Do you have a favorite car wash/stylist/restaurant? Do you just love a particular nonprofit organization/entertainment venue/veterinarian? Now is your chance to tell us about it. Once a year, we reach out to our readers through our Best of Fayetteville readership survey to ask what you love most about this area.

We don’t pre-sell advertising to promote or nominate specific businesses and organizations for Best of Fayetteville. But we do encourage them to promote themselves and encourage their friends, family and customers to vote in Best of Fayetteville.

We do not sell or require businesses or organizations to participate with advertising purchases in pre-contest special sections to get their business officially printed on the ballot.

We do not have pre-ballot advertising sales.

After the survey is complete and the ballots are tallied, there is only ONE winner in each category. The winners are given the opportunity to purchase advertising/marketing programs to thank their customers and supporters and to market and brand their companies, capitalizing on and taking advantage of their Best of Fayetteville achievement.

Voting lasts through May 24. Visit http://uandc.brainboxdev.com/ and fill out a ballot online. Or, find a paper edition of Up & Coming Weekly and fill out the ballot and mail it in.

Once all the votes are counted, we throw a big party congratulating the winners, and we publish an entire issue celebrating them that resides on our website and in businesses all year long.

Minor league baseball functions as a farm system for the major leagues, which pay the players and set their salaries and bonuses. Players in the majors start at $545,000 per year this season, and the pay goes up from there, thanks to the Major League Baseball Players Association.

In the minor leagues, players don’t have a union and perform under a standard league contract that provides a fixed salary starting at $1,100 per month. Major League Baseball is considering a significant increase in salaries for minor league players, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported in March.

According to Passan, MLB officials suggested raising the pay for minor league players during a recent meeting with the group that oversees the minors. But the pay situation is likely to remain as is for now, thanks to a deal the team owners got from Congress in the omnibus spending bill passed in March.

There have been years of criticism and lawsuits regarding minor league wages. The Toronto Blue Jays are reportedly in the process of considering a 50% pay increase for all players affiliated with their MiLB clubs. “We have received many questions regarding the decision of the Toronto Blue Jays to increase the salaries of minor league players,” MLB said in a statement to ESPN.

The major league commissioner’s office is presently in negotiations with the National Association of Professional Baseball on the terms of a new agreement to replace a contract that expires in September 2020. “The working conditions of minor league players, including their compensation, facilities and benefits, is an important area of discussion in those negotiations,” the league said.

With rare exception, major league clubs do not own minor league teams but have affiliation contracts with them. The Fayetteville Woodpeckers organization is one of the exceptions. The team is owned and operated by the Houston Astros, which is beneficial to the Woodpeckers organization and the city of Fayetteville. The city has a 30-year agreement with the Astros to provide minor league baseball at the new stadium.

Parent major league clubs pay minor league players’ salaries and benefits and provide bats and balls. The minor league teams pay for in-season travel and other operational expenses. The maximum a first-year minor leaguer can make is $1,100 a month. After the first year, there is no monthly maximum so the player can make more.

The major league teams negotiate all the contracts. Hometown families sometimes adopt minor league players and provide sleeping quarters and meals. “The Woodpeckers are all living in a high-end apartment building in Fayetteville,” team President Mark Zarthar said. He would not say whether the players pay rent.

At the Single A level, it’s difficult for a player to make ends meet. This is the reason that when players are drafted, they often ask for larger signing bonuses. As players move up in the organization, new contracts are negotiated. Minor leaguers are not paid well until at least the next level. AAA players make much higher salaries.

Each year, people living on Fort Bragg and in the surrounding communities wait for the announcement of the Fort Bragg Fair. This year, the fair runs May 1-12. There are games, amusement rides for all ages, food vendors and entertainment. The best part about this midway is that the rides and entertainment are all included in one admission price, and parking is free.

Although the fair is a Fort Bragg event, the Fort Bragg Fairgrounds are open to the public via easy access off Bragg Boulevard. The installation also provides free Americans with Disabilities Act parking for persons with disabilities, which is accessible from Bragg Boulevard through Howell Street.

Fort Bragg Morale, Welfare, and Recreation has quite the entertainment lineup for carnival goers of every age and background. Children can enjoy a live appearance by a Sesame Street favorite: Cookie Monster will appear live May 2 at 5:30, 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. Various music performers will appear onstage, covering music genres from country to rock and everything in between.

Bands or performers are scheduled May 2-5 and May 9-12. Weeknight performances start at 5:30 p.m. Weekend performances begin at 3:30 p.m. Performers for this year include Corey Lutchen, the Mango Band, The Fifth, the Island Time Band, Steel Country Express, and the Phaze Band. Also performing is a local Fayetteville band, Rivermist, voted Best Local Band by Up & Coming Weekly for 2017 and 2018.

“Like always, we’ve got a variety of rides for all ages, (and) food, games and prices providing a fun and safe environment right here on Fort Bragg for our soldiers and their families,” said Keagan McDonald, Fort Bragg MWR event lead.

Admission varies by day, age and a couple other categories, but each admission includes unlimited rides and the prospect of enjoying the live music and other scheduled entertainment. Children shorter than 36 inches are free when entering with their group.

Fort Bragg MWR also hosts customer appreciation days each Monday through Friday of the fair from 5-7 p.m. Admission is $9. Or, come celebrate Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 12, when all mothers are admitted for free when they are accompanied by a paying child who is 36 inches or taller, up to age 17.

Fort Bragg Fairgrounds is located at Howell Street and Bragg Boulevard. For more information, call 910-396-9126 or search “fair” on the MWR website: https://bragg.armymwr.com.

SEGRA is the name of a new communications company made up of a pair of established affiliates. Lumos Networks Corp. and Spirit Communications merged, and the two companies have rebranded as SEGRA. It’s pronounced with a short e — SEH-GRUH.

“This new brand marks the official launch of a single company with a mission and culture that are dedicated to providing winning solutions for our customers,” said SEGRA CEO Timothy G. Biltz.

In April 2018, EQT Partners completed the purchase of a majority stake in Spirit Communications and announced it would combine Spirit assets with Lumos. EQT says on its website that it “invests in good companies across the world with a mission to help them develop into great and sustainable companies.”

Over the last year, the two firms have integrated their operations, expanded their fiber-optic network and product sets, and made further investments in existing and new markets in the mid-Atlantic and Southeast. New markets include Fayetteville, Raleigh and Greensboro, North Carolina.

SEGRA is powering organizations of all sizes with state-of-the-art voice, data and internet services. It has an advanced fiber infrastructure network of more than 21,000 miles that connects more than 9,000 on-net locations and 44 data centers throughout nine states. It is one of the East Coast’s largest fiber networks.

The expanded company said its customers will begin to see the SEGRA logo on company vehicles, buildings and elsewhere over the next few months. Baseball fields are a part of the identity process. SEGRA bought the naming rights for two SEGRA stadiums. SEGRA Park in Columbia, South Carolina, was formerly known as Spirit Communications Park.

It is the home of the Columbia Fireflies, a minor league baseball team playing in the South Atlantic League. SEGRA Stadium in Fayetteville was patterned after the Columbia ballpark. Now they share a name. Neither SEGRA nor the city of Fayetteville would disclose the signature naming longevity term or purchase price. Based on similar stadium projects, SEGRA’s purchase likely topped the $1 million mark.

SEGRA Park in Columbia and SEGRA Stadium in Fayetteville both are 365-day-per-year multi-use sports and entertainment venues. They were designed for baseball, concerts, soccer, football and other activities. SEGRA Stadium is smaller than SEGRA Park. The Columbia venue seats approximately 9,000 for sporting events, while the Fayetteville stadium can accommodate 6,000.

“SEGRA is making an investment by expanding their business into Fayetteville, providing a state-of-theart fiber network that will improve connectivity for current businesses and also potentially increasing our economic development efforts as we continue to attract new businesses to our city,” Mayor Mitch Colvin said.

The Houston Astros organization said that with SEGRA having the ballpark’s naming rights and operating as its official communications services partner, the stadium may be the most connected venue in minor league baseball. The new state-of-the-art stadium is outfitted with cutting edge 802.11ac Wave 2 Wi-Fi coverage powered by redundant 10 Gbps fiber connectivity, allowing fans to enhance their game-day experience with seamless, lightning-speed video and social media, Houston Astros officials said.

Brad Allen will begin his fifth year as a referee in the National Football League this fall. He’s one of a select group of full-time officials working for the NFL. But when he learned his old friend and mentor Neil Buie was pondering retirement as the regional supervisor of baseball and softball officials for the Southeastern Athletic Officials Association, Allen wanted to honor Buie by joining him on the field to call a final game together.

It happened April 22, on the second day of the annual Bulldog Invitational Baseball Tournament at Terry Sanford High School.

The Bulldogs faced South Caldwell in the day’s final game. Allen registered as a baseball official with the SAOA so he could call the game behind the plate while Buie worked as the field umpire.

Buie said the final hurrah with him and Allen calling together just kind of happened. “I was talking to Brad about this being my last year, and he told me, ‘if you’re going to retire, I’m going to register. Because when you go out, I want to be on your staff.’’’

Allen and Buie have been working together since 1989, calling some 150 games at the high school, college and American Legion level. They’ve called multiple state championship events.

Allen described his relationship with Buie as being like family. “I got started in high school baseball at 19 with Neil and Leon Maynor, my mentor in Robeson County who is no longer with us,’’ Allen said. “This is very, very special to me to work with someone who taught me so much.’’

Allen recalled some of the great baseball umpires he’d worked with in addition to Buie, men like Angus Watson, Jimmy Ratley, Charlie Council and Mike Parnell.

He recalled Buie taught him about the six things you’re there to do in a baseball game: Fair, foul, safe, out, ball, strike. There were also things like character, mechanics, philosophy and hustle.

“All of those things epitomize what Neil Buie has meant to me,’’ Allen said. “But away from the field, it’s also a lot of life lessons about how to be a man, how to be a good father.’’

Buie said he was encouraged to get into officiating by a college classmate, when he realized his days as a player were ending.

“My first game ever was with Greenville Parks and Recreation,’’ Buie said. That was in 1967. He’s been hooked on it ever since.

One of Buie’s most memorable nights of officiating took place at a game where he wasn’t even scheduled to work. It was in the late 1980s, and the Fayetteville Generals minor league baseball team had just started operation.

J.P. Riddle Stadium, the team’s eventual home, wasn’t finished when the regular season began, so the Generals played their first few games at what is now Arnette Park on old Highway 87. The game had to be played in the afternoon because the lights at the baseball field didn’t meet South Atlantic League standards.

Buie was a spectator in the stands when the late Calvin Koonce, general manager of the Generals, called him down to the field.

The umpires hadn’t been told about the switch in game time and weren’t there. Could Buie call the game behind the plate?

They scrounged up umpiring gear for him, found someone else in the stands to call bases, and off they went.

During the game, the base umpire and the manager of the Asheville Tourists got into a heated argument about a call, and the base umpired ejected the Asheville manager.

He initially refused to leave the field. Then, Buie walked up and said he’d give him 60 seconds to leave or he’d forfeit the game. The manager told Buie he couldn’t do that. Buie replied, “You’re down to 45 seconds. It’s up to you.’’

He left. Buie said Fayetteville won 10-9 in 10 innings. His pay for the day was some tickets to future Generals games.

When the current baseball and softball season ends, Buie will step down as regional supervisor but will continue in a similar role in football. He said he may return to umpire again, if his health will allow it, but that’s a decision he’s yet to make.

Buie said he’d been pondering giving up the regional supervisor role because the weather has been so bad the last few years, especially this one. He estimates that leading up to the Easter break this season, he’s had to reschedule officials some 400 times because of the weather.

“When the weather’s 75 degrees and the sun’s shining, it’s pretty easy to do what I do,’’ Buie said. “But when it rains three days out of five, it makes it very difficult and makes for long hours.’’

Buie said his biggest thrill over the years is seeing young officials like Allen come out of high school and college and develop into good officials. “The training part is what I’ll miss the most,’’ he said.

He’s especially proud of an official like Allen who has risen to the highest level of officiating as a fulltime NFL referee. “I’m so proud of Brad and what he’s done,’’ Buie said. “If I had some very small part in it, even better.

“It’s my belief that whether Brad had chosen baseball, basketball or football, he could have reached the highest of professional levels in any sport.’’

Photo: Brad Allen (left) and Neil Buie (right) called their last baseball game together April 23. Photo credit: Ken Kassens

When transfer student Tiffany Dampier first came out for track at Seventy-First High School, coach Jay Jackson wanted to make her into a runner.

“Just looking at her, she looked like a runner,’’ said Jackson, a 2001 Seventy- First graduate. “I didn’t know she did field events.’’ He soon learned she did them exceptionally well.

Dampier, a sophomore who came to Seventy-First from El Paso, Texas, was the only winner of two individual events, male or female, in the 20th annual William Carver Invitational Track Meet held recently at Reid Ross Classical High School’s John Daskal Stadium.

Dampier, who has been competing in the shot put and the discus since she was in eighth grade, won the shot with a throw of 35 feet, 1.5 inches, a personal best. 

Her winning throw in the discus was 113-2.5.

Jackson said his strength in coaching track and field is in the running events, so with the field events like shot and discus, he tries to focus on making sure his athletes have the right form and that they have fun.

“She needs to have fun,’’ Jackson said. “She’s real hard on herself. Once she started having fun, she started increasing her throws every week.’’

Dampier said a coach in El Paso first introduced her to both the shot and the discus. She finds the shot more of a relaxing event, although adding it requires her to focus.

Dampier thinks she can have fun and be serious about the sport at the same time. “My seriousness comes from my dedication and leadership in the sport,’’ she said. “Not only can we have fun, we can put in the work too.’’

Her favorite event is the discus, which she describes as being more free-flowing. She feels there’s more pressure in the shot because you throw it a shorter distance and there’s more weight involved.

She doesn’t think athletes who compete in shot and discus can be placed in any particular body type. “Not all throwers have a particular size or appearance,’’ she said. “I’ve been with girls who were taller and skinnier. I don’t take it personally.’’

Jackson said Dampier’s performance in the shot at the Carver meet was a surprise because it was her personal best. He thinks she has a shot to be competitive at the state and regional levels in both events, but he feels her best chance of winning will be in the discus.

“If she has fun, she’s going to win,’’ he said.

Dampier thinks she’s got a fair chance, but she’s not trying to get her expectations up too high. “There are different divisions and competition I haven’t seen,’’ she said. “I’m going to keep pushing myself and continue to enjoy the sport.’’

Photo: Tiffany Dampier

Meetings

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

• Festival Committee Monday, May 6, 6 p.m., Town Hall

• Mayor’s Youth Leadership Committee May 6, 6 p.m., Town Hall (in conjunction with Festival Committee)

• Board of Commissioners Monday, May 6, 7 p.m., Luther Board Room, Town Hall

• Citizens Academy Tuesday, May 7, 6-8 p.m., Town Hall

• Historic Preservation Commission Wednesday, May 8, 5-6 p.m., Parks and Recreation Building

Activities

• Hope Meals Food Truck Rodeo Thursday, May 2, 5-8 p.m., Town Hall rear parking lot

• Veterans Outreach Day Friday, May 3, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., VFW Post 10630

• Hazardous waste collection, shred event and spring litter sweep Saturday, May 4, 9 a.m., Town Hall

• Good 2 Grow Farmers Market Saturday, May 4, 9 a.m., Town Hall

• 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 email Kasey Ivey at kivey@townofhopemills.com.

Promote yourself

Email hopemills@upandcomingweekly.com.

New research by two North Carolina State University professors has brought into stark relief the following facts: America is in a debt crisis, our economy is suffering as a result, and politicians of both major political parties bear responsibility.

Economists Thomas Grennes and Mehmet Caner worked with a third author, Qingliang Fan of China’s Xiamen University, to produce the paper. Published by George Mason University’s Mercatus Center, it examines decades of fiscal and economic data for the United States and several other developed countries.

Their key finding is that when the indebtedness in a country reaches a certain level, it becomes a drag on economic growth. Low levels of debt don’t necessarily have this effect. If institutions borrow in order to finance valuable investment — to build or expand plants and equipment, improve infrastructure, etc. — that enhances productivity. The resulting gains can more than offset the cost of the debt.

But investments contain built-in uncertainties. Not all capital projects pay off. We generally borrow to fund the best bets at first, then the next-best bets, and so on. The more we borrow and spend, the less likely the spending will be worth it. What’s worse, we don’t always borrow to invest. We use credit to buy things for immediate consumption.

That’s not a big deal in small amounts. And it’s not necessarily disastrous even in large amounts if the good we purchase lasts a long time and has resale value, such as a house. But largescale borrowing to fund large-scale consumption is foolish.

The temptation is particularly strong, and the consequences particularly grave, government. Those who make the initial decision, the politicians, can get credit for what gets funded without getting personal blame years or decades later for the taxes or foregone expenditures required to pay off the resulting debts. And because governments don’t face the same competitive pressures that private institutions do, they are more likely to use borrowed funds either for questionable capital projects or for expenditures that are unquestionably consumption.

Generally speaking, states and localities are less guilty than Washington, D.C., is. Their rules require that operating budgets be balanced every year, which limits (but does not fully preclude) the use of public debt for consumption. Moreover, bonds that pledge the full faith and credit of state and local governments often require voter approval by referendum, which again serves as a brake, however imperfect, on reckless borrowing.

The federal government lacks these precautions. Even so, Grennes and his colleagues found that for most of its history, the federal government used debt sensibly. “During wars, spending increased, the government borrowed, and the debt ratio increased,” they observed. “After wars, the debt ratio gradually reverted toward the prewar ratio, without a clear long-term trend.” There may have been no formal constraints, but there was an “implicit contract that functioned as a coherent debt policy.”

That ended in the late 1960s, as the federal government took on new spending obligations, most involving immediate consumption rather than investment. Each new obligation had a powerful constituency, and often gained popular support (think Medicare). But the total effect was to boost federal spending above projected revenue. Rather than resolve the problem, Washington borrowed. What’s worse, during the same period federal tax and regulatory policies incentivized an increase in private borrowing, too.

The bill is now due. According to the new study, the annual rate of economic growth in the United States from 1995 to 2014 was more than a percentage point lower than it would have been in the absence of America’s debt explosion. That’s a very large effect.

What can be done about this? Previous attempts to use moral suasion or legislative pressure, such as the Simpson-Bowles Commission and debt-ceiling shutdowns, have fizzled. Another NCSU professor, Andy Taylor, advocates an intriguing set of federal budgeting reforms that may help. Or we could try devolving federal programs to the states, trusting that their preexisting safeguards will hold. As Johnny Mercer put it, something’s gotta give.

Nyielah Nick

Seventy-First • Basketball • Junior

Nick has a 3.9 grade point average. In addition to playing basketball for the Falcons, she participates in Find-A-Friend with Fayetteville Urban Ministry and the Student 2 Student organization, which welcomes incoming military students to their new school.

 

Trenton Finley

Jack Britt • Soccer, lacrosse • Senior

Finley has a weighted grade point average of 4.36. During soccer season, he recorded three assists for the Buccaneer soccer team.

I cannot quite remember how old I was the first time I realized my mother’s words were coming out of my mouth, but it was quite a shock. It was even more shocking when I heard myself telling the Precious Jewels the same advice my mother gave me.

For example, good manners will take you places money cannot go. Education is a gift no one can take away from you. Pretty is as pretty does. And, this gem attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt: “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”

Nor can I remember not knowing about the importance of thank-you notes, timely RSVPs, please and thank you. Today’s parents have different ideas on this, but my mother was a stickler for “yes, ma’am” and “no, sir.” Apparently, her generation had no angst about class or age distinctions or subservience, although today’s parents of young children may not be as keen on “ma’am” and “sir,” even in the South.

I can still hear my mother’s admonishment as well to always look an adult in the eye, something I still do — even though I have clearly been one myself for decades.

Food means love to most everyone, and mothers offer both several times a day. My mother worked in our family business, so gourmet cooking was not really her thing. But she had dinner on the table every night, and some of it was memorable. Red snapper baked with tomatoes, onions and peppers. Tunnel of fudge cake and Japanese fruit pie. She even introduced us to English kippers for breakfast.

I think my Precious Jewels see my cooking much the way I saw my mother’s — sustenance but generally nothing to write home about. I am gratified, though, that they still want my carrot cake for their birthdays and occasionally request some dish from the past. Their baby sitter definitely won the fried chicken contest, though.

Few people in life have more influence over us than our mothers, even when we do not know it. The Precious Jewels have no idea that some of the words out of their mouths are actually mine, and very likely my mother’s. Our mothers kept us warm, safe and full, from our first breaths. They were our security blankets from our childhood troubles at school, and they gently let us know when we were in the wrong. Our mothers know us better than almost anyone else. They know our strengths and weaknesses, what we enjoy and what we don’t, how we are likely to react to whatever life throws at us.

And, if we are lucky, our mothers instilled in us the essence of good manners, not just the outward signs of manners like “ma’am” and “sir” in the South. Good manners mean always treating others with respect and kindness, whether they are princes or paupers, the president or a garbage collector. It means not embarrassing or running down others. Good manners are the epitome of the Golden Rule — do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

If your mother is around, do something special for her on Mother’s Day. Flowers are always nice as is a meal out, but most precious of all is your time and attention. Nothing means more to a mother than feeling like she is a meaningful part of her children’s lives, no matter how old they are. And, if you really want to hit a home run, make sure to say something that came from her lips and pretend you thought of it yourself

With designators that range from “Fayettenam” to “America’s Hometown: History, Heroes, A Hometown Feeling,” Fayetteville’s story is a rich and colorful tapestry. It includes heroism and tragedy, darkness and light and all the shades and colors in between.

And this community’s journey continues forward. Polls and surveys from outside sources and their wacky metrics and logarithms can throw down whatever claims, ratings and analytics suit their fancies. When it comes down to it, they don’t know Fayetteville.

They don’t feel the pulse of the crowd when the Dogwood Festival is in full swing. They don’t feel the sense of community and empowerment the International Folk Festival and A Dickens Holiday foster. They don’t come and dance on the promenade at Fayetteville After Five concerts in Festival Park or savor the flavors of the culinary genius that prospers here — in food trucks and in restaurants and at the many farmers markets that dot the landscape.

Sure, statistics tell a story. So does compassion, innovation, hard work and inspiration. Fayetteville has all that in spades — and it doesn’t always register on an analytics scale. But it does bring flavor and personality to this international city that so many choose to call home.

People who don’t live here often have no idea about the talented performers and firstrate theaters and music organizations that call the Sandhills home. They don’t see the generosity of the multitude of nonprofits here. They don’t know Fayetteville. And they don’t get to define her or tell her story to the rest of the world. Why would we give them that power?

It’s time for people actually living and working here to own this community’s narrative, to speak the truth and project it out into the world with pride and confidence. Stop trying to outrun decades-old reputations and fallacies. Stop accepting false information from out-of-town number-crunchers looking for search engine page rankings.

Fayetteville is undertaking a new initiative to come up with a branding strategy that accurately reflects the goodness that resides here and tells the true story about the opportunities here. This isn’t about a new logo or a new motto. This is about defining what makes this place special and telling this community’s story.

The Fayetteville Cumberland Collaborative Branding Committee is taking the lead in the effort. It consists of representatives from the city of Fayetteville, Cumberland County, the Cumberland County Tourism Development Authority, Crown Complex, the Greater Fayetteville Chamber, the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County, Fayetteville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, Vision 2026, Cool Spring Downtown District and the Fayetteville Cumberland County Economic Development Corporation.

The first step in accurately telling any community’s story is to gather information. That’s where we are in the process. The branding initiative wants to hear from you. Tell the committee what you think, what you want and what matters to you. This community’s story is your story, too.

Visit www.brandingfcnc.com and take the branding survey. It only takes about 15 minutes, and it covers just about every aspect of life in Cumberland County that you can imagine. Be brutally honest. This is our chance to not only counter the misinformation but to shape the future.

Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

The town of Hope Mills will hold its annual observance of National Day of Prayer on Thursday, May 2, at noon at the flagpole at Town Hall.

In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be moved indoors to the nearby Parks and Recreation Department building.

Clergy and lay people from various denominations in Hope Mills will participate in the ceremony, according to the Rev. Bob Kretzu of Hope Mills United Methodist Church.

“I think we tend to forget the spiritual aspect of our national life,’’ said Kretzu. “We watch the news or listen to news or read the news, and we complain. We think, what can we do?” 

Kretzu suggested the answer is prayer. “We can have a huge influence through prayer,’’ he said. “I think most Christians believe that. You can accomplish things in prayer long before they are manifested physically.’’

The theme of this year’s National Day of Prayer is “Love One Another.’’

“That is such a need for both our community and our nation, to stop being divided and treating each other like enemies and pariahs, to love one another as Americans, whether or not people are Christians,’’ Kretzu said, “to start showing that by the way we respect each other.’’

Kretzu said anyone who believes in prayer, regardless of their faith, is welcome to attend the Hope Mills event. “I’ve joined in worship services at mosques and synagogues,’’ he said. “I think people of faith in prayer have a lot in common, even if they’re not members of the same religion.’’

Pastor Wesley Holmes of the Hope Mills Church of God agreed with Kretzu that prayer brings people together and helps unify both the community and the nation.

“I think a lot of times we can learn from one another and see we don’t have as many differences as we think we do,’’ Holmes said. “We’re serving the same God, coming together to pray to the same God. We may use different methods of doing that, different backgrounds we come from, but we’re praying to the one, true God.’’

Holmes is also appreciative that local government leaders come to take part in the National Day of Prayer observance in Hope Mills. “It’s on our money: In God we trust,’’ Holmes said. “If we don’t trust in God, we’re never going to make it in this life.

“Jesus said to love your neighbor as yourself. If you serve God, you’re going to have love in you. In 1 John it tells us that God is love. I think loving one another brings unity to the faith and understanding that God is all about love. We need to love one another as well.’’ 

Hope Mills Mayor Jackie Warner signed the proclamation recognizing the National Day of Prayer in Hope Mills. She has been a regular participant in the event since she was first elected the town’s mayor.

“The National Day of Prayer in Hope Mills is significant because of the number of denominations that participate,’’ she said. “We have a great turnout of all the churches in the area as far as pastors that are leaders.’’

Traditionally, prayers are offered at the Hope Mills observance for a variety of things, including the town’s mayor and Board of Commissioners, first responders, the military and schools.

“As a leader and as a Christian, I think it is important we take the time and opportunity any time we can to pray and also to be an example for others,’’ Warner said.

“I’m a United Methodist, but the Baptists are there, the Catholics are there, the Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Church of God, we have everything. We’ve had a rabbi before. We represent all religions in Hope Mills, and that’s what I think is important, too.

“I think that show of strength in prayer is one way we can come to some solutions for some of the issues we are facing.’’

The board of directors of the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra has announced Christine Kastner’s departure as president/CEO of the orchestra, effective in June. Kastner has accepted the position of executive director of the North Carolina Master Chorale in Raleigh. The announcement appeared in a news release issued by symphony board chair Joy Miller.

“Chris has played a critical role in the development and success of the orchestra since assuming the position in November 2011,” Miller said.

Under Kastner’s leadership, the FSO increased the number of concerts performed and expanded its youth outreach with the addition of the Fayetteville Symphony Youth Orchestra, youth summer camps and an after-school Suzuki violin program. Miller added that the symphony has made significant progress in its endowment, providing a source of long-term sustainability for the FSO.

Crime Stoppers solves major drug cases

Fayetteville’s Crime Stoppers tip line has recently contributed to the arrest of six people in three separate instances. Fayetteville Police received anonymous tips about suspicious residences. The most recent case came to light April 23.

Police received a Crime Stoppers tip about a residence on Rodwell Road. Officers were able to obtain a search warrant for the house and seized 5,188 dosage units of LSD, 8.9 grams of heroin, 2.6 grams of fentanyl, 12 grams of MDMA and $1,185 in cash.

Anthony Michael Maerten, 31, and Cindy Vanessa Caballero, 20, both of the Rodwell Road address, were charged with numerous felony drug counts and given $530,000 secured bonds.

Similar investigations resulted from Crime Stoppers tips on Lawrence Avenue and Suzanne Street. Leonard Davis, 40, of Lawrence Avenue, was charged with trafficking and manufacturing cocaine, conspiracy, and felony maintenance of a dwelling for narcotic use. He posted bond. Michelle Whitaker, 42, was charged with identical crimes and, also posted bond.

In the other case reported by city police, officers got a lead about a home on Suzanne Street. Investigators found an AK-47 style assault rifle, nearly 1 pound of marijuana and various items of drug paraphernalia. Sergio F. Weeks, 32, and Alysha J. Smith, 25, face numerous drug charges.

Weeks was also charged with possession of a firearm by a felon and endangering the life of a child. Police discovered his rifle under the bed of a 2-year-old. Both posted bond and were released from jail pending trial.

“The anonymous tipsters are eligible for cash rewards from the Fayetteville/Cumberland County Crime Stoppers Program,” Police Sgt. Shawn Strepay said. 

Community branding survey

The city of Fayetteville, Cumberland County, and nine partner organizations have banded together to create the Fayetteville Cumberland Collaborative Branding Committee and are distributing a survey to gather residents’ input for a community branding project. This research is part of an undertaking to create an updated image of the area’s strengths, assets, diversity, vision and potential. Community members are encouraged to take the 15-minute anonymous survey at www.brandingfcnc.com.

The FCCBC commissioned North Star Destination Strategies to help create a new brand. North Star has an extensive background in developing cooperative brands for both governments and organizations, having worked with more than 250 communities in 44 states.

“Understanding the diverse perspectives of our respondents will help North Star bring the real story of this community to the surface,” said Will Ketchum, president of North Star.

North Star will use its research to develop a brand that showcases what makes the community unique with the potential to attract new residents, businesses and tourists.

Social Security telephone scam

Fayetteville Police are warning the public about a telephone scam targeting local citizens. Fraud Detectives have received reports that a subject is calling unsuspecting victims claiming they have outstanding warrants for arrest.

The scammer declares he is calling from the Social Security Administration and that the citizen must pay a fine immediately or be subject to arrest. The suspect then requests personal information and payments. Police say the caller may sound professional and courteous while waiting for the recipient to release information. The caller may also suggest that the citizen purchase prepaid credit cards or gift cards.

City police remind residents that legitimate businesses and government agencies do not threaten arrests or make demands for information and money. Authorities say to never provide any information to unsolicited callers.

Local governments honored

The city of Fayetteville, Cumberland County and the City of Fayetteville’s Public Works Commission were among 28 North Carolina governments to earn recognition in the 12th annual North Carolina City and County Excellence in Communications Awards. The local organizations won a combined 11 awards, to include recognition for the city and county’s collaborative efforts in the Hurricane Florence Joint Information Center and PWC’s Carolyn Justice-Hinson winning the Chris Coulson Communicator of the Year Award.

The program was held April 11 at the NC3C’s Spring Conference in Durham. “It is my honor to congratulate all the winners of the NC3C Excellence in Communications contest this year, said President Dana Kaminske. “The work that city and county government communicators do is impressive and is worth recognizing.”

Photo: Christine Kastner

Editor,

I am asking your readers to tolerate my response to Hope Mils Commissioner Jessie Bellflowers’ Letter to the Editor in the April 17-23 edition of Up & Coming Weekly concerning the proposed construction of the Hope Mills Lake bulkhead (retaining wall). Full disclosure: I am married to Mayor Jackie Warner and I am her biggest cheerleader. She will not be pleased with my thoughts and opinions that follow.

Hope Mills Commissioner Jessie Bellflowers or any “stiff necked” politician can rationalize away the reason they sometimes make stupid or illogical decisions in an attempt to regain the confidence and trust of constituents. Unfortunately, for Commissioner Bellflowers it’s “too little, too late” on this bulkhead issue.

Our Hope Mills summer is all but ruined. Not because of the need for a safe and sturdy bulkhead but because of the irresponsibility and mismanagement of the project by you (Bellflowers) and fellow Hope Mills commissioners. As a result of their inept leadership, disappointed Hope Mills residents had to forego Easter sunrise services at the lake, and they will forego all the traditional family fun-filled events and activities surrounding Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day. Yes, their (the commissioners’) poor decisions have inconvenienced residents and put Hope Mills taxpayers in peril.

Make no mistake about it, the real issues are not about the construction of the bulkhead, Jessie, so don’t patronize us. Instead, why not address the questions and real concerns we have like: Why is the bulkhead costing Hope Mills taxpayers $500,000 as determined by a single bid? Why was this major construction project request for proposal not sent out for a rebid? Why was this initial proposal hastily approved with very little discussion or empathy for the burden (of the) taxpayers who will be responsible for paying for it? Was this expensive bulkhead in the town’s budget? Who made the recommendation to cover the expense out of the town’s emergency reserve fund and what is the plan to replenish these funds?

There are so many questions and no sufficient answers. Many of us fear a tax increase is in our future. Yet, very little discussion or due diligence has been done by our elected. So, again, don’t patronize us, Jessie.

These kind of haphazard, irresponsible decisions, proposals and knee-jerk reactions by you and the commissioners are not sound business practices or decisions. And, they are unacceptable.

In closing, I want to remind the voters of Hope Mills that, all too often, elected officials become experts at spending other people’s money — like us — the taxpayers. And, I’m not even a C.P.A.

Alex Warner

Hope Mills, NC

Photo: Hope Mills Commissioner Jessie Bellflowers

There are no words sufficient to describe the depth of my sadness, dismay, and even anger, in response to how far too many people are reacting to the report by Robert Mueller, special counsel. I think he was assigned to search for Russian interference in our 2016 election and any collusion by the Trump campaign with Russia in that election. I say “I think” because I repeatedly read that the full scope of his mandate has never been made available to the public. A redacted version of the report was released to Congress and the public Thursday, April 18.

The report clearly stated that insufficient evidence was identified to show collusion with the Russians by the Trump campaign or any American. Given that, for nearly two years, we were told by a multitude of Democrats, and seemingly every liberal media outlet, that Russia controlled our president, it would seem there would be celebration in finding that he did not collude with Russia. Instead, the same people and media outlets that pushed the collusion narrative immediately shifted to arguing that the report gave ample reason for Trump being guilty of obstruction of justice.

The Mueller report said there were actions by the president that could indicate obstruction, but other actions countered reaching that conclusion. In the end, Mueller said he would not charge the president with obstruction but would not exonerate him. The obstruction decision fell to Attorney General William Barr. In a press conference shortly before releasing the report, Barr explained the process that he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein went through in deciding not to charge the president with obstruction. What Barr explained made total sense to me.

However, the rage regarding obstruction goes on full bore. Even as I started writing this article on April 19, The Fayetteville Observer has two articles that reflect this focus on obstruction while hardly mentioning the finding of no collusion. Here are those headlines: “Report provides layers summary could not” and “Analysis … Mueller paints damning portrait of Trump.”

After listening, on the radio, to the Barr press conference on Thursday and watching TV news reports and commentary, I was in bad shape by 6:10 p.m., when my wife Denise and I headed off to a Maundy Thursday service. The service was at First Baptist Church on Anderson Street, where Rev. Rob James is pastor. This service was filled with meaningful music, instructive and reassuring scripture readings and a sermon that reminded me there is only one way to overcome the division and hopelessness generated by, and reflected in, the Mueller report response.

James defined “maundy” as referring to a command, of being equal to a mandate. He said, “During Maundy Thursday, we are called to remember the last moments of freedom of Jesus before he is betrayed by one of his closest friends, before he is arrested by people he has seen every day in the temple, before he is mocked and ridiculed, before he is abused and spit on, before he is crucified and killed on a cross, before he is laid in a tomb.

“The commands that we are called to remember this night, the maundy of Maundy Thursday, are the things that Jesus told his disciples during those final moments of freedom: his commands, his mandates … in a very real way, his last wishes.”

James followed this by sharing his experience with his father as that father had been told he only had six months to live. His son was just a teenager. Thankfully, despite the doctors’ projection, his father lived three years. Over that time, he took the pastor on rides and talked about his (the father’s) life: the good, the bad, everything. When that father was at death’s door, he requested that his teenage son make some promises to him. James reviewed those promises with us, and then came to the last words his father spoke to him. He said, “Don’t ever forget that I love you and will always be proud of you.”

James kept the promises he made to his father. The critical point is that he kept those promises not because he expected reward but because he loved his father. This experience with his father clearly gives the pastor exceptional understanding of, and appreciation for, the last wishes of Jesus. One of those wishes appears in John 13:34-35 (New International Version): “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

I left this sermon profoundly reminded that loving one another is our only hope for healing the divisions that threaten our very existence and for dispensing with the hate in our midst that is so obvious and destructive. However, reality challenged my capacity for believing that we can lay hold of loving one another. That is especially in doubt if our loving one another is to be driven by our recognition of Jesus’ love for us. In a nation where church membership is on the decline, especially among young people, and Christians are being pushed to the fringe of society, it does not seem likely that this “love one another” arrangement is possible.

Inspired, but still wondering if the “love one another” arrangement is possible in our time, Denise and I headed to the first baseball game being played by the Fayetteville Woodpeckers in our beautiful new stadium. Once in our seats and enjoying the game, we started talking with people seated around us. I was amazed that the atmosphere was so relaxed and welcoming.

Midway through the game, our team was down 5-2. At that point, there was a sense of concern throughout the stands. Despite being down by three, we kept pulling for our team. By the top of the ninth inning, the score was 5-5. We celebrated throughout the stadium. In the end, the Woodpeckers lost 7-5.

The point of sharing my baseball game experience is to acknowledge what happened in that stadium and how it speaks to loving one another because we love Jesus. At the low point in the game, when the outlook was not good, we kept pulling for our team. When the score was tied, we celebrated. When the Carolina Mudcats scored two in the ninth and went on to win, the crowd was still appreciative and supportive of our team.

Granted, this was just an entertainment event, but what happened there highlights the principle that common focus promotes unity. The fact is everybody in that stadium was committed to, and felt a connection to, the Woodpeckers. The result was a kind of unity that is missing in our country when it comes to the difficult issues that we face. A baseball game cannot fix what plagues us as a nation. But, if we have the common focus of loving Jesus because he loves us, we will follow his command to love one another. Therein is our only hope for overcoming the divisions and hatred that are wringing the very life from our nation.

Do not be fooled; no other focus will suffice. If you doubt the truth in that statement, consider what have become the objects of our focus, the Mueller investigation among them, and the results wrought by focusing on myriad subjects other than Jesus.

I never really understood the story of Rip Van Winkle — until recently, that is. It seems the more I look around, the less I recognize. It’s not that progress or change bothers me. In fact, I’m a huge fan of many things new and emerging. But I’ve come to regret some of the things we choose to abandon — namely values.

Back to Van Winkle. When he awakens on a mountain after a 20-year nap, he discovers shocking changes: his musket is rotting and rusty, his beard is a foot long, and his dog is nowhere to be found.

He returns to his village, where he recognizes no one. He arrives just after an election, and people ask how he voted. Never having cast a ballot in his life, he proclaims himself a faithful subject of King George III, unaware that the American Revolution has taken place. He nearly gets himself into trouble with the townspeople until one elderly woman recognizes him as the long-lost Rip Van Winkle.

When it comes to music, entertainment and even transportation, I’m completely on board with the changes. I like the new. I like the path we’re taking, and I can still enjoy the fruits of a harvest gone by without bothering anyone else with my sense of melancholy.

Technology? A little different, but I am usually quick to embrace the latest and keep my eyes peeled for whatever is coming over the horizon. It’s just that the devices we used before become more quickly obsolete.

Then we come to values. I can’t really discuss values without mentioning how closely aligned they are with the morals I live by. Those morals come from the Bible. Love God. Love others more than you do yourself. Do justice, love mercy and walk humbly. These are not catch phrases to me. They are the basis for the moral code I feel we’ve begun to abandon.

On a recent Sunday, I found myself having insults bounced off me while I was saluted with a single finger more than once by numerous passers-by. My offense? Holding a sign that simply read, “Pray to end abortion.” Four words. I didn’t speak a word. I didn’t confront anyone. I wasn’t blocking an entrance or a roadway. I was just standing on the public right of way near a closed clinic at which abortions are offered.

On one side of me was a couple who adopted a beautiful little girl from a young, unexpectedly pregnant mother who had previously considered abortion. On my other side were a couple of young women who had had abortions and who hoped to dissuade others from taking a similar path. They knew the heartache and regret it caused and wanted to intercede on other women’s behalf.

After a 20-year career standing in the gap for the defenseless as a soldier, standing in a similar way for the unborn is somewhat natural for me. It’s how I pray. It’s how I think. It’s one way I place value on others more than myself. When I observe our legislators considering whether a child in the third trimester of gestation is worthy of drawing its first — or second — breath outside the womb, I am grieved at what we’ve abandoned.

Our culture lines up for programs promising a better future for children while granting legal access to murder of the very children who could have taken part in that future.

If you’ve ever been to Legends Pub, you probably know something about the Annual Spring Fling, which takes place May 3-5 this year. And if you know about the Spring Fling, it’s probably because a friendly Legends customer told you about it. After all, the little bar on Bragg Boulevard is known for its ever-welcoming environment and has been for the last 23 years.

“That’s what makes us special. People come to us because we take care of our own,” said Holly Whitley, owner of Legends Pub. “We don’t have problems, we don’t have arguments, we don’t have fights. We’re there to have a good time and enjoy each other’s company.”

This camaraderie began long before Legends Pub was even in the works. During the 1980s, Whitley and a small group of friends banded together to form the Gypsy Women. As the members of the group have grown and experienced joys and tragedies together, the Gypsy Women have evolved into more than just a collection of friends. Now, the group is dedicated to laying down their time and resources for the benefit of others, particularly through the annual Spring Fling.

“When we bought the bar, we decided to expand the Spring Fling to an event that we could (put on to) help somebody. The first year it was a benefit,” said Whitley. “That’s the title that a Gypsy Woman has — one that volunteers their work and helps us out. It’s amazing.”

This year, the Spring Fling will raise funds for Donald “Duck” Schnieders, a loyal friend and customer at the bar. After a serious motorcycle accident in August 2018, Schnieders is starting his ninth month of recovery. “He just now is getting back on his feet,” said Whitley. “We decided to wait until he was mobile until we did a benefit for him. He’s been a customer at Legends for a long time — (he’s) a good friend, a good guy.”

Whitley has faith that her community will join in the effort to support Schnieders. “We have a strong base. When we come together to do a benefit, people come out, they’re always there to support it,” she said.

In fact, the people at Legends make a habit of taking care of, and remembering, their own. “We just did the Scott Sather Memorial toast on (April 8),” Whitley said. “It was our 16th year that we’ve gathered together.”

Sather, a longtime friend of Legends, was killed in an accident in Iraq on April 8, 2003. He was a member of the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, an elite Air Force operations unit assigned to the Joint Special Operations Command at Pope Army Field. “Sixteen years later, this is another thing that makes us timeless — we’re still remembering him by gathering together.” Legends also holds an annual Scott Sather Memorial Run as part of its Spring Fling, to be held Saturday, May 4, this year.

These gatherings always incorporate a Legendsstyle good time into the mix, in honor of the good times shared with loved ones over the years. 

“On Friday night, we get together some people (who) bring door prizes by, on Saturday we start off with the poker run … then we have a pig-picking and our auction,” said Whitley.

But it doesn’t stop there — the weekend will be full of activities all through Sunday night. “Saturday night we usually have live music or a DJ, Sunday we will start out with lunch, and then we’ll have the Ralph Pinney Jr. Bike Show & Rodeo,” Whitley said. 

The Spring Fling ends with a memorial toast. “We have a wall in Legends where we have people who have passed,” said Whitely. “We’ll be hanging Ralph’s picture on the wall that afternoon.”

Ralph Pinney Jr., another longtime friend to Legends, died of pancreatic cancer March 6, 2019. “Ralph has been a customer of mine for 22-anda- half years,” Whitley said.

Despite the growing number of pictures on that wall, Whitley said she remembers every member of the Legends community, both past and present.

“I can tell you a story about pretty much every person on that wall. Ralph and his wife, Allison, were always a part of the family — we knew what was going on in their lives, we knew what to ask about them personally.”

Just like family, the relationships at Legends last for generations. “There’s a connection with everybody that comes along, (and) you get to know people’s parents, just like my kids’ friends knew me,” Whitley said.

The Pub is as timeless as the community it has built. “We’ve got the third generation going up, the grandchildren of all the people that started the bar,” said Whitley. “Our regular customers are legends.”

Servicemen and women especially call Legends home. “We’re Legends Pub, where deployments begin and end,” quoted Whitley from a favorite Tshirt sold by the bar. As the bar is located near Fort Bragg, many loyal customers are war heroes themselves, with some having faithfully served the U.S. their entire lives. And Legends is proud of it, too. “I don’t care what people’s personal opinions are, that’s what we base ourselves off of,” Whitley said.

Join the community at Legends Pub to honor heroes and loved ones alike at the Annual Spring Fling the weekend of May 3-5. Legends Pub is located at 4624 Bragg Blvd. #1, and overflow parking is available at Ken’s Muffler and Auto Repair. For more information, call Legends at 910-867-2364.

The response to the monthly Food Truck Rodeos in the town of Hope Mills has been overwhelming, and that hasn’t been lost on Chancer McLaughlin, the town’s development and planning administrator.

“We did hear the response of the community with the last event,’’ said McLaughlin. The most recent Food Truck Rodeo near Town Hall drew close to 1,400 people, nearly triple the size of the regular crowd at the rodeos.

“The lines were very, very long,’’ McLaughlin said. In some cases, people were waiting upward of 25 to 30 minutes to be served by the six trucks that were on the scene.

At the next Food Truck Rodeo, Thursday, May 2, the town will add three food trucks for a total of nine that will serve the public.

In addition, instead of a DJ playing recorded music, there will be a live jazz band.

The nine trucks at the next rodeo will include some that are familiar to people who have attended the event before, along with a few new ones. Following is a list and brief description of each food truck coming to the rodeo this week.

R Burger is one of Cumberland County’s most popular food trucks, featuring a variety of special hamburgers.

Kona Ice features shaved ice treats. 

32 Degrees is a unique truck specializing in two kinds of ice cream, one for people and one for their dogs. “A lot of people don’t realize puppies can’t eat regular dairy products,’’ McLaughlin said.

Big T’s is the mobile version of the popular food stand at Hope Mills Lake. Big T’s usually features items like funnel cakes, boiled peanuts and lemonade, to name a few.

A Catered Affair by Chef Glenn is another Hope Mills-based truck. Chef Glenn offers items like fried green tomatoes and pineapple chicken stir-fry.

Cedar Creek Fish Farm One word. Catfish.

Nannie’s Famous offers selections like wings and crab legs.

One Nine Drive is a newcomer truck from Aberdeen. It features specialty items like smoked beef brisket, curry chicken bowls and sweet potato wedges.

Rome N Round, also new to the redo and hailing from Aberdeen, features pizza.

“What typically happens at these rodeos is people will hit multiple trucks,’’ McLaughlin said. “If I’ve got to wait 30 minutes in each line, I might not be able to get everything. The easiest way to possibly make the line go faster when you have a much larger crowd is to have more options.’’

McLaughlin is mindful of balancing the need for more options with the need to avoid having too many trucks at one time so that each truck won’t make too little money.

McLaughlin said the town is having discussions about how to handle the potential growth of the Food Truck Rodeo. He said if necessary, it may eventually be moved to the nearby baseball fields at Municipal Park.

In addition to food trucks, the town will also have vendors present to share information about local service and charitable organizations.

As always, the rodeo will include the opportunity to donate nonperishable food items to the ALMSHOUSE.

If anyone would like to be a vendor at a future rodeo, or if there is a food truck the public would like to see come to the rodeo, McLaughlin welcomes suggestions. Reach him via email at cmclaughlin@townofhopemills.com.

Here are a few odds and ends from the high school world over the last couple of weeks:

• Two Cumberland County high school football players and one head coach have been selected to take part in this summer’s North Carolina Coaches Association East-West All-Star football game at Grimsley High School’s Jamison Stadium in Greensboro.

The trio includes players Dante Bowlding of Terry Sanford, Kyler Davis of Seventy-First and Davis’ head coach with the Falcons, Duran McLaurin. All three will be on the East All-Star team this summer.

Bowlding, who was chosen to the team as a defensive back, was voted the defensive player of the year in the Patriot Athletic Conference last season. According to NCPrepsports.net, he led Cumberland County Schools in tackles with 172. He tied for the county lead in pass  interceptions with five.

Davis made first team at quarterback on the All-Sandhills Athletic Conference team along with Caleb Hood of Richmond Senior.

Davis was second in Cumberland County Schools in total passing yards last season with 1,977. He completed 152 of 282 passes, with 18 touchdown passes and eight interceptions. He rushed 140 times for 999 yards and scored 12 touchdowns.

Since coming to his alma mater as head football coach, McLaurin has turned the Falcons into a consistent contender for conference titles and state playoff berths. Last season he guided the Falcons to an 11-4 record and a tie for second place in the Sandhills Athletic Conference. His team reached the 4-A Eastern Regional finals before losing to Scotland.

McLaurin will serve as an assistant coach on the East All-Star football staff this summer. The head coach will be Sport Sawyer of Manteo High School.

This year’s East-West game, which is a part of the annual North Carolina Coaches Association clinic in Greensboro, will be held Wednesday, July 17, at 8 p.m.

• Terry Sanford High School recently made wholesale changes to its varsity coaching staff for next year. The changes resulted from the departure of head boys’ basketball coach Darren Corbett, who returned to his native Greensboro to coach at Grimsley High School.

Terry Sanford principal Tom Hatch announced that Karl Molnar, who has been successful coaching girls basketball and boys and girls soccer for the Bulldogs, would be moved to take over the boys basketball coaching position vacated by Corbett.

To fill the soccer vacancies created by moving Molnar to boys basketball, Steven Barbour was named varsity boys soccer coach while Jared Kaiser was selected to take over the girls soccer team. Both Barbour and Kaiser were already on staff at Terry Sanford as teachers and serving as coaches in the soccer program.

Replacing Molnar as girls basketball coach is Michael Joiner. Joiner was a star high school player at Seventy-First and also played college basketball at Florida State. He also spent some time as a professional basketball player before returning to Fayetteville.

“We are excited to watch our coaches continue the winning ways,’’ said Hatch in a prepared statement.

• The final team was selected last week to complete the field for this December’s Cumberland County Holiday Classic Basketball Tournament.

Last season the format for the tournament was changed to create multiple tournament brackets and multiple champions, causing a need for more teams to complete the field.

Vernon Aldridge, student activities director of Cumberland County Schools, had been working since last year’s tournament concluded to strengthen the field for this year’s event.

Joining the 10 Cumberland County Schools teams in this year’s event are the following teams:

Boys — Wilmington Hoggard, Wilmington Laney, Southern Lee, Wendell Corinth Holders, Apex Middle Creek and one South Carolina team — Marlboro County High School from Bennettsville.

Girls — Wilmington Hoggard, East Bladen, Union Pines, Garner, Scotland and Wendell Corinth Holders.

The pairings for the tournament will be announced at a later date.

Mariyah Wakefield

Seventy-First • Track • Sophomore

Wakefield has a 3.7 grade point average. She participates in Upward Bound at Fayetteville State University. She volunteers at True Vine Ministries and is a member of the Seventy-First orchestra.

 

Justin Croom

Seventy-First • Track, wrestling • Sophomore

Croom has a 3.4 grade point average. He was 6-18 as a wrestler for the Falcons last season. He currently has a best time of 22.99 in the 200-meter dash

Every spring, the Fayetteville Dogwood Festival brings the community together to celebrate everything that makes this community so special — the people, the food, the music, the diversity.

The festival boasts an impressive list of well-deserved awards, including four awards from the North Carolina Association of Festivals and Events in 2018 alone. The festival was also named the 2018 Event of the Year in the Southeast by the Southeast Festivals and Events Association.

Longtime Dogwood Festival Director Carrie King retired last year, leaving the event in the hands of its new director — Malia Allen.

The Dogwood Festival starts Thursday, April 25, with Cork & Fork. Enjoy appetizers, beverages and entertainment. Proceeds benefit Kids Peace Foster Care. Tickets cost $40 per person. Find out more at www.thedogwoodfestival.com.

The festival’s activities include fireworks, rides, food, a midway and an abundance of live entertainment. The music stages include local performers as well as national artists.

Friday’s acts include The Pharcyde, and Tone Loc. The Pharcyde is an alternative rap quartet from South Central Los Angeles, California. The group formed in the early 1990s and has released three albums.

Tone Loc was a 1980s rap pioneer. His was the second rap act to reach No. 1 on Billboard’s album charts. “Wild Thing” and “Funky Cold Medina” were his first two hit singles and remain his two most popular songs. Tone Loc went on to work in TV and film and continues his music career.

Friday festival hours: 5-11 p.m.

5 p.m. — Festival Park opens

5:30 p.m. — Throwback Collaboration Band

6:45 p.m. — Opening Ceremony/National

Anthem — Jill Charles

7:15 p.m. — Lotus Sun

9 p.m. — The Pharcyde

10 p.m. — Tone Loc

11 p.m. — Fireworks

Saturday festival hours: Noon-10:30 p.m.

Hay Street Performance Area

Noon — King BMX

12:35 p.m. — Ladysticks Music Performing Arts

1 p.m. — J’s U.S. Taekwondo

1:35 p.m. — Shadows of the Fire

2:25 p.m. — King BMX

3 p.m. — Aloha Ka’naka O Hula Halau

3:35 p.m. Shadows of the Fire

4:25 p.m. Canton of Attillium

5 p.m. King BMX

5:35 p.m. Aloha Ka’naka O Hula Halau

Festival Park Stage

1 p.m. - TBD

3 p.m. - Jill Charles & Nobody’s Business

5 p.m. - Denver Nixon Band

7 p.m. - Corey Smith

9 p.m. - Colt Ford

Country musician Corey Smith has sold more than 1 million concert tickets, 1.5 million digital singles and more than 220,000 albums. He’s got 10 albums to his name, but even more impressive is the fact that he’s written every song on every album he’s recorded. Some of his hits include “Twenty-one,” “If I Could Do It Again” and “I Love Everyone.”

Colt Ford said he has one goal when it comes to his music, “I’m just trying to bring people together.”

The Georgia native and former golf pro brings country, blues, rock and rap together for a unique sound and a philosophy of live and let live that resonates with his fans.

Sunday festival hours: Noon-9 p.m.

Hay Street Performance Area

Noon — bKing BMX

12:35 p.m. — Elevo Dynamics

1 p.m. — J’s U.S. Taekwondo

1:35 p.m. — Shadows of the Fire

2:25 p.m. — King BMX

3 p.m. — Aloha Ka’naka O Hula Halau

3:35 p.m. — Shadows of the Fire

4:25 p.m. — Canton of Attillium

5 p.m. — King BMX

5:35 p.m. — Aloha Ka’naka O Hula Halau

Festival Park Stage

1 p.m. — Paige Johnson

3 p.m. — Eastline Band

5 p.m. — The Guy Unger Band

7:30 p.m. — Rumours

A Fleetwood Mac tribute band, Rumours blends perfect harmonies and precise instrumentation while delivering a visually engaging show. The band routinely plays to sold-out audiences and is known as one of the top tribute bands in the country. The band flawlessly recreates the Fleetwood Mac vibe and attitude, drawing in fans far and wide.

Dogwood Festival sanctioned events

Friday, April 26: The Fayetteville/Cumberland County Crimestoppers Barbecue is a 35-year-old tradition. For many, the delicious barbecue, potato salad, coleslaw and a roll for just $8 signifies the unofficial kickoff of the Dogwood Festival. The barbecue takes place in the Harris Teeter Parking lot at 2800 Raeford Rd. on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Proceeds benefit Fayetteville/Cumberland County Crimestoppers. Crimestoppers provides a safe and anonymous way to report crimes and also offers rewards. Citizens can call Crimestoppers at 910-483-TIPS (8477) or toll-free at 866-542-TIPS (8477) if they have information regarding criminal activity. This number is manned 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and is designated for Crimestoppers information only. All calls are kept in complete confidence. Learn more at https://faynccrimestoppers.org.

Saturday, April 27: The Hogs & Rags Spring Rally is the largest escorted motorcycle and car rally in the state. Spanning nearly 120 miles, the ride goes from Fayetteville to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It includes a stop at Rockin’ A Ranch for breakfast and a meal at the end as well.

The ride leaves the Airborne & Special Operations Museum at 7:30 a.m. It costs $50 per person and includes an official T-shirt, breakfast, lunch, door prizes, a 50/50 cash raffle and 3 gun raffles. Proceeds benefit the American Cancer Society, The Kidsville News Literacy & Education Foundation and The Special Forces Charitable Trust.

There will be a preparty Friday, April 26, at Mac’s Speed Shop at 482 N. McPherson Church Rd., from 6:30-9 p.m. To register or for more information, visit www.hogsandrags.org.

Hope Mills Commissioner Pat Edwards doesn’t understand the fascination her fellow board members have with preserving the aging parish hall that a previous board voted to demolish.

At last Monday’s meeting of the commissioners, the board voted to hire a structural engineer to evaluate the chances for restoring the building, part of the property donated to the town by the local Episcopal Church seven years ago.

Edwards questions the interest in the building given the town’s history of turning over many of its historic buildings to private entities.

She noted two prominent downtown buildings not far from the parish hall that are both currently owned by private businesses.

“They’ve given away or sold all the mills,’’ Edwards said. “Why all of a sudden is this parish building so important when they let other more historical buildings go? Why spend money we don’t have?”

Jeff Adolphsen, a senior restoration specialist with the North Carolina State Historical Preservation Office, recently inspected the parish hall. He said as buildings he’s inspected go, it was in better shape than many of them — but, he added, repairs will be needed in a number of areas.

Adolphsen said the building needs a new roof. There has also been water leaking down a chimney that was not flashed.

He indicated the aluminum siding on the building could be removed. He also found termite and water damage, and added the structural integrity of the timbers in the building appeared to be decent but could be improved.

He said the building likely needed to be treated for termite, fungus, mildew and mold problems, adding that the crawl space under the building appeared to be fairly dry.

Many of the problems were related to the fact that mechanical systems in the building had been shut off for some time. In addition to repairing problems associated with age and wear, Adolphsen said if the town plans to make the building available for access by the general public, it will have to made handicapped accessible.

He said that includes having parking spaces that meet certain size requirements, along with an unobstructed path to the front door and handicapped-friendly access to the building, the bathroom and other main areas.

He did not inspect the bathroom regarding modifications needed for handicapped access, but he did note the door to the bathroom was narrow and would need to be widened.

“As a preservationist, you try and minimize the changes or minimize the effect of the changes,’’ he said. “Ninety-nine percent of what we look at is what we call rehabilitation, where you are taking a historic building and you’re fixing it up for modern, efficient, contemporary use, but you’re keeping those features and finishes that make that building historic.’’

Adolphsen did not offer any figures on the cost of restoring the building. He did say some things would require a licensed contractor. “I told them I’ve seen buildings like that get rehabbed before,’’ he said. “I think it could be rehabilitated. They might be able to find some grants somewhere. They may be able to do some volunteer labor.’’

Edwards would like to hear from town staff before spending more money on the project. “We have qualified staff that could tell us if it could be saved or not,’’ she said. “It’s going to cost a lot of money regardless.’’

Photo: Pat Edwards

April is now officially the month of underdogs. Admit it, once upon a time you used to be a kid. If you were lucky, your parents read you stories before you could read. If you were really lucky, you heard the story of Babar the Elephant. To refresh your recollection, here is the Reader’s Digest version of Babar’s story. It gets kind of weepy at the beginning. If you are tenderhearted, you may wish to skip the rest of this column. But hang in there, it has several happy endings.

Our story begins with baby Babar riding on the back of his Mother through the jungle. Babar was as happy as Bambi was with his Mom before man came into the forest. However, a Hunter is hiding in the bush. The Hunter shoots and kills Babar’s Mother.

Babar cries but escapes the Hunter.

Babar runs away and ends up in the City, where he meets a very friendly Old Lady. She buys him an excellent green suit and hires tutors to educate him. Babar becomes quite the sophisticate as he dwells for several years in the City.

Eventually, his cousins Celeste and Arthur come to the City. They convince him to return to the jungle. Babar gets back to the jungle just as the King of the Elephants has become very sick after eating a poisonous mushroom. As luck would have it, the King dies shortly after Babar’s arrival. The other elephants decide Babar’s education among humans make him the perfect candidate to be the new King of the Elephants. Babar is crowned King. He marries his cousin Celeste because that’s what royalty does; they marry close relatives to maintain a grip on power and to develop hemophilia.

Fast forward to April 2019 in South Africa. There are still hunters in the jungle. Five of them snuck into the Kruger National Park to illegally hunt rhinos. Earth has a limited supply of rhinos, estimated at about 20,000 in South Africa. Their numbers dwindle each year due to poachers. Most rhinos are not a match for high-powered rifles.

But on this day, the rhinos had a friend in high places, a cranky elephant. Our poacher buddy, let us call him Slim, was hunting rhinos to sell their horns to doofuses in China, who think the horns are an aphrodisiac. While hunting rhinos, Slim got too close to an elephant whom we shall call Babar Jr.

Slim’s buddies told authorities that Babar Jr. suddenly attacked Slim. Babar Jr. squashed Slim into the ground doing the old elephant two-step all over Slim’s soon-tobe pancaked body. Yikes. That would leave a mark.

Slim’s buddies pulled his flattened body out on a road so he could be found by the authorities. His pals then high-tailed it out of the park, leaving Slim like a pork chop in an outdoor meat market.

Unfortunately for Slim, before the authorities could find his body, the lions found him first. Slim became lion chow. The search party finally found what was left of Slim near the Crocodile River. After the lions got through with him, all that was remained of Slim was his skull and a pair of pants. That was mighty slim pickings.

But it was a happy ending. Jungle Animals: One. Poachers: Zero. For one brief, shining moment, the animals were the winners. Rhinos, elephants and lions don’t often win against the hunters. But when an underdog wins, we all win. Maybe the next time the Trump boys, Don Jr. and Eric, go big game hunting for elephants, they will meet up with Babar Jr. before they can shoot him.

In keeping with April being the month of underdogs, Tiger Woods finally won the Masters again after 11 years of wandering in the rough of the golfing wilderness. Huzzah for Tiger. He kept at it.

The same week, Chris Davis, a member of the Baltimore Orioles baseball team, ended his longest hitless streak for a nonpitcher in the history of major league baseball. Davis had gone without a hit in his last 54 times at bat, stretching all the way back to last season. Thanks to Davis, the Orioles won the game. Don’t feel too sorry for him. Davis is getting paid $161 million dollars as part of a seven-year contract. He will be alright.

So, what have we learned today? Sometimes karma works and an elephant will caress a bad guy with his toes. Lions don’t require Texas Pete hot sauce when eating a poacher pancake. Tiger Woods and Chris Davis prove that persistence pays in all areas of life. If you give a monkey a typewriter, he will eventually type a column. The very existence of this column is proof of the typing monkey theory.

Jimi Hendrix once said, “Excuse me while I kiss the sky.” I say, “Excuse me while I go eat a banana.”

As department chair for Fayetteville Technical Community College’s advertising and graphic design program, it is my pleasure to present the graduating class of 2019 and invite you to join us for Portfolio Night. It takes place Thursday, May 2, from 4-7 p.m. at the Harry F. Shaw Virtual College Center atrium on FTCC’s Fayetteville campus. Each graduating student will display portfolios to highlight his or her work. In their portfolios, students demonstrate their development of skills and application of design principles as well as hard work. 

FTCC’s advertising and graphic design curriculum provides students with the skills necessary for employment in graphic design and related fields.

Students learn how to apply effective design principles to real-world assignments, utilizing creative problem-solving skills. They focus on executing designs efficiently in appropriate design applications from the Adobe Creative Suite for a variety of printed and digital media. They explore industry expectations, associated processes and unique considerations for different aspects of design, including page layout, illustration, photography, product packaging, web design, advertising and promotions.

Students can choose from programs of study that lead to an associate degree or a certificate in one of the following concentrations: digital graphics, graphic design basics or web-based graphics design.

One of the most rewarding aspects of working with students is seeing the diversity of creativity expressed in their work. Provided the same instruction, each student brings to their work a singular perspective that produces a unique design solution to achieve an objective. With a solid foundation in design principles, individualism and creativity yield multiple different, yet effective, designs.

Join us for Portfolio Night to be inspired and have your creativity stimulated by the work of each of these students.

In addition, Portfolio Night serves as a resource to connect leaders within our business community with graduates who possess the skills to support advertising and promotional efforts through graphic design. Every business has graphic design needs of various degrees. Whether a business or organization is looking to hire for a full-time position or is seeking a graphic designer on a freelance or contract basis, they will find that FTCC’s students have been well prepared to serve their needs.

FTCC’s faculty, staff and students hope you will plan to visit Portfolio Night on May 2. The Harry F. Shaw Virtual College Center is located at 2201 Hull Rd.

Advertising and graphic design is just one of more than 250 academic programs of study to choose from at FTCC, which include business, computer technology, engineering/ applied technology, health, public service, arts and humanities, and math and sciences. Students can use their time wisely this summer by enrolling in summer classes, which begin May 28. Registration for summer classes is open, and registration locations include the Tony Rand Student Center at the Fayetteville campus, the Spring Lake campus and the Fort Bragg Training & Development Center.