Editor’s note: In the spirit of the holidays, Publisher Bill Bowman yields his space to Stephanie Crider. The following publisher’s note originally ran in 2016.

Community and giving back are consistent themes in this publication. Time and again and without fail, our community steps up to care for its own, to solve problems, to get things done. We take care of each other when things get hard.

Unfortunately, it is not enough to say “Well done,” and move along because there will always be someone in need, someone who, despite their best effort, can’t make ends meet, can’t provide for their family, can’t take care of themselves.
This time of year, social media is filled with posts about how thankful, lucky and blessed people are. And that is a wonderful thing. It’s good to count our blessings and be mindful of how much we have and how fortunate we are.

There are still people in this community and all across this country who are not so fortunate. And organizations this time of year often struggle to meet the needs of those they serve.

If you are able and it is in your heart, consider giving back this holiday season. It doesn’t take much to change someone’s life. While the holidays are supposed to be a happy time of year, many struggle mightily with things like loneliness and depression during November and December. Take a few moments, call or check in on a friend/acquaintance/office mate/neighbor and let them know you are thinking about them. Or take them to lunch or for coffee or just spend a few minutes letting them know you care.

If time is something you don’t have or you are unable to “sponsor” someone this season, consider supporting one of the many organizations dedicated to helping this community. Drop some money in one of the red Salvation Army kettles. They feed the homeless, while providing a job for the bell ringers, typically lower income.

Write a check to one of the many nonprofits in the area. Places like the CARE Clinic and Better Health offer health-related services to the community at little or no cost.
Or volunteer. Not just during the holidays but throughout the year. Operation Inasmuch, Catholic Charities, the Dream Center, the Child Advocacy Center, the Guardian ad litem program and other organizations are always looking for help.

Drop off some nonperishable food items like canned goods, dried beans, soup mixes or the like at one of the food banks. Second Harvest Food Bank is always accepting donations, but there are other organizations that have food pantries, too. Donate toiletries or hygiene items at one of the many local shelters. Things like a package of socks, a hat and a scarf or a gently used coat mean everything when you need them and don’t have them.

Donate a toy at one of the many toy drop-offs. Toys for Tots is just one way. Support a local toy run that many local motorcycle clubs sponsor this time of year. Many organizations have Angel trees that make it easy to give a child
a Merry Christmas. Some organizations that support children in our community are the Girls and Boys Club, Fayetteville Urban Ministry and Falcon Children’s Home.

Giving back during this stressful time of year doesn’t have to take a lot of time or money, and it can change someone’s life — including yours.

Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

There is something about a good adventure. As the adventure unfolds, you find yourself participating in an experience that will be yours forever. The congregation of the Camp Ground Methodist Church sets out to guide you through a Christmas adventure with its 2nd Annual Festival of Trees in the historic Owen Chapel Dec. 6 and 7.

The chapel is transformed into a melodious visual representation of the theme, “There’s a Song in the Air.” Not only will attendees see the extraordinarily adorned trees, but they’ll hear the specifically chosen song — and see it, too. Chairperson and event organizer Sandy Holland said, “There are 11 trees throughout the historic Owen’s Chapel, and each one has a musical theme.”

Guests are encouraged to fully participate in the experience by bringing an ornament or something that is related and relevant to the theme of the tree. It truly is designed to be an interactive, festive experience.

“Guests will enter into the chapel and be given a bulletin to explain why the particular music was chosen for each tree. While it is a self-guided tour, there are a few people standing throughout the chapel welcoming them and available if they have any questions,” Holland said.

There are two dates for the event. Friday, Dec. 6 from 6-8 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 7 from 4-6 p.m. On the first evening, guests will be greeted by the adorable voices of the 4- and 5-year-olds, who attend preschool at the church, as they perform Christmas carols. After the tour, people will be directed to the fellowship hall to enjoy cookies, hot cocoa, coffee and a visit with Santa.

On the second evening, Saturday, Dec. 7, when the tour has ended at 6 p.m., the evening isn’t over yet. Attendees will be directed into the fellowship hall for a celebration of love, community and food. This is the second year for the church to host a Moravian Love Feast, a traditional Methodist gathering. According to Holland, “This is a communal meal that’s goal is to bind the community together. It is a free event for all, whether you purchased a ticket for the festival of trees or not.”

On both nights, the  congregation at the Campground Methodist Church hope guests will create memories and that their hearts will be filled with the joy of the season and the love of community. As they depart from their time at the church, attendees will be handed an advent booklet with a devotional written by members of the Campground Methodist congregation.

Tickets can be purchased at the Camp Ground Methodist Church office on Campground Road, Fredrick’s Hair Salon on Sycamore Dairy Road across from CarMax or the Ritz Salon on Raeford Road. Call Sandy Holland at 910-867-9436 or 910-308-6112 for additional information. Children under the age of 11 are free.

All proceeds go to maintain Owen Chapel, which has been a place of worship for the Methodist church since the 1840s. The church is located at 4625 Campground Road.

Sweet Tea Shakespeare presents “Behold: A Folk Christmas Cantata” Wednesday, Dec. 4, at Methodist University at 7 p.m. The remaining shows are for Dec. 5-7 and Dec. 12-14  and will take place at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church at 7 p.m.

“Our annual Christmas concert returns with a splash of honey, featuring the familiar gospel music that is always at the heart of ‘Behold,’” said Jennifer Pommerenke, master of disposition and order at Sweet Tea Shakespeare. “Our 2019 offering includes a special focus on the Mary story and the women of Sweet Tea Shakespeare, but dudes are around too.”

Pommerenke added it tells the Old and New Testament stories with simplicity and grace during this time of joy and reflection. “Behold’s” reputation as a stirring and heartfelt Christmastime celebration always holds true for this warm and comforting seasonal blend.

The concert features community and company members who are musicians and singers ranging from school-aged children to adults. Jacob French is the music director, and Jeremy Fiebig  will direct the tone and vision of “Behold.”
“The musical selections are from Andrew Peterson’s ‘Behold the Lamb of God’ as well as a few pieces that reflect on the Mary story,” said Pommerenke. “There will be a handful of songs we’ve never included in ‘Behold’ before, and we are really looking forward to bringing them to the community.”

The event is a celebration of the winter season and an evening of communion meant to warm hearts and focus minds on Advent and Christmas. “This is a beautiful event with a tremendous heart  for what this season means, and it’s a time to reflect on the year behind and the year ahead,” said Pommerenke. “It’s a time to be with loved ones and a time to slow down and really remember what  is important to us all.”

Sweet Tea Shakespeare is a nonprofit theater company and training ground inspired by Shakespeare and the early modern period in its spirit and operations. Its mission is to gather a diverse community around a common table to delight in the magic of story, song and stagecraft.

Preshow music begins at 6:15 p.m. and will be provided by local choirs, musicians, friends and community groups.

“It is a magical time for families, friends and the community to gather for merriment and reflection,” said Pommerenke. “We look forward to seeing everyone at the concert.”

Ticket cost is pay what you will $10 -$50. Tea, beer, wine and signature cocktails will be available for purchase. Outside food and drinks are not permitted. For more information or to purchase tickets visit www.sweetteashakespeare.com or call 910-420-4383.

It’s that time of year again. The leaves are changing, football season is wrapping up, and people are preparing their homes and stomachs for the festivities of the holiday season. Part of the tradition of American Thanksgiving is the spirit of service. One of the most effective ways for people to give back during the holiday season is to donate to a local food bank. In the U.S. alone in 2015, nearly one in eight households suffered from food insecurity. In the military services, some young families depend on food stamps to get by. 

A new food pantry serving lower-ranking soldiers and their families is up and running at Fort Bragg just in time for the holidays. The pantry, designed to provide families with free, nonperishable food items, is operated by the Armed Services YMCA, said Michelle Baumgarten, associate executive director of the YMCA.

Families needing additional assistance are referred to their unit’s chaplain or Army Community Service for financial planning and budgeting classes, Baumgarten added. “This came about as people expressed a need for food support.”
Fort Bragg’s Religious Services Office provides financial support through chaplains assigned to specific units — typically by providing commissary gift cards to families in need. Baumgarten said families with unexpected, special needs are among those the YMCA’s food pantry was established to serve. “That’s what we’re here for,” she said.

The partnership is also beneficial to the Religious Services Office, said Lt. Col. Jeff Masengale, Fort Bragg’s deputy garrison chaplain.

The pantry is open to any active duty soldier, military family member and veterans. It runs on an honor system, with no rules on what families can help themselves to. Information is private and is not available to the chain of command. Baumgarten said the only things that are tracked are how many pounds of food go out the door and how many times a person uses the food pantry.

A young military spouse whose husband is a private first class is typical of those in need. She asked that her name not be used. The young parents have two children, ages two and 16-months-old. “Honestly … it saved me like almost half of the items that I needed to get from the commissary.” 

Baumgarten credited the North Post Commissary with helping to initially stock the food pantry. The commissary provides weekly donations and serves as a collection point for monetary donations.

Those wanting to help can also host food drives or drop off donations or dry goods at the YMCA’s food pantry. Donations should be nonperishable, unexpired and unopened. Personal hygiene items such as diapers, razors and shaving cream are accepted. Popular items include baby food, formula and canned tuna and chicken. The food pantry is open from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday in the Fort Bragg YMCA building 2-2411 off Rodney Trail. Those wanting to visit, provide a donation or volunteer can call 910-436-0500.

Ever since a raid that targeted ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi last month, military working dogs have been in the spotlight. A Belgian Malinois, whose name was later declassified and revealed to be Conan, was slightly hurt while taking part in the mission that cornered Baghdadi in Syria. But Department of Defense leaders said he was recovering and had already returned to duty after the raid.

There are hundreds of military working dogs across the service branches serving day-in and day-out alongside our service members. Their missions include drug and explosive detection, subduing fleeing suspects and search and rescue missions. U.S. war dogs, as they are called, and their handlers from every military service, are deployed worldwide. About 1,600 dogs are either in the field or helping veterans, the military said.

On July 27, 2013, the first bronze statue of a Special Operations Force K9 was unveiled on the grounds of the Airborne & Special Operations Museum in Fayetteville. Over 2,000 people gathered to honor brave K9s and remember what they have done for our country. The statue depicts a life-size Belgian Malinois wearing his full deployment kit. SOF dogs are called super dogs. They parachute from planes with their handlers and can track enemy forces in difficult conditions.

Most U.S. military war dogs are German and Dutch shepherds and Belgian Malinois breeds, said Army Col. David Rolfe, director of the Defense Department’s Military Working Dog Program. That’s also true of K9s involved in police work. The Fayetteville Police Department’s dogs are bred and initially trained in Europe. The Belgian Malinois, in particular, is high-strung, “very aggressive, very smart, very loyal and very athletic,” Rolfe said.

Master Sculptor Lena Toritch has created several K9 military dog statues for different branches of the U.S. Military. The statue at the ASOM is a bronze monument depicting a life-size Belgian Malinois wearing his full deployment kit. The monument is a symbol of respect and mourning for SOF dogs that have died in the line of duty. Each of those dogs is represented by a paver that is placed at the base of the statue and includes the dog’s name and the year and theater in which it was killed.

The SOF bronze statue by Toritch was the first monument in the world depicting this type of a military dog. SOF super dogs are trained to jump out of planes and float to the ground with their partners. They can track and seize the enemy in the most difficult conditions. The SOF K9 Memorial Foundation continues its work by helping K9 Handlers remember their canine partners by assisting with the purchase of memorial plaques, photos, headstones or anything else the handler would like to memorialize his partner.

Once upon a time in a land far away, a 20-year-old college student waited tables for the summer at a tony private club on a New England island. The six-person wait staff was all college students, including three from North Carolina, among them the Tar Heel girl who won the flip among the wait staff to see who would service Uncle Walter Cronkite and his wife lunch. Deploying her Southern accent, much enhanced for the summer, our college student once received a $50 tip for hamburgers for two from a visiting New Yorker apparently charmed by the Southerness of the belle.

That young waitperson was I, and that tip — far more in today’s dollars — instantly brought home to me both the importance of tipping in the service industry and the inherent unfairness of that system. It turned me into a routine tipper, even for mediocre service, and sometimes a big one. Tipping is what puts food on the table, clothes on the children, pays the utility bills of your servers of all sorts — wait staff, cabbies, hotel housekeepers and the like — because their employers do not pay them a living wage.  

Not all countries treat service providers the way the United States does, but overhauling our gratuity system would be a colossal task with massive opposition from all sorts of service industries, including restaurants and hotels. Prior efforts to move to a no-tip system have failed, and restaurants that automatically add tips to bills risk significant consumer blowback once they recover from the added 20% sticker shock. Tipping remains a cruel and capricious system, dependent on the whims of service consumers, but it is what we have. It is instructive to look at our system in all its ugliness.

New York Times writer David Brooks took a recent look at our gratuity system, referencing the perceived pros — tipping rewards excellence, and the cons — it discriminates based on gender, age, race, even appearance. Brooks relies on research by Michael Lynn, a Cornell University business professor, who finds that quality of service does not have much to do with the size of the tip.

Research finds the same sorts of bias in tipping as in other areas of American life. Young, blond women servers get bigger tips than brunettes. One survey found that Uber drivers get 12% higher tips from men passengers if the driver is a young woman. African-American and Latino servers can expect smaller tips across the board. Servers in upscale restaurants can make a good living from tips, surely because their customers have more disposable income, while people who work in the back of the house do not. Servers in more downscale establishments can expect to struggle more financially. In short, tipping has much more to do with the tipper than the server.

Brooks said he cheers on efforts to reform our gratuity-dependent system but is not holding his breath. In the meantime, he has several suggestions aimed at taking bias and capriciousness of the system.“Tip 20% when the meal is over $25 and 30% when it is under.

“Always, always, always leave a tip in a hotel room.

“To combat implicit bias when tipping drivers and others, commit to a percentage for all rides and stick to it.

“Understand that the advantages you enjoy are products of both your individual effort and privileges you didn’t earn. Tip accordingly.”

I never waited tables for pay again after my New England summer job, but the lessons I learned at that fancy-dancy club remain with me. Brooks’ last bullet sums them up perfectly. Our tip-for-service model does not reward excellence. It can even punish it and the hard-working people who practice it.

Tip accordingly, indeed.

Christmas is my favorite time of the year. One of my fondest childhood memories is sitting and watching the lights on the Christmas tree while listening to The Temptations’ “Silent Night” on the radio. Some traditions will never get old as I continue to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas. A Temptations Christmas with Dennis Edwards’ Temptations Revue featuring special guests national jazz artist Reggie Codrington and the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra will take place Saturday, Nov. 23, at 7 p.m. in Seabrook Auditorium on the campus of Fayetteville State University. 

“I was asked to be a part of the show and, of course, any time we have a chance to be a part of people who have gone down in history and left a lot of great music, I’m always honored to be a part of that,” said Reggie Codrington, Mandate recording artist and jazz saxophonist.

“I am going to play some of my music and do some Christmas, too.”

Codrington added he only has 45 minutes to play. So he can’t do a whole lot, but he is going to leave the audience wanting more.

Grammy Award winner and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductee Dennis Edwards Jr. was best known as the frontman in The Temptations. He began singing at the age of 2 in his father’s church. He joined the Temptations in 1968. In the mid-80s, he went solo and scored in 1984 with the hit “Don’t Look Any Further,” featuring Siedah Garrett. During the 90s, Edwards began touring with his group, The Temptations Revue featuring Dennis
Edwards. To honor and keep the late Dennis Edwards’ legacy alive, the group continues to  perform to audiences around the world.

“I have a band playing behind me and we are going to go out there and make the audience  feel good and get it hot for The Temptations,” said Codrington. “We encourage everyone to get their ticket because if you don’t, you will miss something great.”    

Doors open at 6 p.m. Ticket cost is $35, $45, $60 and $70. They can be purchased a www.etix.com. Please help by donating nonperishable food items to the show to assist our local food bank Second Harvest. For more information call 910-672-1724.

Cape Fear Valley Health System has received a $1 million Duke Endowment grant to help grow its new psychiatry residency program. Launched in 2018, the program’s mission is to train new psychiatrists, who will hopefully practice in more rural areas of the state. The nation’s rural communities are struggling to attract new psychiatric specialists as older physicians retire out of the workforce.

Samuel Fleishman, M.D., is Cape Fear Valley’s chief medical officer. He said there are entire counties in the health system’s six-county coverage area that do not have local psychiatrists. “The need for behavioral healthcare and psychiatrists has always been a big issue for our region,” he said. “Our psychiatrists have long been challenged with an overwhelming community need.” The Duke Endowment grant will help offset the program’s start-up costs for the first three years.

The program launched with just four residents but will have 16 by 2020. That number will grow to 24 in 2022 when a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship is added. The program’s residents train by providing psychiatric care at Cape Fear Valley Health inpatient and outpatient facilities. “These residents help take care of those suffering from mental illness and substance abuse in our community,” said Scott Klenzak, M.D., Cape Fear Valley’s psychiatry residency program director.

Lin Hollowell, Director of The Duke Endowment’s Health Care program area, said funding programs like Cape Fear Valley’s is important because the need for psychiatrists will only grow in coming years. “The shortage of psychiatrists is particularly dire in rural regions,” he said. “The program at Cape Fear Valley Health will expand access to quality care for people in need and lay the groundwork for providing important services in the future.”

Cape Fear Valley CEO Mike Nagowski said he is grateful the Duke Endowment chose to invest in Cape Fear Valley’s fledgling residency program and its mission.

“We are so excited about this new partnership,” Nagowski said. “The Duke Endowment understands the importance of the psychiatry residency program to our region, as well as the funding challenges that come with starting these kinds of programs.”

Based in Charlotte, the Duke Endowment has distributed more than $3.6 billion in grants since its creation in 1924 by industrialist and philanthropist James B. Duke. The private foundation’s mission is to strengthen North Carolina and South Carolina communities by nurturing children, promoting health, educating minds and enriching spirits.

Cape Fear Valley Health 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 system and 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 and gynecology, psychiatry and general surgery as well as a transitional year internship in affiliation with the Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine at Campbell University. For more information, visit www.CapeFearValley.com.

Former South View High School defensive coordinator Melvin Braswell used to say the best measure of the value of a defensive player to his team was how far he was from the player with the ball at the end of a play.
Bruce McClelland, head coach at Terry Sanford, hasn’t handed out those kind of grades for his defense, but if he did, the marks for middle linebacker Jackson Deaver would be high.

“He’s one of the guys in the biggest games who always makes plays,’’ McClelland said of Deaver.

Deaver recently earned a name for himself in the school’s record book by breaking the career record for tackles held by his former teammate, Dante Bowlding.

Through the final regular season game with Pine Forest, Deaver’s career total is 439 tackles.

He has 125 tackles for his senior campaign. That includes 12 tackles for loss and two sacks.

He’s also had a pair of interceptions, caused four fumbles and recovered two.

Deaver’s performance hasn’t gone unnoticed by others. He’s a team captain for the second year in a row and has twice been named to the Patriot Athletic All-Conference football team.

This is Deaver’s fourth year in the Bulldog football program. Early in his career, when Terry Sanford was awash with good linebackers, he was briefly moved to defensive line, but he’s spent the last three seasons anchoring the defense from the middle linebacker spot.

“He’s obviously a great athlete and great player,’’ McClelland said. But that’s not the only reason Deaver has been so successful on the football field.

“The biggest thing is preparation,’’ McClelland said. “He’s second to none with any player I’ve ever coached on the defensive side.’’ McClelland puts Deaver in the same company with former Bulldog greats Mark Gilbert and Isaiah Stallings.

“This guy does a ton of film prep,’’ McClelland said. “He can tell you every position we are lining up in, what our defense is before our coaching staff does. His ability to get everybody else on defense on the same page is remarkable.’’
Playing defense is a challenge for a lot of players today because of the growing concerns about keeping head contact out of the game. There was a time in football years ago when defenders would use their helmet as a weapon and try to make contact with it when tackling opponents. The concerns that that contact leads to concussions, which some studies show is linked to the possible of permanent brain injury or disease, has caused football coaches to change the way they teach tackling to their players.

McClelland thinks it’s been a change for the good, seeing new tackling techniques focusing not just on taking the head out of the game, but on getting players to wrap an opponent up and make a more sure tackle. “The biggest thing I see is an improvement in the tackling of defenses week to week,’’ McClelland said.

Deaver, who began playing youth football at the age of eight, said all the instruction he’s received since being in high school has focused on eliminating head tackling. “Even though there have been a lot of changes to tackling, the grand scheme of things is to get the guy down on the ground,’’ Deaver said.

Deaver feels he and the rest of the Bulldog defenders have done a good job of that this year.

As this story is being written, Deaver and Terry Sanford were preparing for their state 3-A playoff opener against Wilson Fike on Thursday, Nov. 14, at John Daskal Stadium at Reid Ross Classical School. “Defensively I could not be happier with our guys,’’ Deaver said. “Our run defense is phenomenal. I think if we keep doing what we’re doing and stay focused, we should make a good run.’’

Deaver is hopeful that when his Terry Sanford career ends, he’ll be playing at the college level, but he’s not sure if it will be football or baseball.

He’s talented in both, and he’s already courting football interest from UNC-Pembroke, Wofford and Limestone. “They may put a little more weight on him and put him at middle linebacker,’’ McClelland said of Deaver’s college future.
Currently Deaver said he’s about 6-feet tall and weighs 225. “I’m not leaning toward anyone,’’ Deaver said. “I’m looking for somewhere I can call home for the next four years, somewhere I’ll feel happy and like I’m part of a family.’’

Pictured: Jackson Deaver

“Noises Off!” is a play within a play. A farce filled with physical comedy. A witty production written by British playwright Michael Frayn. It will be at Givens Performing Arts Center for two nights only — Nov. 14 and 15.

Jay Reume portrays Frederick Fellowes in “Noises Off!” and Fellowes plays Phillip Brent in “Nothing On,” the play within “Noises off!”

“It is a funny play,” said Reume. “It is a comedy where all these people come together to put on a play.  It goes in a lot of different directions and goes wrong in every way you can imagine. It is also a lot of fun to watch.”

Olivia von Opel plays Brooke in “Noises Off!” and her character has the part of  Vicki in “Nothing On.” “Brooke is a bombshell. I am using Marilyn Monroe as my inspiration for the role,” said von Opel. “I see her as ambitious. I think others see her as a dumb blonde. I think she is intelligent in her own way, and she is trying hard.”

Both Reume and von Opel agree that one of the challenging yet rewarding things about the production is the physical comedy. 

“I love physical comedy,” said von Opel. “Getting to do that has been a dream of mine. To do something where it is all about throwing props and slamming doors and climbing out a window is a dream come true. If you do it correctly, it looks easy.”

Reume added, “The more work actually comes from the physical perfection the show needs to have. It is almost like a dance. There are so many entrances and exits and pants falling down and things being thrown around. You have to do it well and on time. The playing two characters is the fun part. … The real labor is the dance of the show.”

“Noises Off!” includes local talent as well. “We have two students in the cast,” said von Opel. Chelsea Williams is a sophomore and Jamonte Madison is a senior. “We get to collaborate with them, and they can work with us and we can show them what it is like to be a professional actor. They are super talented. We are enjoying working with Jonathan  (Drahos, the director) and his wife Carolanne.(Marano). Jonathan is a professor (at UNC-Pembroke) and has been on Broadway. All of us are understudied by a student as well, so we have that additional layer of student involvement.”

As for the performance,  Reume promises a lot of laughs. “If you’ve never seen live theater and just laughed and laughed and been around others laughing, you have not experienced good theater. This piece really has the potential for that. If you have experienced that, then you know what kind of show this is.”

The show starts at 8 p.m. each night. For tickets and information, call 910-521-6000 or visit https://www.uncp.edu/resources/gpac/professional-artist-series/noises.

That’s not all GPAC has in store this month. Nov. 22, UNCP hosts its 11th Annual Holiday Extravaganza at 8 p.m. University choirs, ensembles and more will perform holiday favorites and family singalongs. Come early and take in “Tuba Christmas,”  a mini-concert in front of GPAC, at 7:30 p.m. Call 910-521-6230 or email music@uncp.edu for more details.

Nov. 24, GPAC presents “The Nutcracker Ballet” by Dance Alive National Ballet at 4 p.m. The company hosts a roster of award-winning international dancers and is the official State Touring company of Florida.

Veteran Fayetteville City Councilmen Ted Mohn and Jim Arp suffered upset election losses Nov. 5. Both served for 10 years. They were defeated by novice politicians Courtney Banks-McLaughlin and Yvonne Y. Kinston respectively. Another newcomer, Shakeyla M. Ingram, was elected to replace Dan Culliton in District 2. He chose not to seek election after being appointed to council a year-and-a-half ago. Three African-American women are replacing three white men. Chris Davis won the District 6 election replacing longtime councilman Bill Crisp, who did not seek re-election. Incumbents Kathy Jensen and Tisha Waddell won re-election, bringing to five the number of women on the new city council, which is a record. Incumbent members Johnny Dawkins, D.J. Haire and Larry Wright were unopposed and easily won their races. Mayor Mitch Colvin was re-elected without opposition.

Hope Mills Mayor Jackie Warner won a fifth two-year term Nov. 5 defeating Mayor Pro Tem Mike Mitchell. “We’re going to have a great team and we’re going to work together, and all the negativity is going to be gone,” Warner said.
The Board of Commissioners was divided by internal feuding and personal attacks on social media. Without naming them, Warner’s reference clearly was to Mitchell and incumbent commissioner Meg Larson, both of whom vigorously opposed Warner the last two years. Incumbent board members Pat Edwards, Jerry Legge and Jessie Bellflowers were re-elected. Kenjuana McCray and Bryan Marley won the seats vacated by Mitchell and Larsen. McCray becomes the first African-American to be elected to the Hope Mills Board of Commissioners. She was the top vote-getter. “I’m humbled. we made history tonight,” McCray said.

In Spring Lake, Mayor Larry Dobbins won re-election to a second term, defeating newcomer Jami Mclaughlin. Incumbent Town Alderman James Christian lost his re-election bid by one vote to incumbent Sona Cooper. Mayor Pro Tem James O’Garra and Alderwomen Frederika Sutherland and Jackie Lee Jackson won re-election. Newcomer Taimoor Aziz replaces Christian in December.

This year’s local election oddity was in Stedman where Mayor-for-life Billy Horne found himself in an initial tie with challenger Jordan Stewart. Each of them received 30 votes. A third candidate, Jeremy George was just one vote behind them with 29. Totaling all the Cumberland County municipal elections, less than 10% of the registered voters went to the polls.

Now it’s time for the real change to happen. If you’re wondering about the timeline when newly elected officials will get to work, city council members in North Carolina take office at different times between early December and Jan. 1. Local councils are chosen in what are called off-year elections, usually in odd numbered years. This year, the new Fayetteville City Council will be sworn in Monday, Dec. 2. Members will then select the mayor pro tem, which is typically the top vote-getter. But there are no official rules for the procedure. The inauguration will be held at Seabrook Auditorium at Fayetteville State University at 6 p.m.

I am starting this column Thursday night, Oct. 17. This is the 12th day of 14 days of vacation in New Bern, North Carolina. My time is being spent staying in a house where the back porch overlooks an amazingly beautiful stream surrounded by trees and still green grass. This setting, and the far slower pace than is mine in Fayetteville, have allowed me, caused me, to focus more intently on God and all the good that comes to us by way of a relationship with Him through Jesus Christ.  

In this peaceful atmosphere, it rang out more clearly than ever for me that we are chasing the wind while missing the solution. The Urban Dictionary defines chasing the wind as: “A task that is meaningless. Void of purpose or virtue. A circular path, leading to no particular destination.”

Looking at that stream, and all that surrounds it, has been a daily reminder that our only hope for correcting the course of our troubled, hate-filled country is being committed to, and guided by, the ways of God. For me, that view is a reminder of God’s power as creator and of all that he offers us because of his love for us.

The bottom line is that all of us will have our moral bearing shaped by what we are exposed to. There are only two providers of experiences — God and the world. What the world exposes us to, and calls us to, is counter to the will and way of God. Our situation in America is that the world is winning. In great part, the world is winning because it does not play fair and has control of most of the assets that allow for power and influence over people.

Here is an example of what I mean: As part of my research for writing this column, I read 10 articles that appeared in The Fayetteville Observer regarding Rev. Franklin Graham’s “Decision America Tar Heel State Tour″ that started with a stop at Fayetteville’s Festival Park Oct. 1. Of the 10 articles I read, seven included some claim that Graham was carrying on a political effort in support of President Donald Trump. In my estimation, this charge was made as something he should not do and that it was abhorrent.

In “Evangelist Franklin Graham talks about tour, Trump, gay people,” by Michael Futch, Graham said, “I want to go from the coast to the mountains telling people how to have hope. And people are searching for hope today. Our country is such a mess. All the hatred. The lies that are told. People have just lost hope. In our political system, people have lost hope in the future. They just are looking for answers. There’s no one who can solve a person’s problems, individual, or solve the problems of this country collectively. Only God can do that. Jesus can solve problems and needs in a person’s life. So that when this life is finished, we can be in heaven for eternity. We’re going to the coast all the way to the mountains.”

Then this from an Observer editorial titled, “Our View: If past is a guide, politics will weave its way into Graham’s ‘Decision’ tour”: “But if Tuesday’s event is anything like Graham’s 50-state ‘Decision America’ tour, it will be a scarcely-veiled political nod to Donald Trump’s reelection and conservative candidates for the 2020 election. Just as he did in 2016, Graham plays down the political angle even though he remains a strong supporter of Trump, as he was in 2016.”
For me, focusing on and trying to prevent Graham from addressing political matters is a way of keeping people from being influenced in their political thinking by religious beliefs and values. The same strategy is employed in addressing societal issues. Yes, Graham speaks out in opposition to acceptance of the homosexual lifestyle. His position is consistent with Scripture, but the world’s view is that this behavior is acceptable. Consequently, Graham, and those who share his belief, are protested against and ridiculed by the world.

The question to be answered honestly is has America come to a point where people of faith will not be allowed to have the beliefs and values of their faith guide them in day-to-day decision-making across the length and breadth of who they are as human beings? The world’s answer is a resounding “Yes.” And because of that, we are chasing the wind while missing the solution... a relationship with God.

Tuesday night, Oct. 15, I watched all of the Democratic presidential debate. As I sat there listening to the back-and-forth regarding various issues, I was not surprised that nothing of substance by way of solutions came out. It was just circular talking and arguing... chasing the wind. That was especially the case when the topic of mass shootings was addressed. There was the age-old call for stricter gun control. Mental health might have been mentioned in passing.

However, nobody on that stage mentioned how the source for the formation of moral standards has shifted from relationship with God and teachings of Scripture to the ways of the world. Those ways of the world are antithetical to all that God calls us to by way of a moral code. The world’s code has a way of allowing people to think that the conduct, so harmful to some, is acceptable.

I mentioned Democrats in that preceding paragraph, but be assured, wind-chasing is rampant in America. It is, by no means, limited to Democrats.

Not only do purveyors of this worldly code of conduct verbally attack proponents of God’s way, they do not hesitate to pursue punitive policies. A prime example of this is reflected in a widely reported recent incident. Senator Thom Tillis, R-N.C., speaks to it in an opinion piece published Oct. 18. Here are a couple of paragraphs from that piece: “Last week, presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke went on national television and called for eliminating the tax-exempt status for any church or religious institution in America that does not recognize same-sex marriage. O’Rourke’s proposal was met by cheers and thunderous applause from the audience.

“... While some other Democratic presidential candidates are claiming they do not support eliminating the tax-exempt status for religious institutions, we have been here before. We have seen the pattern of fringe, far-left proposals gaining traction over time. Many of these fringe proposals are now mainstream Democratic Party positions.”

Tillis sees what is happening in regard to challenges to religious liberty. Thankfully, Attorney General William Barr sees it, too, and understands that we are chasing the wind and why that is the case. On Oct. 11, Barr delivered remarks to the law school and the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture at the University of Notre Dame. The following is from his prepared remarks that are available at https://www.justice.gov/opa/speech/attorney-general-william-p-barr-delivers-remarks-law-school-and-de-nicola-center-ethics (combined for space): “This is really what was meant by ‘self-government.’ It did not mean primarily the mechanics by which we select a representative legislative body. It referred to the capacity of each individual to restrain and govern themselves.  But what was the source of this internal controlling power? In a free republic, those restraints could not be handed down from above by philosopher kings. Instead, social order must flow up from the people themselves — freely obeying the dictates of inwardly-possessed and commonly-shared moral values. And to control willful human beings, with an infinite capacity to rationalize, those moral values must rest on authority independent of men’s will — they must flow from a transcendent Supreme Being.”

Later, Barr says: “On the one hand, we have seen the steady erosion of our traditional Judeo-Christian moral system and a comprehensive effort to drive it from the public square. On the other hand, we see the growing ascendancy of secularism and the doctrine of moral relativism. By any honest assessment, the consequences of this moral upheaval have been grim. Virtually every measure of social pathology continues to gain ground.”

Simply put, I join with Tillis and Barr in contending that religious liberty is under tremendous attack in America, and further, with Barr, that there is a serious turning from God that is proving destructive in America. We are chasing the wind while missing the solution — God.

Pictured: Rev. Franklin Graham

The “Citizens have Spoken!!  No Civil War museum!” That was the subject of an email sent to Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin and state Rep. Elmer Floyd this past Saturday. Penned, of course,  by an anonymous source who didn’t want to man (or woman) up to the subject matter.

The message was anti-North Carolina Civil War & Reconstruction History Center and stated that the results of the Fayetteville elections Nov. 5 was a mandate against the project because most of the pro-Civil War History Center council members lost their seats, proving that the majority of Fayetteville citizens oppose and reject the project and want nothing to do with having this “toxic and controversial” project in our community. Mr. or Ms. Anonymous declared that “A clear statement has been made by the voters.”

I wish we knew the name of Anonymous so I could address the topic directly. Calling this statewide Civil War History Center an “expensive ridiculous Civil War project” only confirms the lack of knowledge and understanding this person has of its benefits and remarkable opportunities our community will have to improve the quality of life of all our citizens, increasing our prestige and notoriety throughout the state while increasing pride, education and understanding of generations of our North Carolina heritage. Not taking advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity by moving forward with the project will leave an indelible mark of ignorance and naivety on future generations residing in the Fayetteville/Cumberland County community.

There is no doubt in my mind that Anonymous, when asked, could not articulate how our community would benefit from this state-operated $60 million facility as it will create nearly 200 jobs and attract 160,000 visitors while generating $20 million a year in revenues for our community.  Would this not be a great asset to Fayetteville and Cumberland County? Not embracing this project is the kind of toxic thinking and leadership that stifles a progressive and growing community like ours. It demonstrates no wisdom, logic or vision — three things that will be missed when Ted Mohn exits his role as city councilman of District 8.

 All the newly elected council members must waste no time getting orientated and up to date on current city business and basic issues or run the risk of being collectively blamed for every failure and misstep that takes place in the city during the next two years. From where I sit, only Chris Davis has dedicated the time and effort to prepare himself for the task at hand. With tens of millions of dollars at stake and several major issues currently confronting the Fayetteville community, there will be no do-overs.

This is why losing conscientious city representatives like Mohn will make moving the community forward even more difficult. Mohn’s honesty, his calm, consistent demeanor, common sense, logic, insights and remarkable vision have served as the stalwart of most important city decisions and actions. His response to this situation and the mayor’s upcoming Nov. 14 public hearing on the History Center is the near-perfect example of Mohn’s logic and vision. Within hours of receiving a copy of Anonymous’s email to Colvin and Floyd, Mohn sent a heartfelt recommendation to Colvin strongly suggesting that he cancel the Nov. 14 public hearing. Mohn felt the mayor would run a risk of damaging his credibility and reputation since knowledgeable sources on social media were already beginning to question the intent, timing and purpose of such a meeting since the 2020/2021 state budget allocating the $46 million to the museum project has not yet been approved. In addition, he warned a premature meeting would appear to be a blatant “appeasement public hearing” and not an actual or practical public hearing where all 10 City Council members were present and relative to the process since future discussions or decision-making authority concerning the city’s $7.5 million contribution to the museum was in the future city budget.

If the meeting is held, Mohn will be there, but it is senseless since the incoming council’s strategic planning retreat is in February. In addition, and equally important as planning, Mohn pointed out that councilmembers Johnny Dawkins and Bill Crisp will not be present that day. Dan Culliton of District 2 has already voluntarily vacated his position and Jim Arp is also on his way out. His points are all well made and beg the question: What would be the purpose of such a meeting?

Mohn genuinely cares about the city, Colvin and the perception of both. The optics of this are just not good. Mohn went on to suggest the public hearing be postponed until the new year — after the new council has been installed and the status of the $46 million and intentions of the North Carolina General Assembly are known. 

 There’s not much to disagree with here. This Civil War History Center project started over a decade ago. By who? People with vision. Community leaders. People who care about the future of Fayetteville and Cumberland County and preserving and improving our quality of life for generations to come. We agree with Mohn.

We also recognize that City Councilwoman Tisha Waddell of District 3 is having a community meeting Friday, Nov. 15, at Simon Temple AME Zion Church from 6-8:30 p.m. to discuss important city-related issues and to solicit unfiltered feedback on topics like the condition of city streets, the Civil War History Center, stormwater, sidewalks, safety etc. This is real leadership. This is real community involvement. This is real vision. This is looking into the future and demonstrating a responsible, sincere and heartfelt passion for constituents. We applaud and support her efforts and the efforts of those elected officials that share her values. 

Doing the right things for the right reasons have never failed to have the right results. Thank you, Ted, for your service and wisdom. To Councilwoman Waddell, we say, “Go git em!” You are what this community needs. Let’s hope the newly elected city council shares the same vision.

 Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

Picture 1: Outgoing District 8 City Councilman Ted Mohn

Picture 2: District 3 City Councilwoman Tisha Waddell

Fayetteville Regional Airport “is the window through which nearly 500,000 people a year view our community,” said Robert Van Geons, president and CEO of the Fayetteville Cumberland Economic Development Corporation. Up & Coming Weekly interviewed him about the airport’s importance to greater Fayetteville’s economy. “Our Airport has a growth-oriented vision for Fayetteville and our region,” he added.

Van Geons said residents are one connection away from over 160 national and international destinations, yards away from dozens of technology-driven companies and surrounded by one of the best marketing assets in our community’s arsenal.

Fayetteville Regional Airport is just that, a small airport with a dozen flights a day, 40% of whose customers are military members and their families. Bradley Whited has been the airport director for 20 years. He spent the last 10 years working to secure federal funds to upgrade the facility. His hard work paid off with $47 million in Federal Aviation Administration grants being allocated for renovations and expansion, “the objective being to improve the customer experience,” he said.

The airport is “a powerful economic engine that we are aggressively working to grow,” Van Geons said.

The airport staff is attempting to attract new flights. American Airlines and Delta currently serve the airport. Phase one of the development was a $20 million effort to elevate and expand the original concourse A. It was built at ground level 50 years ago. Passengers had to board planes in the open air. The new concourse A is now accessible on the same level as concourse B. A large circular atrium connects them. Both concourses have modern, new jet bridges.

Phase two of the renovation will include completing the new restaurant. Escalators will be moved to the front of the building, so customers arriving at the airport can check-in at the airline ticket counters and then go upstairs. Baggage carousels will be upgraded, and a full-length canopy will stretch across the exterior roofline. The third-floor mezzanine will be eliminated, and administration offices will be moved to the ground level. Restrooms are being renovated throughout, and a fire control sprinkler system will be installed.

Whited says construction should be completed in two years — a year-and-a-half after Whited retires. He said he will move to the Charlotte area where he has family. He hopes he’ll receive an invitation to the ribbon-cutting when the improvements are finished.

Is it officially fall yet? Not by the calendar, but by the way it looks, feels and smells outside? I truly love all weather — the world just seems to be ablaze in color, there's a certain crispness in the air each morning, and the afternoons bring a little jacket weather before the winter officially sets in to send us on daily trips to the woodpile.

The fall weather is more than beauty and comfort, though. It's a sign. A signal to us all that the time for gathering as family and friends is just ahead. It's a season for gratitude and thoughtfulness, where the coolness of the air outside is perfectly countered by a warmth that seems to grow within us all.

We started a new fall tradition in my family a couple of years ago, and I thinks it's a good exercise in humility. The gratitude pumpkin. Maybe you've done this, too, or at least heard about it. The concept is simple: get a pumpkin, place it where it's easily visible to your family and guests, and use a permanent marker — or paint, for the really artsy among us — to write down things you're grateful for.

It doesn't take long to get past the cool stuff and start writing really simple things like health, family or a home, and that's where the gold is. Realizing how immensely blessed we are in our everyday lives. Life — even abundant life — isn't about money or cars or possessions. It's about the relationships we build. It's about the joy we get from, or bring to, others. There is an undeniable joy in the laughter of a toddler, or the tender moments with a newborn. There is joy and much to be thankful for all around us. It just takes us pausing long enough to recognize it.

The gratitude pumpkin at our house was so filled with the thankful thoughts we wrote on it last year you could hardly tell it was ever orange at all. And that's how I want to live. I'm ready for the negativity and the pain and the ugliness we see in this crazy, divided world to give way to a sense of gratitude for what we have. There is freedom in that place. There is joy in that place. And there is love in its truest form in the place where gratitude lives.