https://www.upandcomingweekly.com/


  • 04 mike pettiThe recent promotion of Fayetteville Police Major James Nolette to assistant chief gave rise to the question, “What happened to Assistant Chief Michael Petti?” 

    Up & Coming Weekly asked Police Chief Gina Hawkins, who said: “Michael Petti is still with the police department. He is a lieutenant assigned to the Criminal Investigative Division.” 

    City officials, including Mayor Mitch Colvin, Manager Doug Hewett and Attorney Karen MacDonald declined to comment on the change. 

    Up & Coming Weeklylearned Petti recently left the police department but was rehired so he could complete the time required to be eligible for retirement. Former Chief Harold Medlock promoted him. 

    Two-and-a-half years ago, Petti graduated from the FBI National Academy program in Quantico, Virginia. The FBI said less than one-half of 1% of law enforcement officers are selected to attend this training course. It is internationally known for its academic excellence. The National Academy provides 11 weeks of advanced communication, leadership and fitness training for selected officers having proven records as professionals in their agencies. 

    Garbage trucks broken down

    The city of Fayetteville’s Solid Waste Division is still operating with a shortage of garbage trucks. Some city sanitation employees are temporarily off the job. 

    “Those without available equipment are reassigned, if possible,” said City Public Information Specialist Kevin Arata. “If not, they are sent home with the option of using compensatory time if they have it — most do as they have been working a lot of additional hours lately — or vacation time.” 

    Deputy City Manager Kristoff Bauer said 19 of the city’s 44 trucks experienced mechanical problems July 18. Many of them are still out of service as of this writing. The breakdowns initially resulted in next-day yard waste pickup not occurring. Bauer said the mechanical problems included broken seals, gaskets and blades. 

    The city said on its website that “heat has significantly impacted the readiness of our solid waste and yard waste trucks. As a result, we haven’t had enough available trucks to maintain solid waste and yard waste pickup schedules. 60% of the fleet is down.” 

    Other communities have not reported similar problems, nor has Waste Management, which is contracted by the city to provide recycling and apartment complex solid waste pickup. Residents were encouraged to leave their roll-out carts at the curb until they are emptied. 

    History comes alive at the Museum of the Cape Fear 

    The Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex Foundation announces its annual fall/winter program series, “History LIVE!” The local museum was awarded a project support grant for $9,000 from the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County. The “History LIVE!” series offers a live look at the past through historical re-enactments, artist demonstrations, musical performances and live-action theater with four special events. 

    The Museum Foundation will match the grant. “Grant funds and other donations allow us to offer this programming for free or at minimal cost to the public,” said Megan Maxwell, the “History LIVE!” program series coordinator. 

    Colonial life in North Carolina takes center stage at the Festival of Yesteryear: A Celebration of Early America on Sept. 7. 

    Hallowe’en Revels Night Tours of the 1897 Poe House spotlights live theater with a historical Halloween twist Oct. 23-25. 

    Celebrate an old-fashioned Halloween with a free kids concert and costume contest at the Poe House Trick or Treat Oct. 26. 

    Christmas traditions are highlighted Dec. 8 with the Holiday Jubilee, featuring carolers, historic décor and Santa.

    Rare brain disease claims a life in Cumberland County

    A Greensboro area individual has died as the result of contracting a rare disease in Cumberland County July 12. The state Department of Health and Human Services notified the local health department of the death, saying that an individual from Guilford County died after developing primary amebic meningoencephalitis. It is an illness caused by an ameba that is naturally present in warm freshwater during the summer. The individual became ill after swimming in Fantasy Lake Water Park near Hope Mills. 

    The National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the individual’s illness was caused by an amoeba, which apparently was forced up the swimmer’s nose. That is the only known cause of the infection. This amoeba is mostly likely to be present when it is hot for prolonged periods of time, resulting in higher water temperatures and lower water levels. 

    County Interim Health Director Duane Holder expressed condolences to the family of the victim, noting that the case was one of only five known instances in North Carolina between 1962 and 2018. 

    “We encourage everyone to use precaution when swimming, diving or water-skiing in warm freshwater lakes,” he said. Holder suggested limiting the amount of water going up the nose by holding the nose or using nose clips when swimming in warm freshwater lakes. For more information about primary amebic meningoencephalitis, visit www.cdc.gov/parasites/naegleria/. 

    If you have questions or concerns, contact the Cumberland County Department of Public Health at 910-433-3645 or 910-433-3655. 

    FAST survey underway

    The Fayetteville Area System of Transit is conducting a customer feedback survey that allows residents to offer input on service improvements and potential new service areas. Bus riders and nonriders can take the survey. FAST staff and interns are surveying passengers and others at various locations around Fayetteville as well as onboard buses. 

    The FAST survey can be found at ridefast.net or facebook.com/ComeRidewithFAST. 

    Economic development group gains new executive

    The Fayetteville Cumberland County Economic Development Corporation announces Jessica Aspiras as its new vice president of marketing and business development. “Together with our public and private partners, FCEDC continues working to promote the Fayetteville and Cumberland County community as a top business destination,” said Robert Van Geons, president and CEO of FCEDC. “We’re happy to have Jessica on the team and look forward to the tangible results she will help us achieve.” 

    Aspiras holds a master’s degree in broadcast journalism from Syracuse University and a bachelor’s degree in mass media studies from Florida State University. “I am eager to help continue our community’s growth and momentum through strategic marketing and communications initiatives,” she said. 

    Van Geons said Aspiras specializes in strategic planning, integrated tactics, servant leadership, collaborative direction, team building, focused execution and business agility. 

    Pictured: Michael Petti

  • 11 14u Hope MillsRichard Martinez has already taken an all-star team to a Dixie Youth World Series. Next month, he’ll take a second trip as he guides the Hope Mills 14U state Dixie Youth champions to this year’s series in Aiken, South Carolina.

    “It’s a very special group of boys,’’ he said of his 12-member team.

    He told them earlier that he had previously made a World Series bid and there was no reason this team couldn’t do the same. “If you all work together as a team, and everybody believes in the ‘we’ instead of the ‘I,’ there’s nothing to stop you guys from going all the way,’’ he said.

    The strength of this team could be pitching depth. Martinez said all 12 of his players are capable of throwing strikes, and at least nine of them have the ability to dominate when they’re on the mound.

    The top hurler so far has been Dallas Capps. He has a 3-0 record in the postseason that includes 13 innings pitched with 16 strikeouts and only three runs allowed.

    Anthony Spatorico, who normally is a catcher, shut down Columbus County over five innings as Hope Mills rallied from an early four-run deficit to win 5-4. Garret Smith shut out defending state champion Brunswick County through six innings before being relieved.

    At the plate, Capps is the team’s leading hitter with a whopping .777 batting average. Brandon Novy is batting .438.

    “All the boys contributed greatly,’’ Martinez said.

    Unlike the other three Hope Mills teams headed to World Series play, which will be in Louisiana, Martinez and his team only have to drive roughly three hours to get to Aiken.

    The opening ceremonies are on Friday, Aug. 2, and the first game for Hope Mills is Saturday, Aug. 3, vs. Tennessee.

    “These boys are resilient; they never give up,’’ Martinez said.

    In the time remaining until they leave for South Carolina, Martinez said the focus will be on pitching and bunting. “We missed a lot of scoring opportunities because we couldn’t execute our bunts,’’ he said. In the last two games, Hope Mills stranded 22 runners on base.

    Although they don’t have a lot of time — less than a week from the time this story prints — Martinez said the team is going to try to raise as much money as possible to fund the trip.

    The tournament ends with the championship game on Aug. 7. “Our goal is to be there on Aug. 7,’’ Martinez said.

    Players: Nathan Camacho, Dallas Capps, Stephen Kriner, Adrick Murray, Brandon Novy, Jacob Patawaran, Maddox Powers, Garret Smith, William Smith, Anthony Spatorico, Brayden Speis, Jacob Sports

    Coaches: Richard Martinez, Blake Smelcer, Joey Smith, Juan Viera

     

  • 08 walkersWhen Fayetteville Assistant City Manager Jay Reinstein revealed that he had been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s last summer, he started a crusade. The city and the community rallied around him and, with less than a month to prepare, fielded one of the largest Walk to End Alzheimer’s teams in the state. The Jay Walkers raised close to $28,000 for Alzheimer’s education, support and research at last September’s Fayetteville Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Reinstein has since gone on to serve on the national Alzheimer’s Association Early Stage Advisory Council, enabling him to educate and raise awareness on a nation-wide level. 

    This year, the Jay Walkers are once again rallying to support Reinstein. Tracey Broyles, budget and evaluation director for the city of Fayetteville, is team captain for the Jay Walkers. “On July 31 last year, Jay bravely shared his diagnosis with his colleagues,” Broyles said. “On that very same day, I received an email with details of the Walk to End Alzheimer’s (scheduled for) the first weekend in September. I also learned that the kickoff meeting for team captains was the very next evening.

    “With the support of City Manager Doug Hewett, and Jay Reinstein and Elizabeth Somerindyke as co-captains, we began our team recruitment and fundraising efforts with a goal of $2,000 in donations. We ended up with a team of over 100 members and raised almost $28,000 by the time we had finished. 

    “It was an easy mission, in large part, due to the relationships that Jay had formed and nurtured over his lifetime. We had so many city employees volunteer to participate, and we also had former coworkers of Jay’s at the city of Durham join us as well. I think it was Jay’s openness with his diagnosis that moved so many people to participate.” 

    In addition to city employees, many private citizens who knew and heard about Reinstein also participated. Fayetteville’s Public Works Department fielded a team and raised $2,000 in Reinstein’s honor.

     Reinstein and the Jay Walkers will be back for this year’s Sept. 7 Walk to End Alzheimer’s after a summer of fundraising. Reinstein reached out to Walmart corporate headquarters and was put in touch with the Ramsey Street Walmart store manager. As a result, the Jay Walkers were invited to fundraise over three weekends at the store. Through this team effort, the generosity of Walmart’s customers and a generous donation from Walmart, the Jay Walkers raised more than $6,500 toward this year’s team fundraising goal. 

    The Fayetteville Woodpeckers also hosted an Alzheimer’s Awareness night July 27 with $2 from the purchase of each ticket donated to the cause.

    “This year,” said Broyles, “Elizabeth and I have been joined by coworker Cynthia Blot in serving as co-captains for the Jay Walkers. And, of course, Jay is hard at work as well. While we are (at) over 30% of our $40,000 goal, we are still hard at work planning other fundraising events. Look for us around town this summer.”

    The Fayetteville Walk to End Alzheimer’s will begin at Festival Park Saturday, Sept. 7, at 9 a.m. It is open to everyone in the community. To sign up to participate and to learn more about Alzheimer’s, visit act.alz.org/fayetteville. 

    The Jay Walkers have raised more than 30% of their $40,000 goal. The group raises money to help end Alzheimer’s disease.

     

  •  03 Smiling ManA smart-aleck friend of mine, who shall remain nameless — Shawn Schultz — recently sent me an email remarking on my personal physical resemblance to the ancient Greek playwright Aeschylus. Aeschylus, or Scully as his buddies called him, was bald. I am bald. My grandfather was bald. I’m aware. 

    Recall what George Costanza said in a memorable exchange with Elaine over George’s new toupee. Elaine, referring to George’s fake hair: “You’re bald!” George: “No I’m not. I was bald!” Elaine then grabs George’s toupee, yelling: “I don’t like this thing. Here’s what I’m doing with it,” and tosses the offending hair piece out the window to the streets below. 

     You might well ask what this has to do with Scully. It turns out Scully’s death is a warning to all the bald persons of Earth. If you are bald, or Follicularly Alternatively Blessed — FAB as we in the bald community prefer to refer to ourselves — consider this column a public service announcement that could save your life. 

    If you are cursed with hair on your head due to an excess of Neanderthal genes, you can skip the rest of this column and go directly to the crossword puzzle. 

    However, if you are FAB, please read carefully and take notes. Your baldness could lead to your premature demise. Like Charlie on the MTA who got caught without an extra nickel when the fare went up, this could happen to you. Now back to the sad tale of our friend Scully. 

    Scully was a very popular dude abiding in ancient Greece. He was born in 523 B.C. Before he started writing plays, he had a distinguished military career. He fought in the battle of Marathon in 490 with the Athenians when they whipped the Persian hordes led by King Darius. This made the world safe and profitable for Nike shoes almost 2,500 years later. 

    When he was 26, Scully had a dream in which the god Dionysus came to him and told him to start writing plays. Scully, not wanting to disobey a Greek god, started writing tragedies and didn’t stop. Scully is credited with writing between 70 to 90 plays. He has been called the Father of Greek tragedies. 

    The Greeks had play-writing contests. Scully won many first-place awards in the ancient Greek version of the Tony Awards. He had the format for writing tragedies down pat. You might say he had the Grecian formula. But if you say that out loud, people will look at you like you lost your mind. So just think it. Don’t say it out loud. 

    But in a case of life imitating art, the tragedies Scully wrote appeared in his own life, or rather in his own death. 

    Long before telephone psychics appeared on the scene, the Greeks had oracles who, for a price, could predict the future using nothing more than smoke and chicken entrails. An oracle told Scully to watch out for falling objects as one of those Unidentified Falling Objects, or UFOs, had his name on it, which could prove fatal. Scully took this prediction seriously. He started spending most of his time outdoors, where chandeliers and walls wouldn’t fall on him. 

     Like Robert Burns wrote: “The best laid schemes o’ mice an’men/ Gang aft a-gley.” Scully’s careful plan to remain outside away from heavy objects wasn’t going to pan out the way he had hoped. 

    If the oracle says you are going to encounter a heavy object, it’s gonna happen. You can’t fool the oracle. Like the old Chiffon margarine commercial said in a slightly different context: “It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature. If you think it’s butter/ But it’s not/ It’s Chiffon.” Oracles and Mother Nature always prevail despite the best efforts of mortals. 

     So, here is what happened: One day, Scully was outside warming his bald head in the bright sunshine. An eagle was flying overhead carrying a turtle in its talons. Eagles can’t eat turtles when the turtle is in his shell. But eagles are pretty smart birds. They will pick up a turtle in their claws, fly up into the delirious, burning blue sky and look for a rock to drop the hapless turtle on. The impact cracks the turtle’s shell, and it’s turtle tartar time for the eagle. Yum. 

    On this day, instead of the usual eagle-eyed eagle, the eagle overhead was nearsighted and had lost its bifocals. The eagle mistook Scully’s bald head for a rock. He dropped the turtle on top of old Scully all covered with peach fuzz. As Sancho Panza said in “Man of La Mancha”: “Whether the pitcher hits the stone, or the stone hits the pitcher, it’s going to be bad for the pitcher.” The turtle and Scully both expired from the impact. 

    So what does this mean for the FAB community? If you are outside, wear a hat so a nearsighted eagle does not mistake your head for a rock. I always wear a hat. Jim Morrison of The Doors advised us that “No one gets out of here alive.” There are better ways to leave this mortal coil. Consider the exit strategy of 71-year-old former Vice President Nelson Rockefeller, who had a heart attack while “working” with his attractive 26-year-old female assistant. Rocky died with a smile on his face. And not a turtle in sight. Now, go put on a hat. 

    If you are bald, or Follicularly Alternatively Blessed — FAB as we in the bald community prefer to refer to ourselves — consider this column a public service announcement that could save your life.

  • 14 Vernon Aldridge copyAfter consecutive months of record-setting heat in June and July, high school football players and other outdoor fall sports athletes return to the practice fields in force Aug. 1 for the first official day of North Carolina High School Athletic Association preseason workouts. 

    Heat is always a concern for athletes in Fayetteville and Cumberland County, but the string of triple-digit heat index days that were recorded during the last two months makes the challenge of keeping athletes safe in the heat a major focus heading into August.

    Vernon Aldridge, student activities director for Cumberland County Schools, said heat awareness is always a priority for his office and the coaches and athletes he helps to oversee.

    “Every athletic trainer is equipped with a wet bulb, and there’s a heat protocol for what’s supposed to take place at different temperatures on the wet bulb,’’ Aldridge said.

    The wet bulb Aldridge referred to is a specially designed thermometer that is covered with a water-soaked cloth. Used in conjunction with a standard dry bulb thermometer, it measures the relative humidity of the air. The reading warns when precautions, up to and including suspending outdoor practice, should be taken.

    The NCHSAA Handbook requires constant observation and supervision of all athletes at outdoor practices when the wet bulb temperature reaches 88-89.9 degrees. Once it hits 90 or above, all practice should be suspended. If that happens during an actual game, mandatory breaks are required.

    Aldridge said Cumberland County has long adhered to those policies, while also making sure athletes get frequent water breaks and that water is readily available in all practice situations.

    “We have misters that will be out to help keep the players cool,’’ he said. If a true heat emergency takes place, each school needs to have an immersion pool on-site so they can immediately put a player suffering from any symptoms of heat illness in the pool and cool them off.

    Aldridge said that specifically in the case of football, where all the extra equipment increases the danger of heat illness, teams are discouraged from practicing between the hours of 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.

    “Most of our football teams practice either early in the morning or late in the evening,’’ Aldridge said. “If for some reason the heat does come in earlier, I send out emails to the schools letting them know we are going to extend that time to 10 a.m. or 7 p.m. We keep a close eye on the heat index and try to make those decisions to keep the kids safe.

    “That will be our No. 1 priority.’’

    Pictured: Vernon Aldridge

  • 15 Alex Scruggs copyHere’s a brief recap of how Cumberland County’s players fared in the annual East-West All-Star football and basketball games held earlier this month in Greensboro in conjunction with the annual North Carolina Coaches Association Clinic. 

    Basketball:Wake Forest-bound Alex Scruggs of E.E. Smith High School was named Most Valuable Player for the East girls’ team as she led her squad to an 81-78 victory. The East built a comfortable 48-35 lead at halftime but had to hold off a strong West rally to get the win.

    Scruggs hit nine of 14 shots from the floor and one of three 3-pointers for a game-high 20 points. She led the East in rebounding with eight. East teammate Kendal Moore of Pine Forest, who’s headed for N.C. State, also stood out with 17 points. She made six of 14 shots, two of six from 3-point range, and grabbed three rebounds. Scruggs and Moore both started in the game. 

    Terry Sanford’s Kate Perko, who will attend Meredith, scored two points and had four rebounds. 

    Pine Forest’s David May got the win as head coach, his final game as a head coach as he will be stepping into an assistant’s role next season.

    16 Kyler Davis copyIn the boys basketball game, Brion McLaurin of Seventy-First and his East teammates had a tough night as they lost to the West 119-80. McLaurin was one of four East players in double figures, coming off the bench to score 11 points on four of nine shooting from the field. He made his only 3-point attempt. He was the East’s No. 2 rebounder with six.

    Football:The East’s Kyler Davis of Seventy-First and Dante Bowlding of Terry Sanford both started and contributed to a dominating 20-8 win over the West All-Stars.

    Davis earned a spot in the East-West All-Star game record book when he threw an 81-yard touchdown pass to Lamont Murray of Pamlico County in the first quarter. That broke the record for longest completed pass in game history by two yards.

    Davis finished with five completions in nine attempts and no interceptions for 116 yards.

    Bowlding started in the secondary for an East defense that totally throttled the West. The West team got no first downs in the game and finished with minus 15 total yards, including minus 36 rushing. 

    The only touchdown the West scored came on a fumble return in the first period.

    Also enjoying the win for the East was Seventy-First head coach Duran McLaurin, who served as an assistant coach on the East staff.

    From top to bottom: Alex Scruggs, Kyler Davis

  • 09 01 SIKES Photo 1Every year, the U.S. Army hosts the Best Warrior Competition. This event tests the knowledge and skills of soldiers and noncommissioned officers from 11 Army commands. The Association of the United States Army created the Soldiers of Excellence program to recognize the accomplishments of those who did not win the highest level of the competition but are outstanding and high-performing individuals. The Soldiers of Excellence Luncheon is set for Aug. 7 at the Crown Coliseum Ballroom. 

    The keynote speaker for the event will be United States Sen. Thom Tillis. He is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. Retired Gen. Carter F. Ham is the CEO and president of AUSA and will speak on the local AUSA program as well as those that exist nationwide. Retired Maj. Gen. Al Aycock will speak on the Corporate and Individual Membership Program, AUSA’s new initiative. 

    The AUSA Braxton Bragg Chapter will recognize Sgt. 1st Class Jorden Colby and his wife and son as Family of the Year. Colby, who has a combat tour, is a paratrooper assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division. Colby has volunteered as a Wolf Den leader for Pack 776 and volunteers at Manna Church as a children’s service assistant. His son, Trenton, volunteers at Manna as well, and plants flags and cleans a veterans cemetery with his Cub Scout den. Colby’s wife, Gena, is a classroom assistant at Bowley Elementary School and volunteers for the Parent Teacher Association. They are being recognized for their hard work and willingness to volunteer in the community.

    09 02 MSG Mason ARSOAC AUSA 1Among the soldiers being recognized individually are Staff Sgt. Derek R. Guy, Sgt. Nicholas C. Branch, Spc. Jordan R. Molyneaux, Spc. Darren T. Sikes and Master Sgt. Kayla J. Mason. 

    Guy distinguished himself this year when he won the 2019 82nd Airborne Division Jumpmaster of the Year competition. 

    Branch won the 2019 82nd Airborne Division Non-commissioned Officer of the Year competition. 

    Molyneaux stood out because of his volunteer work in 2017 as part of a recovery team after Hurricane Irma when he assisted the victims.

     Sikes competed in the Best Civil Affairs Team competition and the Best Warrior Competitions up to the First Special Forces Command level. 

    Mason distinguished herself with her leadership skills as she led the financial oversight and audit aspects of the command. 

    “The program recognizes those who have done excellently. It’s an opportunity for the community to be involved and for the soldiers to be seen,” said Jimmie Spencer, the executive vice president of the AUSA Braxton Bragg Chapter. The diligence and leadership of the soldiers have earned their recognition at the luncheon. 

    Community partners that have supported AUSA for more than 40 years will also be recognized at the event. These include the city of Fayetteville, Cashwell Appliance Parts, First Citizens Bank & Trust, Bryan Honda and Eastern Turf Equipment, Inc. 

    The Soldiers of Excellence Luncheon is open to the community with the purchase of a ticket in advance for $30. People who want to attend can search “Soldiers of Excellence Luncheon” on EventBrite and reserve their seat. Tickets are limited. To learn more about the AUSA Braxton Bragg Chapter, visit www.ausa.org/chapters/braxton-bragg-chapter.

    From top to bottom: Spc. Darren T. Sikes, Master Sgt. Kayla J. Mason

  • 13 Milton BardenIs it possible that it’s been 50 years? Am I really that old?

    Even though the years are piling up, that August of 1969 remains vivid in this aging mind. It was my one and only fling with trying to be a member of a real football team. 

    Let me take you back those 50 years to the North Carolina mountain town of Bryson City. I was fresh from reading "Instant Replay," the classic book by Jerry Kramer of the Green Bay Packers. It recounted his personal observations from the last NFL championship season the Packers enjoyed under the great Vince Lombardi.

    I also bought a book by the legendary Frank Gifford that dealt with the basics of the game of football. How to block. How to tackle. All the important stuff.

    I was ready for battle. So I showed up that first day of practice at Swain County High School’s 1950s-era gymnasium, where our locker room was housed in the basement.

    My coach, the late Milton Barden, was far kinder to me than he should have been. I was about 5-feet-8-inches tall on a good day, weighed all of 180 pounds and had never lifted a weight in my life. In spite of all that, he let me go out for the team. 

    Coach Barden wanted to give us the full training camp experience, just like the professionals, so we actually brought cots and mattresses and sleeping bags to our gym and lived there for two weeks. 

    Twice a day, we boarded our ancient activity bus, lovingly called the Meat Wagon, and rode the half-dozen miles or so to our practice field, a gorgeous place that was an abandoned driving range on a nearby hilltop.

    We would take turns slamming into the seven-man blocking sled, tasked with driving it from one end of the practice field to the other. At the end of the field was heaven, a spigot rising out of the ground with the coldest mountain spring water you could imagine. It felt even colder after a hot afternoon of banging the sled. 

    It was not long after those two weeks were over that I came to the conclusion that the body the good Lord put me in on this Earth was not designed for this kind of activity. So, I went to Coach Barden and asked if he needed someone to be a manager. He kindly gave me the job.

    I spent that year mostly on the sidelines, figuring my playing days were over. We put together a 6-2-1 record going into our final game. Unfortunately, the two losses and the tie were against the three teams we had to beat in our split conference to make the state playoffs.

    That left us with a final game against Towns County, Georgia, a team we were told hadn’t won a game and was down to about a dozen players. So Coach Barden decided to let us and them have some fun. He dressed every able-bodied player on the team, including yours truly, the water boy.

    We all played that final night of the season, and we had one of the highest-scoring games in the history of North Carolina football. I played my part in letting the guys from Towns County have their fun. I let a guy whiz by me on an 80-yard kickoff return, and I tackled another guy three yards into the end zone after he scored the conversion.

    The result was an 81-46 Swain County win. That score is still listed in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association record book if you want to look it up.

    Tomorrow we begin another high school football season in North Carolina. My best wishes to all of the young men who will be taking the practice field. I encourage you all to dream big. Every night you play, you could wind up getting into the record book like my team did — even if you’re not a star.

    Pictured: Coach Milton Barden

     

    d: Coach Milton Barden

  • Michelle Hurley attended 12 diff06 School bus and kidserent schools in six states by the time she reached high school graduation. “You just learn to deal with it,” she said. “I was in the third grade before I did a full year of school without moving.” 

    Hurley was on the move often with her family. Her father was on active duty in the Army during her childhood. Each time he was reassigned, his family had to build new relationships and adjust to new surroundings. 

    Hurley remembers the frustration that came with each move and the fear that came with the phone calls in the middle of the night. Usually, the wives of other military men called her mother for late-night support, relying on the solace of sharing their situations with others. 

    According to the Department of Defense, there currently are more than 2 million children of military parents in the United States. Each relocation brings with it the numerous problems associated with transitioning between communities and education systems. These issues add to the emotional distress children face when parents are absent for long periods, often deployed to dangerous destinations. 

    Robert Blum, professor of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, elaborated in an interview with the American Association of School Administrators. “Military families and military children are amongst the most transient of populations,” he said. “With high mobility come issues of engagement, disengagement and reengagement.” 

    The Department of Defense found that children are affected in different ways at different stages of development. Kids ages 3 through 6 were found to exhibit stress including regression, physical complaints and fears of separation. Older children, who understand the reality and potential dangers associated with their parent’s absence, exhibit signs of fear, irritability and sometimes aggression. Teenagers were found to be rebellious and at higher risk of using drugs and engaging in early-age sexual behavior. These emotional responses can have grave implications for their academic performance.

    There are some ways that academic institutions can help ease the burden of transition for these kids. One of the best ways to help military dependent children is to make sure that teachers and support staff know who their army-connected students are. Educators have the resources for how to create a welcoming learning environment for them. 

    The Fort Bragg School District manages nine public schools, serving about 4,162 students on post. The school system is comprised of one primary school, one intermediate school, five elementary schools and two middle schools. Most dependent children in grades 9-12 attend high school in Cumberland County. High school students who live in the Linden Oaks Community off NC 87, north of Spring Lake, go to school in Harnett County. 

    A provision under the new Every Student Succeeds Act signed by President Barack Obama in 2015 represents good news for our nation’s schools. This bipartisan measure reauthorized the 50-year-old Elementary and Secondary Education Act, providing a longstanding commitment to equal opportunity for all students. Today, high school graduation rates are at all-time highs. Dropout rates are at historic lows. And more students are going to college than ever before.

    One of the best ways to help military dependent children is to make sure that teachers and support staff know who their army-connected students are. 

  • 12 Food Truck Rodeo 1After a one-month absence for the observance of the Fourth of July, Hope Mills resumes its monthly Food Truck Rodeos with an extra emphasis on helping the community.

    “A lot of people didn’t realize we didn’t have a rodeo in July because the Fourth of July was the first Thursday of the month,’’ said Chancer McLaughlin, development and planning administrator of the town. “In August we are back, and the theme for this month is Back to School.’’

    The rodeo is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 1, from 5-8 p.m. It will still be at Municipal Park on Rockfish Road but will be held near the outdoor basketball courts and the playground area at the park. 

    All of the vendors who have been invited to take part at this month’s rodeo provide services related to children in the community. Among the organizations that will be represented are the Teen Wellness Clinic, C.H.I.L.D. Incorporated, Partnership for Children, Operation Inasmuch and Fayetteville Urban Ministry.

    As usual, donations of nonperishable food for the Hope Mills ALMS HOUSE will be collected, but in keeping with the Back to School theme, school supplies will also be collected.

    Because the ALMS HOUSE already has a distribution system set up for sending food to the local schools, McLaughlin said the school supplies will be turned over to them for distribution as well. Donations most needed are white loose-leaf notebook paper, pens, pencils and standard composition books. Book bags should be avoided because there are some schools that require all book bags to be made of a clear or mesh material that is see-through. McLaughlin said three-ring binders are also not good items to donate.

    Another group that will be represented at the event is Cut My City, a group of local barbers and others who will provide free services including haircuts to students at an event scheduled at the Crown Coliseum on Aug. 10. McLaughlin said they will be at the rodeo to share information about their project.

    As far as fun activities at this rodeo, there will be a gaming truck with free video games for the children, along with face painting and other activities.

    DJ King James, who has performed previously at Hope Mills events, will have recorded music as well as karaoke.

    The food trucks scheduled to appear include rodeo regulars Chef Glenn and Big T’s. Other trucks scheduled are Nannie’s Famous, Hopkins Barbecue, Coldstone Creamery, Kona Ice, Euasticias Fully Loaded Grill, Cedar Creek Fish Farm and Boss Ross Dogs.

    For updates on late changes to the rodeo, check either the Hope Mills Development or the Town of Hope Mills Administration pages on Facebook.

  • 10 Views of Lake Bulkhead 1The long-awaited bulkhead down the shoreline at Hope Mills Lake is finally complete. Now Public Works Director Don Sisko says it’s up to Mother Nature as to how quickly lake levels return to normal.

    “We have no control over the inflow of water,’’ he said just days after the work on the bulkhead was completed. “The gate is open minimally so we can maintain the flow in the creek downstream.

    “Hopefully we get a couple of days of rain in the next few days and that will take us over the spillway. Once it gets over the spillway to a normal level, we will close the gate completely and be under normal operation condition at the spillway.’’

    While the lake was lowered, Sisko said, people could actually see one of the primary reasons the bulkhead was needed: to deal with erosion of the embankment.

    “There were folks that were of the mindset you could put some soil there, maybe some sod, that would control the erosion,’’ he said. “The erosion would have a safety impact for the general public.’’

    The bulkhead will make the park area near the lake more family-friendly, he said, so people can safely spread out a blanket and watch their children swimming or just enjoy the natural beauty of the lake.

    In addition to the bulkhead, there are now steps down to the water and a beach area for launching kayaks and canoes into the water. “People can put their craft in the water without reaching to get over any riprap, rocks or that
    sort of thing," Sisko said.

    The access ramp is also handicap accessible.

    Sisko sees no major issues as far as maintaining the bulkhead. “It’s made of natural material (Southern yellow pine) and it will shrink in dry periods and swell in wet periods,’’ he said. “We may have to do some sanding here and there if it splinters out.’’

    The wood will be heavily treated with a preservative called chromated copper arsenate, which is used to protect outdoor wooden structures from microbes and insects.

    “I don’t anticipate anything out of the ordinary for years to come, barring a catastrophic event,’’ Sisko said.

    The yellow tape that is in place in areas around the park will likely stay there for awhile as new sod is being installed. “We don’t want any foot traffic on it,’’ Sisko said “We want it irrigated and rooted properly so we have a good standing of grass.’’

    Sisko hopes the end product is a park area the citizens of Hope Mills can enjoy. “They get to come out and create their own memories,’’ he said. “We want to give them an open
    space to enjoy.’’

    Hope Mills town leaders expressed satisfaction that the bulkhead project is done.

    “I know our community is ready to use the lake because of the extreme heat we are experiencing,’’ said Mayor Jackie Warner. “The good news is it won’t be much longer.’’

    Commissioner Pat Edwards said the town will likely look into more plans for erosion control at the lake but added that for now, “The bulkhead looks great.’’

    Commissioner Jessie Bellflowers thanked all the members, past and present, of the town’s Lake Advisory Committee for their work on developing the bulkhead project and the public swimming area.

    He further praised the various companies that worked on the project, along with town staff who were involved. “The Hope Mills Lake park is a great addition to the town’s already impressive parks and recreational programs,’’ he said. “Our lake park is one of the best family parks that directly impacts the quality of life by contributing to the social, economic... and environmental well-being of our community.’’

     

  • 05 CigaretteCigarette smuggling from North Carolina to New York has been going on for decades. State and federal governments charge excise taxes on cigarettes, ranging from 45 cents a pack in the tar heel state to $4.35 per pack in New York State. In New York City, the tax is $5.85 as of July 2019. The difference between tax rates is what makes cigarette trafficking appealing to the criminal element. 

    This month, federal authorities broke up a ring of smugglers based in Fayetteville. Officials said 31 people have been charged with a scheme to defraud the federal government, the states of North Carolina and New York, and the Commonwealth of Virginia of millions of dollars in tax revenue.

    Eastern North Carolina U.S. Attorney Robert Higdon said Justin Brent Freeman’s wholesale business, FreeCo Inc., at 231 Williams St. in downtown Fayetteville, served as the hub for the illegal operation. People would pay cash for large quantities of cigarettes at FreeCo and other retailers in North Carolina, including Sam’s Club stores in Raleigh, Fayetteville and Goldsboro. They would then pack the cigarettes into rental cars or vans for shipment to Virginia, Higdon said. 

    In Richmond or Alexandria, Virginia, the cigarettes would be transferred to other cars and driven to Syracuse, New York. There, the contraband would again be shifted to other vehicles to be dispersed across the state and sold for cash, Higdon said.

    Most of the people alleged to have been involved in the scheme, including Freeman, were arrested in connection with the $12 million cigarette smuggling operation and charged with money laundering and criminal conspiracy. Homeland Security Investigators, Cumberland County Sheriff’s Deputies, U.S. Marshals Service, Robeson County and Johnston County Sheriff’s Office took part in the operations. “This is not the conclusion of our investigation,” Higdon said. “This is simply a very strong first step.”

    The smugglers were making up to $54 profit per carton by selling the cigarettes in New York while avoiding the state and local taxes there, Higdon said. The U.S. Marshals Service and local authorities staged raids in five states, arresting 25 of the 31 defendants after U.S. grand jury indictments were issued the week of July 15. Others were taken into custody over the next several days. The U.S. Attorney said 4,700 cartons of cigarettes, $840,000 in cash, 11 vehicles and five firearms were seized.

    Last week, a federal grand jury indicted Freeman, FreeCo and the following defendants with criminal conspiracy and money laundering: Malek Hamoud Alsaidi, Ibrahim Ahmed Alsaidi, Sadek Dahan Shahbain, Ayed Yahya Ali Alshami, Alshami Yahya Ali Alshami, Mohamed Hafed Abdou, Mohamed E. Ould El Bechir, Akram Ali Amer, Mohamed Yeslem Ould Izid Bir, Mohammed Saaid Darweesh, El Hassen Hamadi, Musheer Mohammed Hazam Al-Naqeb, Ali Mohammed Mashli Al Qadhi, Mohamed Mounir, Aied Awad Shibli, Shibli Abu Issa Shibli, Manar Mohammad Talal-Mustafa, Mohammed N.M. Khalayfa, Saleh Mohammad Abdeljawad, Kaid M.K. Addailam, Amr Mousa Alhalemi, Ahmad Khalayfa, Rawhi Abdel Jabbar Khams Awad, Ali Aied Shibli, Amchad Rawhi Khamis Awad, Wachdi Awad, Abdallahi Mohamed Elhafedh, Ahmed Elhoussein, Dedde Cheikh and Arafat A.I. Abuhammoud. 

    Half a dozen of them were also charged with interstate trafficking in contraband cigarettes.

    This month, federal authorities broke up a ring of cigarette smugglers based in Fayetteville.

  • 02 Meg LarsonHope Mills Commissioner Meg Larson has announced she’s not running for office this time. She also announced she is throwing her full support behind fellow Hope Mills Commissioner Mike Mitchell in his bid to unseat incumbent Hope Mills Mayor Jackie Warner.

    If you’re wondering why, here is the explanation she gave on the private Facebook page Hope Mills Chatter. I’m not a member of the Chatter, but I have friends in that group who shared screenshots of Larson’s announcement.

    Here’s what she wrote: “I am not running. I appreciate everyone that has supported me. However, the thought of possibly sitting another two years with Jackie Warner or Pat Edwards makes my stomach turn. Two of the most ineffective elected officials.

    “Working with someone vs. seeing them as they give a cheesy speech at a government event, the Chamber or church does not mean they are good for the community.’’ 

    That is the real Meg Larson. No punches pulled there. 

    Larson has repeatedly accused Warner of being a bully, of forcing her agenda on the town and leaving the commissioners in the dark about what’s going on. I guess Larson dumped Edwards in the mix because Edwards has consistently defended Warner, not because Edwards is a poor commissioner, which she isn’t.

    Go back and take a look at town minutes and see how many times this current board voted 4-1, with Edwards usually being the one, to defeat some plan or idea that the mayor supported. And let us remember, the mayor doesn’t get a vote on this board. And she’s the bully? How ridiculous.

    I think one reason Larson and others accuse the mayor of being a bully is because of the way Warner runs town commissioner meetings. Excuse me, folks, but ever hear of parliamentary procedure? A guy named Robert wrote a book about it a long time ago. You can grab a copy on Amazon for $6.99.

    The town also has rules of order, adopted by this board, and when Warner has to gavel a commissioner down, it’s usually because they are trying to speak out of turn against the rules. This isn’t Saturday night poker with the boys. It’s an elected governing body with procedures and protocol.

    But let’s get back to the bullying issue. It’s a skill Larson has mastered. I know because she bullied me.

    In March of this year, I wrote an Up & Coming Weekly story about the town losing artwork donated by students at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke because the commissioners didn’t renew the agreement they had approved the previous year. The whole thing could have been handled with a couple of phone calls to me and my publisher, Bill Bowman. But Larson and company called a special meeting of the board to deal with this red-hot issue.

    What made the issue red-hot was they had egg on their faces for not doing their jobs, and they needed someone to blame. Even Warner herself said in my story that “we,” meaning herself and the full board, dropped the ball on the art project. She repeated that comment at the March 25 special meeting. 

     But pass-the-buck Larson and friends attacked Warner, who was legitimately afraid to bring renewal of the art project to the board because of the clear history they had established of voting against anything she supported. Further, the board blasted me. Larson accused me of manufacturing a quote from UNC-Pembroke professor Adam Walls. Walls told me in a phone interview about Warner’s fear of the board rejecting the art project.

    Walls later spoke to both Larson and town manager Melissa Adams, and at the special meeting, both said that Walls stated he did not recall making that comment. I attempted to reach Walls after the controversy exploded, but he did not return my phone call. 

    “For anyone to assume that and put it in print is irresponsible,’’ Larson said during the meeting. It certainly would have been. 

    There is a difference between not remembering something and denying you said it, and what Walls said and what Adams and Larson repeated was not a denial. It was a memory lapse. Walls made that statement I attributed to him during our interview, whether he recalls it or not. 

    Larson and others on the board chastised me for that “deplorable” article. They ripped me for not talking with any of them and added that the article contained multiple errors. You can hear the whole thing. The audio recording is on the town of Hope Mills website under minutes and agenda for March 25.

    My publisher, Bill Bowman, attended that meeting. The board had the opportunity to ask him to comment and didn’t. 

    Interviewing people is a two-way street. First, they have to agree to talk. I have tried to contact several members of the board for stories before. Larson, in an email I still have in my inbox, told me she would not speak to me because she did not approve of the relationship that the town had approved, and eventually rescinded, with Up & Coming Weekly. By the way, UCW is a legitimate North Carolina Press Associated weekly community newspaper — often referred to as news media.

    Others, including Mitchell and Jessie Bellflowers, replied to previous requests and said they were too busy to speak with me. I have their replies, too. To his credit, Bellflowers reached out to me at the time of the missing art story, and I have quoted him in stories since. Our conversations have been civil and professional. So have interviews I’ve had with citizens and town staff from Hope Mills in the months since I’ve been writing about the town. Larson remains the only person in that time who has questioned the accuracy of my quotes. 

     Not a single member of the board who complained about that story in that special meeting, save Bellflowers, spoke to me about it. And not one person on the board who complained about factual errors or misinformation in the story asked to write a rebuttal or asked me to print a correction or retraction. In addition, UCW’s longstanding policy is to allow anyone to submit a dissenting opinion, feature or article focusing on the community. The only requirement is that they own it. This is why each article and feature appearing in UCW is accompanied by a photo and short bio of the writer. 

     This whole business with Larson and the feud the board has with Warner is about ego and who gets to call the shots. It’s not uncommon in politics, especially for rookie newcomers, who often have trouble figuring out how one builds a base of support and wins the respect of his or her fellow elected while learning how the process of governing works. 

    Before I wrote this piece, I spoke with an acquaintance who is an elected official somewhere else in North Carolina. I explained the situation in Hope Mills to him, and he gave me some sage advice. He said it’s incumbent on people elected to office to do the best they can to work with the people they’re in office with and bury any personal animosity. 

    Judging from her Facebook statement, it’s clear Larson is not capable of that. This being the case, I have a suggestion for her. Resign. Now. If she can’t stomach two more years with Warner and Edwards, she shouldn’t suffer a few more months. She should do it for her health. But mostly for the town’s health. She can then devote the bulk of her energy to slinging more unfounded mud in support of Mitchell’s campaign to unseat the mayor she hates so much. 

    Maybe with Larson off the board, the remaining members can find the way to unity and a better Hope Mills. We can only hope so. 

    Pictured: Hope Mills Commissioner Meg Larson

  • 11 The Gift of MarriageMy wife and I share a date with one of America's most memorable and celebrated events. On July 20, 1969, America claimed its place in history as the Apollo Lunar Module Eagle landed and the first human walked on the face of the moon. We heard those famous words, “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” as they were first spoken. TV news stations large and small worked tirelessly to deliver even the most minute detail of the historic event to a waiting world.

    Ten years later, on July 20, 1979, Dorothy Aafedt and I said “I do” in a remarkably unremarkable ceremony. Unlike the NASA mission, there were no television crews, no microphones or calculated illustrations. There was just a pair of kids surrounded by a couple of friends and family in a courtroom in southern Arizona. At the time it seemed like a small step, but it has proven to be a giant leap as Dorothy and I have continued to mark time since that date.

    This past weekend we celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary, and it's given me cause to reflect on all that's transpired since our historic first steps.

    Time has allowed us several years in Europe with our three children, and a home on both the East and West Coasts of the United States. The small, quiet union of two youngsters from Kansas gave way to an eventual family of 18, counting grandchildren and spouses. All but one now calls North Carolina home.

    As a military family, we share memories of being diverted en route — never once landing at our intended destination at the point of our departure. We've relocated to Germany as our belongings relocated to Okinawa and have lived in hotels and motels on two continents while making new friends time and again.

    Over the course of the last 40 years, one thing has become evident: there is nothing more important in a marriage than the relationship between husband and wife. When other things became more important, such as careers, children and personal pursuits, trouble isn't far behind. Though I've failed miserably at this on occasion, the facts show that when we make the relationship our top priority, the marriage flourishes.

    Just like any other married couple, we've had our share of trials. From the lack or abundance of money to devastating loss and health crises, we've navigated a lot of territory in the past four decades. And honestly, I don't know how we would have fared had we not put our faith in Christ early in the game.

    God has proven trustworthy. When we've faced struggles, we've been able to lean on the promise that there is more to this life than living and dying, or meeting and missing bills. Even death has stared us in the face, but with God in our corner, though our knees have gotten weak at times, we never blinked.

    In the end, there is no secret formula for a long or successful marriage. It is a gift — a gift you get to open anew each waking day.

    Marriage is a gift you get to open anew each waking day.
    Photo by Caroline Veronez on Unsplash

  • 04 Hands on ipadEvents surrounding our state’s current budget process, as of this writing, remind me of the truth in a statement by President Ronald Reagan: “The most terrifying words in the English language are, ‘I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.’”

    In a column titled “People over politics: Local delegation advocates for Fayetteville and Cumberland County’s future,” Bill Bowman and Jeff Thompson addressed the status of North Carolina’s 2020-22 budget. The column appeared in the July 3, 2019, edition of the Up & Coming Weekly. The writers reviewed the benefits to Fayetteville and Cumberland County that are in the budget approved by the General Assembly but vetoed by Gov. Roy Cooper, D-N.C.

    Those benefits were summarized as follows: “The 2020-22 budget presented by the North Carolina Legislature brings more than $132 million in projects that benefit diverse aspects of our community. In a rare show of unity, their vision and ‘people over politics’ leadership style has netted us big and long-lasting benefits, including projects that, once completed, will net Cumberland County $20-$40 million a year in additional revenues.”

    Cooper primarily vetoed this budget because the General Assembly has not agreed to expand Medicaid in North Carolina. Some 37 states, including the District of Columbia, have adopted expansion. By the time this column is published, the General Assembly will likely have acted on overriding the veto.

    No matter how that vote goes, I contend Medicaid expansion is another issue driven by what is popular with citizens, but not based on their exposure to and examination of the facts relative to the matter. As I have contended time and again, the vast majority of politicians specialize in playing to the emotions of people and withholding discussion of information that will allow for informed decision-making by citizens. This condition is exacerbated by far too many entities and personalities in media joining with politicians in this information-denying appeal to emotions.

    Now to look at how this information-denying, while appealing to emotions, plays out in Cooper’s veto due to the Medicaid expansion factor. His basic argument is that Medicaid expansion will provide medical care to a large number of North Carolinians, produce jobs, help struggling small hospitals survive and that the federal government will pay 90% of the cost. That paints a very attractive picture. Extremely relevant is what comes to light when one delves into the facts.

    First, unpack the 90% payment by the federal government. Republicans contend that there is the real possibility that this payment will not continue forever and that the state will have to, at some point, pay all or part of that 90%. My personal experience says this is an extremely reasonable concern. I joined the U.S. Navy in 1969. The promise made to me was that if I stayed to retirement, I would be provided health care for life. I never expected that health care to be free. However, it seemed reasonable to think that the health plan in force at the time of my retirement would remain basically the same for the rest of my life.

    Starting at retirement in 1991, my health care plan had an annual deductible of $150, paid 80% of my outpatient medical expenses and all but a small amount for inpatient care. I carried a supplemental at $35 to $40 a month, with a minimal deductible, to cover what was not supported by TRICARE, the military health insurance program. With me having no means of objecting, the federal government, in 2001, changed the TRICARE plan so that when I reached age 65, I was automatically moved to TRICARE For Life.

    Under this program, TRICARE became my secondary coverage and Medicare became the primary. That shifted me to paying, initially, $104 per month plus the $150 TRICARE deductible. That started seven years ago. Over those seven years, the monthly cost has gone from $104 to $135.50.

    At the bottom line, the government, in my estimation, dramatically changed my health care plan from what had been very reasonably expected based on the initial arrangement. Simply put, I contend Republicans are on solid ground to be concerned that the federal government will do exactly the same kind of thing with regard to the 90%. The likelihood of this happening is compounded by this nation’s growing debt, while absolutely nothing is being done about slowing or reducing it. Even further, there is the total mismanagement of the Social Security program. Should anybody believe the 90% will go on without a major shifting of financial responsibility from the federal government?

    Second, without a sufficient number of doctors, Medicaid expansion suffers or just does not work. Part of the reason I still live in Fayetteville is that I have extremely good doctors. I am afraid that if I move elsewhere, I might not be able to find equally capable doctors who will accept TRICARE For Life. I know firsthand that this program pays doctors pennies on the dollar of what they claim for treating patients. During one of my medical procedures, a friend who is an anesthesiologist oversaw my being put to sleep. TRICARE paid him about 25% of the amount he billed.

    Further, my mother retired after teaching in the public schools of Georgia for more than 30 years. After her retirement, Georgia changed her health insurance from an arrangement that had served her well to a Medicare arrangement that I could never figure out, even after reading many pages of information. My wife and I moved my mother from Georgia to Fayetteville when her cancer made it impossible for her to live alone. In an attempt to find a capable doctor for her in Fayetteville, I asked a friend in the medical field who she would recommend.

    I contacted the office of the doctor she recommended. The lady who answered the phone explained that the doctor was not accepting any new Medicare patients. My mother ended up seeing the physician’s assistant in that office. The PA was very capable. However, the PA realized my mother’s condition was such that she needed to be seen by the doctor and called him in. My mother only got to see the doctor because of the PA’s action. She died six weeks after coming to Fayetteville.

    I had a similar experience finding a doctor for my father in Albany, Georgia. Several years before this search, I had found a very good doctor who saw my father for many years under Medicare. That doctor left the area and I needed to find another. I read reviews on doctors in the area and called the offices of the seven doctors with the best reviews. Not one of them was accepting new Medicare patients. The best I could find was a clinic that did not have a strong reputation.
    I have talked about TRICARE and Medicare. The point is that it is difficult to find doctors who accept patients under these programs because they pay doctors so little. Medicaid has the same low payment problem, and participants experience difficulty finding doctors.

    Another concern is that Medicaid, by state, makes substantial use of managed care plans. The following is from my internet search of “managed health care” and going to “What is a managed care organization example?” under “People also ask.”

    “Managed care plans have arrangements with certain physicians, hospitals and health care providers to serve patients who are plan members at a contracted reduced rate.... However, the choice of physicians, drugs and treatment are restricted.”

    With that background, please read the article by Crystal Ayres titled “12 Advantages and Disadvantages of Managed Care” at https://vittana.org/12-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-managed-care. I contend that the article, with pure reasoning, demonstrates that the disadvantages of managed care far outweigh the advantages. Managed care is becoming more and more present in Medicaid.

    A column by Bill Bowman titled “Budget is not about Medicaid expansion: It is about politics” includes the following quote from Republican Rep. John Szoka as it appeared in his recent newsletter:

    “Medicaid is a separate issue that is very complex and, in all honesty, has been a mess from the beginning. To put money into an already inefficient and broken program would be irresponsible in the least and an absolute travesty to the taxpayers of N.C., at its worst.”

    Szoka is absolutely correct.

    The push for Medicaid expansion is simply another case of politicians employing class warfare and appealing to the pervasive entitlement mentality resident in American society. Essential to this strategy is the element of information-denying. In the end, what looks and feels like a good deal proves to be far from it.

    Medicaid expansion is a case where Ronald Reagan’s warning applies: “The most terrifying words in the English language are, ‘I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.’”
  • 15 Koonce boyette edgeA desire to compete and a love for athletics of all kinds drove Don Koonce to stay immersed in sports from his youth to his final days promoting Cumberland County sports via the radio.

    Koonce, 71, died unexpectedly last week, barely a month out from the start of another high school football season. His radio crews from DKSports, Inc., were preparing to broadcast the games of Terry Sanford and Cape Fear High Schools.

    Like his brothers, the late Calvin Koonce and Charles Koonce, Don was a star athlete at the high school level. Charles Koonce called his brother Don “one of the most outstanding athletes to come out of Cumberland County. He excelled in baseball, basketball, football and golf.

    “He was a true athlete at heart. He always played to win.’’

    Don Koonce once led Cumberland County high school basketball in scoring and qualified for the prestigious North and South Amateur golf tournament at Pinehurst.

    But it was baseball where he made his biggest mark. He earned a scholarship to North Carolina State University and left after one semester to get a rare spring training tryout with the same New York Mets team his brother Calvin played for. Impressed with what they saw, the Mets signed Don.

    He spent six years in the minor leagues, rising as high as the AAA level while playing mostly in the Virginia Tidewater area with teams affiliated with the Mets, Detroit Tigers, Atlanta Braves and Montreal Expos.

    His career record was 27-34 with a solid 2.63 earned run average and 44 saves.

    It was his connection with the Detroit organization that helped lay the groundwork for Don’s successful bid to bring minor league baseball back to Fayetteville. He was a force behind the creation of the Fayetteville Generals and the construction of J.P Riddle Stadium.
    After parting ways with the Generals, Don spent several years as a Major League Baseball scout. He eventually joined his brother Charles, veteran local radio personality Lloyd Foster and his son Dave Foster in creating Mid-South Sports, Inc., in 1990. It focused on broadcasting Friday night high school football and other county sporting events.

    Some years later, Don branched out on his own and created DKSports, Inc., which currently covers Terry Sanford and Cape Fear High School football in the fall. He also created a weekly WFNC Monday night talk show, "The Sports Page," with former Terry Sanford quarterback Trey Edge and veteran high school basketball coach Bill Boyette.

    In recent years, Don has been involved in teaching young baseball players one-on-one, especially those with an interest in pitching. “There are a number of young guys in the ranks right now at various age groups that will pay tribute to the fact that he was the guy that got them started,’’ Charles said.

    Edge has spent countless hours over the last several years traveling with Don to cover games and working with him in the radio booth or at courtside. Edge said he feels the competitive spirit never leaves a serious athlete. He thinks Don enjoyed radio because it gave him a chance to continue experiencing the highs and lows of the game.

    “You experience the game as it’s happening, and you get to know the players and coaches,’’ Edge said. “I think that was attractive to him and kept that sports fire fueled. But then it got to the point where he was doing something for the community. Getting high school athletes publicity for the things they’ve done is a great thing.’’

    Edge said Don was an incredible storyteller and would often tell about star players he’d competed against or scouted. “In the booth, he was always happy, always had a smile,’’ Edge said. “He wanted to put out a good product.’’

    That product provided a valuable service to an important part of the Cumberland County population, the military community. Vernon Aldridge, student activities director for Cumberland County Schools, said the presence of the military in Fayetteville made Don’s coverage of high school games important.

    “Often times parents get sent overseas, and kids may not be from North Carolina,’’ Aldridge said. “Don being on the radio allowed people deployed and family members in other states to keep up with their children (via internet live streaming of games). It’s a great asset for Cumberland County Schools.’’

    Neil Buie, regional supervisor of football officials for the Southeastern Athletic Officials Association, played against Don from the time the two were about 8 years old.

    “There was no greater advocate for sports in Cumberland County than Don,’’ Buie said. “His passing will leave a hole in the sports community and Cumberland County.’’

    Terry Sanford assistant coach Bill Yeager, who has spent 50 years in this county as a high school athlete and coach, said Don always tried to put young athletes first. “He cared about this community,’’ Yeager said. “He was a good man. He’s going to be missed.’’

    Terry Sanford principal Tom Hatch said Don always had positive things to say about the student-athletes both at Terry Sanford and in the community. “He did a great job covering football and baseball here (at Terry Sanford),” Hatch said. “Don was a great man.’’

    Edge said that most of the sponsors for the DKSports, Inc., broadcasts for this fall were already in place before Don’s untimely death. “I would absolutely keep moving it forward under the name DKSports, Inc., to honor Don,’’ Edge said. “Our hope is, come Aug. 23, we’re on the air broadcasting high school football and (that) every Monday night Bill (Boyette) and I are doing 'The Sports Page.'’’

    Left to right: Bill Boyette, Don Koonce and Trey Edge at the July 2017 announcement of the debut of "The Sports Page" weekly talk show.

  • Editor’s note: This is part of a series on Cumberland County high school spring football workouts.

    17 1 Ezemdi UdohTerry Sanford football coach Bruce McClelland lost 52 seniors over the last two seasons. His new team begins fall practice Aug. 1.

    “We’ve got a ton of young guys and new guys,’’ McClelland said. “We’ve got a lot of holes to fill in key positions.’’

    Fortunately, there’s some talent returning at a couple of key spots that should make things easier. Among the biggest returners is an experienced quarterback, Jacob Knight, who’s been waiting in the wings behind past stars Christian Jayne and Davidjohn Herz.

    “He’s been good enough to play the last two years,’’ McClelland said of Knight. The fact that both Jayne and Herz are now playing minor league baseball is a good indication of the level of talent McClelland has enjoyed at the quarterback position.

    Another player who will have to step up his game is running back Dorian Clark, who shared ball-carrying duties with Leonard “Flo” Mosley. 

    Both Clark and Mosley ran for 1,000 yards last season. Clark had 1,662 yards to Mosley’s 1,423. Clark scored 13 touchdowns, Mosley 15.

    “Dorian will have to tote the ball a little bit more with Flo gone,’’ McClelland said. Helping to block for him will be returning lineman Roscoe Blue.

    Two key All-Patriot Athletic Conference players return on defense, lineman Elijah Morris and linebacker Jackson Deaver.

    17 2 Elijah MorrisMorris, a defensive tackle, said spring practice has been about fitting new players into open positions and getting back to the goal of winning the conference title.

    “I think we could really be a good team this year,’’ he said. “There’s a lot of leadership at every position.’’

    He added teamwork is the key. “Instead of depending on one person for the whole team, we can play off each other’s strengths,’’ he said. “Working together. That’s the main thing.’’

    One of the biggest players back is tight end and defensive end Ezemdi Udoh. Honorable mention all-conference at tight end last year, Udoh’s stock rose sharply after the season because he received more than a dozen college scholarship offers. He has orally committed to North Carolina State University.

    It likely didn’t hurt Udoh that his brother Oli from Elon was taken by the Minnesota Vikings in the NFL draft.

    “He’s 6-feet-5 and already up to 240 pounds,’’ McClelland said of Ezemdi Udoh.

    McClelland expects another close race for the Patriot Athletic Conference title. “I think it’s going to be deeper this year,’’ he said. “I really think Douglas Byrd and Westover are making strides. It’s anybody’s conference.’’

    Pictured top to bottom: Ezemdi Udoh, Elijah Morris

  • 07 child medicaidNorth Carolina’s recent budget standoff in Raleigh called into question whether the state could afford Medicaid expansion. Republicans offered a Medicaid expansion compromise bill, but Gov. Roy Cooper, D-N.C., and Democrats wanted full expansion of Medicaid to provide health insurance to an estimated 600,000 poor North Carolinians, many of whom are eligible children.

    CNBC reported this month that North Carolina had built one of the country’s strongest business climates over the past two decades, fueled by low business costs, incentives and a young, educated workforce, many of whom have been trained at the strong universities in the state and Research Triangle Park.

    Three years ago, Forbes ranked North Carolina’s economic development No. 1 in the country. No state’s economy is on more solid ground than the tar heel state. The state attracted $2.6 billion in venture capital in 2018, the sixth highest figure in the nation. It is also attracting skilled workers, who are moving to North Carolina in droves. But the tar heel state is no exception to push for Medicaid eligibility expansion, which is growing at a rapid clip nationwide.

    In Ohio, for example, Medicaid rose 35% from $18.9 billion in fiscal year 2013 to $25.7 billion in 2017. Ohio Medicaid spending has grown 88% over the past decade, more than double the rate of growth in total state spending. Medicaid was already the largest category of state spending a decade ago, and currently the program consumes an even greater share of the state budget. In 2017, Medicaid consumed more than 29% of total state spending, up from 20% in 2008.

    In 2008, North Carolina beneficiaries grew to a grand total of 1,407,257 who were covered by Medicaid — or Health Choice, for children who do not qualify for Medicaid. By 2015, that number had increased to 1,911,918. Over the same time period, the state’s population grew at an annual rate of 1.2%, a rate of growth that’s less than Medicaid eligibility is growing. Matt Salo, head of the National Association of Medicaid Directors, said about one-third of all kids in the country are covered by Medicaid as are more than half of all births.

    Forty-one percent of North Carolina’s kids are covered under Medicaid or Health Choice, which is higher than the national average. Salo said the good news is that kids are less expensive to cover. Analysts like Steve Owen, senior fiscal analyst for the North Carolina General Assembly, have told state legislators several times over the past year that part of North Carolina’s success at holding down Medicaid costs is due in large part to the increase in the number of children enrolled, because their coverage is cheaper than adults and families.

    Thirty-six states and Washington, D.C., have opted to expand Medicaid over the years. North Carolina is one of the 14 states that have not expanded coverage. Medicaid spending is the largest budget category and has grown at a faster rate than all other areas of state spending including education, public safety, and infrastructure. “By restraining spending growth to an average of 3.5% over the two-year budget, North Carolinians get to keep more of their money,” wrote Becki Gray, senior vice president at the conservative John Locke Foundation.

  • 06 Gen Mark MilleyTwo prominent Army generals with ties to Fort Bragg have become the nation’s top military leaders.

    During the Clinton administration, former 18th Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg Commanding Gen. Hugh Shelton was the first airborne officer to become chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Gen. Mark Milley served as commanding general of Army Forces Command at Fort Bragg before being named chief of staff.

    President Donald Trump tapped Milley, 60, to lead the Joint Chiefs. Milley will replace Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford, who was named to the post in 2015. Trump nominated Dunford for a second two-year term last year.

    Trump tweeted, “I am pleased to announce my nomination of four-star General Mark Milley, Chief of Staff of the United States Army — as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, replacing Gen. Joe Dunford, who will be retiring.

    “I am thankful to both of these incredible men for their service to our country! Date of transition to be determined.”

    Milley’s military career has spanned numerous commands and staff positions in Special Forces and eight divisions, according to his Defense Department biography. Before being named chief of staff in 2015, Milley served in command and leadership positions in the 82nd Airborne Division and the 5th Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg.

    Highly decorated, his awards include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal and the Army Distinguished Service Medal. A native of Winchester, Massachusetts, Milley graduated and received his commission from Princeton University in 1980.

    In 2018, Milley was involved in deciding whether the Army would publish a controversial report on the Iraq War, a two volume, 1,300-page study. Milley reportedly decided that he wanted to read the entire 500,000-word study before deciding on publication. Milley also directed that an external panel of scholars review the work before he made a decision. The panel returned glowing reviews on the study, including one that described it as “the gold standard in official history.”

    In September 2018, Secretary of the Army Mark Esper and other Army officials decided to distance themselves from the study by casting it as an independent work of the authors, instead of being described as a project by the chief of staff of the Army’s Operation Iraqi Freedom Study Group.

    When confronted by a reporter with The Wall Street Journal in October 2018, Milley reversed the decisions and directed that the report be published officially with a foreword that he would write. He declared the team that wrote the study “did a damn good job,” that the study itself was “a solid work” and noted that he aimed to publish the study by the holidays (2018).

    Within days of this revelation, two members of Congress who sit on the House Armed Services Committee, Reps. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., and Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., sent a letter to Army leadership expressing their anger with the Army’s delay of publication of the report. The study was published in January 2019.

    Pictured: Gen. Mark Milley

  • 08 painted kidFayetteville offers the experience for people to immerse themselves in art and entertainment every month for 4th Friday. The enriching event takes place in the historic downtown area, where people can enjoy food from restaurants, walk through shops and browse local art galleries. The theme for July’s 4th Friday, which falls on July 26, is “Parking Lot Party.”

    “Downtowns are the ‘free throw line’ of any city,” said Greg Weber, president and CEO of The Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County. “To win a game, you need to get to the free throw line and hit those buckets.

    “The Arts Council is increasing its investment in bringing people to Fayetteville’s ‘free throw line’ — downtown activity on 4th Friday. We are working to sink more buckets, and our expansion of activities on 4th Friday is an important first step.”

    The Arts Council’s newest 4th Friday Artist’s Program will foster a space for artists to create and show their work and share their passion with others. Artists can visit www.theartscouncil.com/ParkingLotParty to sign up to showcase their work.

    The Parking Lot Party will begin at 6 p.m., but other downtown organizations are getting involved in the fun, too, by providing their own activities.

    The Market House will be open Friday from 6-10 p.m. for a free exhibit called “Vintage Postcards.” The display offers a look into the past, displays of documents like vintage receipts, bills, and letters from businesses past and present in downtown Fayetteville.

    At Cape Fear Studios, attendees can see the creations of visual artists on display as part of the “8 by Exhibit.” The art will reflect the work of visual artists of a variety of mediums, and each piece has to have one dimension that is 8 inches.

    Enjoy a free performance from the local musicians of the Bella Venti Woodwind Quintet at The Wine Café at 6:30 p.m. The professional musicians play the flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and French horn. Cash tips are encouraged.

    The Fayetteville Woodpeckers will be playing against the Carolina Mudcats, and they’re celebrating Christmas in July. The game starts at 7 p.m. and features a Woodpeckers Winter Hat Giveaway for the first 700 fans through the gate. A fireworks show will take place after the game.

    After strolling around and enjoying the art, attendees can catch a show at Gilbert Theater. As a part of its Summer Play Fest, at 7 p.m. there will be performances of “A Ghost Story, Abridged,” “The Devil You Say” and “Grocery Store.” Tickets cost $16.

    The Summer Play Fest starts on July 24. The purchase of one ticket buys access to all of the shows for the week, through July 28. For more information or to buy tickets, call the theater at 910-678-7186.

    Call the Cool Spring Downtown District at 910-223-1089 or visit www.theartscouncil.com to learn more about 4th Friday.

    The Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County’s newest 4th Friday Artist’s Program will foster a space for artists to create and show their work and share their passion with others.

     

  • 03 1Ilhan omarFor every American who chanted “send her back” at last week’s Trump rally in Greenville, North Carolina, there are millions who were repulsed, saddened or both.

    Count me among the latter group.

    Various theories are floating around about why Trump supporters started those vile chants. Most suggest chanters were simply trying to show support for the president, not urging deportation of an American citizen serving as an elected member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Perhaps the chanters have never heard of simply clapping or cheering, or perhaps they do not understand our Constitution.

    Video footage does not show Trump chanting, but he does stand quietly by while the audience chants behind him. No video shows him asking for the chants to stop. Various news outlets report some Republican officials, as well as Trump’s wife and daughter, have urged him to tone down the rhetoric, so we shall see how that goes.

    The chanting was instructive, however. It reveals what his re-election campaign will be like for the next year-and-a-half. It will repeat his 2016 maiden voyage — filled with racist language, hateful rants against people he perceives as the “other,” impulsive and hurtful remarks. It will be aimed again at appealing to working-class whites, his core constituency, and designed to whip them into a voting frenzy.

    The handwriting is on the wall for Trump and his party. They are not attracting women, minority or younger voters, so the idea is to turn out every Trump supporter they can corral and suppress the votes of those voters not attracted to Trump or not motivated enough to go vote against him.

    Trump and his campaign strategists may be right. Racist and hateful language designed to bring his voters out may well work as it did in 2016. It is also true that every election is different — no one election can ever be duplicated, as thousands of incumbents tossed out of office every year can attest. Our American landscape is littered with losing candidates who were convinced the formula that elected them the first time would work every time.

    03 2 President TrumpWhat happened in Greenville says a great deal about Donald Trump and how he perceives our nation, but it also says a great deal about the rest of us. North Carolina has long prided herself as being different from other Southern states — more caring about public education, more nurturing of business ventures, more welcoming of social diversity. Since the chants, many among us have comforted themselves by saying things like “this is not who we are” and “we are better than this.”

    But, in fact, this is who some of us are. The Charlotte Observer editorial board put it like this. “… it is, of course, part of who we always have been in America. And in North Carolina. It’s who we were in Wilmington in 1898. … It’s who we were when we redlined blacks out of white neighborhoods decades ago. It’s who we were on a July night in Greenville, and it could be what’s coming to Charlotte next summer.”

    At some point, Trump will no longer be president. It may be by 2021, or it may be in 2025 after a second term. Whenever he fades into history, Americans will have to come to terms with not only his sometimes shameful behavior but our own. Some of us have kept silent when we knew we should speak up. Some of us may have chanted. Some of us may have taken more overt actions.

    All of us should remember the words attributed to philosopher Edmund Burke and made famous by John F. Kennedy. “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.”

    From top to bottom: Rep. Ilhan Omar, President Donald Trump. 

  • 16 zyon McEachinEditor’s note: This is part of a series on Cumberland County high school spring football workouts.

    After back-to-back 0-11 seasons, Douglas Byrd finally got in the win column last year with a 4-7 record that included 3-5 in the Patriot Athletic Conference. While head coach Mike Paroli was glad to see some improvement, he’s concerned that building on the positives of last season will be difficult this fall.

    “We really only have eight returners off that team and only four seniors,’’ he said. “We had some great seniors that will be difficult to replace. And we have the production of Earlee Melvin, which is very difficult to replace.’’

    Melvin, who came to Byrd from Cape Fear, sparked the Eagle offense a year ago with a Cumberland County Schools best of 1,713 yards from scrimmage and 20 rushing touchdowns.

    There will be a big load on four-year starter John Carroll, a versatile player who could be at quarterback, running back or wide receiver for the Eagles.

    As a running back last season, he gained 266 yards and scored three touchdowns.

    Alton Simmons, another Cape Fear transfer, will also be counted on at running back. He rushed for 201 yards and three touchdowns for Cape Fear last season.

    Another key returner is Zyon McEachin in the offensive line, who will man the left tackle position.

    “This year we’re trying to continue the legacy Coach Bob Paroli built and trying to give Coach Mike Paroli a legacy to build on,’’ McEachin said. “We want to make our record better than we had last year.’’

    McEachin said the current Byrd football team is committed to growing the program. “We want to try to get connected to the middle schools so we can have some middle schoolers come over and help build the team, make the population better on the team,’’ he said. “We have to replace the players that are moving on, fill in the spots.’’

    McEachin said the goal for this year is to be a better role model for the younger players. “We want to leave a good footprint on the field so they have someone to look up to when we move on,’’ he said.

    Paroli expects the Patriot Athletic Conference to again be a tough league. “You’ve got the 4-A teams (South View and Pine Forest) and then Cape Fear and Terry Sanford, which in reality are still 4-A teams,’’ he said.

    He’s not sure Byrd will be a serious contender for the state playoffs this season. “I don’t think we’re in that conversation yet,’’ he said.

    “Maybe the year after this one, with only four seniors starting, we should return most of the team, if we can get a good ninth grade class in here and keep them with us.’’

    Pictured: Zyon McEachin

     

  • 05 1 I 95The North Carolina Department of Transportation is developing plans to widen almost 19 miles of I-95 between Lumberton and Hope Mills from four lanes to eight lanes. The project’s overall estimated cost is almost $450 million, with construction scheduled to start in 2026. The project will reduce congestion, lower the risk of crashes and enable the interstate to better handle anticipated traffic growth.

    About 63,000 vehicles pass through exit 22 in Lumberton each day. By 2040, that figure is projected to exceed 95,000.
     
    “This is one of the oldest parts of I-95 in our state, and we really need to modernize it and expand it,” said Grady Hunt, a Robeson County resident who represents the area on the North Carolina Board of Transportation.

    Meanwhile, a busy intersection in east Fayetteville has been changed to a four-way stop to reduce the risk of crashes. The change at Clinton Road and North Plymouth Street is intended to reduce collisions. North Carolina DOT crews have added additional signs, converted the overhead flashers to red lenses in all directions and restriped the pavement.
    Interim chancellor named for Fayetteville State University
    Dr. Peggy Valentine, dean of Health Sciences at Winston-Salem State University, has been named interim chancellor of Fayetteville State University, the University of North Carolina System announced this month. She will fill in following former Chancellor James Anderson’s resignation in June. She starts Aug. 7, a news release said.

    Valentine received a doctorate in education from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and a Master of Arts and a Bachelor of Science from Howard University.

    Valentine is listed in Who’s Who of American Women. She has conducted research on homeless and minority issues and has published journals, textbooks and manuals on the subject. She is the founding editor-in-chief of The Journal of Best Practices in Health Professions Diversity.

    She serves on the board of trustees for Novant Health and is secretary/treasurer of the North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research.
    PWC Day

    Want to learn more about Fayetteville’s Hometown Utility? Oct. 2 is PWC Day and will include tours of the Butler-Warner Generation Plant and water and wastewater plants. PWC will also provide an up-close look at power restoration, water main rehabilitation, PWC’s customer call center and emergency operations.

    The day begins at the Public Works Commission headquarters at 955 Old Wilmington Rd. at 8 a.m. and runs until 3 p.m. Lunch and transportation to other PWC facilities will be provided. Transportation back to your car will be available should you need to leave at any point during the day. 
     
    School’s out for the summer, but …

    Teachers at Cumberland County School district’s year-round schools returned to their classrooms last week to prepare for the arrival of students this week. CCS Superintendent Marvin Connelly announced that every teacher is receiving $300 from the school system to purchase supplies and materials. This is in addition to any funds that teachers typically receive for classroom resources.

    Providing support to teachers and staff is one of four major priorities in CCS’ Strategic Plan.

    “I know how hard our teachers and staff work to prepare for our students each year,” Connelly said. “Many teachers spend personal funds to make sure their classrooms are just right for the first day of school. This is a small way for us to express our appreciation for all that our teachers do to provide robust learning experiences for every student.”
    Indigo Moon Film Festival approaches

    Fayetteville’s fourth annual Indigo Moon Film Festival is like a nerve center for great films from around the globe. The festival this year is set for Oct. 11-13.

    Of course, film screenings are a major element of the festival. But there is much more. GroundSwell Pictures presents the festival, which takes place in downtown Fayetteville. It also features awards, barbecue, Q&A panels and more. The event organizers are seeking volunteers. Sign up at https://signup.zone/imff-2019.
     
    4-H summer fun programs

    Cumberland County 4-H is taking registrations for the 2019 Summer Fun Program. The 4-H staff has been planning lots of exciting activities for youth ages 5-19. Included in the Summer Fun Program are workshops, programs and field trips.

    Young people will visit exotic animals, learn to knit with their fingers and how milk is processed, participate in a cooking competition and more. There will also be two arts and crafts days — just in time for Cumberland County Fair entries.

    Teens will have an opportunity to spend two days in August exploring the North Carolina Mountains, taking a train ride and mining for gold.

    For more information and to register, contact Jeanie Edwards at 910-321-6864 or via email at jeanie_edwards@ncsu.edu.
  • 12 1 Hope Mills Dam normal conditionsFor a second time, the restored Hope Mills dam has been recognized with a national award for its design and construction. The town recently announced that the dam has been awarded the Envision Bronze Award from the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure. Don Sisko, head of public works for the town of Hope Mills, said the award is presented to projects like the Hope Mills dam on the basis of their resilience and sustainability.

    Sisko said the award was based on 64 grading criteria. The dam has already been through two hurricanes since the water was impounded behind it, but Sisko said he’s not sure if that was part of the grading criteria that earned Hope Mills the award.

    In his work with the dam, Sisko said it has been relatively carefree to maintain. “You always anticipate you’re going to find a little glitch here or there,’’ he said. “As far as actual operation of the dam goes, we’ve not had any problems with that.

    “We’ve done our standard maintenance. I haven’t had to do anything out of the ordinary.’’

    Currently, the levels in Hope Mills Lake are low to allow for the installation of a permanent bulkhead along one shoreline, where the will public have access.

    Sisko said there has been no problem during that time with dissolved oxygen levels, nor any reports of fish kills downstream from the lake. It also hasn’t interfered with any downstream work projects.

    12 2 Hope Mills Dam during hurricane“It’s worked as advertised,’’ Sisko said of the dam. “Like I tell folks, it was designed based on good scientific practices and built on good construction practices.’’

    The town’s elected leaders, including Commissioners Jessie Bellflowers and Pat Edwards and Mayor Jackie Warner, all praised the work of Schnabel Engineering and ASI Constructors, builders of the dam.

    “The Schnabel engineering design team collaborated with the town of Hope Mills Lake Advisory Committee, town officials and public involvement,’’ Bellflowers said. “As a community, we are extremely proud of this national award-winning project that serves the quality-of-life needs of our community for years to come.’’

    Edwards praised the members of the previous Board of Commissioners who chose Schnabel and ASI for the building of the new dam. “The people we worked with and the geniality we had with everybody, and a board that worked together as a team, you can get a lot more accomplished,’’ she said. “The dam is beautiful. I love it. Everybody loves it.’’

    While proud of the award, Warner expressed sadness that town leaders like the late Edwin Deaver and Bob Gorman were not alive to see the result of their hard work.

    Warner, Deaver and Gorman were part of the traveling team representing the town that went to Concord, Charlotte and Raleigh during the process of choosing Schnabel and ASI to oversee the dam’s construction.

    “It would have been nice if they had been around for that first ribbon cutting,’’ Warner said of Deaver and Gorman, adding in the names of former mayors Al Brafford and Eddie Dees.

    “It’s a sustainable design, meaning it should last for many years,’’ Warner said. “It has already withstood two hurricanes and a whole bunch of bad weather. I think it has taken the test already (that) you might not have expected it to take for lots of years.’’

    The Hope Mills dam, pictured left under normal conditions, has already withstood two hurricanes, pictured right. It recently won its second national award for its design and construction. 

     

     

Latest Articles

  • AI will aid transit, not transform it
  • Welcome to summer: Is it hot enough for you?
  • Troy's Perspective: Fayetteville's Mayoral race
  • Health & Wellness: Finding hope: A veteran’s journey from combat to healing
  • FAST offers summer bus pass for Fayetteville teens
  • United Way of CC launches Literacy Council
Up & Coming Weekly Calendar
  

Login/Subscribe