if I seek out the needs of others, if I create experiences for him that he’ll never forget, if I let him show me what interests him, he’ll learn to do that for others, too.

So, here’s to saying yes:

“Yes, son! We’ve got nowhere to go today. Of course you can jump in puddles.”

“Yes, bud! Hop up on this chair and stir for me! I’d love your help!”

“Sure! I’ll play with you!”

And maybe, just maybe, by saying yes, I’ll come up with more adventures on my own, too.

Medal of Honor recipient and retired Special Forces medic Staff Sgt. Ronald J. Shurer died earlier this month. The U.S. Secret Service, for whom Shurer worked since retiring from the Army in 2009, announced his death. “Today, we lost an American Hero: Husband, father, son and Medal of Honor recipient, Special Agent Ronald J. Shurer II,” the Secret Service said.

Shurer, 41, was undergoing treatment for lung cancer at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, D.C.

The day before he died, he said that he would soon be taken off a ventilator, an often difficult and sometimes dangerous medical procedure. “Very upset to write this... been unconscious for a week. They are going to try and take it out in a couple of hours, they can’t tell me if it will work,” Shurer wrote in an Instagram post from his hospital bed, pictured with his wife, Miranda.

Shurer was awarded the Medal of Honor in October 2018 for his actions as a Green Beret medic with Fort Bragg’s 3rd Special Forces Group during the Battle of Shok Valley in northeastern Afghanistan a decade earlier.

“Ron was the embodiment of the Special Forces soldier, a dedicated husband and a loving father,” said 3rd Group commander Col. Nathan Prussian. “His heroic actions were an inspiration throughout 3rd Special Forces Group, Special Forces Regiment and the U.S. Army.”

On April 6, 2008, a 12-man Green Beret team from Operational Detachment-Alpha 3336 were on a mission to kill a leader of the Hezb-e-Islami Gulbuddin insurgent group. The Green Berets and about 100 Afghan commandos were dropped from hovering helicopters because the icy mountainside was too steep to land on.

The assault force faced scaling a 100-foot cliff to reach the enemy compound. But within minutes, heavy machine-gun fire and rockets rained down from enemy positions above. Shurer, then a senior medical sergeant, began to help wounded Afghan commandos. Capt. Kyle Walton, the operation’s ground commander, radioed Shurer to advance up the slope as casualties mounted. Shurer scaled the mountainside under fire. “We were pinned down with nearly nowhere to go,” Walton said.

While treating the wounded, Shurer was hit twice — once in the arm and once by a stunning round to his helmet. Dillon Behr, one of the Green Beret soldiers who was critically wounded, credited Shurer for his survival. “Without Ron Shurer at my side, I would have died that day.”

Shurer, a long time Fayetteville resident, last lived in suburban Washington, D.C. He regularly attended events there and in Fayetteville to help raise funds for the Special Forces Charitable Trust, a charity that supports families of Green Berets.

Shurer’s Medal of Honor was an upgrade from an earlier Silver Star Medal he received for his actions during the gunbattle in Afghanistan. A Pentagon review determined his actions warranted the nation’s highest award for valor. The Green Berets honored for their heroism represented the largest set of citations for a single battle since the Vietnam War. After the citations were read, the then-commander of Fort Bragg’s Special Operations Command, Lt. Gen. John F. Mulholland, Jr., stated, “There is no finer fighting man on the face of the earth than the American soldier. And there is no finer American soldier than our Green Berets. If you saw what you heard today in a movie, you would shake your head and say, that didn’t happen, but it does, every day.”

Numbers and statistics can be misleading. This week, our publisher, Bill Bowman, yields his space to Jimmy Jones for a more skeptical look at the statistics in the age of COVID-19.

In the last few weeks, we have heard a lot about how our government officials are “following the data” and “following the science.” Here is the problem. I do not believe the majority of people trust their data or their science. I think we have a difficulty understanding what is factual and what is theoretical, and we are letting it confuse our decision-making processes.

When the United States of America bombed Japan in World War II, it killed and wounded an estimated quarter of a million people, and the world entered the nuclear age and an atomic race. I grew up in the ‘60s. In the first grade, we watched films about what to do during a nuclear explosion. The film would tell us, “don’t look at the blast,” “hide under your desk” and “duck and cover.” I now realize that this was a theoretical test of the American population. Now I know that the shockwaves would bust my eardrums and lungs, and the thermal radiation would melt my skin. Somehow, the government knew this and convinced its citizens that this was factual. Educators across the country showed us this movie, and we practiced hiding under our wooden desk — and no one questioned it.

Last year, hurricane Dorian came. We watched as officials, scientists, meteorologists and that guy from the Weather Channel tell us that Fayetteville was in the path of a Category IV storm. Factually, the storm did come. Theoretically, it could have hit land as a Category IV and come to Fayetteville. Factually, it hit near Jacksonville with tropical-storm-force winds. These predictions are not done blindly but with thousands of sensors, satellites and Air Force C-130 airplanes flying into the storm. There are so many factors that you cannot accurately predict the course of nature. Often, we take theoretical information and try to make factual predictions, usually to save lives.
As we hear the “breaking news” on the coronavirus showing us the data, people are starting to discover that the data does not seem to make sense. If you have had the coronavirus or lost someone from this, I am not discounting your pain, grief or loss.

Nature is running a course, and we cannot see it. There are only four factors that we all have to understand. We will get the virus, or we will not. If we do get it, we will live or die.

Every day the news flashes with the numbers of COVID-19 cases, the number of new cases and the number of deaths. These numbers mean nothing because they cannot be collated because not everyone has been tested nor are there enough tests. To make it useful, the entire population would have to be tested at the exact same moment while separated six-feet apart. Then we would need to check everyone across the world for a two-week period. We might then get an accurate count. Many deaths of high-risk people — those who were already in jeopardy of dying from some other health issue — are often included in the COVID-19 statistics, but that is not reported. I don’t know if these numbers are continually being blasted to us because the government and media think we are stupid or because we are dumb enough not to understand.

The chance of getting hit by lightning is one in a million. In 2017, the U.S. population was 327 million. That year, 2.7 million died. That is about 0.8% of the population. Thus far, there have been 90,694 deaths due to COVID-19 in the U.S. That is one in 3,605 people or 0.027% of the people that die each year in the U.S. In North Carolina, as of 2018, there were about 10.4 million people in the state. Last week, there were 695 deaths in North Carolina contributed to COVID-19. That is one in 14,694 people or 0.0066% of the population that have died in the state. Sadly, as we move forward, these numbers will get worse.

The number of cases that the government report on COVID-19 does not report how many people are contagious at a time. That is a number we could use to make educated decisions. Symptomatically, this is hard to diagnose because the list of symptoms continues to grow. It is hard to tell if someone has COVID-19, the flu or allergies without a test. We use to look at someone who sneezed and say, “God bless you.” Now, we may say, “God bless you,” but we are thinking, “Run!” “Don’t get me sick,” and, “I hope you don’t die.”

Social distancing is not going to work. This is the same as having to hide under your desk in a nuclear explosion because we are a community of people. We are social beings. From birth to death and in between, we long to be in touch and interact with people. In my opinion, I do not want the government to tell me what to do, where to go and who I can see in a free society. I prefer our leaders to recommend, “stay safer at home,” but the king of our state ordered us to “stay at home, close our businesses and wreck our economy while bureaucrats pick who can do what in the name of social distancing. No person or representative in a free society should ever have this kind of power over the people.They are elected to represent us, no matter the circumstances. These people either do not understand the Constitution, or maybe they just decided to run rampant over it to protect their kingdom.

Looking at the blame game of where it started is just a waste of time for the common person. The United States government could not find who released anthrax in Washington, D.C., in the deadly attack in 2001. After that event, the government told us to use plastic and use duct tape to seal our doors and windows. They should have just told us to put plastic bags over our heads and say, “Good luck.”

The government needs to work on its credibility. It is your responsibility, and the right thing to do, to protect yourself as you see fit. If you are sick, stay home. If you are high risk, don’t go out. If you go out, I recommend that you have your will updated and have a “do not resuscitate” order in place, if that is what you wish.

Until there is an effective vaccine, there are risks, and nature will run its course. The numbers are in our favor to survive.

Motorcycle helmets save lives. Nothing is more precious than your life, and nothing is more important to keeping it than your head. Although it may be considered more fun to tour the roads of the Tar Heel State with nothing on your head and the wind in your hair, that is also a good way to fall victim to careless drivers, poor road conditions and other unseen hazards.

Does North Carolina require motorcyclists to wear a helmet? Yes. The law in this state requires all active bikers to wear a helmet. This applies to riders of mopeds and any similar kind of open motorized vehicle.

What kind of helmet meets the requirement in North Carolina? This is a standard set by the U.S. Department of Transportation called Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 218. This sets the manufacturer’s minimum standards for how motorcycle safety helmets can be made and the protections they have to offer. It is best to have a helmet that meets or exceeds the standards. There are novelty helmets out there that may look cool, but they are not safe and do not provide the protection required by Standard 218. 

Some of the details of Standard 218 include the exterior of compliant helmets must be made of material that can withstand the force of a sudden collision. To protect the head and brain, there must be a polystyrene foam liner at least an inch thick within it and sturdy chinstraps and solid rivets that will not break or become loose while riding. Helmets that meet the standard typically have some heft, weighing in at around 3 pounds. A full-face design is also a good indicator of a safe helmet. Helmets that meet Standard 218 are built so that nothing extends further than two-tenths of an inch from the surface of the helmet — so spikes on the helmet don’t cut it with DOT. 

How can you tell if a helmet meets Standard 218 aside from looking for the above criteria? Manufacturers of helmets that meet Standard 218 have a sticker on the outside back of the helmet with the letters “DOT.” Standard 218 also requires manufacturers to place a label on or inside the helmet stating the manufacturer’s name, model, size, month and year of manufacture, construction materials and owner’s information. Beware of DOT stickers being sold separately for motorcyclists to place on noncomplying helmets. A separate sale of a DOT sticker is a sure sign that the helmet does not meet safety criteria.
In the end, a safe helmet indicates a smart motorcycle rider who has a much better chance of survival if the unexpected happens. Here’s to safe riding.

Physical education teachers do a lot more than roll out the basketballs for their students and make sure everybody is wearing the proper attire for running laps or playing volleyball.

Especially physical education teachers like Jeff Nance at Gray’s Creek High School. In addition to regular physical education classes, Nance teaches what’s called an adaptive physical education class for students with special needs.

It was partially because of his work with this group of students that led the North Carolina High School Athletic Association to single Nance out as one of the winners of this year’s Homer Thompson Memorial Award called Eight Who Make A Difference.

The award is presented annually by the NCHSAA to one person from each of the state’s eight regional districts. The winners were honored as excellent role models to student athletes through a positive and dedicated approach to coaching. Nance was nominated by Gray’s Creek athletic director and NCHSAA Board of Directors member Troy Lindsey.

The press release from the NCHSAA called Nance a special person who comes around once in a blue moon, describing him as gregarious, passionate, outspoken, humble and larger than life.

Earl Horan may have offered an even better description of Nance. Horan is a special needs teacher on the faculty at Gray’s Creek. His son, Earl “Early Bird” Horan, was one of Nance’s special needs students during his four years at the school.

“Jeff has the patience of a saint,’’ Horan said. “He’s got such a good heart.’’

Every morning during school, the two self-contained special education classes at Gray’s Creek come to the school’s atrium where Nance is on duty. “They’ll ask permission to come over there and give him a quick hug,’’ Horan said. “He goes out of his way to tell them he loves them.’’

Nance said the adaptive physical education class he teaches is easily his favorite. “It’s for kids who need a little extra help in a controlled setting,’’ he said. “We have to modify some of the games and the techniques we teach them. A lot of the kids are nonverbal.’’ He treats each child as an individual but does it in a class setting.

“They are just a pleasure to be around,’’ he said of his adaptive students. “They take everything in stride and they’re not judgmental of each other. They’re always happy to do what you ask them to do.’’

Nance said his exceptional children are blessed with what he calls a double dose of love and compassion. “I don’t think they are tainted by wanting to be in the pecking order,’’ he said. “I don’t think they are worried about being popular. They love life for what it is.’’

Nance coaches the Gray’s Creek baseball team and has exceptional children involved in his program as managers for the team. “Our players take our managers in as their little brothers or teammates,’’ he said. “Baseball is a kid’s game played by young men and adults, and they (the exceptional children) bring a child’s-like view to the game.’’
The managers wear baseball helmets in the dugout for safety and help with a variety of duties like sweeping out the dugout, chasing foul balls or keeping up with pitch counts. “They are so happy to be part of it,’’ Nance said. “I hope it rubs off on the players that no matter what your role is, just being part of the team, everybody is equal. You don’t have to be the superstar.’’

Nance thinks he gets as much from the experience of working with exceptional children as they do. “They bring me back to center,’’ he said. “They
 relax me.’’

He thanked both his immediate family and the countless coaches he’s worked with since his youth for helping to foster his love for young people.
“I’m happy to have role models like my mother and brother and former coaches,’’ he said. “It motivates me to try and do better.’’

Column Gist: In any circumstance, only giving part of an account of some happening, that benefits the storyteller, can prove dangerous — even destructive. The possible consequence of danger or destruction is normally faced by others but can also negatively impact the narrator of the partial story. These partial narratives, and the accompanying danger or destruction, seem present in abundance in our current political climate. We had better address it.

“Narrative” is defined in a Google search as: “… a spoken or written account of connected events; a story.” We live in a time when hardly anybody voluntarily tells the whole story regarding anything. We only tell what benefits our argument, our position. That might be expected where there is no negative consequence, as when two fellas are in discussion regarding which of them is the better fisherman. However, narratives or accounts that impact decision-making and affect matters resulting in serious consequences, must not be addressed with partial narratives. What follows is some examination of one instance illustrating how use of the partial narrative plays out in our current political climate.

The situation started when Governor Larry Hogan, R-Md. and Governor Andrew Cuomo, D-N.Y., called on Congress to approve billions of dollars in unrestricted aid to states. Their argument is that states need this funding for state-funded functions not directly related to addressing COVID-19 but for suffering shortfalls because of the pandemic. Other elected officials voiced agreement, but President Donald Trump’s response started the partial narratives. These segments from an article by Sahil Kapur and Allan Smith titled, “Trump’s state ‘bailout’ swipe prompts pushback: Who’s really getting rescued.”

It states, “President Donald Trump is expressing skepticism of federal relief for ‘Democrat-run’ states battling the coronavirus. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell’s office bashes the idea as ‘blue state bailouts,’ and has proposed to let cash-strapped states declare bankruptcy.

“Three of the four biggest ‘taker’ states lean Republican: Kentucky, Mississippi and West Virginia, according to a 2019 study by the SUNY Rockefeller Institute of Government that looked at how much states get from the federal government per year and how much they send to Washington. New Mexico was the exception. All four receive twice as much money as they give.

“The four biggest ‘giver’ states, according to the study, all lean Democratic: Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York.”

Trump’s framing of his concern opened the door for a discussion on what dollar amount states contribute to the federal government and what they receive. The information above shows New York in a good light. Gov. Cuomo seized that point. Following are segments from an article by Morgan Phillips titled, “Cuomo: New York has been ‘bailing out’ other states for decades.”

“While Cuomo said it was ‘not the time to be talking about dollars and cents,’ New York’s federal tax contribution has been ‘bailing out’ other states for years.

“’If you want to look at who gives, we are the No. 1 giver — no one puts more money into the pot,’ Cuomo continued.

“Cuomo said the state has paid $161 billion more than it received in federal spending since 2015, and for every $1 New York state gives to the federal government it receives 91 cents back.”

With a partial narrative, Cuomo scored points. Left with his response and the earlier information regarding other states, New Yorkers likely feel entitled to a bailout. Other Americans who delve no further into the matter will probably agree. However, the question is not whether New York deserves a bailout solely because of its financial contributions to the federal government. The bigger question is should we bail out a state that is in financial trouble because of mismanagement and unwise decisions? If financial contributions are to be considered, then it is reasonable to factor in the totality of New York’s contribution to America and the totality of what the state receives from being a member of this union.

Regarding financial mismanagement, consider New York’s spending on illegal immigrants. By any measure, the state has set conditions that make it a magnet for illegal immigration. One of those conditions is the focus on sanctuary status for cities. Following is from an article by ProCon.org titled, “Sanctuary Cities: Top 3 Pros and Cons”:

“While there is no official legal definition of ‘sanctuary city,’ the term generally refers to towns, cities, or counties that decline to cooperate completely with federal detention requests related to undocumented immigrants, often with a ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy.”

A report by the Center for Immigration Studies, as of March 2020, shows the following cities or counties in New York as having sanctuary policies: Albany, Franklin County, Ithaca, Nassau County, New York City, Onondaga County, St. Lawrence County and Westchester County. That reference also lists New York as a sanctuary state. Sanctuary areas clearly behave in a fashion contrary to federal policies and priorities for keeping the nation safe and secure.

An article by Seth Barron titled “Is there anything New York won’t do for immigrants?” presents another relevant piece of information. The writer reports: “Earlier this year, the Trump administration announced that it would expand the list of government benefits it considers when defining a person as a ‘public charge.’” Public charge provisions seek to ensure that persons who immigrate to America are able to financially support themselves and will not be a burden on society. To this end, they should thus secure local sponsors who could guarantee their expenses until they got settled. Barron states: “Progressive localities have responded furiously to Team Trump’s directive. New York City and state have joined a lawsuit to prevent the expansion of public-charge criteria, alleging that it reflects animus against nonwhite immigrants.”

Even further, Barron reports that in 2012, under Mayor Michael Bloomberg, 580 persons who had sponsored single immigrant adults were notified that they were to reimburse the city for cash assistance that those immigrants received from the city. Two hundred fifty individuals paid $996,000 to the city to cover those costs.

Then Barron says, “On taking office in 2014, however, de Blasio canceled the collection efforts, which he had opposed in his prior position as public advocate, when he had demanded that HRA ‘stop punishing sponsors when immigrants seek assistance from the city.’”

Mayor de Blasio also refunded all the money paid by the 250 sponsors. Opposition to the Trump changes, coupled with de Blasio’s cancellation of collection efforts and refunding payments, was an unwise use of funds. It also points to making New York a magnet for illegals. The magnet creation goes on with New York now issuing driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants and offering undocumented students access to state financial aid and scholarships for higher education.

The kinds of actions addressed above result in unreasonable governmental expenses that adversely impact legal citizens. https://www.fairus.org/sites/default/files/2019-05/newyork2017.pdf provides information that supports this conclusion: An estimated 873,000 illegal aliens live in New York; illegal aliens add 251,000 students to local schools; in 2017, illegal immigration cost New York taxpayers $7.5 billion. That’s a huge amount of money that would be far better used to provide for the legal citizens of New York.

The benefits to New York run much beyond the dollars returned to the state by the federal government. In the current COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government: sent military personnel in to set up temporary hospitals, converting the Javits Center to accommodate pandemic victims; provided ventilators, protective medical gear and other items; sent a hospital ship, USNS Comfort, to New York City. None of these actions would have been possible in support of the state if other states in this nation were not, even when less than New York, financially contributing to the federal government.

Given that military personnel are so heavily involved in supporting New York during this pandemic and providing for ongoing national defense, which includes the state, New York’s level of support for the military is relevant. An article by Adam McCann titled “Most Patriotic States in America” gives an overview of a study done by WalletHub. Under “Military Engagement,” New York State is rated 49th among the 50 states. This category measures each state’s support of the military by way of military enlistees between 2012 and 2017, veterans living in the state, active duty military personnel and participation in the military reserves. All of the states that Gov. Cuomo points to as financially contributing less to the federal government than they receive outpaced New York, by a long shot, in this assessment.

The lesson here is simple: invest the time and effort to get the whole story because partial narratives abound.

Near the end of March, many local business owners were confident about 2020. Sales were up, and customer engagement was strong. Then, like a punch to the throat during a seedy roadhouse brawl, COVID-19 swept in, and everything changed. With their backs to the wall, everything to lose and no sign of a rescuer, entrepreneurs did what they do best. They took a deep breath and stepped up to face the challenge with creativity and optimism, pouring every bit of themselves into their businesses and the community. They found new opportunities and innovative ways to serve their customers. Here is how a few local businesses are handling the COVID-19 crisis.

Rocket Fizz

Rocket Fizz Soda Pop and Candy Shop opened four-and-a-half years ago, bringing whimsy and nostalgia to Fayetteville’s very first novelty candy store. Although it is a franchise, owners Kyle and Ann Sims and Ineke Morris created an old-timey candy store atmosphere with friendly, neighborly customer service, making every visit to their store a personal and memorable experience. Carrying candies from around the world and bygone eras, as well as more than 500 flavors of soda pop ranging from traditional to off-the-wall flavors like bacon, Rocket Fizz also stocks gifts, toys, movie posters and much more. They sell cool things, yummy things, things you can’t find anywhere else.
When the stay-at-home orders were imposed, the trio knew their operation had to change to keep the business viable. Rocket Fizz is classified as a grocery store, so its doors have stayed open. Their first survival tactic was to apply for the government’s PPP stimulus grant. The second was to contact the Rocket Fizz franchisor and the shopping center landlord to negotiate the fees and rent for the duration of the crisis. Both were successful.

The stimulus money from the government helped, but their location in the Marketfair Mall on Skibo Road remains a challenge. “The bulk of our business came from the movie theater next door.” Kyle said.

And, even though the second phase of the “recovery” is underway, there is no telling when the movie theater will reopen, if ever. So, to create additional revenue streams, they implemented free delivery service and promoted online ordering. They added Shopify to their website to make online purchasing easier. They even supplemented sales by using their portable concession trailer. “We bought the concession trailer hoping to create another revenue stream,” said Ann. “It was meant for events like the Dogwood Festival and the like.”

The Easter holiday was a Godsend for Rocket Fizz. Specialty themed Easter baskets and gift packages were a popular item and online favorite with customers. “We have made so many Easter baskets this year,” said Morris. “We had lots of orders over the phone, and we personalized every basket. People were so happy they found a place where they could get a basket for their kids. The fact that it was a rewarding sales week made us so happy.”

While keeping their small business afloat, they continue to reach out to the community and help others where they can. “We have donated products to local first responders, health care workers at Cape Fear Valley Health System and the VA Hospital, and most recently, to both the Fayetteville City Police Dept. and County Sheriff’s Dept. in recognition of National Police Appreciation Week,” said Morris, adding that, “Ann and I love this place. We will do anything to keep this business going. It’s heartbreaking, but we aren’t going to give up.”

Reach out to Rocket Fizz at 910-867-6032.

The UPS Store

When you see a line of people three-and-a-half city blocks long waiting patiently, you might think they are in line to purchase Jimmy Buffet concert tickets. They are not. They are patiently waiting to pack, ship, print or mail something through the UPS Store in Westwood Shopping Center, owned and managed by Steve Milburn and his wife Debbie.

The Governor’s stay-at-home mandate has stimulated online consumer purchasing, which has increased the store’s foot traffic tremendously. Online purchases are shipped to the UPS Store where customers who have mailboxes can retrieve them. Very lenient and generously return policies also accompany online purchases. Together, they create a constant flow of traffic through the store.

“We processed 15,000 dropoffs (returns) for Amazon last month, generating between 12,000-15,000 people through our doors,” said Steve. 

Debbie Milburn serves as a welcoming and conscientious “safety officer” and traffic manager for the company. To her credit, she has sidewalk disks marking off 6-foot sections from their front door to the Dairy Queen. She screens the customers and allows them to do the paperwork while waiting in line. She only allows four people in the store at one time — and at the appropriate distance. Social distancing, face masks, hand sanitizer, gloves and Plexiglas shields are all a part of keeping UPS Store customers safe.

Steve and Debbie opened the Westwood UPS Store in a 1,500-square-foot storefront in 1996. Now, they occupy a 4,800-square-foot mega-store with an additional store at Fort Bragg.

As an essential business, the Milburns have been able to keep all their employees working. They have even hired some new staff to help keep up with the extra workflow. The Milburn staff produces the area’s much-needed social distancing signs, floor stickers, floor coverings and protective vinyl guards used on counters and at cash registers throughout the community. They do all of this in addition to their regular services of providing mailboxes, shipping and mailing services, document shredding, notary services, computer access, engraving, laminating and printing services from business cards to menus to large, corporate commercial signs, all while looking out for their customers.
Steve noted, “We make sure our prices are the best. I know people are hurting. We offer many programs and discounts. We are all in this terrible crisis together; if there is a need, we’ll figure out a way to fill it.”

The Milburns also donate generously to many local community civic and health organizations, schools and arts and cultural programs.
Contact the UPS store at 910-860-1220.

A Bit of Carolina

Robin Matthews’ unique shop, A Bit of Carolina, located in downtown Fayetteville, has become a favorite destination for many in Cumberland County. It is truly a celebration of North Carolina, Southern history, traditions and hospitality.

A Bit of Carolina is a unique specialty shop carrying native North Carolina foods and gifts as well as North Carolina and Fayetteville-specific apparel, accessories, home décor and much more. Additionally, Matthews supports other local businesses by using 80 local vendors to help stock her shelves. Robin Matthews boasts that most of the items sold in her store come from within 30 miles of Fayetteville.

A Bit of Carolina is an “essential business” since it stocks honey and other food items like elderberry syrup — a natural cold and flu remedy.

Additionally, three different vendors at the shop have produced a combined 2,000 masks to sell to the public. “They are affordable, and we have several varieties for people to choose from. We have such talented people here,” said Matthews.

She was open for business, but had to rethink how she did business. “We had to change,” she said. “There were not as many people coming in, so we amped up our social media. It started with Easter baskets … now we do delivery in the city, and we offer shipping.”

Social media and networking seemed to revitalize her business. “People call and say, ‘I need a gift for x,y,z. This is how much I want to spend.’  We give them ideas for themes and help them come up with creative gifts.” Matthews said.

Curbside pickup has also become popular in downtown Fayetteville. “A lot of Facebook groups have members that specifically ask which stores do curbside service and have asked us to keep doing it. A lot of people with young kids can still get out and get what they need. It will also help with parking downtown.”

Reach out to A Bit of Carolina at 910-551-6537.

These are only three businesses of the many thousands that are surviving and prospering under these difficult economic conditions. We hope that Fayetteville, North Carolina, America and the world come out of this healthier and stronger, as we all fight to stay alive and open for business.

The COVID-19 pandemic has ground activity on high school athletic fields to a halt, but there’s still plenty going on off the field. Here are a few items of interest:

• The Gray’s Creek High School boys cross country team was the only Cumberland County squad to be recognized by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s 2019-20 Scholar Athlete Program.

The program annually recognizes students and teams for their academic success. To qualify, the combined unweighted grade point average of the team must be 3.1 or higher during the semester when the team is competing.

Gray’s Creek earned a 3.75 GPA, placing third in the state behind first-place North Davidson at 3.84 and second-place Crest at 3.8.

The win earned the school a $100 prize.

• Fayetteville Technical Community College is using the lights at J.P. Riddle Stadium to join in a national program to honor this year’s graduating high school seniors who are missing out on their final year of sports or performing arts because of the pandemic.

The idea apparently started in Texas, spread to Colorado and then took off nationally, as high schools turned on the lights on their athletic fields at 8:20 p.m., 20:20 in military time, and left them on for 20 minutes and 20 seconds to honor the class of 2020.

Steve Driggers of FTCC said the lights were turned on the last two Fridays this month at Riddle Stadium and will be lit a final time on Friday,
May 22.

• Congratulations to Faith Francis of the Westover High School girls’ basketball team. Francis has been selected to the East roster for this summer’s North Carolina Coaches Association East-West All-Star basketball game in Greensboro.

If restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic will allow, the game will be played Monday, July 20, at the Greensboro Coliseum.

Francis led Westover to a 21-7 record and a second-place finish in the Patriot Athletic Conference behind state 3-A co-champion E.E. Smith.

A 6-foot-1 wing player, Francis averaged 15.4 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. She made 23 three-point field goals. She was named the Patriot Athletic Conference girls Player of the Year.

• Two Cumberland County schools recently hired head coaches. Kelly Melvin is the new volleyball coach at Cape Fear High School while Thurston Robinson will coach the girls basketball team at Terry Sanford.

According to a press release posted on social media, Melvin is a graduate of Douglas Byrd High School with degrees in physical education from Methodist University and North Carolina A&T.

She has been a teacher and athletic director at Albritton Middle School for 28 years.

She worked with the Cape Fear volleyball program since 2016, serving as head junior varsity coach and assistant varsity coach.

Robinson’s hiring was also announced on social media. He has coached for more than 20 years in the Fayetteville area, coaching both boys’ and girls basketball.

His teams have won championships at both the state and national level.

He has also had teams appear in major showcase tournaments around the country.

• Proponents of adding a shot clock to high school basketball suffered another defeat recently when the National Federation of State High School Associations announced the high school basketball rule changes for the 2020-21 season.

A proposal for a national rule requiring a shot clock, along with a rule allowing individual states to adopt one if they desired, were not approved.

In a press release from the National Federation, Theresia Wynns, NFHS director of sports, said members of the Basketball Rules Committee discussed the pros and cons of adding the shot clock and will continue to study the issue.

• One rule that was updated involved what happens if no coach is available to be on the bench because the head coach has been removed for unsportsmanlike conduct.

The new rule says if a coach is removed from the bench and no authorized school personnel are available to take over the team, the game will be declared a forfeit.

• Another rule was clarified to state that officials don’t have to give a coach a warning before assessing a technical foul. The existing rule gave the impression that a warning was needed before calling a technical.
• A new rule was added for clock operators, who are now required to sound a warning signal to start a 15-second period to replace an injured or disqualified player. A second warning is given at the end of 15 seconds to alert teams it’s time to prepare for play.
• A complete list of the rule changes for next season can be found at www.nfhs.org. Go to Activities and Sports at the top of the home page then click on Basketball.

Local businesses looking for ways to bridge the gap while wait for approval on federal loans have a friend in the city. On May 11, Fayetteville City Council approved $260,000 in funding and began accepting applications on May 12.

“We know businesses are facing some extreme challenges right now and understand the hardships they are facing,” said Kathy Jensen, mayor pro tem, chairwomen of the Council’s Business Taskforce and a local business owner. “These loans are designed to help businesses quickly and easily, providing a short term financial fix until applicable federal dollars kick in.”

 Applications are accepted online through CEED’s website at www.ncceed.org. Applicants can call them as well at 910-323-3377. CEED, acting as a clearinghouse for the city, will work with small businesses in the community that need help during this time. CEED will process the applications and underwrite and fund the loans using standardized guidelines in a consistent and expeditious fashion to get the money to qualified businesses as quickly
as possible.

Once a business submits all the required information and CEED reviews the packet for completeness, the packet will be reviewed by a committee of local small businesses and city staff to determine loan approval or denial. It is expected that once the loan is approved, it will take up to three days to disburse funds.

The city of Fayetteville also offers grant programs for businesses funded through Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), which is a Housing and Urban Development (HUD) program. Contact the Economic & Community Development department for details at 910-433-1590 or CommEconDev@ci.fay.nc.us.

Hurricane preparedness week

It’s time to prepare for the 2020 hurricane season, which runs from June 1 through Nov. 30. During this time, families are urged to develop emergency plans, update emergency supplies and review homeowner and renters’ insurance policies. This year, it’s important to consider how COVID-19 might alter typical plans during hurricane season. The North Carolina Department of Transportation reminds drivers that after a hurricane or severe storm, they should always pay attention to lane and road closures and never go around a barricade. Go to the department’s website for information on storm preparation, potential evacuation details and live, up-to-date traffic information. The state continues to update its website for people seeking the latest information about the pandemic. You can find information about protecting your health, applying for unemployment and many other topics related to COVID-19.  For more information, contact the NCDOT Communications Office at 919-707-2660.

Hair stylists at FTCC depend on videos

Students in an advanced hair-styling class at Fayetteville Technical Community College haven’t been able to meet in person since late March but completed their final exam with a group video in which they demonstrated the skills they had learned. In challenge videos, people film quick snippets of themselves. It is a perfect vehicle for the students in Juanita Williams’ Contemporary Hair Design course. In the past, Williams said, her final exam required students to do a “Total Look” photo shoot with a live model. The students had to demonstrate their hair and makeup skills and compose the model’s outfit. An FTCC photographer would help them pull off the complete experience.

This year, though, Covid-19 forced the class to move online in mid-March. Eight students took before and after videos of themselves in their homes, showing off the techniques they had learned.

Val Cruchon, one of the students, took each submission and compiled them into a single video. All eight students in the video received As. Two other students, who weren’t able to participate, will be given other projects so they can complete the course. “Having a good time creating and getting an A for doing it doesn’t get any better for a college student in the midst of a pandemic,” she said in an email.

Williams had a good time, too. “I love what I do,” she said.

The VA and hydroxychloroquine 

Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie is defending the use of an unproven drug on veterans for the coronavirus, insisting they were never used as “test subjects” but given the treatment only when medically appropriate. In a letter and call with major veterans’ organizations, Wilkie said the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine was being administered in government-run Veterans Affairs hospitals to virus-stricken patients only in conjunction with a physician’s advice. Wilkie declined to say how widely the drug was being used for COVID-19 and whether the department had issued broad guidance on the use of the drug, which has been heavily touted by President Trump, without scientific evidence.

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-NY, said the VA needs to provide Congress more information about a recent bulk order for $208,000 worth of hydroxychloroquine. The Food and Drug Administration has warned doctors against prescribing the drug for COVID-19 outside hospitals because of the risks of serious side effects and death.

Military-friendly schools

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction recently released the names of its 2020 Purple Star Award winners. North Carolina awards the Purple Star designation to schools that demonstrate military-friendly practices and a commitment to military students and families. “This designation informs military families that these schools are military friendly, taking additional measures to ensure their child’s transition and time spent in Cumberland County Schools takes their special circumstances like PCS moves, deployments, separation from extended family, etc., into consideration,” said CCS Military Family & Youth Liaison Joseph Peek.

The following Cumberland County schools were award recipients: Seventy-First High School, Jack Britt High School, J.W. Coon Elementary School, Cape Fear High School, Cumberland International Early College High School, Cumberland Polytechnic High School, Douglas Byrd High School,  Douglas Byrd Middle School, Eastover-Central Elementary School, E.E. Smith High School, Gray’s Creek Middle School, Mac Williams Middle School, Pine Forest High School, South View High School, South View Middle School, Spring Lake Middle School, Terry Sanford High School, Westarea Elementary School, Westover High School and Westover Middle School.

The investment world is full of colorful terms, but perhaps none is better known than “bull” or “bear.” As an investor, you’re typically rooting for the bull market, when prices are rising. But you also want to protect yourself for periods when prices are falling. Now that we’ve entered a bear market — typically defined as a market in which stock prices have fallen 20 percent or more from their recent highs — how concerned should you be?

First, consider where we’ve just been. For 11 years, from 2009 to early 2020, stock prices kept rising, with some interruptions, resulting in one of the longest bull markets on record. During this time, stock prices rose around 400% — which means we entered bear territory from an extremely high point. This doesn’t mean the recent losses are insignificant, but market pullbacks present more of a pothole, rather than a complete detour, on the road to your financial goals. If you’ve been investing over time — at least a decade — you still have likely made significant progress toward your goals.

Here’s another point to keep in mind: Bear markets are a normal occurrence in the stock market. There have been eight previous bear markets since 1945, not including the current one, which have lasted an average of less than one year. The good news is bull markets have, on average, lasted five times longer. Of course, as you’ve no doubt heard, the past performance of the markets can’t guarantee how they will perform in the future.

While we can’t predict how long this bear market will last, given the ongoing uncertainty of the coronavirus health crisis, it’s highly likely a rebound will eventually emerge, as has happened before.

So, given all this, how should you respond to what’s happening? When market volatility rises and the value of your investments declines, you might feel tempted to abandon your long-term strategy in favor of one you perceive to be lower-risk. But instead, ask yourself some questions:

• “Have my long-term financial goals changed?” You’ve probably had your long-term goals for quite some time. For example, perhaps you’ve always wanted to retire at a certain age and spend part of the year in a different location. Do you still have this goal today, despite all that’s happened in the markets? The answer is likely yes. If that’s the case, you probably don’t want to abandon the investment strategy you’ve been following, especially given the unique nature of the current market volatility.
• “Am I comfortable with my risk tolerance?” Some investors know that markets will go through occasional shocks, and can live with this knowledge, but others worry to the point that it negatively affects their quality of life. If you are in this second group, you may need to re-evaluate your risk tolerance and, at some point, adjust your portfolio accordingly.

  These are challenging times for all of us, as we think about the health of our loved ones and our ability to achieve our financial goals. But it’s important to have confidence that the current health crisis will eventually pass, and that normalcy will return. And as an investor, remind yourself that investing for the long term requires patience and discipline. 

Ever so cautiously, North Carolina has begun opening back up for business. Unlike other nations with stronger federal systems, in the United States, each state is making its own decisions about resuming commerce. North Carolina’s governor, Roy Cooper, is following Alexander Pope’s advice to “be not the first by whom the new are tried, nor yet the last to lay the old aside.” While other states have opened up more extensively, North Carolina will do so in stages, a strategy that does not please everyone. Heavily armed protesters have appeared on Raleigh streets, begging the question of whether they plan to shoot someone if they cannot get a haircut or go to the mall immediately.

The numbers of people diagnosed with the novel virus all around the world, in our country and our state are astounding and growing, as is the death toll. But numbers, no matter how big they get, are just numbers until each of us puts a face on one of them. That moment came for me earlier this month. A dear friend of more than a decade did not respond to my happy birthday text in April, and I now know why. She was fighting COVID-19 with all her might.                                          

Let’s call her Ellen. She is a 42-year-old woman, happily married with two children, one a freshman in college and the other a rising ninth-grader. In late February, I had enjoyed seeing photos of Ellen and her husband on Instagram, taking their first vacation ever without their children — a cruise. By then, we were all aware of COVID-19 and cruise ships in quarantine, and a shadow of alarm crossed my mind. The cruise was an obvious culprit for the virus, but Ellen came home and stayed home but did not come down with the virus within 14 days. Then came the call that her freshman’s university was shutting its doors because of COVID-19. Ellen and her husband drove five hours to scoop up their student and clear belongings out of the dorm, which was full of hundreds of other students and parents doing exactly the same thing.

Ellen got COVID-19 and was isolated from her family, communicating only through walkie-talkies, and sleeping most of the time until it was clear that she had recovered.

As Memorial Day approaches, Dr. Anthony Fauci, our nation’s top infectious disease expert — and other medical voices — continue to warn of ongoing viral spread, renewed outbreaks, a second wave of infection, and the “needless suffering and death” that will come if our nation opens up too quickly. No one wants to hear this, and we are all stir crazy. We all long for our former “normal,” whatever it was, and we are all anxious to establish something close to it in a post-COVID-19 era.

Our immediate reality is, of course, that we are not in “a post-COVID-19 era.” We remain in the thick of the pandemic, though without its initial urgency. As of this writing, North Carolina is meeting most but not all of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention benchmarks for reopening, and all but one of our 100 counties report COVID-19 infections, and most have had deaths.

Our long-term reality is that each of us will have to figure out our own safety based on our family circumstances, our age, our risk factors and our risk tolerance. Getting comfortable with reopening will likely be different for each of us. For me, at least, and for the time being, it will not include crowds or trips away from home without a face mask. Researchers say a COVID-19 vaccine is at least a year away from proven development, with mass manufacturing, distribution and inoculation more distant yet.

As for Ellen, she is healthy now and just as stir crazy as the rest of us. No nights out with her hubby, but they are thinking about a weekend road trip with the family, masks handy.

I am yielding my space this week to Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C. It is refreshing when a North Carolina politician stands up and boldly speaks out in defense of our fundamental American freedoms. It makes no difference that Hudson is a Republican. He is asking the questions all North Carolinians and Fayettevillians need to be asking — regardless of their political affiliation. We need to know things like when will life get back to normal? When will the country open up again? How long will it take for us to recover?

 These questions transcend political affiliation, and it’s disappointing more people are not speaking out and objecting to the curtailment of their rights, lives and livelihoods.

 Where is the outrage?

 Personally, I’m proud of Hudson for standing up for what he believes in and not being afraid to make his positions known to the public. That’s bold and fearless leadership that deserves, if not support, at least our respect. There are far too few people in our community with such conviction willing to speak “truth to power.” Tisha Waddell, Matt Richardson, Troy Williams, Margaret Dickson, Karl Merritt and Pitt Dickey. Like I said, too few.

  In conclusion, I hope that more citizens, regardless of race, political affiliation or creed, will come forth and use their First Amendment rights to express how they feel about their freedoms and liberties before the harsh reality sets in that freedom isn’t really free.

Thanks for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

                 — Bill Bowman, publisher 

When will life get back to normal? When will the country open up again? How long will it take for us to recover? These are the questions I hear every day from folks at home and, the truth is, nobody can say for certain. Just like you, I’m eager to get back to the way things were so we can restart our economy and go on with our lives.

By now we are all familiar with terms like quarantine and social distancing. For the most part, it is encouraging to see that these strategies are having an impact. However, I believe that now is the time for us to begin to look to open the country through a safe and deliberate process, especially for communities or people that are not at high risk.

Many business owners I have met with over the phone or video conference say they have gone to great lengths to make sure that their employees and customers they serve are in a safe environment. Because of these efforts, it has become clear that more businesses are able to safely open, and as I said during a town hall last week, I believe this is the path we need to be headed down while maintaining proper safety precautions.

As part of this effort, last week I partnered with Lowe’s to secure 100,000 face masks for our communities. Together, we delivered 50,000 masks to Cabarrus Health Alliance in Kannapolis and 50,000 masks to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center in Fayetteville. Since the coronavirus pandemic began, I have worked every day to get workers and health care providers the resources they need. I’m proud to work with Lowe’s to make 100,000 masks available for our region, which will help meet the needs of health care workers and patients on the frontlines. This is one small, but important step in advocating for more resources for our community so that we may reopen the country.

With this in mind, I believe one group of people that should return to work immediately is the United States Congress. I have joined many of my colleagues in repeatedly calling for Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, to bring us back into session so that we can negotiate a bipartisan response to the coronavirus crisis. However, instead of bringing us back to work together on behalf of our country, this week we were in session one day to vote on a partisan, 1,800-page Democratic wish list written in secret in Pelosi’s office.

Not only did this $3 trillion bill — the largest spending bill in American history — fail to address real needs of the country, but it also included a laundry list of items not even related to coronavirus. These included direct payments to illegal immigrants, a blanket release of federal prisoners, a taxpayer-funded bailout of union pensions and an overhaul of our election laws. That is no way to serve the American people.

It’s beyond time for the House of Representatives to come back to work. Folks are hurting and expect us to work together on the problems facing our country. Thankfully, this bill has zero chance of ever becoming law. But the time for politics is long over. I’ll continue to work every day to help our community and get our country back to work.

Cape Fear Valley Health System’s Emergency Departments at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, Hoke Hospital and Bladen County Hospital are now allowing one care companion to accompany patients once they are placed in private treatment rooms. In each instance, the patient should bring a care companion who is knowledgeable regarding the patient’s personal health information. He or she must also be willing to stay with the patient during the entire Emergency Department visit.

To ensure social distancing measures are followed, only patients are allowed in the waiting room. Care companions are asked to wait in their cars until the patients are settled into treatment rooms. To protect staff and patients from the risk of COVID-19, patients and care companions will be required to wear face masks during their stay in the E.R.

Patients going to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center for surgery may also have one care companion. He or she must wear a mask and will remain in the surgery waiting room for the patient. If he or she must leave for any reason, he or she will need to give waiting room personnel a phone number to be called when the patient is ready for discharge. Patients having short-stay surgeries may also have care companions who may join the patients in Phase II Recovery. Care companions are screened for fever and asked whether they have recently traveled to known hot spots.

General visitor restrictions remain in place at all Cape Fear Valley Health System locations, including hospitals and outpatient clinics, with the following exceptions:

• Laboring mothers may have one support person/coach for the duration of their stay. If the support person leaves the premises for any reason, he or she will not be allowed back into the building.
• Legal minors may have one parent or guardian with them.
• Patients who need health care decision makers or require communication assistance may have one assistant with them.
• End-of-life patients will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis to determine the appropriate number of visitors.

Cape Fear Valley is a 950-bed health system serving a region of more than 800,000 people in Southeastern North Carolina. The not-for-profit system is the state’s eighth-largest health care system and is made up of 7,000 team members and 850 physicians, eight hospitals and more than 60 primary care and specialty clinics. Cape Fear Valley Health offers residencies in emergency medicine, internal medicine, obstetrics/gynecology, psychiatry, general surgery, and transitional internships in affiliation with the Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine at Campbell University. Visit www.CapeFearValley.com for more information.

Watching Dr. Fauci testify before the Senate about what will happen if the country opens up too soon and the COVID-19 Cooties resurge got me pondering the Greek myth about Cassandra. Cassandra had the ability to predict the future — like Dr. Fauci. It got both of them into trouble. Let’s take a ride in Mr. Peabody’s Time Machine to see what we can learn from Cassandra about what lurks down the road for Dr. Fauci.

Once upon a time, in an Aegean Sea far away there lived a beautiful maiden named Cassandra. Cassie, as her friends called her, was not just an ordinary gal. Oh my, no. She was a princess, the daughter of the King Priam and Queen Hecuba of Troy. She was a very special lady. Pretty as a picture. But such a pity she as was considered to be a nut by the world. Her beauty put Snow White
to shame. She was such a looker that
 she came to the attention of the god Apollo. You can probably see where this is going.

Apollo was smitten by Cassie. He had to have her. In an effort to woo Cassie, he wrote her a beauteous love song that was later stolen by Andy Griffith. Apollo took a bath, got all gussied up, dry cleaned his best toga and went to see Cassie at the king’s castle. Apollo stood outside the tower where Cassie was sleeping. He started plunking out a song on his lyre. For those of you who slept through Greek mythology class, a lyre is not a Washington politician. A lyre is sort of harp that Greek gods would play when they went courting their lady loves. Most of his song has been lost in the mists of time and swamps of the Potomac. The fragment that remains gets Apollo’s point across pretty well. Apollo sang: “Sure as the vine twines round the stump, you are my darling, Sugar Lump.” No gal, not even a Princess of Troy, could resist a suitor armed with such an amorous song.

Cassie came down from her ivory tower to see what Apollo was doing. He told her right then that he had to have her for his girlfriend. Cassie was intrigued but knew about Apollo’s reputation as a lady’s man like Freddie Mercury. She was concerned that any love affair with Apollo might not last. Being a smart gal who knew how to take care of herself like Sharon Stone’s character Ginger in the movie “Casino,” Cassie decided to ask for some insurance in the event things didn’t work out. Instead of getting a safety deposit box full of jewelry, like Ginger, Cassie asked Apollo to give her the gift of prophecy.

Apollo was so hot and bothered by the prospect of getting down with Cassie that he resembled Meat Loaf in his immortal song, “Paradise by the Dashboard Light.” Meat Loaf is out parking and smooching with his girlfriend in his car. Things are about to get jiggy. Mr. Loaf sings “Though its cold and lonely in the deep dark night/ I can see paradise by the dashboard light/ Ain’t no doubt about it we were doubly blessed/ Cause we were barely  17 and we were barely dressed.” Mr. Loaf sings a few verses using a baseball analogy about getting to first, then second, then third base. (Remember baseball?) He is trying to steal home when suddenly his girlfriend throws up a red flag.

  She says: “Stop right there/ Before we go any further/ Do you love me? /Will you love me forever?/ Do you need me?/Will you never leave me?/ Will you make me so happy for the rest of my life?/ Will you take me away and will you make me your wife?” She concludes with the haunting lines: “What’s it gonna be boy?” Mr. Loaf is so worked up he promises her anything: “I started swearing on my mother’s grave that I would love you till the end of time/ So now I’m praying for the end of time so I can end my time with you.”

And how is Mr. Loaf’s song relevant to Cassie and Dr. Fauci, you might ask? Cassie promised Apollo some paradise by the dashboard light if he would give her the gift of prophecy. Apollo granted her wish. Then Cassie refused to live up to her end of the bargain to snuggle up with Apollo. Apollo was really cranky, but he couldn’t take back his grant of prophecy. So, he laid a curse on Cassie that even though she could accurately predict the future, no one would believe her. That’s why when someone is called a Cassandra it means that person is predicting doom and gloom.

Fauci’s testimony about the COVID cooties that will result from reopening America too soon puts him in Cassandra’s category. He is predicting troubles. Dear Leader doesn’t want to hear any of that kind of negative talk, he isn’t going to believe Fauci’s prediction. Magical thinking is the order of the day in D.C. Fauci better update his resume. Fortunately, unemployment benefits have been extended.

The Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County presents Hay Street Live: A Virtual Jam Session, every Friday, from 6-7 p.m., streaming live through Facebook.

“Hay Street Live is a virtual jam session that is streamed live through our Facebook account, which is at Facebook.com/TheArtsCouncilFay,” said Metoya Scott, public relations manager of the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County. “It gives our community a chance to connect with local artists from North Carolina and comment and party in the house.”

It’s a fun and entertaining way to support and showcase local talent, but with a twist! For each show, the Arts Council invites a mixologist from a local restaurant to share their favorite mixed drinks with the audience and to share the secrets of how to make a perfect cocktail. Often, the drink recipes are original recipes or modern interpretations of classics. The audience gets a new recipe and insight on the science of beverage making, and businesses and mixologists get some exposure — it’s a win-win.

The entertainment lineup varies from week to week. Last week, soulful singer Leme Nolan of Beaufort, North Carolina, entertained Fayetteville audiences by belting out covers of pieces by Erykah Badu, Mary J. Blige and SWV, in addition to performing her original work, “Love with a Ring Attached.” 

The week before that, it was the All-American rock group, The Guy Unger Band — the ultimate “light up your life” party band that really knows how
to rock.

Coming up on the Virtual Hay Street Live program this Friday, May 22, is another local top-notch Carolina rock band known from the mountains to the coast, Rivermist. Voted the 2018 and 2019 Best Band in Fayetteville by Up & Coming Weeklyreaders,  Rivermist has been performing up and down the East Coast since 2014, although the band members have performed together for decades. According to Greg Adair, founding member and manager of Rivermist, they love working locally, especially when supporting the Arts Council, historic downtown Fayetteville and the military. He’s proud of the band’s motto: "Ain't No Party Like A #rivermistparty cause a Rivermist Party Don't Stop!"

The band did not feel right about accepting donations or tips during Hay Street Live for their personal use because of the circumstances of the virtual event, but there will be a link to the Dr. Susan Love Foundation for Breast Cancer Research should people decide to donate on behalf of the band.

Rivermist hopes to replicate the feeling of a live performance. “We figured what we’d do is set up several cameras — we've got a system that we’re going to try to use," Adair explained. "We’re going to try to do a full stage, lights, everything show. I know it’s going to be more work and a lot more tech involved, but people have waited this long for it.”

 Adair hopes that people will interact with the band online while the event is streaming and even make requests.

Hosted by Bill Bowman, publisher of the Up & Coming Weeklynewspaper, he will introduce the evening’s official guest mixologist, Joseph “BEAR” Dewberry, owner of On After Bar & Grub. BEAR will introduce viewers to two of his favorite signature summer drinks — "Bear’s Southern Peach" and the "Hot Head."

In addition, Hay Street Live introduces Jeremy Ruis, a young Fayetteville-born magician who has been making magic an art since he was 7 years old. Watch closely. Jeremy brings fun, wonder and amazement everywhere he goes.

Since the arrival of COVID-19, the Arts Council’s in-person events have been canceled, but that doesn’t mean the fun stops. “During this uncertain time, we want to give people a way to connect and still be entertained,” said Scott. “We recently had to cancel an exhibition, and the artist donated the money that they paid to have their art exhibited back to the Arts Council. That really warmed our hearts, so we wanted to do something to promote our artists — so we started doing Hay Street Live.”

Scott added that because COVID-19 has impacted so many artists, the Arts Council wanted to give them a platform to continue to share their artistry while engaging people at home with high-quality entertainment. With a little creative thinking, it didn’t take long to come up with something different and entertaining to look forward to every Friday night.

“Please join us by streaming — and interact by asking the band, bartender or host questions,” said Scott. “This event allows you to have a really
good time.”

There is a page on the Arts Council’s website for bands or artists to apply to perform. The performer for Hay Street Live on May 29 will be Kiari Moon. Viewers can send a virtual tip to the performer by visiting www.wearethearts.com. Visit www.theartscouncil.com for more information.

Virtual 4th Friday

The excitement doesn't stop when Hay Street Live ends. In a typical month, Fayetteville citizens could look forward to walking the streets of downtown Fayetteville, perusing local businesses, looking at art, hearing great music and participating in events for the Cool Spring Downtown District’s 4th Friday event. Although little has been typical recently, CSDD has been working  hard to provide the same level of entertainment and fun that locals look forward to every month but all available through handy technology. From 7-8 p.m., visit the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/events/1131937423837143/ to see a livestreamed Virtual 4th Friday.

"We want to help our downtown community during this time, and virtual 4th Friday is one of the few ways we can do that … 4th Friday is another thing people can experience from the comfort of their own homes but also be directed to a website with downtown businesses that are currently open," explained Lauren Falls, the marketing and events director for CSDD. "We want to do that because we not only want to support our downtown community but give back during this time. Virtual 4th Fridays are one of the few ways we can do that."

If you loved Rivermist's music for Hay Street Live, they will be back for an encore performance for the 4th Friday live stream. In addition to the live music, Matthew Mercer will create some new art during the stream. Mercer has an impressive resume. In his 20-year career, he has illustrated three books, drawn a family portrait of NFL Hall-of-Famer Emmit Smith of the Dallas Cowboys and his family and even been invited to the White House, where he drew a family portrait for President Barack Obama. In addition to these impressive achievements, Mercer has drawn over 20,000 caricatures between working as an artist at Walt Disney World and his own business.

"I think virtual events are important for the community not just to have something to do, but the way we try to do our 4th Friday event is to try to encourage people to shop, eat, and support local," Falls said.

The Fayetteville Public Works Commission’s  2019 Water Quality Report provides customers with the results of annual testing the utility is required to perform. The PWC report   says, “we don’t test our water just because we have to — it’s part of our unparalleled commitment to provide... the highest quality drinking water that meets and surpasses standard requirements.”

PWC is a charter member of the National Partnership for Safe Water and was the first utility in North Carolina to earn the Environmental Protection Agency Director’s Award for its efforts to provide clean, safe drinking water. PWC’s two water treatment plants use advanced technology to process the water. 

In 2018, Public Works treated 9.1 billion gallons of water. One hundred eighteen elements and contaminants regulated by the EPA are tested. PWC meets or surpasses the standard requirements annually. PWC understands that news reports about 1,4-Dioxane have caused concerns about the safety of the drinking water. 1,4-Dioxane has been detected in the Cape Fear River, which is the community’s primary source of water. The Environmental Protection Agency has no standards for 1,4-Dioxane and has not issued regulated safe limits.

Unregulated synthetic or naturally occurring chemicals that are not commonly monitored by water utilities are termed contaminants of emerging concern.

Some of these contaminants can be detected at extremely low levels in the environment by continuous laboratory and analytical methods. The health significance of these trace contaminants is ordinarily under review and the subject of further study and research.  An example of an unregulated contaminant of emerging concern is GenX or perfluorinated chemicals. Testing detected these chemicals in Fayetteville’s water supply. However, PWC’s water is below the health advisory levels for PFOS that have been established by the EPA.

The fact that a substance has been detected doesn’t necessarily mean it’s harmful to humans. For immediate concerns, the EPA would issue a health advisory based on the best available studies about the health effects of the unregulated chemical. Health advisories provide information on contaminants that can cause human health effects and are known or anticipated to occur in drinking water. EPA’s health advisories provide technical information to states, agencies and public health officials.

Fayetteville PWC is working to stay ahead of the science. With modern laboratory methods, these substances can be measured at parts per trillion concentrations.  For comparison, one part per trillion is approximately the equivalent of one drop of water in 10 million gallons. PWC reports the results of regulatory testing and unregulated contaminant monitoring in its annual water quality report, which provides a summary of water system operations and water quality management throughout the water system. Visit www.faypwc.com/water-quality-report to view the 2019 PWC report.

The fate of this year’s Hope Mills Fourth of July celebration is far from being decided, but town officials are moving ahead with plans to hold some kind of observance of the holiday, even if it may be muted.

The town’s Board of Commissioners voted earlier this month to move ahead with plans for the annual event. Now, Parks and Recreation Director Lamarco Morrison and his staff are looking at what they can do to make the observance, or some positive alternative version of it, happen.

North Carolina governor, Roy Cooper, recently announced Phase 1 of the plan to reopen the state to more normal activity in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Morrison is hopeful things will get better and not worse as July 4th approaches, but town staff is considering a variety of options to deal with whatever the situation might be at that time.

The big news, for now, is that there will be a fireworks display, but people might have to view it in a different way.

“We want to do drive-in fireworks,’’ Morrison explained. “We’ll let people drive in and park at the (old) Hope Mills golf course. People can enjoy the fireworks from
their car.’’

As for the annual Fourth of July parade, it may have to be altered drastically if severe social distancing restrictions are still in place when the holiday rolls around.

Meghan Hawkins, assistant director for special events and programs, has been looking at alternatives to the parade if needed. Morrison said Hawkins has explored the possibility of doing a backward parade for the town.

Under Hawkins’ plan, the town would purchase Fourth of July decoration kits for people and allow them to register to decorate their homes. The town would provide a map of the decorated homes and allow people to visit the different locations in their cars.

Morrison is remaining hopeful that, by July, the restrictions will be lifted enough that an idea that extreme won’t be needed.

The problem is, to plan for a meaningful Fourth of July celebration, the town can’t wait until the last minute, especially if they are going to try to put on a parade, if the circumstances will allow it.

With the governor announcing that Phase 1 of reopening of the state is underway, that loosens the restraints a little on what can be done, but Morrison thinks the town will need to make some concrete decisions about what can and can’t be done with the parade by the middle of May.

One thing that likely won’t be seen in the parade, no matter how much better things are in terms of the pandemic, would be marching bands, which would clearly put large groups of people in close proximity with each other.

Units in the parade could be limited to things like vehicles and animals only.

As for spectators, Morrison said the town would likely need the assistance of the Hope Mills Police Department to make sure spectators along the parade route observed appropriate social distancing while the parade was in progress.

That could pose a problem, one that has already reared its head at the Hope Mills Lake Park.

“We’ve been met with resistance at the lake, with people’s emotions being heightened,’’ Morrison said. “They haven’t been the nicest about being told they can’t gather.’’

Morrison said crowd control is not normally a major responsibility for the lake attendants who work with Parks and Recreation.

In addition to the lake park, Morrison said there have been problems with the area around the proposed Heritage Park, where construction hasn’t even started.

“We had to rope off the future Heritage Park site,’’ he said. “People were parking and gathering down there, essentially breaking the rules by hanging out.’’

He said things have gotten a little better recently with fewer calls to break up inappropriate gatherings of people.

As for planning ahead for the Fourth of July, Morrison is hopeful with the addition of online registration for Parks and Recreation activities, he and his staff will be able to wait until the latest date possible to make definite plans for the Fourth of July celebration.

Morrison said he also remains hopeful that the town will be able to salvage the summer youth sports season. “I’m thinking July is far enough out,’’ he said. “A lot of people don’t want to refund their money. I’m thinking we’ll be able to play in some form or fashion.’’

He’s just hopeful that whatever steps are taken to reopen the state to business will be taken with caution.

“If they open too quickly, I’m afraid we’ll have another surge,’’ Morrison said.

In the meantime, if anyone has questions or concerns about Parks and Recreation department activities, they can keep up to date by going to the webpage, townofhopemills.com, and clicking on the Parks and Rec link. They can also visit the Parks and Recreation Facebook page, Hope Mills Parks and Recreation.

For other questions, call 910-426-4109. The front desk at the recreation center on Rockfish Road is staffed most days from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m.

The thrill of gathering with old friends and making new ones around the spectacle of a live concert with a favorite musical artist is hard to beat. Whether the music  is locally, nationally or internationally popular, there's something about those events that level the ground for us socially. The music doesn't care if you pulled up in a new sports car or spent your last dime on a ticket. It's just there to please.

By the time you read this, we've missed more than a dozen opportunities to hang out together at local venues for an evening, afternoon or weekend of some ground-leveling. But, soon that will all end. And when it does, we need to remember how much we longed for time together during the isolation chamber known
as COVID-19.

I can hardly wait to walk the concourse in search of party food and artist memorabilia or stroll the aisles of artisan vendor booths at a local festival while greeting unmasked acquaintances. I genuinely miss freely gathering with people, and it only took a few weeks of semi-forced isolation to send me into a social tailspin.

The truth is, we're made for relationship — built that way from the origin of humans. Way back near the front of the Bible, God says, “...it's not good for man to be alone.” And, it's not. We can see that more clearly now than perhaps ever before — unless you were a space station astronaut or something, in which case you already knew.

So my question for you today is this: What will you take away from this COVID-19 thing? Will you be more thoughtful in accepting and following through when invited to local gatherings? Will you celebrate extended family birthdays and reunions with new vigor? Will you still choose church online on a busy Sunday, or will you carve out the time be with people you love being with?

It's easy to stay in the same lazy habits of avoidance when gathering freely is possible, but I hope after a period of standing six feet apart in line at the grocery store and returning home because there's nowhere else to go will help us return to the truth that we are built for relationship.

Column Gist: In the midst of this COVID-19 pandemic, many people are asking if it was caused by God. This column addresses that question.

As people ponder how God might be involved with the COVID-19 pandemic, the normal response is, “I don’t see how a loving God would cause an event such as this.” The implication is that God’s love does not allow him to, for any reason, bring hardship upon people of Earth … to punish. Even though I do not claim that COVID-19 is God’s punishment on America, my question would be: How can a loving God not punish America?

I think Rev. Billy Graham went to the heart of the matter in a statement where he referred to an assessment made by his wife, Ruth. This from an article in 2012 by Rev. Graham titled, “Billy Graham: ‘My Heart Aches for America.’”

“Some years ago, my wife, Ruth, was reading the draft of a book I was writing. When she finished a section describing the terrible downward spiral of our nation’s moral standards and the idolatry of worshiping false gods such as technology and sex, she startled me by exclaiming, ‘If God doesn’t punish America, he’ll have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah.’”

The 19th chapter of Genesis records God’s punishment of Sodom and Gomorrah. Scholars differ on the nature of the sin that caused God’s destruction of these cities. Some say it was because of rampant homosexual activity. Others point to a lack of hospitality. Discussion of these differing schools of thought may be reviewed at www.britannica.com. No matter what the causal sin was, these people were horrendously sinful. That is the level of sinfulness that has taken up residence in America. Consequently, Ruth Graham has my full agreement — America is due for God’s overwhelming punishment.

Whether COVID-19 is our punishment, I do not know. However, every American should seriously consider that possibility and respond accordingly. What follows offers some thoughts on how we might go about assessing the plausibility of this plague being God’s punishment of America. Granted, the whole world is adversely impacted by this frightful pandemic. However, this did not mandate that it come to America, especially with the tremendous devastation that we are experiencing.

By way of assessing, start with a definition of love and how true love looks in action. This definition of love from “36 Definitions of Love, According to Urban Dictionary” by Marisa Donnelly.

“The act of caring and giving to someone else … having someone’s best interest and well-being as a priority in your life.” This definition “hits the mark” because it requires taking actions that sometimes are necessary for the correction of those who are loved. In the “I can’t believe a loving God would do this” assessment of our difficult experiences, love is viewed as void of punishment or correction.

The following segments, from an article by  Monsignor Charles Pope titled, “Pondering Punishment in the Light of God’s Love,” makes crystal clear the great fallacy in how God’s love is generally viewed:

“We have become rather ‘soft’ in modern times (at least in the Western World). We have been taught in the ‘God is Love’ school, which is not wrong but has often understood that love in sentimental and simplistic ways. Modern notions of love are usually soft, permissive and nondirective. Love is often thought to be exclusively ‘supportive’ and ‘affirming.’ The understanding that love could or should include setting limits, correction, admonishments or
punishments is usually downplayed if not explicitly rejected as pertaining to love.

“God too has largely been relegated to being essentially an affirmer. He is the one who
‘understands.’”

Beyond recognizing the correction, the punishment, component of God’s love, our assessment of God’s possible role in COVID-19, as it relates to America, requires understanding that God deals heavily in quid pro quos. A Google search yields this definition: “Quid pro quo refers to the giving of one valuable thing for another.” The examples from scripture are almost limitless. For instance, there is this often quoted verse from 2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV): “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” God does not say that he will, without any action on the part of the people, heal their land. He lays out what they must do.

God goes even further and details for Solomon, the king, what he will do if Solomon does not live by God’s statutes. This from the  Life Application Bible note on 2 Chronicles 7:17-22:

“God plainly set forth certain conditions for Solomon to meet if he wanted the kingdom to continue. If Solomon followed God, he and his descendants would prosper. If Solomon did not, he and the nation would be destroyed. In Deuteronomy 27 and 28, these conditions were outlined before all the people.”

Over time, Solomon turned from God, and God did what he promised. Solomon’s descendants, and all of Israel, suffered tremendously.

God’s use of quid pro quos even shows up in the loving and, very likely, most quoted verse in scripture, John 3:16 (NIV): “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” God offers eternal life, but receiving it requires that a person believes
 in Jesus.

The experience of Solomon not only illustrates God’s use of the quid pro quo; it also makes clear that God punishes disobedience. An even more telling instance of God’s love resulting in punishment shows through in his sending of Israel into the wilderness for 40 years. The following, from an article by David Treybig titled, “Why Did God Choose Israel?” sets important context for them being sent into the wilderness:

“God wanted Israel to be a model nation, a group of people through whom other peoples could learn vitally important lessons. God wanted Israel to be ‘a kingdom of priests and a holy nation’ (Exodus 19:6). Other nations would see that when the Israelites obeyed God, they were blessed (verse 5), and when they disobeyed God, they would be punished (Deuteronomy 28).”

God loved Israel and had a high calling for the nation; however, when the people rebelled and chose not to follow God’s direction and enter the land he had promised, God sent them into the wilderness for 40 years. God punished people he loved dearly.

In deciding what role, if any, God might be playing in COVID-19’s invasion of America, we must recognize that God must sometimes punish us because he loves us and must substantially employ the quid pro quo and treat us in the same way that he has treated individuals and nations across the ages.

When we examine the behavior of American society, the picture is clear. As a nation, in the overall, we blatantly reject the statutes, the way, of God. We have declared abortion a woman’s right. We decided the homosexual lifestyle acceptable and protected by law — no matter what scripture says, a person gets to choose their gender regardless of gender at birth. Sex before marriage is routinely accepted. Christians are under attack because of our faith.

Even further, government policies and programs support or encourage ungodly conduct. For instance, instead of taking actions that would discourage premarital sex, American governments provide free condoms to citizens. When that action fails and children result whose parent(s) cannot afford to financially support them, governments provide financial support, health care and other benefits. Then there is the push for expansion of public funding of abortions. All this at the expense of taxpayers, many of whom oppose these actions that advance
ungodliness.

I do not claim that COVID-19 is God’s punishment on America, but when the likelihood is examined as is done here, there is more than ample reason to seriously consider the possibility. If this is not God’s punishment on us, we would do well to treat it as a warning and change our ways. Ruth Graham spoke absolute truth.

Vernon Aldridge, student activities director for the Cumberland County Schools, has long stressed the importance of the county’s coaches taking courses to make them better at their jobs.

That commitment recently earned the county national recognition as the National Federation of State High School Associations listed three county schools as first in the nation to reach Level I status on the NFHS School Honor Roll program.

The three schools are Gray’s Creek High School, John Griffin Middle School and Pine Forest
Middle School.

Since the initial three schools were announced, five more have been added to the list. They are Pine Forest High School, South View Middle School, Hope Mills Middle School, Spring Lake Middle School and Anne Chesnutt Middle School.

To make the list, a school must have at least 90% of the full-time coaches on its staff complete four courses offered online by the NFHS.

The courses are Fundamentals of Coaching, Concussion in Sports, Sudden Cardiac Arrest, and Protecting Students from Abuse.

There are two more levels schools can achieve by completing additional NFHS courses.

Because all the county schools have been taking part in the NFHS initiative, Aldridge is optimistic it won’t be long before every county school is recognized for at least reaching Level I.

“The more we take these courses, the higher quality our coaches are,’’ Aldridge said. “I think it enhances the experience for the student-athletes.’’

He added all coaches in Cumberland County Schools have been required to take the four NFHS courses before the School Honor Roll program was started last December.

In addition, all county schools coaches must receive training in performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation and using an automated external defibrillator.

“My goal is to have all our schools to be Level 3 in two years,’’ Aldridge said.