For inveterate optimists, the past several months have been excruciating. A global pandemic has produced great suffering and death. A protest movement that began with righteous anger about the death of George Floyd has devolved in all too many locations into vandalism, looting and violence. Reeling from these blows, economies sank into recession as businesses bled money, shed jobs and, in some cases, shut down for good. Families struggled. Social ties frayed. Partisan divides widened.

To be an inveterate optimist, however, is to reject despair as unhelpful and, in the end, unrealistic. You champion context. You look for unforeseen opportunities. You counsel patience. And you spotlight outcomes that aren’t as bad as worse-case scenarios had predicted.
Consider the latest economic and fiscal trends here in North Carolina. After a combination of consumer behavior and government mandates shoved the state into recession, tens of thousands of North Carolinians lost their jobs in March, followed by hundreds of thousands in April.
Something comparable happened across our region, as well. But during the month of May, most labor markets in the Southeast rebounded more strongly than North Carolina’s did. Indeed, our state’s headline unemployment rate barely changed from April (12.9%) to May (12.8%).
In June, though, North Carolina began to catch up. Employers added back some 173,000 jobs last month — one of the largest monthly gains in employment in state history. Sectors with notably large increases included accommodation and food service (56,000), retail trade (18,000), entertainment and recreation (13,000), health care (11,000) and local government (26,000, including employees of summer camps and other local offerings).

Does Gov. Roy Cooper’s slower approach to phased reopening explain these events? Surely to some extent. In many cases, jobs that other state economies recovered in May, North Carolina’s recovered in June.

But that’s not the whole story. Individuals are also making their own decisions, quite apart from what public officials are doing. In a study just posted by the National Bureau of Economic Research, two University of Notre Dame economists found that the relative importance of the two factors — government regulation and private choice — differ by type and sector. Using GPS tracking, they discovered that stay-at-home orders had a surprisingly small effect on overall mobility, for example, while restrictions on restaurants and retail matter a great deal.

To be sure, one good monthly jobs report does not a recovery make. North Carolina has still lost a net 377,000 jobs since the beginning of the crisis. And while our headline jobless rate for June (7.6%) now compares more favorably with our regional peers, some of the decline in measured unemployment occurred not because jobless North Carolinians found jobs but because they stopped looking. Our labor-force participation rate was 57.4% in June, compared to 61.6% in February. Among the 12 Southeastern states, only Kentucky has experienced a worse decline.

Still, as more North Carolinians manage to get and stay employed, our immediate economic future becomes less gloomy. The same could be said for the fiscal outlook of state and local government.

Another piece of relative good news, to my mind, was that state government’s General Fund revenue for the first 11 months of the 2019-20 fiscal year came in $973 million below what was originally projected. Given the economic devastation of March, April and May, I had expected a larger revenue hit. If the positive economic momentum of June can be sustained into the fall, state and local budget deficits will become more manageable.

The headwinds are daunting, admittedly. People continue to be worried, understandably, about daily reports of COVID-19 cases and deaths. And Cooper’s decision to limit access to public schools, and subsequent decisions by many districts to deliver only online education this semester, will put a substantial strain on parents — potentially forcing some to cut back hours or exit their jobs entirely to care for their children.
North Carolinians will need all their resilience and inventiveness to get through this. As an inveterate optimist, I wouldn’t bet against them.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper has issued guidance for flags allowed on military installations. It does not explicitly ban the Confederate battle flag but provides criteria for allowable flags.

“Flags are powerful symbols, particularly in the military community for whom flags embody common mission, common histories, and the special, timeless bond of warriors,” Esper wrote in a memo, adding “The flags we fly must accord with the military imperatives of good order and discipline, treating all our people with dignity and respect, and rejecting divisive symbols.”

Esper’s guidance narrows down the types of flags that can be displayed. They include flags or banners of U.S. states, territories and the District of Columbia, flags of the military services, as well as those of generals or admirals and civilian political appointees, plus flags representing the positions of Senior Executive Service employees, the Prisoner of War/Missing in Action flag, flags of countries that are allies or partners of the United States — but only when displayed for official purposes — flags of organizations the U.S. belongs to, including NATO, the United Nations and ceremonial flags representing units or branches.

This week, our publisher, Bill Bowman, yields his space to Congressman Richard Hudson.

Friends,
As Fort Bragg’s Congressman, it’s an honor to represent so many active-duty soldiers, their families and our veterans. We owe a debt to everyone who has served in our nation’s military, as well as their families, for the sacrifices they have made to protect our country. We also owe it to them to make sure they have all the available tools and resources they deserve.

Congress returned this week to pass the latest National Defense Authorization Act. This annual defense bill lays out all of the priorities to keep our military strong and support military families and veterans. This year, I was proud to work with my colleagues to include a record-setting number of provisions in the bill.

These provisions included a 10% increase in hazardous duty pay for those serving in eligible locations. This increase will support our warfighters who put their lives on the line and is in addition to an overall 11% pay raise for our troops since President Trump entered office.
For members of the Special Operations Community, I secured improvements to the Preservation of the Force and Family program established to create a holistic approach to address pressures on the force and increased stress on operator’s families.

Military families make sacrifices for our country, too. That’s why I secured language in the bill that will help improve future Impact Aid funding for schools in military communities. I also secured improvements to strengthen the Exceptional Family Member Program that supports special needs education for military families.

Finally, for veterans, I worked across the aisle to ensure the Department of Veterans Affairs burn pit registry is expanded to include veterans who served in Syria. Our community has one of the fastest growing veteran populations in the country and we owe it to these heroes to take care of them both during and after they have served our country. After years of fighting in the Middle East, many of our servicemembers were exposed to toxic chemicals through the use of burn pits which have been linked to serious health conditions, including cancer.

Together, these provisions in the NDAA will further support our troops, their families and our veterans.

Also, as part of my commitment to our military, earlier this year I helped secure a President Unit Citation for the 30th Infantry Division for its service in World War II.

Made up in part of National Guard soldiers from North Carolina and nicknamed the “Old Hickory Division” after President Andrew Jackson, the division landed on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day and became a vital part of the Allied effort to defeat Nazi Germany.

Among their accomplishments, the division of 13,000 soldiers held off an advance of 80,000 German troops at Mortain, France in August 1944. Historical records indicate that general, and later president, Dwight D. Eisenhower intended for the 30th Infantry Division to be recognized with the Presidential Unit Citation. However, the designation went overlooked for nearly 70 years.

Former Congressman Larry Kissell fought for the 30th Infantry Division’s recognition and when I came into office, he asked me to carry on the fight. I worked for more than seven years throughout the Obama and Trump administrations to have the 30th recognized. Finally, nearly 75 years after their heroic stand at Mortain, in March President Donald Trump directed the U.S. Army to award the Presidential Unit Citation and ensure these veterans get the credit they deserve.

This week, the citation was presented to the 30th Infantry Division at a ceremony at the North Carolina National Guard. This ceremony was a culmination of years of hard work and I have been proud to work with so many veterans, the North Carolina National Guard and President Trump to make it happen.

You can rest assured that as long as I am your Congressman, I will continue to do everything I can to support our troops, their families and our veterans.

Richard Hudson

Member of Congress

City Council may be eager to reform policing in Fayetteville. Still, the head of the Police Accountability Community Task Force, Shaun McMillan, said consideration “might be messy and uncomfortable” for council members. The group is proposing the creation of a Civilian Police Oversight Authority. Demands to increase the power of police oversight has gained traction as protests in North Carolina against police brutality continue since the death of George Floyd, a Black man, at the hands of Minneapolis police. The Raleigh City Council voted unanimously this month to ask the state to grant more power to that city’s new police advisory board, which was formed in February. Fayetteville City Council has agreed to establish a police advisory board, but the Fay PACT wants a Civilian Police Oversight Authority to have jurisdiction over the review board.

“I need to see (current) data,” Councilman Johnny Dawkins said. “It’s disappointing to me, you come in here with demands.” Dawkins has been outspoken in his criticism of anything more than a review board.

The Cumberland County area, particularly Fayetteville, has seen its fair share of torrential storms. Every hurricane season, we glue our eyes to the TVs for a week or two and listen intently to our radios to hear predictions of strong wind gusts and heavy rains. With hurricane season in full swing now, and being that it occurs every year, now is a perfect time to make sure you, your family and your property are prepared for a coming storm.

Although hurricanes hit the coast hardest, many locals can still recall the effects of Hurricane Hazel in 1954, Hurricane Fran in September 1996 and, in more recent years, Hurricane Florence and Hurricane Matthew, to name a few. Aside from the damage done by the storms, being close to the Cape Fear River has been a concern in the past because of flooding. When Florence hit, many people were evacuated from their neighborhoods, and the Person Street Bridge had to close temporarily for the first time ever because the waters rose so dangerously high.

Hurricane season started June 1 and continues through early September. Rather than living in fear of a potential storm, citizens can find peace in knowing that there are simple precautions that can keep them and their property safe in the event of a natural disaster.

Firstly, it’s important to establish a communication plan. If a storm hit Fayetteville hard and your family was separated from each other, a contact out of town would be crucial. It is not uncommon for family members to be separated during natural disasters. Plan a spot to meet with loved ones in a more dire instance. Although it would be ideal to keep accessibility in mind, a hurricane can quickly change the convenience of travel, and having a central meeting place might be all you can count on.

Having that spot to meet will not mean much without a plan of how to evacuate and get there. While a GPS device on a cellphone might be helpful usually, in the case that there is no cell coverage, consider keeping an updated map on hand. Don’t wait until there is a crisis to practice your plan. When you have your map and a route in mind, consider driving it and coming up with backup plans for traveling to your designated evacuation location, in case the roads you initially planned on are inaccessible. You’ll also want to make sure your gas tank is full before the storm hits.

Having an escape plan will help keep you and your family safe and together, but don’t forget to take precautions in bracing your home for strong winds and heavy rains.

Check to see if your roof needs repairs. If shingles are damaged or loose, you’re going to be more at risk for property damage. Check your shingles and unclog gutters and downspouts.

Trimming greenery in the areas surrounding structure on the property is a must, and if there are any loose items in the front or backyard, pick them up.

Make sure you and everyone dwelling at your residence know how to turn off the electricity, water and gas.

When possible, secure breakable and heavy objects in cabinets and drawers; additionally secure water heaters and other major appliances.
Installing a smoke detector on each floor of your house is a good precaution year-round — also keep a fire extinguisher on hand.
In addition to the safeguards for your home, here are some tips for a survival kit.

Many people are familiar, when any bad weather sweeps in, with the rush at the grocery store to stock up on bottled water. When the water is cleared from the shelves, the search can feel desperate. One way to accomplish this, even if you have an unsuccessful trip to the store, is to fill up reusable water bottles, tupperware containers or zipper storage bags that are on hand before the storm moves further inland. It’s a good idea to keep a gallon of water per person in the household for three-seven days. Nonperishable foods, including canned goods, snacks, special foods for infants or the elderly and utensils and a can opener are all critical for a survival kit. Although it is better to be overprepared than underprepared, remember that many stores will have to throw out bottled water and food if you buy more than what you’ll need and try to return it after the threat has passed.

A first-aid kit might sound like a no-brainer to some, but be sure to include prescription medications in your supply. Having all medical supplies in the same, easy-to-access place might save you trouble later.

For your furry friends — or nonhuman family members — include food, medications, a leash, cage, a tag with their ID, etc. in the survival kit.
Other items like toiletries, clothing items, blankets and pillows are helpful. Think about what you would use in a typical day or week. Of those items, what would you need most? And, in the case of emergency, which items would you want that you might not need daily? A phone and charger, cash/cards, keys for vehicles/buildings/safety deposit boxes, insurance policies, a driver’s license, Social Security cards and tools might come to mind. Secure paperwork in a waterproof container. A flashlight and radio aside from what is in your car or phone may come in handy.

To keep up with what’s happening locally before, during and after storms, and to find helpful resources, visit https://www.fayettevillenc.gov/city-services/corporate-communications/public-information/storm-information-center for the City of Fayetteville’s storm information center, https://www.co.cumberland.nc.us/emergencyservices/hurricane-florence-information for Cumberland County’s resources and https://www.faypwc.com/storm-central/ for Fayetteville’s Public Works Commission’s resources.

As I helped a man load lumber onto his truck, I couldn't help but wonder what he was going to build and if he had help lined up to build it. He appeared to be several years older than me, and somewhat frail. If he were to place any one of the massive 4x4s on the other end of a seesaw, I'm fairly certain he'd be stuck in the air until help arrived. He was grumbling a bit about how it took me so long to get there, obviously unaware that I was a passing customer and not a store employee. I just smiled and asked if he wanted a flag for the wood extending beyond the tailgate of his truck.

As I moved on to the load I was buying for my own project, I was a little saddened by what had transpired. Not for the grumbling, not for the lifting and loading, but for the realization that in the era we both live in, we take too much for granted.

The man had been waiting for assistance the store offered, and yet was struggling to load it himself when I happened to walk out the door with a huge load of wood, easily twice the length of the bed of my truck. Several men, younger and stronger looking than me had passed him by as they were coming or going, yet none stopped to offer assistance. Maybe, like the man himself, they thought a store employee would be along soon.

Whatever the case, the only right thing to do was help. The only choice for me was to do good. In Galatians 6:9 it says, "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." In other words, what goes around comes around. Be kind, be patient and do good in the world. God will make sure you are rewarded.

The words of the Apostle Paul in that Bible passage aren't meant to reduce doing good to the cause and effect of karma, but rather to encourage and remind us that God sees us. He knows our thoughts and actions and promises he will take care of us beyond any of the good we do.

Here's some truth for your day: Things won't always fall into place. Every kindness will not be returned. Even so, the attitude we develop as we persevere on the worst of days will buoy us well above the water line on all the others. As we learn to live and love the way we were meant to, we easily begin to recognize the good in others, and respond with the best of ourselves.

Publisher’s note: The turmoil gripping downtownFayetteville is infuriating as well as heartbreaking. This edition of U&CW is a nod to those frustrated by a lack of resolve from city leaders in recent weeks and a lack of respect from those who chose to deface and destroy our downtown, damaging personal property and ruining the lives and businesses of so many. We could write pages about it. Instead, we’ve chosen to let the community members speak for themselves. The pages that follow include just a few of the letters and postings about recent events, as well as uplifting photos and a chilling piece of history dating back to1963 and taken directly from the Congressional record. It is a 1963 prediction on how the Socialists and Communists will take control of America. It is a shocking reality of a 21st century America. The Communist/Socialist plan to take over America, conceived in the 1950s and ‘60s, is definitely working. See for yourself on page 15.  Unfortunately, law-abiding citizens who believe in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights are the only ones who can save Fayetteville and our country.  Caving in, being silent, ignoring the situation and not wanting to get involved has only gotten us where we are today. Below are just a few who choose to not be silent.

The U.S. military’s top commander has described Confederate leaders as traitors and said he is taking a “hard look” at renaming 10 Army installations that honor them, despite President Trump’s opposition. “The Confederacy was an act of treason at the time, against the Union, against the Stars and Stripes, against the U.S. Constitution and those officers turned their backs on their oath,” the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark Milley, told members of the House Armed Services Committee. 

“For the young soldiers that go onto a base — a Fort Hood or Fort Bragg... or a fort wherever named after a Confederate general — they can be reminded that that general fought for the institution of slavery that may have enslaved their ancestors,” he said. 

The pandemic has taught us the importance of maintaining our skills and learning new technologies, processes and software. Fayetteville Technical Community College is the perfect place to help you stay connected to something positive while pursuing your dreams through education.

The North Carolina High School Athletic Association will delay the start of the fall sports season until at least Sept. 1.

The first five days of the 2020-21 student school year will be a dead period for all sports. Phase One of the NCHSAA’s summer conditioning and workouts will continue until further notice.

“For now, we believe these steps provide hope for our student athletes and the possibility for playing fall sports,’’ said NCHSAA commissioner Que Tucker. “We know that many decisions are being made relative to the reopening plan your schools will follow.’’

Tucker said the NCHSAA will conduct a survey of its members to determine what is possible as far as sports this fall is concerned, adding the current delay is not in cement and could be changed.

Tucker said the NCHSAA’s Sports Medicine Advisory Committee believes sports can and should be offered, at least in a modified format.

“In the coming weeks, we will continue working with the SMAC as we plan our next steps for the fall,’’ Tucker said.

Gov. Roy Cooper has created a statewide task force to address racial issues in North Carolina’s criminal justice system. It is cochaired by Supreme Court Associate Justice Anita Earls and Attorney General Josh Stein. Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin was selected as a representative of locally elected officials. Colvin was elected in 2017 and previously served on the Fayetteville City Council. Colvin was instrumental in assisting former Mayor Nat Robertson in bringing a minor league baseball team to the city and authorizing the construction of Segra Stadium. Colvin also serves on the governor’s Crime Commission. 

If you were to inherit a large sum of money, what would you do with it?

The COVID-19 pandemic has ushered in uncertainty, leaving many of us feeling confused, frustrated and fearful. Daily we face threats to our physical safety and financial security. An accumulation of these macro-level stressors makes it more difficult for us to handle the mundane, daily stresses of living. Our traditional methods of coping are challenged and we are forced to reimagine a new “normal.” 

Millions of Americans of various skin colors and ethnicities profoundly sympathize with the Black Lives Matter movement and the distress that has come from the murder of George Floyd. Many participate in protests all over our nation and around the world. It seems that our nation may have reached a tipping point regarding race and the inequities that have plagued the United States even before we were the United States.

Maureen M. Stover, a science teacher at Cumberland International Early College High School has been named the 2020 Burroughs Wellcome Fund North Carolina Teacher of the Year. Stover was selected from a field of nine finalists representing the state’s eight education districts and charter schools. 

Make no mistake about it. I love Fayetteville. I arrived here as a 19-year-old soldier and never left. I was educated here and immersed myself into a successful marketing career. It was here that I met Leonard G. McLeod, who ultimately became my most valued, endearing and closest friend until his death nearly two decades ago. It was here I met my loving and supportive wife of 40 years, Merrilyn. This is where we raised our son — in an atmosphere that embraced and radiated pride, patriotism, love, support and exciting anticipation for the unlimited opportunities awaiting the future of a growing and emerging community.

It was here in Fayetteville, 25 years ago, that I started the Up & Coming Weekly newspaper. The purpose and premise of this unique local publication was simple and easy to articulate — promote the good news about Fayetteville and Cumberland County. I wanted to share the wonderful stories about the people, events and quality of life of Fayetteville that I knew existed here. During my lifetime, I watched some of the most dynamic civic and government leaders ever assembled as they worked diligently and harmoniously to catch the glimmer and sparkle of the diamond called Fayetteville hidden and stagnant so long in the rough.

Fayetteville was no longer a hidden jewel nor a diamond in the rough. My city was starting to emerge as a significant North Carolina municipality, proud and economically independent, ready to be a contender and take its rightful place in the hierarchy of other thriving North Carolina cities. Well, that was then and this is now. Now, our community finds itself in a state of confusion bordering between shock and depression.

What happened? Our leadership collapsed.

1963 happened. Read about it on pages 14 and 15. We, as Americans in the greatest nation on Earth and under the security blanket of the U.S. Constitution, have taken our Founding Fathers’ freedoms for granted. We have ignored and forgotten the evil, cynical entities and diabolical governments that have been methodically and patiently plotting to take away our freedoms and our country.

Fayetteville is only one microcosm of that malicious movement, and it boils down to our leadership. Or, in Fayetteville’s case, our lack of leadership. Mayor Mitch Colvin and Police Chief Gina Hawkins have perpetrated a harsh injustice on our community by not implementing and demonstrating leadership that is representative of the safety and well-being of all the citizens of the Fayetteville community. By encouraging, endorsing and siding with the protesting Black community, they left the white, Asian, Hispanic and Native American Fayetteville citizens wondering what happened to their representation and assurance of safety and protection?

Making matters worse, they were not supporting protesters exercising their constitutional rights; they were supporting criminals, gangbangers and lowlifes whose only objective was to rob, steal, destroy personal property and cause mayhem. Colvin and Hawkins gave them a pass while laying bare to the community that “standing down” is their new standard-bearer. It is horrible leadership. Now, Fayetteville may be at a point of no return.

This unfortunate situation will continue as long as good citizens remain on the sidelines and remain silent. We can no longer afford to be victims of our empathy, inaction and lack of involvement. The letters in this edition are a very few of the dozens of letters, emails, texts and phone calls our newspaper has received since the May 30 incident — the devastation of downtown — and since the Citizen Cares Project march on July 9 in support of Fayetteville’s police officers. Many others are afraid to speak up for fear of the cancel culture retribution. The fear is real. Fear they will be called a racist. Fear their families will be harmed. Fear their property will be damaged. Fear their businesses will be destroyed. Fear their good works and good names will be tarnished beyond repair.

Thirty years of hard work was destroyed within days, and our leadership displayed little if no remorse, justification or accountability for their actions. That brings me to my closing point: We have brought this upon ourselves. We allowed this level of incompetent leadership to infect our community as apathy moved honest, competent, hardworking dedicated leaders who really cared about Fayetteville to the sidelines, making way for those with little concern about the welfare of city residents or advancing the community and enhancing the well-being of the citizens.

Well, these fears are real and intentional. Like a deer in headlights, so many in this community feel helpless and distressed. They are thinking, hoping and praying the situation will fix itself. It will not. Read the Socialist/Communist Manifesto written in 1958 and entered into the Congressional Record in 1963. You will see the problem will not fix itself.

I greatly admire and appreciate the people who have agreed to stand up and speak out and make their voices heard about how they feel about our community and what’s taking place in it at this very moment. Now is the time we must muster our resolve not only for the preservation of our community but for the protection of our rights and freedoms as Americans. Fayetteville needs real leaders. Who will it be? Will it be you? Let’s hope so.

Thanks for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

Even before she became a member of the Board of Commissioners for the town of Hope Mills, Mayor Pro Tem Dr. Kenjuana McCray said she was often approached by young people, so-called millennials, on how to get involved in local issues.

Some public walking areas in Hope Mills are going to the dogs, and the staff of the Hope Mills Parks and Recreation Department is working quickly to correct the problem.

On Aug. 17, the Cumberland County School system is giving parents an opportunity to decide how they would like their children to be educated during the 2020-2021 school year based on what’s best for their families. Gov. Cooper has issued an executive order directing that Plan B be used as guidance for all schools, meaning that school districts may offer a blended system of face-to-face learning or remote learning from home. Parents have the option of selecting remote learning if that is their preference. Cooper also indicated that complete remote learning could be implemented if the COVID-19 situation worsens. Children will have their temperatures checked as they enter school each day. Each school building must have an isolation room designated for anyone who tests positive. And all children, teachers and staff members must wear face coverings in school buildings. Physical distancing and one-way school hallways are also encouraged. 

Note: This story was written hours before the announcement of the NCHSAA's delay of the start of fall sports and could not be updated prior to this week's deadline. 

When I was a teenager I used to enjoy going to unusual gift shops with my parents and seeing what off-the-wall gifts I could find.

On one such trip, I saw a unique jigsaw puzzle. It was a picture of a single, solid, red ball.

I couldn’t imagine someone wanting to tackle the challenge of solving it. It would obviously take hours of trying to match the various pieces together since the actual picture was one solid color with no variation in hues or texture.

I think of that puzzle as I stay in touch with high school athletic leaders and people in education as they ponder if there will be a fall sports season for high schools in North Carolina this year.

The picture was made a tiny bit clearer this past week when Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina announced his plan to return North Carolina to school on Aug. 17 using a blended plan of some classroom teaching with specific safety precautions, while also allowing students and teachers to use virtual classrooms with learning from home via electronic means.

But there are countless pieces left to this real, giant, red puzzle, and what’s worse, the puzzle pieces keep changing shape from day to day.

Que Tucker, commissioner of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association, held a lengthy virtual press conference with statewide media prior to the governor’s announcement, then issued this statement afterward.

“We will continue discussing the numerous options and scenarios that have been developed and recommended, identifying the most appropriate scenarios,’’ she said. “The NCHSAA staff will work with the Board of Directors, Sports Medicine Advisory Committee and other stakeholder groups to solidify the details of the best plan for the safety of our student-athletes, coaches, administrators and the communities the Association represents.’’

Meanwhile, the Cumberland County Schools held a virtual briefing of its own last week after the governor’s announcement to address what it meant for local schools.

Joe Desormeaux, associate superintendent of auxiliary services for Cumberland County Schools, said everything is on hold locally until the NCHSAA provides specific direction on the next step.

“We know they are actively discussing many options at this time, to include everything from no sports to reduced seasons, changing seasons and swapping between spring and fall sports,’’ Desormeaux said.

The one concrete thing Desormeaux shared was that whether county students opt for the blended learning program that the governor said the state will adopt, or chose to enroll in Cumberland County’s all-online virtual learning program, they will be eligible to compete in athletics.

Students who choose to go with 100 percent virtual learning will be assigned to compete with the school in the district where they maintain a physical residence. “It is very important that if you have changed your address recently you get those new addresses into the system,’’ Desormeaux said.

Although there are multiple sports waiting for word on what will happen this fall, the most complex one, and the one that has a bearing on income that supports the total athletic program, is high school football.

Vernon Aldridge, student activities director for the Cumberland County Schools, noted that Aug. 1, the traditional start date for fall sports in North Carolina, is rapidly approaching and decisions must be made soon on when or if the fall season will start.

This is especially true for football, which has a lot of moving parts and needs to allow ample time to prepare before actually playing games.

Aldridge said he had consulted with some of the county’s veteran head football coaches, and the consensus among them was they need a minimum of four weeks to work with their teams on the field before they will be able to safely compete in a game.

Another major issue for football is going to be transporting players to and from road games. While all the county senior high schools have four activity busses that can each hold 72 passengers, social distancing requirements will limit each bus to one person per seat, meaning they can only carry 24 people.

Aldridge said home teams may be able to share their busses with the visitors from fellow county schools and work out a plan to transport everyone, but that would just account for the football teams.
Aldridge indicated until there is further direction from the NCHSAA, no plans have been discussed about transporting marching bands or cheerleaders to games.

“We need some answers pretty quickly so schools and school systems can be making decisions,’’ Aldridge said. “Nothing is off the table right now. Maybe (it's) something we are worrying about we might not have to worry about.’’

There has been talk about moving a sport like football to the spring, but if that happens, Aldridge is concerned about what you do with other sports. Everything can’t be played in one season, so that could mean moving spring sports like baseball and softball to fall.

Aldridge is concerned about that because those athletes have already lost a season to COVID-19.

“We need to make sure those kids don’t lose two years,’’ he said.

And suddenly, that solid red puzzle is looking like an awfully easier option to tackle.

It was during preparations for last year’s Heroes Homecoming observance in Hope Mills that Jim Blevins of the town’s Veterans Affairs Committee made a troubling discovery.

While working with the flags behind the town’s veterans memorial on Rockfish Road, one of the nylon ropes snapped.

Blevins said committee members quickly realized they needed to perform regular maintenance and function checks on various aspects of the veterans memorial. As part of that process, one of the things they put on a to-do list was to spruce up the appearance of the 105mm howitzer that is part of the memorial.

The retired weapon was a staple of American field artillery from the time of World War II all the way through the conflict in Vietnam. According to army.mil, it was the primary field artillery weapon used by the Army during World War II and is still in use in some parts of the world today.
Blevins said another member of the Veterans Affairs Committee who helped paint the howitzer, Grilley Mitchell, estimated it’s been as long as 15 years since the gun had gotten a fresh coat of paint.

Blevins and other members of the committee first used sandpaper to remove the old paint that was badly oxidized and peeling.

They tried to get some traditional OD green Army paint from an official source but were unsuccessful. But another committee member, Bill Greene, was able to secure several spray cans of the official Army shade and it was used to put a new coat on the howitzer.

“As long as we stuck to OD green, that’s the main thing, just the painting for now,’’ Blevins said.

Other members of the Veterans Affairs Committee who helped refurbish the howitzer were Joanne Scarola and Jim Morris.

The next big project for the committee is going to take a little more effort, not to mention more money.

The monument at the veterans memorial has some cracks in it, and some of the seals are worn as well. Blevins estimates the repair project will run in the neighborhood of $13,000.

While there is some money in the town budget to pay for the repairs, Blevins said the Veterans Affairs Committee doesn’t want the town to have to foot the entire bill.

He said the committee hopes to work with the local Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion posts to come up with a variety of fundraising projects to help cover the cost of repairing the monument and other projects the committee may promote in the future.

Ideas being considered are allowing people to purchase pavers that will be placed somewhere at the veterans memorial, along with building a fence at the memorial and letting people pay to have signs placed along it sponsoring sections of the fence.

Blevins said the most important thing is to keep the park alive and in good shape to properly honor the veterans from the community.

“That’s our military heritage to the people that came before us,’’ said Blevins, who is retired Air Force. “It’s to honor them and hopefully pass it on to the next generation.’’

 Photo credit: Elizabeth Blevins

Barring any late changes due to the status of COVID-19 cases in Fayetteville and Cumberland County, coaches and athletes from Cumberland County Schools are scheduled to begin off-season workouts on Monday, July 20.

Originally the date to resume practice was July 6, but that was pushed because of concern over COVID-19 locally.

The county and the state are waiting for word from both Gov. Roy Cooper and the North Carolina High School Athletic Association on the status of returning to school this fall and the chance of seeing high school sports resume on either a full or limited basis come August and September.
“Our district is continuing to evaluate when to resume athletic activities,’’ said Vernon Aldridge, student activities director for Cumberland County, in a prepared statement. “Any resumption will be conducted with the health and safety of our student-athletes and staff in mind and in compliance with the NCHSAA’s Reopening of Sports/Activities Summer Guidelines.’’

The county will also be guided by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Cumberland County Department of Public Health.