A group of students from Gray’s Creek High School recently earned statewide recognition from the North Carolina High School Athletic Association for participating in a contest to help raise money to provide food for those in need.
The NCHSAA in cooperation with United Health Care sponsored the annual Turkey Bowl, which invited NCHSAA member schools to compete in a statewide fundraising effort.

The contest was held Nov. 4-8, and the participating schools were free to choose how they wanted to take part in collecting food or money for the project.

They could either raise money to donate to an actual food bank or collect food for an on-campus food pantry.

LeAndra Barriage is a biology teacher at Gray’s Creek and also serves as the school’s Student Government Association advisor. She learned about the Turkey Bowl from Gray’s Creek athletic director Troy Lindsey.

The SGA at Gray’s Creek is composed of the class and student body officers at the school. Barriage enlisted the officer corps to take part in the competition.

Annually, during the month of November, Gray’s Creek has long been involved in something called Bears Giving, where the school collects food to give away to the Gray’s Creek Christian Center.

For the Turkey Bowl, Barriage said the students decided to raise money to give away to the center by doing something the school calls Minute to Win It.

The plan was to hold a one-minute period of donations during the daily announcements at Gray’s Creek.

To promote the event, members of the SGA, as well as some members of the Gray’s Creek faculty and staff, got free T-shirts from the NCHSAA and wore them around school prior to the morning of the fundraiser, as well as on the day of the event.

They also made announcements to promote the upcoming event and posted signs around the school.

The morning of the fundraiser, a song was played for one minute over the intercom, and every class in the school contributed money during that time period. The class that raised the most money was treated to a free breakfast.

When it was over, Gray’s Creek had raised $800, which ultimately earned it second-place in the statewide NCHSAA competition.

The school later presented a check for that amount to the Gray’s Creek Christian Center.

Barriage said the school likes to support the Center because it serves anywhere from 75 to 100 families in the Gray’s Creek community on a weekly basis.

“I think it’s good for the kids to think beyond themselves and realize they are just a part of the community,’’ she said. “It is important to kind of give back to those who might be having a difficult time.

“At one point or another in our lifetime, we’re all probably going to be in that position where we need a little help. I think it’s truly important to recognize when we have the ability to help we should do those things.’’

While $800 might not seem like a tremendous amount of money, Barriage said the students were told that every dollar donated in the fund drive represented four meals, which means the money raised by the Gray’s Creek SGA paid for 3,200 meals for those in need.

“I think that was kind of awe-inspiring,’’ Barriage said. “A little goes a long way.’’

Carlisle Eley and Mary Ledford, two of the Gray’s Creek students who took part in the fundraiser, agreed participating in the event was meaningful to them and their classmates.

“The more we donate to them, the more it helps our community,’’ Eley, a junior, said of the Gray’s Creek Christian Center. “I was really surprised by how much money we got.’’

Ledford, a freshman, thought the donation of money was a good combination with the existing Bears Giving program at the school. “We thought adding the money would be another way to give back,’’ she said. “It directly affects students who go to our school and directly affects everyone who lives in our immediate community.’’

While Ledford appreciated the statewide recognition from the NCHSAA, she added that wasn’t the most important part of the project. “It went to our community center,’’ she said. “That is the best part.’’

Pictured from left to right. Back row: Carlisle Eley, Hunter Stewart, Gray's Creek
Principal Lisa Stewart, Kim Ellington of Gray’s Creek Christian Center, Helen Thomas, Kayla Mady
Front row: Garrett Harbison, Kylie Aldridge

Colin Baumgartner

Jack Britt • Swimming/cross country/track• Junior

Baumgartner has a weighted grade point average of 4.35. He is one of the captains of the swim team and is on the North Carolina High School Athletic Association Student Athletic Committee for Region IV. He ranks 19th in a class of 495 students.





Anna Miller

Jack Britt• Swimming• Senior

Miller has a weighted grade point average of 4.34. She is a captain of the Jack Britt swim team and practices year round with the Fayetteville Aquatic Swim Team. She also coaches younger swimmers.

Beginning with the fall semester this year, incoming sixth graders and ninth graders in the Cumberland County Schools will get a clean slate when it comes to allowing them to participate in extracurricular activities at the school they’re attending.

Cumberland County is one of a number of school systems around the state that holds students to a higher standard when it comes to allowing them to take part in things like athletics, band, chorus and school clubs.

They must maintain a grade point average of 2.0 or better to be eligible for extracurricular activities.

At a recent meeting of the Cumberland County Board of Education, board members voted to lower that requirement for incoming sixth graders and ninth graders, giving them a clean slate and allowing them to take part in all extracurricular events during their first semester at their new schools.

Once the initial nine-week semester is over, if they haven’t managed to maintain a 2.0 average, the rule kicks in and they will be ineligible until their grades improve.

Vernon Aldridge, student activities director for the county schools, along with board members Greg West and Susan Williams support the change as a way to help the incoming sixth and ninth graders deal with what is traditionally a difficult transition period by allowing them to become as fully involved in activities at their new school as possible.

Aldridge said he meets with county high school football coaches every February, and they brought up the idea of allowing the sixth and ninth graders to be able to waive the 2.0 requirement.

“They don’t lose a lot of athletes once they get them into the program and monitor their grades,’’ Aldridge said. “We know when kids belong to something, whether it’s athletics or arts, they do better in school.’’

Williams, who taught choral music for 32 years, said there is research available that shows social and emotional outcomes of students improve when they are involved with the arts.

“One of my biggest concerns is if they are not allowed to start those programs in the sixth and ninth grades, they may never get back there,’’ she said. “I’ve had students come back to me through the years and say, ‘Ms. Williams, if it hadn’t been for your class, I would have been struggling everywhere else.’ ’’

She noted that ninth-grade band students get to spend a summer at camp with fellow band members and begin school in fall with as many as 100 or more new friends.

“They have already been able to fit into the mold of that new school,’’ she said.

West agreed with Williams that studies show the more engaged students are in all activities a school offers, the better they perform academically.

“It’s extremely important to get plugged in when you’re at a new school for the first time,’’ he said. “If they don’t plug in early, they’re far less likely to plug in later.

“The bottom line is they need more caring adults in their lives, not less.’’

West said extracurricular activities give students more access to those kinds of adults. Giving them greater access to those activities is what needs to happen, he said, adding, “First semester sixth grade and first semester ninth grade are probably the two most critical thresholds for these kids to shape their middle and high school careers.’’

Pictures from top to bottom: Vernon Aldridge, Susan Williams, Greg West

Gallery 208 is privileged to start the new year with a selection of original works by the late American artist John Biggers. Best known for his narrative murals, John Biggers dedicated his work to the depiction of the human condition and the interdependence of family — from ancestry to the multigenerational. The exhibition, “John Biggers: The Lasting Legacy,” opens Jan. 14 at Gallery 208 in Fayetteville.

Born in Gastonia, North Carolina, John Biggers (1924-2001) was the youngest of seven children. Cora Biggers worked as a housekeeper and Paul Biggers was a teacher, principal and minister. Both parents encouraged all their children to pursue an education. In 1941, John Biggers enrolled in Virginia’s Hampton Institute, now known as Hampton University. Biggers’ education at Hampton Institute, growing up in North Carolina, and his later travels to Africa, would become the underpinning for his success as an artist and an educator.

At Hampton Institute, Biggers studied art under Viktor Lowenfeld and became friends with two fellow students: Charles White and Elizabeth Catlett  — both White and Catlett would become historically important African-American artists. In 1943, while still a student, Biggers’ mural, “Dying Soldier,” was featured in the landmark exhibition “Young Negro Art,” organized by Lowenfeld for New York’s Museum of Modern Art.

Biggers followed his mentor, Lowenfeld, to Pennsylvania State University to study the art of mural painting. It was at Pennsylvanian State University that Biggers’ academic career unfolded; he earned a master’s in art education in 1948 and a Ph.D. in 1954. While still working on his dissertation, Biggers moved to Houston, Texas, in 1949 to start an art department at Texas Southern University, known as Texas State College for Negroes. Biggers became chairman of the art department and remained at the university until his retirement in 1983.

Early artistic recognition included the first prize at the annual exhibition of the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston for his painting, “The Cradle,” in 1950. A pivotal event occurred in 1957 when Biggers was invited to participate in a six-month fellowship in Africa — the United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organization tour. Biggers became one of the first African-American artists t to travel to the newly independent Ghana.

Because of the UNESCO fellowship, Biggers and his wife Hazel were able to visit several countries: Nigeria, Togo, Dahomey — now the Republic of Benin, and Ghana. In Ghana, they met and became friends with scholar Patrick Hulede, who enlightened them about Ghanaian culture and history. Biggers’ experiences in Africa and his friendship with Hulede became  significant influences on Biggers’ view of the world and his personal history and shaped a lifetime of artistic pursuits.

After receiving a second award, the Danforth Foundation’s E. Harris Harbison Award for Distinguished Teaching, Biggers and his wife were able to travel for an additional six months to other countries in Africa. But it was his first trip to Ghana, Nigeria and other parts of Africa that inspired Biggers to create an award-winning illustrated book titled “Ananse: The Web of Life in Africa.”

By the 1960s, when Abstract Expressionism and Pop art were the fad styles, Biggers forged his style based on ancestral heritage, African art, Southern black culture, nature and his everyday experiences. In his creative pursuit as an artist, an educator and an activist, Biggers became a major contributor to American art and culture for the next 50 years. In 1995, the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston and Hampton University Art Museum organized his first comprehensive retrospective exposing the depth of his legacy.

Best stated by gallery owner Michael Rosenfield, “John Biggers died in 2001, leaving behind a body of work that, as Maya Angelou stated, leads us through his expressions into the discovery of ourselves at our most intimate level.”
Rosenfield also stated: “Biggers drew inspiration from African art and culture, from the injustices of a segregated United States, from the stoic women of his own family and from the heroism of everyday survival.”
During his long-celebrated career and achievements as an artist, Biggers agreed to do a retrospective of his work at the Fayetteville Museum of Art in the 1980s. The museum exhibition and his work being exhibited locally during the past 15 years are the direct results of Biggers’ ties to family.

Biggers’ niece, Andretta Hales, lives in Fayetteville and was instrumental in having her uncle’s exhibit at the Fayetteville Museum of Art. Hales worked with Tom Grubb, president of the Fayetteville Museum of Art, to bring the one-person exhibit of Biggers’ work to the community. Since then, Hales has worked with Calvin Mims of the Ellington White Contemporary Gallery in Fayetteville to exhibit his original works in local exhibitions.

Past group exhibitions in Fayetteville include the Fayetteville Arts Council, and most recently, Hales worked with Fayetteville State University Professor Dwight Smith for the January 2019 exhibition at Rosenthal Gallery titled “Celebrating Heritage: Selected Works from the John and Hazel Biggers Collection of African and African American Art.”

Hales, Smith and Mims have all been an integral part of Gallery 208 being able to exhibit Biggers’ work. The exhibit at Gallery 208 is part of a larger collaboration with Ellington White Contemporary Gallery and Rosenthal Gallery at FSU. Ellington White Contemporary Gallery on Gillespie Street is exhibiting National Black American Art Exhibition, Jan.15-March 14. “Works of Paper by Ben Jones” will be on exhibit at Rosenthal Gallery at FSU between Jan. 22 and Feb. 28.
The public is invited to the reception at Gallery 208 of “John Biggers: The Lasting Legacy” on Jan. 14 between 5:30 and 7 p.m. During the opening, Andretta Hales will be introduced at 6:15 p.m. to briefly address her personal history with Biggers, his life and his work.

“John Biggers: The Lasting Legacy” will remain at Gallery 208 until March 20 for visitors to be able to see work by a celebrated American artist — an artist from North Carolina whose works evoke the value and strength of family and heritage. Gallery 208, is located at 208 Rowan St. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call Gallery 208 for information about the exhibit at 910-484-6200.

Before arriving at Fort Bragg two and a half years ago, I heard about the notorious nickname given to the city of Fayetteville. I naively believed that Fayetteville must be as bad as I had heard, and my husband and I chose to live 45 minutes away for the first year we were stationed here.

However, as I began to make friends who lived in the city, I became curious about why they chose to invest in this particular community. After all, if it has such a bad reputation, why would they? I was starting to notice that the negative things I had been warned about weren’t that accurate. 

The magnetism of Fayetteville began to draw me in slowly, and I started on an adventure to see if I could fall in love with the city and the community. It didn’t happen overnight or even very quickly. It was almost two years before I stopped saying, “I really want to love this city, but I don’t know what there is to love about it.”

The thing is, I was looking in all the wrong places. I was trying to make Fayetteville fit into my idea of what makes a city a “good” city. I wasn’t looking at the exceptional qualities that make Fayetteville the city that it is.

Fayetteville is a city of various cultures fused together in a way that highlights the exceptional qualities of each culture yet merges them into a heart-warming masterpiece. It’s a city of distinct local business owners who provide personal approaches to their customers’ experience because they understand the exceptional individuality of the community. It’s a city of noteworthy history that will always be a part of the very structure this community is built upon. And, it’s a city of spectacular individuals who radiate the spirit of distinction, acceptance, devotion, hope and so much more.

The city of Fayetteville isn’t just a place of buildings and roads; it’s a community first. It has a story that is unlike any other place and will continue to build on its story. This community makes up the narrative of its choosing with the distinct personalities that not only live here but flow through here. This community, in all its splendor and magnificence, is a place I have finally fallen in love with.

Thank you, Fayetteville, for being patient with me. I am forever grateful for all you are.

There was a day not long ago that Fayetteville had a reputation for being the crime capital of North Carolina. In 2016, the city recorded an all-time high number of local homicides, 31. As of Dec. 12, 2019, the most recent data available from police, 24 murders had occurred this year. Raleigh reported 29 homicides, Durham reported 23 and Charlotte more than 100.

Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles took the oath of office three weeks ago and immediately turned her attention to reducing violence as news broke of another resident’s murder. The mayor called for closer collaboration among city and county governments, as well as the police department and the district attorney’s office, to develop new strategies to combat the soaring homicide rate.

As the swearing-in ceremony took place, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department reported the city’s 103rd homicide of the year. There were 58 murders in Charlotte in 2018.

“We must change the path we have taken this year,” Lyles said of the homicides.

The latest crime report for Fayetteville is a variety of ups and downs. Fayetteville Police Chief Gina Hawkins gave her third-quarter report on crime statistics to Fayetteville City Council Dec. 9. Through September of this year, there were 66 rapes reported compared to 81 in 2018, a 19% decrease. But through the first nine months of this year, there were more aggravated assaults and robberies than last year.

There were 292 felonious aggravated assaults through the end of September compared to 269 during the corresponding period of 2018. Shootings and other serious injury crimes are included in that category. “Ultimately, we are a safe community,” Hawkins told City Council. Preventing crime is not just law enforcement’s job; it is everybody’s job, Chief Hawkins believes.

There are a variety of ways citizens can take action to reduce crime, like mentoring at-risk youth, reporting incidents and encouraging lawmakers to pass bills designed to reduce crime. Crime prevention starts with community involvement. If your neighborhood has a neighborhood watch program, join it. If it does not, start one.

There’s more to preventing crime than stopping would-be criminals in the act. You can help keep people from becoming those would-be criminals by volunteering your time and donating money to social programs that help at-risk youth, like Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.

In 2018, the Fayetteville Police Department investigated seven domestic-related homicides. A domestic violence unit was formed to prevent or address domestic violence cases. The concept involved comforting and interviewing family members and neighbors. This year’s third-quarter crime report indicated none of the 24 murders was related to domestic violence.

However, the connection between drugs and violence continues to be a problem. The correlation between substance abuse and violent behavior is well documented. The Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment noted that more than 75% of people who began treatment for drug addiction report having performed various acts of violence, including mugging, physical assault and using a weapon to attack others.

Once every 10 years, America comes together to count every resident in the United States. The decennial census was first taken in 1790, as mandated by the Constitution. It counts our population and households, providing the basis for reapportioning congressional seats, redistricting and distributing more than $675 billion in federal funds annually to support states, counties and community programs — impacting housing, education, transportation, employment, health care and public policy.

The 2020 count will be the 24th United States census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, will be April 1, 2020. This is the first U.S. census to offer options to respond online or by phone, in addition to the option to respond on a paper form as with previous censuses. Counting an increasingly diverse and growing population is a massive undertaking. It requires years of planning and the support of thousands of people.

Ultimately, the success of the census depends on everyone’s participation. The census bureau notes that there are a variety of reasons some people don’t take part in the decennial census. The government says most common barriers to participation include not believing the census has any impact on an individual, not trusting the government with personal information and not having the time to fill out the questionnaire. Individual responses are confidential.

The results of the 2020 census will determine the number of seats for each state in the U.S. House of Representatives, which mirrors the number of delegates for each state in the electoral college, for elections between 2022 and 2030. State and local officials use census counts to redraw boundaries for congressional districts, state legislative districts and school districts. Census data as the basis for the distribution of federal funds. More than $675 billion in federal funding is allocated to states and communities each year for roads, schools, hospitals, health clinics, emergency services and more.

 The 2020 census will ask the number of people living or staying at your home on April 1, 2020; whether the home is owned or rented; the sex of each person in the household; the age of each person in the household; the race of each person in the household; and the relationship of each occupant. There is no citizenship question asked. The census in 2020 will require counting an increasingly diverse and growing population of around 330 million people in more than 140 million housing units.

To get an accurate count, the census bureau must build an accurate address list of every housing unit, maximize self-response to the census and efficiently follow up with those who do not respond. The 2020 census is the first decennial census of the U.S. with a full internet option and the first to extensively use technology — instead of paper — to manage and conduct fieldwork.

“To ensure we protect the data, we continually research and upgrade methods and technology to safeguard data and protect the confidentiality of responses through secured systems,” the census bureau said.
  

Sweet Tea Shakespeare is adding a new flavor to its productions this year. It’s bringing “Macbeth” to the Cumberland County community. While Director K.P. Powell has never directed “Macbeth,” he has performed in “Macbeth” four times and in over 150 shows. He’s also directed “Two Aside” at Saint Louis University, some music videos at the American Shakespeare Center and some short films. The show opens Jan. 2 and runs through Jan. 26.

Powell feels his prior experience gives him intimate knowledge of this particular play. He will be working with a small cast, including students from around the region during the student matinees, and is looking forward to working closely with the audience to create a profound personal experience.

“The story of Macbeth creates an opportunity for the audience to follow closely with the two hugely recognizable characters,” said Powell. “They can enjoy watching the other actors switch between characters constantly and not be confused. I really hope to advocate for the audience. I’m trying to direct it as though I have no idea what happens, that way the story shines rather than my particular tastes or ideas.”

The main characters, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, are played by Wade Newhouse and Chelsea Sugar. The audience can expect to be pulled into the spirit of the show. There will be people sitting on stage with the actors, where the actors talk to them — not at them. Plus, there is live music. “Shakespeare feels like a conversation, not a literary lesson,” Powell said.

If you’re on the fence about whether or not Macbeth is something you’d enjoy, Powell wants you to know that no matter what you’ve been told, Shakespeare really is for everyone. In his words, “If you can understand Yoda when he’s speaks, you can understand Shakespeare. If you can understand the “Big Bang Theory” when you know nothing about particle physics, you can understand Shakespeare.”

Opening date is Jan. 2, 2020. The production runs through the Jan. 26 at Vizcaya Villa. There are some select performances at William Peace University in Raleigh and Methodist University as well. The cost is $25 dollars at the door, but advance tickets are $10 for students, $15 for senior/military and $17.50 for adults and can be purchased here: www.sweetteashakespeare.com/tickets.

Property owners around Hope Mills Lake need to prepare for the chance to do any needed work on their docks and piers as town staff will be lowering the level of the lake starting Jan. 6.
Last year’s lowering of the lake had to be delayed to coincide with planned work on the bulkhead on the public side of the lake.

Don Sisko, head of the Hope Mills public works department, said the decision to wait was made to avoid having to lower lake levels twice.

Reducing the level of the lake makes it easier for the property owners to get to their docks and piers during the two weeks the town plans to leave the water at a reduced level.
But the water level isn’t just being decreased for the benefit of the property owners.

Sisko said the town’s Lake Advisory Committee suggested dropping the lake levels in January to help stunt the growth of algae on rocks and other locations near the shoreline.

“When we lower it in January, it exposes the marine algae that grows on the rocks near the edge,’’ Sisko said. “It gives it the opportunity to dry up, and the cold weather will kill it as well.’’
Timing the process for January also has another benefit as it’s done when the lake sees limited recreational use.

Sisko estimates that if there is no rain, once the process of lowering the lake levels begins on Monday, Jan. 6, it will take about two or three days to get the water down to the desired level.
The goal is to drop the level about two or three feet, Sisko said. “My goal is not to lower it anymore than a foot a day,’’ he said.

The process has to be regularly-monitored, Sisko said, because lowering the lake level is not an exact science.

To be as accurate as possible, Sisko has developed charts dealing with amounts of precipitation, past lake levels and other factors.

There’s one factor that Sisko said can’t be accurately measured. “It’s just like any other maritime project,’’ he said. “We all have to be mindful of the weather. That is one thing we can’t control.’’
While the property owners can work on their piers and docks, Sisko said town staff will take advantage of the lowered lake levels to do some routine checks on the status of the dam.

He said the town does regular maintenance on the dam and spillway structure year-round.

But the lowered lake level makes it easier to check out special drains called tide flex drains.

“They drain around the structure so we don’t have ponding water anywhere around the spillway or subterranean water around the spillway,’’ Sisko said.

The lowered lake level lets town staff access the drains easier so they can be cleaned to maintain maximum operating efficiency.

While he’s not concerned there are any specific issues being hidden by the normal lake level, Sisko said town staff will use the opportunity to make a routine check around the lake to see if anything is out or order and requires attention.
“I don’t anticipate any problems,’’ Sisko said. “It’s just going to be an opportunity to see more of the dam structure.’’

Sisko and his staff don’t use a boat to check things out. They walk downstream in the creek and along the dam surfaces as well.

As far as the issues the lakefront owners have with their property in the water, Sisko said it is their responsibility to handle all those repairs as they see fit. He said property owners are welcome to reach out to the town manager if they see something they feel needs the attention of town staff.

“We’ll take care of what we need to take care of,’’ Sisko said.

If everything goes according to plan and there are no major disruptions from the weather, Sisko estimates the lake level will begin to be returned to normal around Monday, Jan. 20.
If any property owners have questions about the lowering of the lake, they can contact Sisko’s office at 910-429-3384 during normal business hours Monday through Friday.

I thought it would be easy to write a review for 2019, and then I realized that we are at the end of another decade. So, this is a review of last year and the previous decade. It was a decade of great achievement and dizzying ups and downs.

At the end of 2009, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was 10,428. The unemployment rate was 9.9%. In the United States, the average family median income was $50,599. The five most famous letters in the alphabet were the vowels a, e, i, o and u. The No. 1 cause of death was the heart attack. The number of murders in the U.S. from guns was 11,493, or 36%. The number of suicides from guns was 18,735, or 59.8%. In 2009, there were 784,507 abortions reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. President Obama’s net worth was estimated between $1 million and $5 million. Businessman Donald Trump’s net worth was $1.6 billion.

In 2010, Obama was the president. Apple rolled out the first iPad. During this decade, American troops killed Osama bin Laden. “Curiosity Rover” landed on Mars. Once the lion of the auto industry, Detroit ultimately filed for bankruptcy. Obama shut down the full federal government with budget sequestration. The Affordable Care Act, also called Obamacare, went into effect. Same-sex marriages became legal across the country. Trump was elected the 45th president. Since day 10 of his presidency, Trump and his campaign have faced one investigation after another and impeachment.

Over the decade, microphones, cameras and opinion polls often trumped science, facts, evidence and common sense. Political drama seemed to rule the decade. It split the country, families and friends. The internet, television, radio and print used our information and devices to target us for ideological and political gain. Media messiahs played on our fears, and we turned to “news” commentators to decipher, dilute and help digest talking points and fuel the 24-hour news cycle.

Technologically, we boomed. For the first time, we saw self-driving cars, 4G, tablets, augmented reality, multi-use space rockets, solar-panel roofs, human-like robots, genetic engineering, the hoverboard, Instagram, smartwatches, drones, biomechanics, biomedicine, the bionic eye, fake news, the cloud, and a book salesman disrupted just about everything with a little business called Amazon.

As of October 2019, Fayetteville is the fourth largest city in North Carolina with an estimated population of 209,468. Fort Bragg drove Fayetteville’s economy to the tune of about $4.5 billion and is the area’s largest employer. Other producers of jobs in the area included the education and health care systems, Walmart and Goodyear Tire. Fort Bragg is also home to America’s bravest men and women that the world has ever met.

Fayetteville continued to showcase spectacular art, music and culture. The Cape Fear Regional Theatre, Gilbert Theater and the Arts Council entertained us with talent from all ages. The Dogwood Festival, The Zombie Walk and A Dickens Holiday brought tens of thousands downtown for fantastic and fun family entertainment. The Crown Coliseum hosted great events from WWE to great concerts like America, Chicago and Mannheim Steamroller to great conventions like ComicCon. 

Fayetteville is the machine of evolution. In April, the Fayetteville Woodpeckers moved into the new $37.8 million ballpark, but for some reason, the city leaders could not figure out how or where to park cars. More bars and restaurants opened and closed and proved it is easier to drink a cold beer than it is to change the fact that people along the Cape Fear River cannot drink their well water due to GenX. More of I-295 opened, connecting I-95 to Cliffdale Road. Fort Bragg families declared a housing crisis that prompted visits by the Sectary of the Army and first lady Melania Trump.

At the end of this writing in 2019, for the most part, we as a nation and community are better off than we were in 2009. The Dow Jones average is approaching 30,000. (Editor's Note: At the close of 2019, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was 28,538.44.) The average U.S. family median income is $66,465. The unemployment rate at the end of 2019 is 3.6%. The five most famous letters in the alphabet are the nouns l, g, b, t and q. Heart attacks are still the No. 1 cause of death.

In 2017, when the last full report is available, the number of gun-related homicides was 12,830, or  35%. There were 22,274 gun-related suicides, or  61%. The reported number of abortions was 427,111. Abortion has declined to the lowest since the year after Row versus Wade in 1973. Pregnancies have decreased. Maybe it was not because of demonstrations, prochoice, prolife, stricter laws, tough talk, lectures or marching in the streets. The drop may be because women have more accessibility to various forms of contraception since the Affordable Care Act required most private health insurance plans to cover the contraceptive cost. 

In 2019, Obama’s net worth is $70 million, and Donald Trump’s net worth is $3.1 billion.

According to Representative Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., “the world is going to end in 12 years if we don’t address climate change”. If true, you may want to consider asking your accountant about filing extensions on your taxes for the next 11 years.
Seriously, although the No. 1 cause of death is the heart attack, that may change as the internet of things continues to mesh with our digital world. As electronic devices continue to get cheaper, smaller and more prevalent, all of the devices are collecting our information. Artificial intelligence is tracking and processing our actions and reactions without requiring human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction. Sadly, many of us are the last generation to know what privacy really means as we all travel through the roaring 20s and into the new digital revolution.

If movies are a metaphor for our society, then we should try to be a little more like Mr. Rogers and less like the Joker to make our life, home, town and country the best it has ever been. We should live every day like it is the last while planning on living forever.

May grace, love and blessings be with you for decades to come.

With practice opportunities improving and the number of swimmers continuing to increase, Cumberland County Schools are looking for a banner year this swimming season.
Here’s a brief look at some of the better teams and swimmers expected to compete this year.

 With only two swimmers graduated on the girls' side and a big class of freshman arriving for the boys, coach Amey Shook feels the outlook for her Cape Fear squad is bright.
“We have a tone of optimism at the abilities they are going to be bringing to the table,’’ she said.

Among the biggest reasons for Shook’s optimism is the return of her daughter, Amelia, to the roster.

Coach Shook describes Amelia as a jack of all trades who can swim almost any event.

For the last two seasons Amelia competed in the 200 freestyle and 100 backstroke at the conference and regional levels.

As a team, Cape Fear qualified for state in the 400 relay. Amelia just missed making the state meet in the 200 and 100.

“I think the best is yet to come,’’ Coach Shook said. “Amelia has been putting in her work, working on speed and conditioning.’’

She’s also been rehabbing from yet another knee injury, this one suffered in soccer, that sidelined her following her surgery in June.
She was able to resume swimming in September but doesn’t feel that’s going to hold her back during the season.

She thinks her best events this year will be the 100 backstroke and the 100 fly. She’s aiming for a finish of eighth or better in both at the regional so she can make the state meet.
“I’ve gone to states two years in a row on a relay team,’’ she said. “I want to make it individually.’’

Pine Forest

More than two-thirds of coach Trent Turisch’s teams are freshmen and sophomores who have never swum before. “My biggest goal is to get something out of their season,’’ he said, “whether it’s to learn a new stroke or making sure they are able to better themselves.’’

The Trojans have benefited from the addition of dome-covered outdoor recreation pools, especially the one at College Lakes Recreation Center near Pine Forest.

Turisch only needs a few minutes to load up an activity bus and take his team over there after school to practice.

The bright spot for Turisch’s team this year is the return of possibly the best male swimmer in the county, Brandon Chhoeung. Turisch said Chhoeung is fully committed to swimming. He leaves practice with the Pine Forest team to go and practice with his club swimming team.

Chhoeung credits the coaches he’s worked with who’ve helped him develop the work ethic that drives him.

He prefers the distance events because they show how much grit a competitor has. He said the 200 and 500 freestyle races are among his favorites.

“This year, I’ve been working mostly on my flip turns and my kicking,’’ he said. “I just want to get some fast times and see our team win the conference.’’

Terry Sanford

Bulldog coach Jared Kaiser only lost a handful of swimmers to graduation last year.

His biggest concern coming into the season is that efforts to get a public indoor swimming facility in Fayetteville appear to be stalled.

“There’s not really any place our kids can go to do year-round swimming,’’ he said. He said the domed outdoor pools are a welcome addition but are not much more than a Band-Aid for the problem. “It’s at least provided a little flexibility where teams can have more people at practice because there are more lanes,’’ he said.

Kaiser’s top returning swimmer is Allison Curl, who specializes in the 500 freestyle along with the 100 and 200. “She can keep going and going,’’ he said of her endurance.
Curl swims for a club team so she’s in the water as much as five and six days per week.

She likes the distance events because at only 5-foot-3, the sprint races are more difficult for her.

“In a longer race it doesn’t matter because there is so much distance I can make up,’’ she said.

She relies on technique and endurance to carry her to wins. She thinks the 500 freestyle is her best shot to go to state because of her endurance and the fact fewer swimmers like to try it.
She’s confident about the team’s chances as well.

“The boys’ team is very strong and the girls are exceptionally strong,’’ she said.

Despite being 100 years old today, 1920 doesn’t look a day over 85. Kirk Douglas is three years older than 1920, and yet 1920 looks more sprightly than Kirk. How has 1920 preserved its youthful glow? Let’s find out. It’s January, which is time for the annual 100-year review. Today, we are going to take a ride in Mr. Peabody’s Way Back Machine to visit 1920 to see what was doing. At the beginning of the year, Woodrow Wilson was president of the United States. In November, Warren G. Harding was elected president but died in office in 1923 due to a heart attack. Warren is best remembered for the Teapot Dome Scandal, which may have had something to do with cookware and bribery.

Prohibition came into effect in January, much to the delight of temperance leader Carrie A. Nation and alcohol entrepreneur Al Capone. Once Prohibition came into effect, everyone stopped drinking alcohol because it was against the law. World War I officially came to an end with the effective date of the Treaty of Versailles. For a war that was to end all wars, World War I didn’t live up to expectations. But as Tony Soprano would say, “Whatta ya gonna do?” Maybe we’ll get it right next time. World War III will end all wars because there will be nobody left to fight.

The Royal Canadian Mounties began policing in January 1920. The Mounties ultimately gave rise to our cartoon friends Dudley Do-Right, the evil Snidely Whiplash, and damsel in distress Nell Fenwick. The first baseball game of the Negro National League was played in Indianapolis. The league produced the greatest baseball philosopher in the history of the sport, Satchel Paige. Paige was the first player who had played in the Negro Leagues to pitch in the World Series. Satchel left us with such Zen quotes as “Don’t look back, something might be gaining on you.... How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?... Don’t pray when it rains if you don’t pray when the sun shines.... Sometimes I sits and thinks, and sometimes I just sits.” If the wizards in Washington, D.C., would sit and think instead of just sitting and spewing, life might be a bit smoother. But I digress.

In August 1920, the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution came into effect, giving women the right to vote. The Suffragettes faced a long and hard fight for the right vote. But to quote the saintly turtle-faced Senator Mitch McConnell, “Nevertheless, she persisted.” There may be a moral in that story somewhere. Like Jim Valvano once said, “Never, ever, give up.”

The U.S. Postal Service issued a ruling June 13, 1920, that children could not be sent by parcel post. It is lost in the mists of time why the post office found it necessary to issue such a ruling. One must suspect that at some point someone was, in fact, mailing children by parcel post. That was cruel and unusual as everyone knows that children should be mailed by UPS or FedEx as delivery is quicker and more consistent.

Speaking of children, several famous people were born in 1920. The world’s greatest TV detective, Jack Webb of “Dragnet” graced the earth in April 1920. As Sgt. Joe Friday, he is best remembered for busting Blue Boy, who was high on LSD while chewing bark off a tree in a Los Angeles, California, park. It was Tuesday, March 15, 1966, when Joe and Gannon were working the day watch out of Juvenile Narcotics. They pulled Blue Boy out of a hole in the ground where he had stuck his head while tripping on LSD. Blue Boy wanted to “get further out” but came to a sad end, as he overdosed on drugs by the end of the episode. Friday closed the show by stating, “Well, he made it. He’s dead.”

Yul Brynner showed up in July. Yul went on to become the King of Siam. He made an anti-smoking commercial shown after his death warning that smoking had not worked out too well for him. Well done, Yul. Mario Puzo, the author of the “Godfather,” was born in October. Mario made us an offer we could not refuse. As Luca Brasi said: “I am honored and grateful that you have invited me to your home on the wedding day of your daughter. And may their first child be a masculine child.”

To round out the year of 1920s births, let us not forget the singer Little Jimmy Dickens, who was born in December. Little Jimmy wrote the immortal song “May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose,” which includes the immortal lyrics: “May the bird of paradise fly up your nose/ May an elephant caress you with his toes/ May your wife be plagued with runners in her hose/ May the bird of paradise fly up your nose.”
Gentle Reader, your assignment for 2020 is to try to get Little Jimmy’s earworm lyrics out of your head before you break your first New Year’s resolution.

2020 is going to be a slow news year, punctuated only by the occasional political ad by cranky office seekers who will accuse their opponent of being the anti-Christ. Sit back and enjoy the show. Happy New Year to you and yours.

They say timing is everything. When you are thinking about a new car, timing can save you thousands if you pick the right time of year — or cost you thousands if you don’t get the timing right. As the seasons pass, transaction prices can fluctuate with supply and demand. Automotive financing, cashback and leasing incentives change month to month, based on the time of the year. The inventory of new vehicles varies as model years change, and new cars, trucks, SUVs and minivans arrive in the market.

The absolute best month to buy is December, dealers say. To understand why December is the best time to buy a car, you need first to understand the process and the whys and wherefores. Car dealers and salespeople have quotas, lots of quotas. There are daily quotas, 10-day quotas and monthly quotas for the number of vehicles they have to sell. And there is a big goal — the annual quota. The end of the year is a busy time at dealerships because the very best deals of the year are offered on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. The periods that manufacturers use to determine sales do not always coincide with calendar months.

The industry’s calendar for 2017, for example, had the sales month of December end Jan. 2, 2018. Your car purchase, this week, could determine the difference between the dealership hitting its annual sales goal and the salespeople receiving nice annual bonuses — or not. That’s why December, more specifically, the last week of the month, is the best time of year to buy a car. According to TrueCar, you can save an additional 8.3% off the price of a new car if you visit the dealership on New Year’s Eve.

Let’s say you were considering a used car going for $20,000. If you go in on New Year’s Eve, which is Tuesday, you stand to slash $1,660 just because you went in on the last day — and that’s in addition to other discounts offered. According to Mike Rabkin, owner and founder of From Car to Finish, the end of the month is great “because sales managers at dealerships have monthly quotas to hit and get compensated on whether they hit them or not.”

U.S. News and World Report notes that well-informed consumers are most likely to score great deals on new cars. The magazine provides buyers with all of the information they need, from learning about the buying process to choosing a new versus almost-new car and understanding financing options. Car loans are based on individual credit ratings. The higher one’s credit score, the lower the interest rate. The better the rate, the lower the monthly car payment. Buyers with established banking relationships can usually get better financing at their banks. Financing at a dealer’s business office means a point or two more on the interest rate regardless of a buyer’s creditworthiness.

Faculty, staff and students at Fayetteville Technical Community College celebrated the opening of a large, state-of-the-art greenhouse on Dec. 5.

The new greenhouse at FTCC’s Wesley A. Meredith Horticulture Educational Center, adjacent to the Cape Fear Botanical Garden, replaces one that was destroyed last year by floodwaters from Hurricane Florence.

Local and state officials, community members, and representatives from two congressional offices joined the FTCC community for a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The new greenhouse is bigger and better than its predecessor, with numerous unique characteristics. Its features include a double-door entrance, an evaporative cooling system and a sidewall roll-up with motorized curtains. It is also built to the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act — a first — and its site has been raised nearly 10 feet. It is now level with the neighboring Horticulture Educational Center, which was not flooded during Hurricane Florence.

The project was funded by the Hurricane Florence Disaster Recovery Fund, which was established by the North Carolina General Assembly.

During an address before the ribbon-cutting, FTCC President Dr. Larry Keen asked students from the Horticulture Technology program to join him near the podium.

“Why we do the work we do is represented up here,” Keen said of the students. “They are the ones who not only hold tomorrow in their hands but today in their hands as well. These are our students. These are the ones we work for every single day.”

The ceremony’s guest speaker, North Carolina Rep. John Szoka, reminded the audience of the damage caused by Hurricanes Matthew and Florence in 2016 and 2018. Szoka said efforts by the legislature — including Rep. Elmer Floyd who was in attendance — helped create a reserve fund to aid in rebuilding.

“What we do in Raleigh is important,” Szoka said. “We do it because we love our community.”

Construction on the new greenhouse began in August. Pamela Gibson, FTCC’s dean of engineering and applied technology, expressed excitement about the greenhouse; the horticulture program falls under her department.

“It has been a long road since we lost the last one,” Gibson said. “The hurricanes were devastating, but the silver lining is because of the hurricane recovery funding, we have a state-of-the-art greenhouse.”

The previous greenhouse, built in 2008, was the location of “Greenhouse Operations,” a course required for an associate degree in horticulture technology. Students learned about growing plants, temperature control, irrigation and more. After the original greenhouse was destroyed, the course moved to a smaller conservatory and plants were watered by hand, said Dr. Robin Pusztay, department chair for Horticulture Technology. The program went without a greenhouse for a year — until now.

After the ribbon-cutting, people toured the greenhouse and spoke with students about the building and the plants inside — annual flowers, peppers, herbs and even pogonias, a type of orchid. A handful of guests left with more than they had arrived with —   a plant grown by a horticulture student.

The annual Black-eyed Pea Dinner is a decades-old Fayetteville tradition, drawing hundreds of attendees each year. For many, it would not feel like the start of the new year without this event. Register of Deeds Lee Warren hosts it. It is on New Year’s Day from 11 a.m.-2 p.m at the Charlie Rose Agri-Expo Center in the auditorium.

This event started in the 70s. It was led by Sheriff Otis Jones and local attorney Willis Brown. After Jones died in the late 80s, the event stopped happening. Then when Warren was elected to be the County Commissioner in 1992, he and his friend Owen Spears, who was elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives, worked hard to make sure the New Year’s Dinner took place again.

Then the district attorney, Grannis partnered with Warren to host the event. Grannis died, but the Grannis family continue to work with Warren on the dinner. Billy West, who is now the district attorney, also helps with the event. West has been working with the event for around 20 years.

“Years ago, there used to be events like this from time to time,” said Warren. “There aren’t many events like this that are open to the public. I’m not sure if there are many events left like this anymore.” 
The menu consists of black-eyed peas, collard greens, barbecue, candied yams, dinner rolls, tea and coffee.

“When you are preparing an event that you don’t send invitations to, you run an ad in the newspaper, and you invite in essence anybody who reads the paper with this,” said Warren. “Everybody is invited. So, we never know exactly how many people are coming. There could be several thousand people coming. We start several months ahead in preparing for the dinner, ordering food and  lining up all the help, everything it takes to put on an event like that.”

Warren continued, “We prepare so that we don’t run out of food. We prepare a little extra because every year, whatever we have leftover, we donate to the My Rover Reis Home to help the people that they house there.”

For entertainment, Larry Chasten, a gospel singer, performs. When asked about his favorite part of the event, Lee Warren said it is “seeing people that come every year, renewing old friendships and making new ones. That is the best part about it. It is  just a good time to renew old friendships and to say hello.”

Another priority for the day of the dinner is making sure everybody has a good time and gets fed. “I don’t think we have ever completely run out of food any year that we have done it, so our goal is to not do that,” Warren said.

Here are the top ten Hope Mills stories of the year as chosen by a panel of voters:

1. Historic election

In a historic night for the town of Hope Mills, the town turned its elected leadership to not one but two women.

Mayor Jackie Warner, after a bitter campaign fight with sitting Mayor Pro Tem Mike Mitchell, was returned to office for a fifth term, winning easily with 55.5%  of the vote.

The history was made by Dr. Kenjuana McCray, an instructor at Fayetteville Technical Community College. McCray, as far as anyone can remember, became the first African-American female elected to the board, leading all candidates for town office this year with 792 votes.

As a result of leading the ticket, she was installed as the town’s Mayor Pro Tem.

2. Youth sports teams enjoy strong seasons

It was a banner year for spring sports teams from Hope Mills. In a town that already has a rich youth sports tradition, the summer of 2019 made it even richer.

Four teams from the town won state titles and advanced to World Series competition in different divisions of the Dixie Youth program.

Taking state honors were the Dixie 14U boys of Richard Martinez, the 10U Dixie Softball girls of Doren Kolasa, the 8U Dixie Boys of Jesse Cox and the 12U Dixie Ponytails softball of Steve Welsh.

The Cumberland Post 32 Bombers of Stan Bagley won the Lady Legion state softball title.

3. Hope Mills Fire Department Honored

The Hope Mills Fire Department won an award that went far beyond a plaque to put in a trophy case.

The North Carolina Office of the State Fire Marshall awarded the fire department a No. 2 rating.

The rating, which took effect in August, is a plus for the town’s citizens and businesses as it means insurance premiums charged to them should be less because of the town’s high level of protection from fire.

4. Mayor Warner, son Teddy exonerated

The town’s Board of Commissioners lodged a charge of collusion against Mayor Jackie Warner and her son, Teddy Warner, when the latter made a presentation to the board in his role working for the Fayetteville Cumberland Economic Development Commission.

A board-authorized investigation, which wound up costing the town $26,000, was conducted by attorney James P. Cauley, an acknowledged expert in municipal law.

Exonerating both the five-term mayor and her son, Cauley boiled the divide between the mayor and commissioners down to two factors. “It is attributable to a combination of rookie mistakes and changing governance policies,’’ he said.

5. Hope Mills Dam wins more honors.

The restored Hope Mills dam won its second major award this past July.

The Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure presented the town with the Envision Bronze Award.

The award is presented to projects like the dam on the basis of their resilience and sustainability.

Since the dam has been restored it has been through two hurricanes, and the only significant damage sustained was to an eel ladder that allows  the animals to migrate around the dam structure.
The dam’s first national award was in 2018.

6. Arts Council created

The new Hope Mills Creative Arts Council was established. One of its first acts was to partner with the Sweet Tea Shakespeare company and bring a live production of "Timon of Athens" to Carleen’s of Hope Mills.
The production resulted in record ticket sales for a Sweet Tea production.

7. Hope Mills leads in military recruitment

According to Defense Department rankings for 2018, Hope Mills leads the nation in military recruitment.

From a population of 2,322 candidates age 17-24, Hope Mills had 374 who enlisted last year.

8. ALMS HOUSE has successful summer program

The ALMS HOUSE of Hope Mills continued its string of successful outreaches to the community, mounting an important summer bag lunch program that provided an average of 20 bag lunches per week to children and some adults in need. Support through food and money donations from the community were essential.

9. Heritage Park plan still on hold

Work on the proposed Heritage Park development remains on hold. The land remains undeveloped as the Board of Commissioners focused more attention on the home of coyotes, Golfview Greenway, while both Heritage Park and the former Episcopal Church and its severely distressed parish hall remain untouched.

10. Golden Knights come to Hope Mills

The United States Army’s famed Golden Knights precision parachute jumping team made an appearance in Hope Mills, jumping in to help with the town’s observance of Heroes Homecoming.

Picture 1: Mayor Jackie Warner

Picture 2: Kenjuana McCray

Picture 3: The Hope Mills dam won a second award in July.