This summer’s East All-Star girls basketball team will have a strong Cumberland County flavor. The head coach and three players on the team hail from Fayetteville.

Pine Forest’s David May will serve as head coach for the East team in the annual East- West All-Star game. It will be played Monday, July 15, at the Greensboro Coliseum.

The girls will play at 6:30 p.m., followed by the boys at 8:30 p.m.

Joining May as members of his East girls team will be Alex Scruggs of E.E. Smith, Kendal Moore of Pine Forest and Kate Perko of Terry Sanford.

Scruggs was the Player of the Year in the Patriot Athletic Conference while Moore made first team all-conference. Scruggs is going to Wake Forest, and Moore is headed for North Carolina State.

Perko was a second team All-Patriot Athletic Conference selection. She will be playing for Meredith College.

The East All-Star boys basketball roster was announced earlier, and there is one Cumberland County player on the squad. Brion McLaurin of Seventy-First, Player of the Year in the Sandhills Athletic Conference, will perform for the East squad.

L to R: David May and Kendal Moore

A political operative described by The New York Times as “the Michelangelo of gerrymandering” for changing the U.S. House and legislatures from one party’s control to the other for years to come dies, leaving behind his computers and associated hardware. Enter his estranged daughter, who accidentally reads about his departure from this world on the internet and then returns home to help her mother. In sorting through her father’s personal effects, the daughter finds a plastic bag of hard drives and thumb drives, all containing backed-up data from the deceased’s computer. The widow allows her daughter to keep the backups, which turn out to contain about 75,000 files of photos and personal information, along with a gold mine of political material from the operative’s partisan work.

Want more?

In her search for an attorney to handle her late father’s estate, our estranged daughter rings up a citizen advocacy group and offhandedly mentions her father’s backup files. Staff ears perk right up, and next thing you know, lawyers are trotting out the files for use in gerrymandering lawsuits in various courts all the way to the United States Supreme Court.

And the real kicker?

Not only do the files detail race-based and partisan gerrymandering schemes for several states, but they also reveal a study concluding that adding a question about U.S. citizenship to the 2020 census questionnaire would depress immigrant participation in the census, thereby shifting political clout to the political party that hired the operative in the first place. In promoting a failed plan to base Texas legislative districts not on total population but on voting-age citizens, the deceased operative wrote that maps drawn that way “would be advantageous to Republicans and non-Hispanic whites.”

You might find all this too absurd for even a made-for-TV movie, but, in fact, it is all true. The operative’s name was not Michelangelo but Thomas Hofeller, and he died in Raleigh last summer. He was the architect of North Carolina’s massive 2011 gerrymander, a substantial portion of which has been found unconstitutional while other parts are still in litigation.

His daughter, Stephanie Hofeller, did indeed find those files and ultimately deliver them to Common Cause, which has worked for decades for gerrymandering reform. Whether the citizenship question will appear on the 2020 U.S. Census form is now before the U.S. Supreme Court with a ruling expected within the next few weeks.

Gerrymandering is hardly new news, and many North Carolinians are familiar with and revolted by what happened in our state and others in 2011. A political operative’s involvement in developing questions for a constitutionally required census of all Americans is new news and also revolting. Both go to the issue of how government at all levels works for all Americans — or whether it actually does at all.

The saga of Thomas Hofeller is spectacular, but it is only one of many involving hired political operatives. All of them beg the question of whether the people we elect to represent us in Congress and state legislatures are doing that work or farming it out to professional consultants to avoid public transparency and to achieve partisan objectives.

Any of us can express our thoughts to our elected representatives if we choose to do so, but a precious few of us are insiders enough to be able to express our views to the Thomas Hofellers of this world.

The lesson here is to pay attention and be involved.

The quotation “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty” is often attributed to Thomas Jefferson, but also to Thomas Paine and others. Whoever penned it was speaking across time to us.

No. That’s the consensus of most Hope Mills residents. They think not. And, there is a reason for that: It was their money the Hope Mills commissioners so recklessly spent on a frivolous investigation that netted the same conclusions Hopemills.net and Up & Coming Weekly community newspaper have been reporting for nearly four months.

Everything we reported and editorialized about, including Lone Survivor Foundation, alleged improprieties of Mayor Jackie Warner, art sculptures, the Hope Mills Lake bulkheads, Teddy Warner, the Cumberland County Economic Development Corporation, closed sessions — all of it has been proven and brought to a vindicated conclusion. Last Wednesday, May 29, was the day of reckoning when Hope Mills Commissioners Jerry Legge, Meg Larson, Jessie Bellflowers and Mike Mitchell received the results of an investigation they initiated to try and expose improprieties and wrongdoings by Warner.

They voted to hire a Raleigh law firm to conduct an impartial investigation for a whopping $26,000 of Hope Mills taxpayers’ money. Even more alarming and disappointing to the residents of Hope Mills is that they paid that exorbitant fee for information and verification that we, as a local media source, have been providing Hope Mills for free all along.

So, even with the $26,000 price tag and complete exoneration of any wrongdoing by Warner, the town of Hope Mills staff or Warner’s family members, the question remains: Is it over? Really over? Will Legge, Larson, Mitchell and Bellflowers relinquish their pursuit to discredit Warner, impede her progress and keep her from performing her duties and responsibilities as the mayor of Hope Mills? Will they focus their attention on cooperation and pursuits that will move Hope Mills forward?

I posed the question, “Is it over?” in writing to Larson, Mitchell and Bellflowers and asked them to respond with a statement of assurance. I let them know that once received, I would print their responses, verbatim, in this article or provide them their own space in Up & Coming Weekly to state their position.

As of June 2, only Bellflowers responded. Here is what he wrote:

“The findings of the investigation have been presented, and in my opinion, any further investigation(s) and all the finger pointing needs to end here. While I am sure not everyone agrees with the findings, the bottom line is there are no winners here! Should the LSF proposal been handled and presented in a more professional matter — you bet. Lessons learned. Going forward, we need to develop and approve effective protocols regarding the purchase/sale/ lease of any town-owned, municipal property areas. My hope is, perhaps... just perhaps … we can ALL move on from this investigation and use our positive energy — collectively — to engage on completion of the most needed projects our community citizens expect and deserve from their Town Board and Staff leaders. Our citizens deserve no less!”

Our newspaper always strives to inform the Hope Mills community, providing news, insights and information they can trust and encouraging them to get involved in all those things that affect their business, family or quality of life.

We have covered the town’s elected officials for months, including conflicts over art sculptures, Lone Survivor Foundation and false allegations and charges against the mayor and her family. Our blanket coverage of this ordeal from start to finish is the near perfect example of why Bellflowers, Mitchell, Larson and Legge voted to cancel the Hope Mills Initiative with our newspaper. It had nothing to do with the $28,000 cost. It was about greed, selfishness and obsession with power. Knowledge and information are power.

They wanted to control the governing narrative by restricting media access to the citizens of Hope Mills — especially when it came to important issues. The objective was no transparency. They wanted to keep residents uninformed about town issues by limiting residents’ access to an independent media source they could not control. The board’s uncontained outrage, disdain and hostility toward Up & Coming Weekly came as a result of us not going away after they canceled our contract. It was unsettling to them that we continued to do our job of reporting the truth, advocating for the welfare of the citizens.

I will end with this suggestion for everyone in Hope Mills. You are a community of nearly 17,000 residents. That’s a 17,000-strong voting bloc. It’s much larger and much more influential than these distractors. Shut them down by ditching their negative propaganda on social media. Don’t tune in. That includes the Hope Mills Chatter. It also consists of the postings of the Hope Mills Bee and Hope Mills Outlook. Together, they represent only hundreds, not thousands, of Hope Mills residents — and therefore votes. Who cares what they say or print? They lack credibility. If they had any credibility, they would own their words and not hide behind anonymity.

The media is the natural enemy of those with intentions that are less than honorable. The previous board of Hope Mills commissioners understood this. This board, not so much.

Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly. We’re not going anywhere!

Photo: Jackie Warner

E.E. Smith High School’s Dee Major Hardy has received a number of significant honors in her long coaching career, but few will top the one she got at the school’s recent spring reunion. During the weekend ceremonies, the school announced that the basketball court in E.E. Smith’s D.S. Kelly Gymnasium had been named in Hardy’s honor, as the Dee Major Hardy Court.

Hardy was a high school basketball star at Smith before enrolling at what was then Pembroke State and is now the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. During her years there, she was second team National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics All- American in basketball in 1985 and two-time All-District player in volleyball in 1982 and 1983.

She finished her college basketball career with 1,555 points.

She joined the faculty at E.E. Smith after graduating Pembroke and has coached volleyball and basketball at the school. She’s led her teams to multiple conference titles in both volleyball and basketball.

In 2011, she was inducted into the Fayetteville Sports Club Hall of Fame.

She was the District 4 basketball Coach of the Year in 2018 and 2019. She won the 2011 North Carolina High School Athletic Association Doris Howard Female Coach of the Year Award and was a 2016 winner of the NCHSAA Homer Thompson Memorial Eight Who Make A Difference Award from Region 4.

Hardy joins Cape Fear’s Howard and Douglas Byrd’s Robin Long as the only Cumberland County female coaches to have a gym, court or field named for them. The softball field at Cape Fear High School bears Howard’s name while the softball field at Byrd is named for Long.

This past season was one of Hardy’s most successful as basketball coach at E.E. Smith. Her team compiled a 30-2 record, winning the Patriot Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles along with the Gene Arrington bracket of the annual Holiday Classic basketball tournament.

The Smith girls advanced to the NCHSAA 3-A Eastern Regional title game before falling 62-59 to Eastern Guilford.

Photo: Dee Major Hardy

Here is the Sandhills Athletic Conference baseball team as chosen by the league’s head coaches.

Player of the year: Bryce Calcutt, Pinecrest

Pitcher of the year: Hunter Parris, Richmond Senior

Coach of the year: Jeff Hewitt, Pinecrest

First team:

• Pinecrest — Elliot Embler, Nick Phantom, Jacob Zimmerman, Davis Wilson, Pres Ostert

• Jack Britt — Chase Jernigan, Alex Reyna, Kevin Sentell

• Purnell Swett — Zachary Carter, Jalyn McIntyre, Jeremiah Locklear

• Lumberton — Parks Ledwell

• Richmond Senior — Cameron Carraway, Jake Ransom, Tyler Bass, Brett Young, Garet Weigman

• Scotland — Stewart Evans, Matt Sellers, Michael Johnson, Nic Callahan

• Hoke County — Liam Miller

Photo: Alex Reyna

• Seventy-First — Jamiese Alston

After being in operation for less than two years, the Gary Weller Foundation has enjoyed rapid growth that allowed it to triple the amount of money it awarded in its annual scholarships. After presenting two $500 scholarships a year ago, the foundation awarded a pair of $1,500 scholarships to students at Pine Forest High School this year.

The winners were Allyssa Rancour of the girls soccer team and Tanner Hendricks of the boys soccer team. The award is presented to student-athletes at Pine Forest who had to overcome adversity, befitting of a scholarship presented in honor of Weller, the former Pine Forest football coach. Weller sustained multiple serious injuries some years ago when he was run over by a driver in a stolen vehicle.

Cumberland County Commissioner Jimmy Keefe is a Pine Forest graduate and one of the organizers of the Gary Weller Foundation. He said the foundation was able to dramatically increase the amount of the scholarship awarded this year because of a highly successful Trojan Challenge obstacle course competition that was held last fall. “We’re hoping to increase it next year, hopefully with a second annual Trojan Challenge,’’ Keefe said.

Keefe said much of the credit for the success of the foundation has to go to Weller, his story and the positive attitude that has carried him through adversity. “Gary has made a lot of friends in this community and has always been an advocate for young people,’’ Keefe said. “He continued on after his coaching days, supporting the community and the young. It’s more Gary than me or anybody else on the committee.’’

In addition to another Trojan Challenge, Keefe said the committee is looking at other ways to raise money for future scholarships.

They’ve floated an idea of holding a coaching clinic for local high school, middle school and recreation league coaches, possibly using veteran coaches from the area as clinicians or speakers.

“We’d have a symposium and questions and answers,’’ Keefe said. “If we did that, we might be doing it during the summer, another way to keep the Gary Weller Foundation in the public eye as we go throughout the year.’’

There are several ways to contact the Weller Foundation about making a contribution or learning more about the organization. Email info@trojanchallenge.org, visit the website at www.trojanchallenge.org, or visit the Facebook page, The Gary Weller Foundation.

Photo: Allysa Rancour and Tanner Hendricks

Editor’s note: May 29, the Hope Mills Board of Commissioners met to hear the results of an investigation by the law firm Cauley Pridgen P.A. into the 2018 proposed sale of Lakebed #2, property owned by Hope Mills. The potential buyer was a nonprofit called Lone Survivor Foundation  LSF intended to purchase town property for development of a retreat center for military service members suffering from the aftereffects of war. The investigation by Cauley Pridgen P.A. cost the town’s taxpayers $26,000 and took five months to complete. It absolved Hope Mills Mayor Jackie Warner and her son, Teddy Warner, of any wrongdoing in relation to dealings with LSF.

An excerpt from the official report by Cauley Pridgen P.A.: The specific scope of the assignment was as follows: The Hope Mills Board of Commissioners commissioned an investigation into (1) allegations of ethical misconduct by members of the town of Hope Mills Board of Commissioners (mayor and commissioners) and town staff pertaining to various sections of the town’s code of ethics and conduct for town officials; and (2) allegations of inappropriate protocols used by all parties during the decision-making process regarding all official correspondence and efforts to purchase/lease municipal property presented or submitted by the Lone Survivor Foundation to the town of Hope Mills during the period of December 1, 2017 to November 6, 2018.

The investigation by Jeff Thompson

James P. Cauley III, president of Cauley Pridgen P.A., is an acknowledged expert in municipal law. Cauley is a certified superior court mediator and has served as a legal instructor at Campbell University School of Law, Barton College and Wilson Technical College. He was a charter member of the Council for the North Carolina Bar Association’s Government and Public Sector section and is also a past chairman of that section.

In his report to the Hope Mills Board of Commissioners, Cauley repeatedly indicated he wasn’t exactly sure what the board wanted from him other than the lengthy written report. He made a live 50-minute presentation referring to his notes. He acknowledged that his findings would likely not satisfy everyone.

Cauley learned during his investigation that the mayor and some members of the board were at odds with one another.

A significant determination was that, in his opinion, Mayor Jackie Warner did not act improperly by not immediately informing commissioners of LSF’s interest in the property at Lakebed #2.

Cauley noted that typically, mayors and town managers learn of economic opportunities before the interest becomes commonly known. He said Warner’s initial awareness of LSF’s interest in the site and her presentation to the board in a closed meeting were insignificant.

Cauley noted Warner had worked well with boards of commissioners during her eight years in office, but that “when the new board took office in December of 2017, that relationship changed.”

He declared it appeared at times that the mayor’s endorsement of a matter would automatically trigger opposition by certain members of the board. Cauley did not name the members, but Mayor pro tem Mike Mitchell and Commissioner Meg Larson have been outspoken in their opposition to Warner. Cauley went on to say that “2018 was a time of transition into the new roles and board members’ expectations.”

In 2018, after squabbling during numerous public meetings and closed sessions, the town board decided not to entertain an offer from the LSF to purchase town property.

Cauley concluded that the mayor, board members and town staff did not engage in unethical lapses of judgment or intentional misbehavior. His overall conclusion was that allegations of misconduct by any party were unfounded.

Mayor Warner and Commissioner Edwards by Earl Vaughan Jr.

Cauley said his probe into dealings between the town of Hope Mills and LSF came down to two central issues.

“It is attributable to a combination of rookie mistakes and changing governance policies,’’ he said.

In short, newcomers to the Hope Mills Board of Commissioners unfamiliar with how cooperative government works over-reached in their jobs and developed a hostile relationship with Warner, who had been serving with previous boards since 2011 with no conflicts nearly as unpleasant as this one became.

Pat Edwards, the lone Hope Mills commissioner on the current board who consistently backed Warner following the new board’s arrival after the 2017 elections, said the new members of the board didn’t realize the board needed to work together and not venture out on individual missions. 

Edwards said Warner has been active in her role as mayor, dealing with organizations and boards around Fayetteville and Cumberland County, representing Hope Mills and making numerous connections with other government leaders. “She knows so many people,” Edwards said. “She is the mayor and should be respected as the mayor.”

This issue has been deeply personal for the mayor, as attacks have been mounted not only on her but on her son Teddy Warner, who was involved with the presentation made by the Fayetteville Cumberland Economic Development Commission on behalf of the Lone Survivor project.

When Cauley exonerated Teddy of any hint of wrongdoing or standing to benefit from any of his work on behalf of LSF, the mayor said she was thinking the whole time that prayers are answered. “That is one thing we’ve prided ourselves on as parents and members of the community — character and integrity,’’ Warner said. “Do what you say and always be a good public servant.”

In defense of Warner’s son, Cauley noted that Teddy had nothing to gain financially from his role in the Lone Survivor presentation and that there was no mention of a benefit for him. “It appears he was performing his job duties as assigned, (with) the added personal incentive he genuinely thought he was bringing a coveted project to his hometown, a town in need of economic development opportunities,’’ Cauley said.

Cauley said his investigation showed previous boards gave Warner more freedom to exercise her leadership, giving deference to her acting independently as the town’s chief ambassador. That relationship began to change when the new board was seated. “It appears at times the mayor’s endorsement of a matter could automatically prompt opposition,’’ Cauley said.

A specific case in point involved the board’s reaction to its failure to renew an agreement with a professor at the University of North Carolina- Pembroke. The agreement involved contracting the professor’s students to create sculptures to be displayed at various points around town. Warner did not bring the matter of renewal to the board’s attention; it was reported the previous year, and board members knew they had to vote to renew the agreement to continue getting the art.

When Up & Coming Weekly published a story about the failure of the board to renew the agreement, the board called a special meeting to deal with the story. Commissioner Larson accused the story’s reporter of fabricating comments by the UNC-Pembroke professor. This reporter categorically denies that accusation and stands fully by the accuracy of the comment.

The comment the professor made about how the board handled the art contract basically repeated what Cauley said in his report about the board tending to reject anything Warner supports. The result was a vote of no confidence in the mayor by the board.

While the board has the legal right to set the limits of the mayor’s power, after Warner had a freer hand as mayor under previous boards, Cauley suggested the sudden switch in what the mayor can and can’t do could be a handicap for all involved.

“Their effectiveness in governing the jurisdiction depends entirely on the personalities involved,’’ Cauley said. “Hardball politics can make a board ineffective or dysfunctional.’’

Warner said her major problem in working with the current board has been that some of them don’t seem to understand the relationship between the mayor and the commissioners and the different roles they fill. “It’s not because it’s an ‘I’ thing with me,” Warner said. “Nine times out of 10, if television, radio, newspaper or anybody comes, they’re going to call the mayor. That’s just what happens.”

Warner’s parting words just before adjournment were from the heart, she said. “I don’t do anything without thinking first — is it right? Is it ethical?

“I don’t like the idea of my integrity and my character being judged. What you do sometimes in politics, it does hurt. But you do have to move forward. As mayor of Hope Mills, I try every day to make sure I represent Hope Mills the very best I can.’’

Warner said she does appreciate the current board and is doing her best to learn to work with each of them. “I hope we can move forward,’’ she said.

She then called on the Hope Mills community to end negative comments on social media. “We need your support now,’’ she said. “We don’t need to be torn apart anymore.’’

What’s next? by Elizabeth Blevins

Commissioner Jerry Legge was quick to accept Cauley’s presentation and said, “I think the lesson we’ve learned is we just need to move forward … and we need to do what’s best for this town.” His sentiment was echoed by Commissioner Jessie Bellflowers and by the mayor.

But Larson and Mayor pro tem Mitchell bombarded Cauley with questions and reiterated old accusations. Later that evening, Mitchell used social media to cast doubt on the integrity of the investigation, posting, “When ethics are no longer black and white but gray what will become of our beloved town?”

By the next morning, the situation had turned ugly. Mitchell blocked Sue Moody, a citizen of Hope Mills and Mitchell’s neighbor, from posting on his official Facebook page. The North Carolina State Supreme Court ruled in January 2019 it is unconstitutional for an elected official to block members of the general public from commenting on their social media accounts.

Moody, who attended the May 29 meeting, isn’t hopeful Mitchell or Larson can learn from the situation and move forward. Of their behavior at the meeting, Moody said, “The first question was challenging the investigator, simply to put into public record, again, the accusations when they’d already been addressed. They were defensive and aggressive; there was no spirit of working together for the good of the people. You can tell they both have their own agendas.”

The board has made a habit of spending an exorbitant amount of money on surveys, investigations and studies, only to discover they don’t like the results rendered. They follow up by discrediting the experts and the processes to invalidate those results, leaving them free to deviate in whichever directions they want to go.

For those following this investigation, it wasn’t a surprise when the mayor and her staff were exonerated. Nor was it a surprise when Mitchell and Larson refused to accept the results of the investigation.

Several members of the board need to issue apologies to a very long list of people and organizations.

Larson has publicly referred to the offer by LSF as the “LSF ordeal” on two separate occasions in the past month. She was also part of a conversation in which it was alleged the mayor’s son was offered bribes to facilitate the sale of municipal land to LSF. She and Mitchell have consistently used social media and their elected positions as a pulpit from which to judge and condemn the mayor and her family, and they’ve spent the better part of their tenure rewriting longstanding rules of procedure to strip the mayor of all authority.

They owe apologies to Fayetteville Cumberland County Economic Development Corporation President and CEO Robert Van Geons and his staff, to the Hope Mills staff at Town Hall and to members of the local media.

Finally, the commissioners owe an apology to the people of Hope Mills. After 18 months of reminding us it’s their sworn duty to be good stewards of our assets, it was difficult to watch them toss $26,000 toward an investigation based on fabricated allegations. And in the days that followed, they and their small group of supporters added insult to injury when they undermined Cauley and his investigation to justify their own bad behavior.

Despite the investigation, which had just cleared Warner of any wrongdoing, Mitchell and Larson chose to continue a one-sided feud. Fortunately, the voters of Hope Mills will render a final decision on this issue in November.

There’s nothing like a horse-drawn carriage ride through downtown Fayetteville. Even more exciting are the historical carriage tours of Olde Fayetteville that cover 250 years of history in 45 minutes. This summer, Cool Spring Downtown District invites the public to “time travel” with horse and carriage on three Saturdays: June 15, July 13 and Aug. 17.

The tours consist of about one mile of historical sites downtown, but no two tours are alike “because everybody’s different,” said Hank Parfitt, a tour guide and volunteer with CSDD and the Downtown Alliance. “All the tour guides have their special things that they like the most, so no, you wouldn’t get the same tour every time.”

Among several other sites, stops include the old courthouse on Gillespie Street, Evans Metropolitan AME Zion Church, Cool Spring Tavern and the Market House. The tour guide’s goal is to make the town’s past exciting for everyone involved, history buff or not. “That’s part of what the guides do, and it’s so important,” said Parfitt. “(They’re) not there to just spew out a bunch of facts (they) have memorized. What makes it fun is you talking and telling the stories of these events and the people connected with them.

“It’s a double whammy: You find history that is fun, you have a good time doing it, and you learn more about your town.”

Baseball lovers are welcome, too. If you attend a Fayetteville Woodpeckers home game any time from May 29 to June 10 and save your ticket, you’ll get a discount on a carriage ride. “If you bring in your used ticket … you’ll get a 40% discount,” said Parfitt. “And it has to be in advance; you can’t do it the day of. At the time you make your reservation, you’ll also be entered into a drawing for four free (Fayetteville Woodpeckers) tickets.”

Reserve a tour and bring your used ticket by the CSDD office at 222 Hay St. for the discount.

Kris Johnson, another tour guide, is excited to see historical Fayetteville’s evolution into a thriving city. “You don’t always appreciate what’s in your ow  backyard,” said Johnson. “We are in such a renaissance. It’s exciting to see people come down and get that positive energy going. Fayetteville’s got a lot to offer, and we always have; it’s amazing.”

Cool Spring also offers holidaythemed carriage rides throughout the year for holidays like Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day.

Historical carriage tours of Olde Fayetteville will take place June 15 from 1-5 p.m., July 13 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m., and August 17 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Groups of all sizes are welcome, but call 910-223-1089 if your group includes more than four people. Tours depart at 222 Hay St., across from the Cameo Art House Theatre. For tickets, call 910-223-1089 or visit www.visitdowntownfayetteville.com.

Time is running out to apply to be either a parade participant or a vendor in this year’s morning Hope Mills Fourth of July Parade and evening Independence Day celebration.

The separate forms for both parade participants and vendors are available on the town website, www.townofhopemills.com, by clicking on the links to Departments, Parks and Recreation and then Special Events. Both applications are due at the parks and recreation offices off Rockfish Road by June 14. The parade and the evening celebration are both on Thursday, July 4.

Meghan Freeman, who is coordinating the parade and the celebration, said both entry forms and the packets that come with them include specific rules about do’s and don’ts for both parade entries and vendors.

Any questions about what works and what doesn’t can be directed to her via her email at mhawkins@townofhopemills.com.

There will be one major change to the traditional parade route. For years, it has started at Hope Mills Middle School on Cameron Road, wound its way down Main Street, then finished up on Rockfish Road near Town Hall and Municipal Park.

For multiple reasons, this year’s parade route will be reversed. Parade entries will assemble near Rockfish Elementary School on Rockfish Road, then the parade will head in reverse back down Rockfish Road, under the railroad trestle and through downtown Hope Mills, ending at Hope Mills Middle School.

Freeman said a major reason for changing the route involved the schedule of Fourth of July events. The parade begins at 10 a.m., and when it ends there is a long delay until 4 p.m., when the celebration begins at Municipal Park.

With the new route, the area around the park will be cleared as soon as the parade has passed. There won’t be a crowd milling around waiting for the 4 p.m. activities to begin, and vendors will have plenty of time to get set up once the parade is over.

Spectators won’t notice another major benefit from the change, but high school bands and other walking units in the parade definitely will. Now that the parade is headed in the opposite direction, people on foot won’t have to walk up two imposing hills. The first hill comes up from the railroad trestle and the second is the gradual incline from Main Street up Rockfish Road to the Town Hall and Municipal Park area.

Freeman said although the bands didn’t complain, they weren’t terribly excited about the old route for that reason.

Freeman said the Fourth of July parade usually draws about 65-70 entries and 30-40 vendors at the park. The annual Christmas parade is usually a bigger draw, she said, with up to 90 entries. It’s not that one is more popular than the other, she said, noting that the season of the year has a lot to do with it.

“Christmas is usually bigger because it’s on Saturday and school is still in,’’ Freeman said. “There are more people here.’’

A long list of rules is included in the form for the parade, but Freeman hit on a few of the bigger  ones.

Businesses and organizations taking part in the parade can’t throw candy to the crowd from the floats. There is too much danger of people being injured scrambling for it. Any group that wants to give something out during the parade must actually hand it directly to spectators.

No profanity or alcoholic beverages are allowed on floats.

All parade entries who are mounted on horses have to provide for their own cleanup.

All motorcycle riders in the parade must wear a helmet.

The hours for the Independence Day celebration will be 4-10 p.m. and will include the traditional fireworks show.

Several other activities, aside from the planned vendors, will be held at the celebration at Municipal Park. They include pony rides, a petting zoo, a 28-foot rock-climbing wall, a foam pit and a mechanical shark ride. Freeman said in the past the petting zoo has included a lemur, alpaca, kangaroo, llama and a miniature horse.

She described the foam pit as being similar to soap suds. The mechanical shark is similar to a mechanical bull.

Musical groups scheduled to perform at the celebration include Open Road and the Guy Unger Band.

Dr. John D Fuller, who recently died, leaves behind a sprawling legacy bigger than the huge church building complex and congregation he helped grow during his many years as the pastor at Lewis Chapel Missionary Baptist Church. Fuller died at the age of 73, just days after his birthday on May 23.

He was honored this past weekend with three funeral services — one in Rockingham, where he served as a pastor after his retirement from Lewis Chapel four years ago, and two in Fayetteville. 

The Rev. Christoppher Stackhouse Sr., who became the pastor at Lewis Chapel in 2016 following Fuller’s retirement, said Fuller was like a father to many people. “I’ve never seen so many grown men cry at the loss of someone,’’ Stackhouse said.

One of the biggest lessons Stackhouse said he learned from Fuller was that where you live doesn’t define who you are. Stackhouse said Fuller believed you didn’t have to be from New York City or Atlanta, Georgia, to have an impact on people — or the world. His philosophy was not to use where you are as an excuse to not pursue as much as you possibly can or to not do what you possibly can.

Stackhouse said Fuller displayed a level of humility and integrity that Stackhouse has tried to model in his own life.

“For somebody that accomplished as much as he did and was respected as much as he was, he was very humble,’’ Stackhouse said. “When he came in, he didn’t come in with a lot of fanfare and flash. You would take note of his stature, but you wouldn’t take note of him because he came in being loud and demanding attention.”

The Rev. Cureton Johnson of First Baptist Church on Moore Street, who retired earlier this year, first crossed paths with Fuller when Johnson was a young minister starting out. Fuller invited Johnson to come to his Lewis Chapel Church and preach one Sunday morning.

“He’s one of those folks who helped a lot of people along the way,” Johnson said. “He produced a whole lot of ministers out of his church. I wouldn’t be surprised if he produced 100 ministers over there.”

Johnson worked with Fuller when Fuller rose to leadership positions within the Missionary Baptist Church. Fuller was president of the General Baptist State Convention of North Carolina at one point in his career.

“Dr. Fuller had a lot of influence among the Baptist churches of the city, county and around the state,” Johnson said. “He just had a gift of leadership. He took Lewis Chapel when they only had a few members and took them to 3,000-4,000 members. That takes someone with a lot of charisma and giftedness.”

People who attended Fuller’s services at Lewis Chapel, both long-term and short-term, came away impressed with his ministry.

Billy King, a former Cumberland County commissioner, has been going to Lewis Chapel since the early 1980s. He described Fuller as a spiritual and forthright person who believed in fairness and equity. “I think he really loved the Lord,” King said. “We have a good-sized church, but I think he knew the names of almost every member.” \

Marsha Mann Lake attended services at Lewis Chapel during a time in the mid-1990s when she was seeking a new church home. She recalled Fuller as being a mesmerizing speaker. “He was so engaging and enthralling,” she said. “He makes you feel special. He was extra special in everything he did.”

Photo: Dr. John D. Fuller

Here is the Sandhills Athletic Conference softball team as chosen by the league’s head coaches.

Pitcher of the year: Morgan Britt, Lumberton and Greyson Way, Richmond Senior

Player of the year: Carlie Myrtle, Jack Britt

Coach of the year: Wendy Wallace, Richmond Senior

First team:

• Richmond Senior — Savannah Lampley, Taylor Parrish, Aliyah Swiney, Payton Chappell, Kayla Hawkins

• Jack Britt — Jessica McRae, Alyssa Brown, Catie McGrath

• Lumberton — Madison Canada, Ashley Prevatte, Kasey West

• Purnell Swett — JaiLeana Deese, Chandra Locklear, Katlyn Jones, Trinity Locklear

• Scotland — Olivia Hyatt, Taylor Whitley

• Hoke County — Ina Womack, Kiya Locklear

• Pinecrest — Katelyn Chisholm, Hannah Spinali

• Seventy-First — Lacey Henry

Photo: Carlie Myrtle

Residents and business owners in Fayetteville’s historic Haymount community will soon see some significant improvements at the five-point intersection at the top of the Hay Street hill. The North Carolina Department of Transportation has earmarked $10,000 for preliminary engineering for a project designed to make the area safer for pedestrians and motorists, according to Eric Vitale, a planner with the Fayetteville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization.

The city of Fayetteville has already created new crosswalks where Highland and Oakridge Avenues intersect the business district. The other three roads, Hay Street, Morganton Road and Fort Bragg Road, are state-maintained streets. The DOT will completely remake the confluence of the five roadways with new crosswalks, traffic signals and push-button pedestrian controls.

The speed limit along Morganton and Fort Bragg Roads in the business center was reduced to 25 mph several years ago when an elderly pedestrian was struck and killed.

In March of last year, the five-point commercial district was transformed into a pedestrian-friendly area on a Saturday afternoon as part of a Build a Better Block project. “The purpose of this project (was) to revitalize the area, test ideas for the future, increase pedestrian safety, engage the community and boost the economy,” Vitale said in a news release.

During the event, Hay Street, Morganton Road and Fort Bragg Road were temporarily converted into a pedestrian- friendly area with narrowed traffic lanes, widened sidewalks, bike lanes, crosswalks, benches and plazas. “Fayetteville is a perfect place for a Better Block project, especially considering that out of the 141 cities in the country with a population greater than 200,000, Fayetteville ranks last in walkability,” Vitale said.

Much of the one-day outlook was familiar to panelists who took part in a local Urban Land Development Institute public meeting a year earlier, in April of 2017. It, too, proposed changes for Haymount Hill — in conjunction with the North Carolina Civil War & Reconstruction History Center planned for Arsenal Park. A technical assistance panel presented recommendations on strategies to leverage the future of the History Center, which is expected to generate on- and offsite income of $5 million annually.

As many as 130,000 people are projected to visit the History Center, which will become a branch of the state history museum complex. The technical assistance panel was to assess and provide advice on the challenges to create a more vibrant mixed-use Fayetteville neighborhood following the eventual opening of the History Center. The group was also supposed to address pedestrian and transportation needs. But the Urban Land Development Institute plans never came to fruition.

City officials who may know why that is have declined to elaborate. “The group hasn’t met in more than a year,” said Deputy City Manager Kristoff Bauer.

“The city no longer has someone on staff who is actively working the walkability study from a few years ago,” added city spokesman Kevin Arata.

It will be up to FAMPO and the DOT to carry Haymount’s walkability development forward.

President Donald Trump and his Veterans Affairs secretary are claiming full credit for health care improvements that took place before they were in office. Trump said he passed a private-sector health care program known as Veterans Choice, after failed attempts by past presidents. The Choice program, which allows veterans to see doctors outside the government-run VA system was passed in 2014 under President Barack Obama.

Trump’s recently appointed VA secretary, Robert Wilkie of Fayetteville, is also distorting the facts. He suggested it was his efforts that improved waiting times at VA medical centers. The study cited by Wilkie on wait times covers the period from 2014 to 2017 — long before he was appointed VA secretary.

The VA “had suffered from bad leadership,” Wilkie said. “I had to make sure that as we approach our veteran population that we make sure that they are at the center, their needs are at the center of what we do... I think we’ve had it backwards at VA for many years.”

In an interview with Fox News, Wilkie claimed that now “we have same-day mental health service.” Same-day mental health service started at the VA before Trump took office. The VA’s effort to provide same-day primary and mental health care, when medically necessary, at every VA medical center was publicized in April 2016 during the Obama administration.

Roadside trash isn’t getting picked up

“We’ve got a systemic problem,” Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin said, moments after City Council member Bill Crisp complained that areas of Strickland Bridge Road have mattresses and box springs at the curb that haven’t been picked up since he complained about it a week earlier.

The remarks came during a May 28 City Council dinner meeting. City Manager Doug Hewett reminded Council that the city can’t respond to issues as quickly as he would like.

“There’s no money in the budget,” Hewett said. “We’ve got to figure out a way to flex.”

Councilmember Kathy Jensen said the public needs to be better educated when it comes to garbage and yard debris pickup in addition to bulky items and tree limbs. Hewett noted that since 2013, residents have not been required to report special needs and so they simply put their junk at the curb.

Deputy fire chief promoted

Fayetteville City Manager Doug Hewett was apparently guided by local history when he named Deputy Fire Chief Mike Hill permanent chief of the Fire/ Emergency Management Department. Fayetteville fire department chief officers have been promoted from within since the agency became a full-time, paid department in 1947.

Hill has served with the fire department for more than 25 years and was appointed acting chief when Ben Major retired earlier this year.

“Michael Hill has the talent, experience and leadership abilities to be Fayetteville’s next fire chief,” Hewett said.

Hill has managed or been assigned to every division of the department. As chief, Hill will lead a staff of 331 operating out of 15 fire stations in North Carolina’s second-largest city geographically. He will manage a $29 million budget for a department that is internationally accredited and has achieved a class one ISO rating. ISO is the Insurance Services Office, whose ratings determine a community’s commercial insurance rates. The ratings also position fire departments competitively among themselves. A one rating is the highest to achieve.

Relief from the heat

The Cumberland County Department of Social Services is the latest agency to provide relief for those suffering from the current heat wave. D.S.S. will open an auxiliary lobby to members of the public on days when the heat index reaches 100 F and a heat advisory is issued. The effort provides relief for citizens who have no other way to escape the high summer temperatures.

The DSS building is at 1225 Ramsey St. The lobby areas will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Temperatures topped 100 F and regula

The Cole Humphrey Memorial Foundation recently made its annual donation to the football and baseball programs at the Cape Fear spring athletic banquet. The foundation is named for former Cape Fear multi-sport athlete Cole Humphrey, who died in an automobile accident. Accepting for the football team is assistant coach Chris Hall, far left, and for the baseball team head coach Wendell Smith, far right. Also present, from left, are Larry Ellis, Jana Humphrey, McRae Humphrey, Cape Fear athletic director Matt McLean and Ann Ellis.

This year’s donation is $2,000, which brings the total donated since 2014 to $12,000.

The Fayetteville Kiwanis Club presents its 68th annual Kiwanis Talent Night Showcase on Saturday, June 8, at 7 p.m. at Cape Fear Regional Theatre.

“May 18, dozens of children came through — preschoolers through 12th grade — to audition from public, private and Christian schools. There were also a lot of home-schoolers,” said Bill Bowman, chairman of the Kiwanis Talent Night Showcase. “We have five divisions, including a classical division. The talent is absolutely amazing.”

Bowman added that the showcase has lasted through so many years because of the way it is put together. He said the secret is in choosing qualified and knowledgeable judges for the event. The judges are experts in the areas of voice, music and dance, so they are informed and objective when it comes to judging the talent.

“We are putting a show together to highlight what we feel is the best of the best (students) that come out to audition,” said Bowman. “So, once we have them, we can put a show together that not only creates a wonderful evening of quality entertainment, but it gives the children a chance to showcase their talent.”

Bowman explained how the show is valuable to its participants. There are hundreds of local children who take voice, music and dance lessons, and they have very few venues in which to perform. Being able to perform at events like the Kiwanis showcase, Bowman said, “is really how you get good.”

Special guests include the 2019 Fayetteville Dogwood Festival Queens and the Campbellton Youth Chorus. The emcees of the event are John Kistler and Debbie Best.

JML Piano will provide a 7-foot grand piano for the contestants to play for their performances.

“This is a fundraiser for The Fayetteville Kiwanis Club, and all of the money raised will go back into the community in some sort of program of education,” said Bowman. “The Cumberland County Schools have been major sponsors of this event for over three decades, but everybody participates in it.”

The 2019 overall winner will receive a trophy and $200. In each division, the first-place winner will receive a trophy and $100, the second-place winner will receive a trophy and $50, and the third-place winner will receive a trophy and $25.

Four $150 music scholarships will also be awarded in the areas of voice, strings, piano and band instrument.

“I would like to thank the Cape Fear Regional Theatre for giving the kids this experience,” said Bowman. “We invite everyone to come out and enjoy this wonderful event.”

Tickets cost $8 at the door. Refreshments will be sold courtesy of Rocket Fizz Soda Pop and Candy Shop. For more information, contact Bowman at 910-391-3859.

Some wise person once said there are no coincidences. By coincidence, I can’t remember who said it. But since someone said it, I believe it, and that settles it.

I began thinking about coincidences with the confluence of the visit to Japan of our very own Dear Extremely Stable Genius Leader over the Memorial Day weekend, which also coincided with the biggest weekend for mattress sales in the known universe. For reasons known only to mattress factory owners, Memorial Day weekend is the Super Bowl for sales on oddly named and expensive mattresses. We shall explore the mysteries of the timing of mattress sales in more depth a few paragraphs down if you can tolerate reading the entire column.

But back to Dear Leader’s visit to Japan. Little Rocket Man, as Kim Jong Un was known before he and Dear Leader fell in love, after an 18-month hiatus recently launched two shortrange ballistic missiles. Some people who are paid to think about such things for a living have suggested that Kim fired his rockets as a cranky message to our Dear Leader that their love affair has not yet ripened into a sanctionfree North Korea. Even the noted pacifist John Bolton, the nominal national security adviser, said publicly that Kim’s rocket show violated the UN’s resolutions, which barred North Korea from launching missiles.

Dear Leader ignored Bolton’s observation that launching of the missiles was a provocation. The Pentagon also took the position that the launches were violations. Unfazed, Dear Leader sided with Kim against his own administration. No big deal.

Dear Leader explained “My people think it could have been a violation, as you know, I view it differently. There have been no ballistic missiles going out. There have been no long-range missiles going out. And I think that someday we’ll have a deal. I’m not in a rush.”

The prime minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe, who was next to Dear Leader, was more concerned, saying: “North Korea has launched a short-range ballistic missile. This is violating the Security Council resolution.” Abe is concerned, as Japan is in easy nuking range of North Korea’s missiles. Abe may be a worry-wart, but a missile by any other name would smell as sweet.

What are we to make of Dear Leader’s siding with Kim against the advice of the Pentagon and Bolton? As the King of Siam once said to Anna, “It is a puzzlement.”

Fortunately, I may have an explanation derived from Greek mythology and our old friend Icarus. Icarus’ daddy, Daedalus, was a handy guy around the workshop. King Minos of Crete had Daedalus build the labyrinth where the king imprisoned a Minotaur. The Minotaur is half man, half bull — and hungry all the time. The King didn’t want Daedalus and Icarus to spill the beans on how to get in and out of the labyrinth, so he locked them up in a tower.

Daedalus wasn’t happy about being imprisoned, so he made sets of wings for Icarus and himself. The wings were made of feathers stuck together with wax. The wings worked fine.

Daedalus warned Icarus not to fly too close to the sun as the wax would melt and the wings fail. Like most teenagers, Icarus didn’t pay much attention to what his dad said. Sure enough, Icarus started cutting fool when he was flying. He flew too close to the sun. His wings melted and down Icarus went into the sea, where he met a watery death. Bummer.

Now what does this have to do with Dear Leader’s love affair with Kim, you might ask if you have gotten this far. Dear Leader has been warned by his version of Daedalus — his advisers and the Pentagon — not to gettoo close to Kim. Like Icarus and the sun, Dear Leader has flown too close to Kim. Dear Leader even went out of his way on foreign soil to agree with Kim that presidential frontrunner Joe Biden was a “Swampman and a low-IQ individual.”

As someone said, love is blind. Dear Leader’s love for Kim is blind. You may be a murderous dictator, but if you criticize an enemy of Dear Leader, he will fly right up to you. What could go wrong?

As to the mattress sales that coincided with Dear Leader’s flight to the North Korean sun, consider the names of mattresses on sale. Most people consider a mattress a fairly mundane item. However, some branding geniuses came up with mattress names that sound more like fine wines or exotic sports cars. Imagine the safe and restful sleep you could get on the following mattresses: Cheswick Manor Bellefonte Pillow Top mattress, Performance Hybrid Trust II Reservoir III Luxury Plush, Hybrid Copper II Plush, Three Pools III Ultra Firm, Premium Achieving Luxury Firm, Premium Exuberant Luxury, Highgate Cushion Plus Hybrid, Rockwell Luxury Plush Euro Pillow Top, Airewood Karpen Wilshire Luxury Firm, Grandbed 7400, or the Kingsdown Wibraham Luxury Eurotop Hybrid. Makes me sleepy just thinking about it.

Even if Dear Leader gives away the farm while flying too close to Kim or Putin, America will always win the luxury mattress race, even if we have to use a CPAP to enjoy it.

We all want North Carolina to be an attractive place to live, work, create jobs, rear families and build communities. When we move from ends to means, the level of disagreement moves from low to high.

Generally speaking, progressives think that the best way to accomplish these goals is to expand government — to tax more, regulate more and spend more on government services. Conservatives generally think the best way to make North Carolina a more attractive place to live and work is to restrain government so that it delivers basic services more cost-effectively, allowing households to keep more of their own money and freedom to use as they wish.

The dispute is often framed solely in the context of interstate mobility. Certainly we want people, businesses and jobs to flow in rather than out. But let’s be more specific. Our growth over time depends heavily on our rate of entrepreneurship, the rate at which people — natives or newcomers — create and expand new businesses in our state.

There are many different ways to assess the rate of business formation. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics counts jobs and business establishments across the country. Over the past three years, new enterprises represented about 3.11% of establishments in North Carolina. That’s modestly higher than the national average but lower than that of regional rivals such as Florida.

A set of entrepreneurship indicators compiled by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation helps fill in the picture a bit more. While a higher proportion of Floridians (.42%) than North Carolinians (.28%) started a business last year, for example, that doesn’t tell the whole story. A higher share of those Florida entrepreneurs started their businesses “by necessity,” in other words because they lost a previous job. Entrepreneurship by choice was higher in our state. North Carolina startups were also slightly more likely than Florida startups to survive into a second year.

However our state might fare in an elaborate applesto- apples comparison, there’s little doubt that North Carolina would be better off if more people were willing and able to take a chance on new business ventures in our state. You often hear the claim that small businesses are more important than large businesses when it comes to creating new jobs, or bringing to market new products and services that satisfy consumer demands. This isn’t quite right. A disproportionate amount of new economic value, including employment, comes from new businesses, regardless of size, although of course most new businesses start out small.

So, how can policymakers foster a stronger culture of entrepreneurship in our state? Both ideological coalitions offer predictable sets of answers. Progressives insist that government ought to spend more on public services even if it means higher taxes and that the new regulations they favor would confer more benefits than costs on North Carolinians, including those inclined to start and grow new businesses. Conservatives disagree.

It’s a complex matter, naturally, but on balance the empirical evidence supports the conservative side of the disagreement. Most studies find that startups are more frequent, and more likely to succeed, in states where taxes and regulations are low, all other things being held equal. Higher government spending doesn’t boost entrepreneurship in most studies.

A different way to test the proposition is to ask entrepreneurs themselves. That was the approach taken by three economists who published a recent study in the Journal of Regulatory Economics. They zeroed in on entrepreneurs in Kansas City, which straddles two states — Missouri and Kansas — that exhibit differences in fiscal and regulatory policy. The vast majority of respondents said they would be less likely to start a new enterprise in a place that increased occupational licensing, corporate taxes or the time required to register a business.

A few, 16%, indicated otherwise. Some business folks don’t see bigger government as a barrier. Some reside in North Carolina. You may have heard from them, and their opinions are valid. But they are also atypical. Policymakers, take note.

No one is more disappointed than Vernon Aldridge that the town of Hope Mills recently dropped its pursuit of building an indoor swimming facility at the old town golf course property. Aldridge was a member of the town’s recently-disbanded aquatics committee that was exploring a possible cooperation between the town, Hope Mills YMCA and other entities to bring an indoor pool to the community.

As student activities director for Cumberland County Schools, Aldridge knows there’s a definite need for a public indoor swimming facility in Cumberland County to help continue the growth of high school swimming at the county’s senior high schools.

“Swimming is probably the largest growing sport in Cumberland County right now,’’ he said. In just the past two years, he estimates the number of swimming participants in the county school system has doubled.

He said there are currently about 250 high school swimmers in the county, representing every senior high school that has athletic teams. While some schools have small teams of just a few swimmers, he said there are multiple teams at the high school level with 20 or more swimmers. The sport has risen from minimal participation when it first started a little over a decade ago in the county, Aldridge said.

The growth of the sport is more impressive when the burdens local swimmers have to endure to both practice and compete are factored in. Fayetteville State University has the only local indoor swimming facility that swimmers and their coaches can access for practice and competition. It is typically only available for practice sessions from 5:30-7:30 a.m. and 4:30-6:30 p.m.

The Christmas break has been a major problem for swimmers and coaches for years as the Fayetteville State pool completely shuts down for a three- to four-week period, meaning the athletes can’t practice at all there.

One thing that has helped the local swimming program recently is the addition of so-called bubble domes, or coverings, at outdoor recreation department pools at Westover High School and College Lakes Recreation Center. Aldridge said a third outdoor bubble-domed pool is in the works at Lake Rim.

An indoor swimming facility would not only benefit Cumberland County swimmers but would likely attract swimmers from neighboring counties, Aldridge said. Robeson County Schools swim at the pool at the University of North Carolina-Pembroke, while schools in the Sandhills Athletic Conference that includes Seventy-First and Jack Britt hold their meets at St. Andrews University in Laurinburg.

Aldridge appreciates the cost of an indoor pool, which is why he was glad the Hope Mills YMCA wanted to partner with the town to pursue an indoor pool there.

While Aldridge could not make any promises the county schools would be willing to get involved financially in the project, he said they more than likely would be a regular customer if an indoor pool is constructed locally.

“We have a growing need for aquatic space,’’ Aldridge said. “We have a number of kids who are just swimmers, but we have a huge number of our teams with kids who are athletes in other sports. I think it’s a great way for those kids to stay in shape.’’

He said the Johnston County Schools have partnered with Smithfield Parks and Recreation and are opening a pool on land owned by Smithfield-Selma High School. He’s also heard Harnett County is working on an indoor pool at the former Wayside Furniture building.

“Whether (local) parks and recreation or Hope Mills or anyone is interested in opening that type of center (in Cumberland County), we’d definitely be interested in listening to what they have to offer,’’ Aldridge said.

The report at the May 29 Hope Mills Board of Commissioners meeting was a learning experience for all of us. We learned about legal, ethical and procedural dilemmas and how some might have been handled differently.

The independent investigator commissioned by the town of Hope Mills to investigate ethical misconduct and inappropriate protocols related to the town’s dealings with Lone Survivor Foundation found no ethical or illegal actions on the part of any of the parties involved. He did, however, find a procedural error in the presentation of the proposal to the Board of Commissioners. The presence of the nonprofit organization — LSF — at the closed meeting, where the possible lease/ purchase of “Lakebed #2” was discussed, appeared to throw off the decision-making process of the board members, giving them little or no time to digest the importance of what was being offered in terms of an economic opportunity to the town of Hope Mills. Nor were they up to date about the implications of future uses of the lakebed, which had been dried up and abandoned since at least the 1970s.

It sounded great at first: a national nonprofit organization providing therapy to veterans and their families on an abandoned and forgotten town property, Lakebed #2. What once was an enthusiastic response from the staff members involved in the initial meetings with Fayetteville Cumberland County Economic Development Corporation and LSF soon dwindled amongst the Hope Mills board members as they questioned other possibilities for the lakebed. They felt as if they were being backed into a corner. It appeared that some of them had assumed that Lakebed #2 was being studied by the McAdams Company for the future Comprehensive Parks and Recreation Plan for the town of Hope Mills because it was shown as “parkland” in the Southwest Land Use Plan.

However, at the Oct. 1, 2018, special meeting, according to the minutes, Principal Landscape Architect Rachel Cotter, representing the McAdams Company with some of its initial community responses to its study, surprisingly had not included the lakebed in its plan for recreational development because it was still shown as “other Town-owned properties...” As it had never been “...dedicated for use and a developed master plan adopted for those properties there isn’t a basis for including it under the umbrella of parks and recreation.”

So, here we are — almost four months after the board rejected the offer at a closed meeting — just now finding out that there would be no projected parks and recreation use for the lakebed in its Comprehensive Plan.

Isn’t that one of the main reasons stated by the board for not accepting the offer? Because they wanted to wait for the results of this plan? And the possible use of the lake as a reservoir?

The working tour of some of the town properties, including the lakebed, was shown in the same minutes to be scheduled for Friday, Oct. 19, 2018.

Now the lakebed is being talked about, but was it for the last 40 some-odd years?

So, what have we learned from this $26,000-plus investigation and its results? We are not perfect. The board, the mayor and the staff are not perfect. We all have flaws. We all can do better. As a result of questions about the initial closed session meeting, now Hope Mills videotapes them, like they once did. I would hope that express verbal agreements might be transformed into express written agreements to avoid future questions of misconduct.

Never having been presented with a prospective purchase or lease from the Fayetteville-Cumberland County Economic Development Corporation in the past, our town now knows the protocols for handling it right the next time, and Hope Mills Mayor pro tem Mike Mitchell acknowledged that another transaction has already taken place, without questions or accusations of improprieties or misconduct.

We all must learn from these costly mistakes.

The greatest lesson is to be inclusive, not divisive. We have too much of that in Washington, D.C., now. We need to set an example of working together, not pulling each other apart. The mayor and board were elected to represent the town of Hope Mills and its citizens. Back-stabbing and talking behind someone’s back can accomplish nothing, except to divide. They must realize that each of them has a heart and has the best intentions for this town and that they must learn to work together as a team, utilizing the best talents in each of them and improving the suspicious nature that led to this investigation and to the recent “lack of confidence vote” in the mayor. Commissioners, you are also not perfect.

Not only did we spend more than $26,000 for the investigation, but we lost a golden opportunity to transform an all-but-forgotten lakebed into muchneeded economic development for our town. We not only had a “bird in the hand” and lost it, but we may have also lost “the two in the bush,” while waiting for the magic solution for Lakebed #2.

Meetings

For details about all meetings and activities, including location where not listed, call Town Clerk Jane Starling at 910-426-4113.

• Historic Preservation Commission Wednesday, June 12, 5 p.m., Parks and Recreation Building

• Board of Commissioners Monday, June 17, Luther Meeting Room, Town Hall

• Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee Monday, June 24, 6:30 p.m., Parks and Recreation Center

• Veterans Affairs Committee Thursday, June 27, 6 p.m., Parks and Recreation Center

• Festival Committee Monday, July 1, 6 p.m., Town Hall, Front Conference Room

• Board of Commissioners Monday, July 1, 7 p.m., Luther Board Room, Town Hall

Activities

• Independence Day Parade and Celebration Thursday, July 4. Parade starts at 10 a.m. near Rockfish Elementary School. Celebration runs from 4-10 p.m. at Hope Mills Municipal Park.

• Good2Grow Farmers Market Saturday, July 6, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., between Town Hall and Parks and Recreation Building.

• Hope Mills Area Kiwanis Club at Sammio’s, second Tuesdays at noon and fourth Tuesdays at 6 p.m. For details, call 910-237-1240.

• Hope Mills Parks and Recreation Senior programs at Parks and Recreation Building. Senior programs are for those ages 55 and up who are residents of Cumberland County. Various activities, especially Zumba classes, are scheduled Monday through Sunday throughout the day. For details on times and days, check the schedule at townofhopemills.com. You can call the recreation center at 910-426-4109 or e-mail Kasey Ivey at kivey@townofhopemills.com.

Darius McLeod

Westover • Basketball/golf • Senior

McLeod has a grade point average of 3.8. He was a second team choice in the 2018 Holiday Classic basketball tournament. He played golf three years for Westover. He is a member of National Honor Society, National English Honor Society and the Academy of Health Sciences.

Alaina Walker

Westover • Volleyball/softball • Senior

Walker is ranked third in her class, with a 4.18 grade point average. She has been a member of Health Occupations Students of America for four years. She is a member of National Honor Society and the Academy of Scholars. She helped the Westover softball team to its first state playoff appearance in school history, batting .400 and driving in 15 runs.

Here is the Patriot Athletic All-Conference softball team as chosen by the league’s head coaches.

Coach of the year: Stuart Gilmer, Gray’s Creek

Player of the year: Jaden Pone, Gray’s Creek

Pitcher of the year: Katie Murphy, Cape Fear

First team:

• Terry Sanford — Anna Suggs, Maddie Beard

• E.E. Smith — Kayla Parson

• Pine Forest — Zareeya Watson, Brianna Crosby, Brittany Maultsby, Korie St. Peter, Mary Lee Sullivan

• Gray’s Creek — Mackenzie Mason, Drew Menscer, Kylie Aldridge, Morgan Brady, Courtney Cygan, Jaden Pone

• Overhills — Malik’s Dones, Kiana Jones

• Cape Fear — Katie Murphy, Morgan Nunnery, Alyssa Meredith, Taylor Melvin, Aubrey Griffin, Jess Oxendine

• South View — Mia Ayers, Danielle Golcher, Alex Deville

• Westover — Alaina Walker

Honorable mention:

• Terry Sanford — Mylie Leahy

• E.E. Smith — Madilyn Hotchkiss, Abraonna Williams

• Gray’s Creek — Summer Powell, Madi Badley, Rebecca Collins

• Overhills — Taylor Nunn, Megan Maurer, Liz Mitchell

• Cape Fear — Marlin Horne, Aleiyah Payne, Lauren Adams, Ava Basket, Toni Blackwell

• South View — Faith Franklin, Raven Camacho, Bailey Lockwood, Katie Smith

• Westover — Chkylie Boado, Jasmine Kelsey, Maya Johnson

Here is the Patriot Athletic All-Conference baseball team as chosen by the league’s head coaches.

Coach of the year: Sam Guy, Terry Sanford

Player of the year: Davidjohn Herz, Terry Sanford

Pitcher of the year: Nick West, Cape Fear

First team:

• Cape Fear — Cade Oliver, Cole Altman

• Douglas Byrd — Edwardo Alfons

• Gray’s Creek — Landen Harris, Tyler Strickland, Aaron Smith, Ryan Miller, Dillon Taylor

•Overhills — Ricky Kelly

• Pine Forest — Justin Honeycutt, Isaac Gonzales, James O’Brien, Lance Lockamy

• South View — Riley Caudle, Damon Evans, Keshawn Dunham

• Terry Sanford — Justin Ebert, Jackson Deaver, Marcus Sanchez, Dorian Clark, Tommy Cooney, Hunter Wiggins

Honorable mention:

• Cape Fear — Nick Minacapelli

• Gray’s Creek — Hunter Smith, J.J. Rivera

• Overhills — Johnny Vickers, Richard Hooks

• South View — Caleb Shinn

• Terry Sanford — Jack Cooney

Freedom Christian Academy’s softball team experienced tragedy before its 2019 season ever started. But by season’s end, the coaches and players were able to move from tragedy to triumph as they bought home the school’s third North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association state title in four years.

The Patriots entered this year’s NCISAA 2-A state tournament as the No. 3 seed but cruised through the double elimination portion of the playoffs unbeaten. They beat both top-seeded Rocky Mount Academy and No. 2 Halifax Academy along the way, the former on its home field in a 16-inning duel lasting over three and a half hours.

Freedom finished the season 16-4 under the leadership of first-year head coach John Smith. Smith was no stranger to the Freedom softball program. He became the school’s director of security in 2016 after his longtime friend, the late Eddie Dees, had become Freedom’s softball coach and led the Patriots to their first-ever softball championship.

Dees passed away that same year. Smith, a former member of the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department and the Hope Mills Police Department, continued in an assistant coaching role until he was asked to take over as head coach entering the 2019 season.

It wasn’t long after he was hired that the team experienced misfortune. Haley Roberson, the starting third baseman, died at her home in late September one morning before school.

“She was a solid defensive player and an offensive threat,’’ Smith said of Roberson. “Between the emotions of losing her, starting the season without her and trying to fill that void, it was some trying times.’’

It was reflected in the team’s record as they struggled to a 3-3 start.

“We only had five returnees and eight new girls,’’ Smith said. “The nucleus of that bunch was seventh and eighth graders. They had travel ball experience, but they hadn’t been with our program. We had to learn their skill set.’’

Smith praised the work of two veteran assistant coaches, Russell Montgomery and Jimmy Nelson. “They know the game inside out and were there to help me,’’ he said.

So were their two daughters, pitcher Haley Nelson and catcher Molly Montgomery. Nelson, a junior, is committed to play at Queens University of Charlotte. Montgomery, a senior, has a scholarship to Gardner-Webb University.

Just getting to the postseason was a brutal test for Freedom because of the tough competition it faced in its own league, the Sandhills Athletic Conference. Cape Fear Christian Academy won the NCISAA 1-A state championship. Fayetteville Christian made the final four in the 3-A playoffs, and Village Christian was a top ten seed in the same classification.

The Patriots lost at Rocky Mount Academy 4-0 in their second game of the season, so Smith knew when they faced them again in the state playoffs it was going to be a challenge.

“It was definitely a pitching duel for 16 innings,’’ he said of the rematch in the state tournament. Finally, Marissa McQueen, a seventh grader, drilled a double to right center to score a pair of runs that held up for the win.

Nelson went the distance on the mound and recorded 13 strikeouts in the win. Both she and Montgomery were selected to the NCISAA 2-A All- State team.

But those aren’t the most interesting numbers about the championship season. Roberson’s jersey number was three, her position third base, and that number kept popping up for Freedom in the postseason. To begin with, they were the third seed in the state tournament.

They won the final game of the tournament over Halifax 6-3, after scoring three runs late to break a 3-3 tie. And when the season was over, the Patriots had their third state title.

“Although Haley was not present, she was there in spirit and mind with us,’’ Smith said.

Photo: Haley Nelson