With COVID-19 impacting our country’s economy, nearly every industry sector is feeling the effects.  As part of our efforts to support our business community and better understand their needs during this time of uncertainty, we have released an economic-impact survey for our local business leaders. Created through a partnership of the city of Fayetteville, Cumberland County, FCEDC, Cumberland Community Foundation, Center for Economic Empowerment and Development, Cool Spring Downtown District, Greater Fayetteville Chamber, and Fayetteville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, the survey’s goal is to inform recovery efforts and direct aid where it can be most effective. 

“We have incredible and unique businesses in downtown Fayetteville. We want to make sure we understand the impact COVID-19 has on their business models,” said Bianca Shoneman, president and CEO of the Cool Spring Downtown District.

Designed to automatically self-customize based on the respondent’s input, this 21-question form should take roughly five minutes to complete.  Participants have the option of remaining anonymous or can request to receive program information and one-on-one assistance from corresponding partners.  Entrepreneurs and industry leaders in Fayetteville and Cumberland County can participate by visiting www.FCComeback.com. 

Survey questions cover topics including COVID-19’s impact on supply chain, workforce, customers, markets and operations. Also included are opportunities to share specific needs and direct connections to local agencies ready to help. “The results will be critical to maximize local, state and federal recovery resources and help our community get back to work as quickly as possible,” said Robert Van Geons, FCEDC president and CEO.

Together, your community and economic development partners are striving to quickly and efficiently combine efforts, working as a central resource hub for every type of employer.  From restaurants to manufacturers, from military contractors to independent retailers, we want to do all that we can to help your business weather this storm, with hopes for rapid growth once it passes. 

Finding ourselves in uncharted territory, we are all navigating new paradigms and doing our best to quickly adapt to a constantly evolving economic landscape. Our community has a proud history of standing firm when confronted with adversity.  Working together, we can protect both our people and our economy.  Please help us be as effective as possible by visiting www.FCComeback.com today. 

To take the COVID-19 Economic Impact Survey or to learn more about local resources for your business and employees go to www.FCComeback.com.

Greetings Readers, Friends and Associates.

These are trying times. However, we are Americans. We are resilient and possess the intestinal fortitude and determination to get through this COVID-19 crisis. It’s in our DNA.

As a community newspaper and member of the North Carolina Press Association, Up & Coming Weekly will continue to be published and distributed throughout Fayetteville, Fort Bragg and all the Cumberland County municipalities during this critical time. In addition, U&CW is available FREE online by subscription at
www.upandcomingweekly.com. After all, what would a Wednesday morning be like not reading Margaret Dickson’s stimulating column or scratching our heads to one of Pitt Dickey’s imaginative creations or wondering why Karl Merritt isn’t writing for The Wall Street Journal or why he hasn’t won a Pulitzer Prize for embracing humanity?

We will continue to keep you updated on the COVID-19 situation, local news, views and, of course, the features and articles by the writers you have gotten to know and enjoy over the last two decades.
We encourage residents to visit www.coronavirus.gov, a centralized resource that includes up-to-date factual information on the COVID-19 situation. Don’t depend on the erratic, sporadic and flawed information flooding the social media networks.

Thank you, advertisers, for your continued trust and support. Keep your message out in the community and know we are here for you. Contact us first if you have message to get out or story to tell.

We know we could not exist without our readers. You are the greatest — and the most significant reason Up & Coming Weekly newspaper is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Please continue to support the people, businesses, organizations and institutions that support us — and you. Their messages, products and services serve you and support this community.

Many of our writers have been with us for over two decades and some just a few years. We know that we wouldn’t be who we are without you. You give voice to organizations, people and causes that matter. You make us think, make us laugh and keep us informed. Thank you for your dedication to our community and to our readers. Your love for this community and for humankind shows in every issue. There is still so much to write about and so many stories to tell. We can’t wait to read what you write next.

We are committed to supporting this community and showcasing and accentuating Fayetteville’s unique quality of life. We know it is our readers, advertisers and writers who are responsible for our 25 years of success, and we will keep serving you. We’ve been through hard things before and come out stronger for it — as individuals and as a community. We will do it this time, too.

Thank you for your continued support.

Greetings Readers, Friends and Associates.

 These are trying times. However, we are Americans. We are resilient and possess the intestinal fortitude and determination to get through this COVID-19 crisis. It’s in our DNA.

As a community newspaper and member of the North Carolina Press Association, Up & Coming Weekly will continue to be published and distributed throughout Fayetteville, Fort Bragg and all the Cumberland County municipalities during this critical time. In addition, U&CW is available FREE online by subscription at www.upandcomingweekly.com. After all, what would a Wednesday morning be like not reading Margaret Dickson’s stimulating column or scratching our heads to one of Pitt Dickey’s imaginative creations or wondering why Karl Merritt isn’t writing for The Wall Street Journal or why he hasn’t won a Pulitzer Prize for embracing humanity?

We will continue to keep you updated on the COVID-19 situation, local news, views and, of course, the features and articles by the writers you have gotten to know and enjoy over the last two decades.

We encourage residents to visit www.coronavirus.gov, a centralized resource that includes up-to-date factual information on the COVID-19 situation. Don’t depend on the erratic, sporadic and flawed information flooding the social media networks.

Thank you, advertisers, for your continued trust and support. Keep your message out in the community and know we are here for you. Contact us first if you have message to get out or story to tell.

We know we could not exist without our readers. You are the greatest — and the most significant reason Up & Coming Weekly newspaper is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Please continue to support the people, businesses, organizations and institutions that support us — and you. Their messages, products and services serve you and support this community.

Many of our writers have been with us for over two decades and some just a few years. We know that we wouldn’t be who we are without you. You give voice to organizations, people and causes that matter. You make us think, make us laugh and keep us informed. Thank you for your dedication to our community and to our readers. Your love for this community and for humankind shows in every issue. There is still so much to write about and so many stories to tell. We can’t wait to read what you write next.

We are committed to supporting this community and showcasing and accentuating Fayetteville’s unique quality of life. We know it is our readers, advertisers and writers who are responsible for our 25 years of success, and we will keep serving you. We’ve been through hard things before and come out stronger for it — as individuals and as a community. We will do it this time, too.

Thank you for your continued support.

With schools being closed, parents and caregivers are looking for educational resources for children. Kidsville News!, a publication that is produced locally, offers a variety of free and fun articles, games and more that will inspire growth in young learners.

Kidsville News! promotes education, reading and good character traits in children in grades K-6. It was created in 1998 by newspaper publisher Bill Bowman as a local and self-sustaining “Newspaper in Education” program in his community of Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Kidsville News! has a proven track record as a profitable and valuable reading and educational resource serving children, teachers, parents and guardians.

Kidsville News! is currently used by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction for reading assessments and end-of-grade testing. It is recognized nationally as a quality children’s publication by the Parents’ Choice Foundation and received the National Parents’ Choice Award in 2008 and 2012. (http://www.parents-choice.org/aboutus.cfm)

Each Kidsville News! publication has teacher/parent worksheets and an online electronic version, which is adaptable for use on classroom smart boards, white boards, computers and tablets. Visit kidsvillenews.com to view the flagship edition, or pick up one in a newsstand near you.

This article originally ran in the March 2020 edition of Women's View Magazine.

I remember certain events from my children’s childhoods vividly, and yet some things I question, especially as the years pass by. So, I enjoy having as many memories preserved in photos  as possible to review and confirm details. I am also the historian in my family; when other family members can’t find a photo of a loved one, I am the one they come to see. I have scrapbooks meticulously organized, going back to my childhood.

My first experience with scrapbooking was through my stepmother, Nina, who faithfully preserved all our adventures in books for us to bring home at the end of  each summer. Of course, these were the old-fashioned scrapbooks with a film over the pictures to hold them in place. Her detailed preservation of family memories helped me to develop an interest in and create my own way of scrapbooking. Consider these tips before starting your first book.

First, get old pictures out of nonphoto-safe memory books as soon as possible. Those old books can damage pictures and are not the best way to preserve memories.
Secondly, convert your old photos to digital copies to prevent further damage. Mark them as close to the date taken as possible, to make it easier to find these photos in the future.

Lastly, save those digital copies in at least three different locations. One can be on a computer, another perhaps an external hard drive kept in a different location and lastly, maybe an online service or in the cloud.

Update these pictures with your new ones regularly in all locations at the same time, so as never to be caught by surprise if a smartphone or computer dies. Some popular sites for saving photos are Google Photos, DropBox, One Drive and the Amazon Prime app.

Many traditional scrapbookers are still out there,  those who still put the photo to paper with glue and decorations, but more people are scrapbooking digitally. If you still use traditional scrapbooking methods, be sure you are using photo-safe paper, tape and scrapbooks, so all pictures will remain vibrant for years to come.

Digital scrapbooking occurs in several ways. I like to make an annual book for my family to recap events from the past year, but I also create special books from time to time, particularly of vacations, such as from a 2008 trip to St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

I’ve also made special books for my sons from the major events in their childhood. Both children have baby books and albums of their sports and extracurriculars.

I print my photo books through Creative Memories, a service that also sells the supplies for both traditional and digital scrapbooking, but other services are available to consider. Do keep in mind that some of the low-cost options do not always have the best quality outcomes; the books should hold up for years to come. Some of these other options, though, do make it easy to drag and drop your pictures into precreated albums, a nice convenience.

My last suggestion is that you don’t just lay out pictures. If you are doing traditional or digital scrapbooking, be sure to record notes or captions about the picture or the day to enhance your remembrances. These details may be important to you or a descendent in the future. Either way, it is another memory preserved – that is what scrapbooking is all about.

Fayetteville Technical Community College offers the Mobile Applications Developer associate degree as a concentration under the Information Technology major. This curriculum prepares learners to design and develop mobile applications for Android and IOS mobile devices. Graduates will be proficient in HTML, JavaScript, Java, Swift, and UI/UX. Upon completion of the program, students receive an associate degree in Mobile Applications Developer and will be well equipped to enter the growing field of application software development.

The Computer Programming and Software Development department will offer the Mobile Applications Developer degree starting in Fall 2020. This program will introduce students to Java, JavaScript, HTML, Swift, and Android software development kit. Swift is the primary mobile application development language of Apple, the developer of the iPhone and iPad. Students will learn concepts related to mobile application development needed to create basic applications for the iPhone and the iPad. Students will also be introduced to the Android software development kit, where they will learn how to build basic applications for the devices running the Android operating system.
FTCC offers a broad range of programs of study leading to the award of associate degrees, certificates and diplomas. Many educational choices are available in the field of computer and information technology, where graduates can seek employment as designers, developers, testers, support technicians, system administrators and programmers. Specialty areas include business intelligence, database services, healthcare informatics, security and more.

Specific program areas to explore at FTCC include CISCO Networking Academy, Computer Programming & Software Development, Cyber Defense Education Center, Database Management, Digital Media Technology, Game & Interactive Programming, Network Management, PC Support & Services, Systems Security & Analysis, and Simulation & Game Development. Within each of these program areas are additional specialty programs of study, which allow students broad choices for expansion in becoming well equipped for a great career in the computer technology field.

For students interested in pursuing an exciting career in a high-demand field, FTCC is a wise choice for education in computer and information technology. Summer classes begin May 26.

Visit www.faytechcc.edu to apply now and begin the enrollment process.

For more information about the Mobile Applications Developer program, visit https://www.faytechcc.edu/academics/computer-information-technology-programs/computer-programming-development/. To reach out with questions about pursuing Mobile Applications Developer program at FTCC, call 910-678-8571 or email camerona@faytechcc.edu.

With affordable tuition, a broad range of classes and programs to choose from conveniently offered face-to-face or online, and a high-quality education, FTCC is the smart choice for education. Call us, visit our Fayetteville, Spring Lake or Fort Bragg campus locations or peruse our website at faytechcc.edu. Admissions counselors are standing by to provide personal educational counseling that will lead you to a path for success and fulfillment through pursuit of professional employment opportunities. Make the smart choice for your education — FTCC.

If you are unaware of regular and thorough handwashing, personal disinfecting and social distancing, then you must not be on planet Earth. In what feels like only days, lives of Americans have gone from our own normals to self-quarantine and worry, more intense in some places but present everywhere. Will our families and those we love get sick? Will we get sick? Will our jobs continue? Will we ever be “normal” again?

Most of us are going to use best practices faithfully, both for ourselves and for others. Still, for many of us, anxiety now hovers at all times and requires management, and a cottage industry has sprung up to address our fears. Included in strategies offered from various quarters are reaching out to others not in person but by phone, text, email to make sure people we know and love are managing. Gratitude journals are springing up to remind us of the good times in our lives and looking ahead with hope. Experts remind us to control what we can — to eat well, to exercise even if it is in our own homes during self-quarantine, to meditate as a way of easing stress and to remind ourselves that we are doing the best we can.

It is hard to know what to say about people, both young and mature, who behave as if there were no worldwide pandemic or that they are invincible. At some point, they will have to come to terms with having hastened community spread to other human beings, sickening some and possibly killing some. That is a burden no one should seek, especially when health-care workers and other service providers are risking their lives for the rest of us — literally.

Most of this is beyond our individual control, but we can take and implement the advice given by those on the front lines. Each of us has a choice to make as a human being. Are we part of problem or part of the solution? Are we helping to stop the pandemic or are we promoting it? These are profound and private decisions for each of us.
The following comes from the Interfaith Hospitality Network of Cincinnati, and it speaks to people of all faiths or no faith at all.

“May we who are merely inconvenienced remember those whose lives are at stake.

May we who have no risk factors remember those most vulnerable.

May we who have the luxury of working from home remember those who must choose between preserving their health or making
their rent.

May we who have the flexibility to care for our children when their schools close remember those who have no options.

May we who have to cancel our trips remember those that have no place to go.

May we who are losing our margin money in the tumult of the economic market remember those who have no margin at all.

May we who settle for quarantine at home remember those who have no home.

During this time when we cannot physically wrap our arms around each other, let us yet find ways to be the loving embrace of God to our neighbors.”

Amen.

Friends,

By now, we’ve all become familiar with the term social distancing. I know many of you are sitting at home scared and frustrated, as restaurants, gyms and other businesses came grinding to a halt last week due to coronavirus. I share your concerns. That’s why I’m working every day listening to folks on the ground and finalizing legislation to boost our response efforts. Thankfully, there is good news. While coronavirus continues to impact our state and country, the U.S. Small Business Administration delivered some needed relief to small businesses last week by approving a disaster declaration for North Carolina.

This declaration means small businesses in every county in our state may now apply for low-interest economic injury disaster loans (EIDLs) as a result of the ongoing effects of COVID-19 (coronavirus). To apply, you can visit my website at Hudson.house.gov or Disasterloan.sba.gov.

In addition to my office, the N.C. Small Business & Technology Development Center can help small businesses through this process free of charge. The closest physical locations to our district are on the campuses of Fayetteville State University and UNC Charlotte. However, staff is available to assist over the phone at 919-715-7272.
Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and I’ll continue to fight to make sure they, and all workers, have the assistance they need.

That’s why I joined with Senator Thom Tillis and Representative David Price on a bipartisan effort to urge swift approval of Governor Cooper’s request for this declaration. I also led a bipartisan effort with Representative G.K. Butterfield to request more aid for small businesses struggling with cash flow while they must pay bills, payroll and other expenses.

In addition to our small businesses, I’ve been leading efforts to ensure our agriculture industry has access to the temporary workforce it needs to protect our domestic food supply, as well as to increase funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense to handle an influx of patients and strain due to coronavirus. I am happy to report the Families First Coronavirus Response Act that became law last week included $82 million for the Department of Defense and $60 million for the VA to cover the costs of testing for veterans. Following my request for increased funding, I was glad to see President Trump’s latest coronavirus aid proposal includes an additional $8 billion for the Department of Defense.

As we now continue negotiations on a third coronavirus bill, I’ll continue advocating for any and all resources that our health care providers, workers, small businesses, farmers and schools need at this time. My priorities have been shaped directly from feedback from people on the ground. Just last week, I led calls with school superintendents in our region, VA medical center directors in Fayetteville and Salisbury, and small business owners. As always, my offices are also open to take phone calls and emails and hear directly from you about any questions you might have.

As I remain focused on legislation in Congress to address this unprecedented public health challenge, President Trump has also taken action to move the tax filing deadline to July 15, suspend student loan payments, give states flexibility on K-12 testing and remove red tape for the FDA to approve new treatments for coronavirus. By working together across local, state and federal governments, I am confident we can overcome this challenge and come out stronger than ever. Please stay tuned for rapidly changing updates and guidelines and never hesitate to let me know anything I can do to serve you and your family.

What do you get when have a select group of people who didn't get the memo that the calendar had been modified and the start of the New Year was now pushed back by three months? April Fools' Day, that's what. Although the tomfoolery that occurs each April 1 may not feel very old, April Fools' Day traces its origins back several centuries.
One legend states that April Fools' Day originated in the 1500s and has remained a day for hijinks ever since. Prior to the 1500s, the western world relied on the Julian calendar to keep track of time. According to the Julian calendar, years began on March 25. However, since March 25 fell during Holy Week, the new year festivities were pushed back to the first day of April. In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII decreed the adoption of the Gregorian calendar, which switched New Year's Day from the end of March to January 1.

Many people were informed of this change, yet those who lived in rural areas, or had not heard about the calendar change, continued to celebrate the arrival of the new year on April 1. These people were mocked, and some  people in the know would try to confuse people into thinking that April 1 was still New Year's Day and that they were receiving a New Year's visit. From this tradition grew the one that is observed today, with people trying to fool unsuspecting individuals with all methods of pranks and trickery.
In France, jokes may have involved placing paper fish on the backs of the gullible. These poisson d 'avril (April fish)symbolized a young, easily caught fish, or someone who was easily pranked.

Others suggest April Fools ' Day is connected to pagan festivals celebrated during the change of seasons. On Hilaria, Romans would dress up in disguises. Some historians speculate that April Fools' Day is connected to the vernal equinox, when people were fooled with unpredictable weather.

April Fools' antics eventually spread outside of France to Britain and then around the world. While pranks were once simplistic in nature, many are now more intricate. According to Snopes, a popular April Fools' hoax dates back to 1957 when the BBC convinced its audience that spring would arrive early, and with it, an early spaghetti harvest in Switzerland. Video showed peasant women harvesting spaghetti from trees, now that the ravenous spaghetti weevil, which had caused havoc to past harvests, was finally defeated. The station received scores of calls asking to view the harvest or inquiring how they could get a spaghetti plant.

In 1996, in the United States, the popular fast food chain Taco Bell convinced the public that it had agreed to purchase Philadelphia 's Liberty Bell and wanted to rename it the Taco Liberty Bell.

In 2016, the Texas state comptroller's office announced that redback paper money would be reissued in the state for the first time since 1840, and it would feature Willie Nelson 's face on the $10 bill.

April Fools' jokes have evolved throughout the centuries. Although the exact origins cannot be accurately pinpointed, the fun ensues nevertheless.

Local government officials have declared a state of emergency in Cumberland County. County Commission Chairman Marshall Faircloth and Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin announced their decisions at a joint news conference on March 16. The community’s first case of positive coronavirus was confirmed the next day at Fort Bragg. A civilian employee who lives in Harnett County was diagnosed and is now in isolation. “This is a proactive measure to ensure we have the flexibility and resources needed,” Faircloth said.

The declaration activated the county’s emergency operations center and authorized the county to take appropriate action to protect the public welfare.
Gov. Roy Cooper ordered all restaurants and bars closed for dining in to dampen the spread of COVID-19. County Manager Amy Cannon suspended all county employee travel and all events — unless they are mandatory — through the end of the month. The county postponed its six-week citizens’ academy as well as all programming at the Cumberland County Public Library system. The headquarters library downtown and seven countywide branches are closed. Meetings by organizations scheduled at the department of social services and the health department have been canceled. “We will keep the public updated on any changes through the COVID-19 webpage on our website at co.cumberland.nc.us and our social media platforms,” Faircloth said.

Mike Nagowski, CEO of Cape Fear Valley Health System, was direct in his prediction about the pandemic reaching Cumberland County. “It’s just a matter of time,” he said at the news briefing. “This virus is serious, especially among the elderly.”

Nagowski told media representatives the health system has enough respirators for now but that more will likely be needed.

Dr. Jennifer Green, the county’s public health director, said a limited number of available test kits are being reserved for those with symptoms and have had negative flu tests. “We know the state has a limited capacity for testing,” she said. “We want to make sure that those who are symptomatic... have testing available to them.”

Court cases scheduled through April 17 will be rescheduled for at least 30 days, with limited exceptions. North Carolina Chief Justice Cheri Beasley entered an order implementing measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 and minimize the risk of exposure caused by crowded sessions of court. Information on the court schedule is also posted on the county website at co.cumberland.nc.us.

PWC said that through March 30, it will not disconnect utility services for nonpayment. Bills are not being waived, but customers will have additional time to pay. Customers must call to arrange payment plans. PWC’s Customer Service Payment Center is closed to walk-in traffic through the end of the month. The drive-thru will be open during normal business hours. All other customer service transactions can be conducted by phone, at 910-483-1382, Monday through Friday. FAST Bus Service to the PWC Payment Center has been suspended.

Residents with questions about coronavirus can call Cape Fear Valley Health System at 910-615-LINK (5460). Also, the county has opened a general information line about county services at 910-678-7657. The public is encouraged to seek information from credible sources, Green said, including the Cumberland County COVID-19 webpage at co.cumberland.nc.us/covid19 and the North Carolina DHHS website at ncdhhs.gov.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the town of Hope Mills took swift action to limit the exposure of its citizens to possible infection with the virus.
At the top of the list of actions was the declaration of a state of emergency by Mayor Jackie Warner that took effect on Monday, March 16.

The action gave the Hope Mills Police Department authority to deny access to any areas in the town that may be necessary to keep the spread of the virus under control.
Anyone attempting to gain access to any area that is blocked by the police would be considered guilty of a misdemeanor.

The town also announced cancellation of all appointed boards, commissions, committees and upcoming special events through Monday, April 6.

Specific events are listed below:

All town facility rentals from March 16-April 6 are canceled. No additional reservations will be scheduled during that time period.

Easter in Hope Mills and Breakfast with the Eastern Bunny on Saturday, April 4, and the free Easter Egg Hunt are canceled.

Ag Day on Saturday, April 4 is canceled.

Effective Monday, March 16, the Hope Mills Recreation Center closed for an indefinite period.

All scheduled Parks and Recreation programs, athletics, activities, trips and open gym times are suspended through April 6. Registration and payment for future programs and activities can be done online at https://secure.rec1.com/NC/hope-mills-N.C.

Hope Mills Municipal Park, Golfview Greenway and Hope Mills Park open spaces will remain accessible for public use.

Town Hall and the police department lobby will not be closed. Residents are asked to limit visits to both facilities. Use online forms where possible and mail checks for permits. Those who must come to Town Hall or the police station are asked to call ahead and make an appointment to make sure someone is available to assist you.
Call 910-424-4555 for Town Hall or 910-425-4103 for the police department.

Visit http://www.townofhopemills.com/directory.aspx  to find alist of direct extensions.

Stephanie Bentley likes the direction Hope Mills is heading in and wants to be a part of the good things going on in the community. That’s a big part of the reason she and her husband Josh are kicking off a new business, Yakalacky Outfitters NC.

“I have a great passion in making things happen,’’ Bentley said. “I’ve done it before in past businesses. I’m very resourceful and creative. This is going to be a fun thing for the community.’’

The business she is putting together will roll out over a period of weeks, starting first with a kayak rental business that will be based in a mobile format to take the kayaks down to Hope Mills Lake.

Her physical business address, which likely won’t be open until mid-April at the earliest, will be just around the corner from the lake, literally, at 5552 Trade Street in a former paint store.

The building she plans to occupy has been vacant for nearly two years. She’s in the process of cleaning the building inside and out. Once that’s done, she’ll be able to devote full time to installing kayak racks on the trailer she plans to bring her rental kayaks down to Hope Mills Lake.

She has set a tentative date of March 28th to have some travel writers and photographers visit the new business and take a tour of the lake. That event is on hold as the current COVID-19 situation may limit the ability of the writers to travel to Hope Mills until a later time.

But she does plan to crank up the kayak rentals soon, advertising and taking reservations on her company’s Facebook page.

She is working on pricing plans that will make the rental affordable for people who have no experience using kayaks and just want to try it out. She’s also going to have longer rental times for veteran kayakers at a higher price.

“It’s definitely going to be affordable,’’ Bentley said. “I want everybody to be able to afford it.’’

She is hoping to make the Trade Street building more than just a typical store. She wants it to become a place where people can visit, shop and enjoy some time relaxing and socializing.

“We’ll sell bait, fishing tackle and sundries,’’ she said. “We’ll probably have apparel down the road.’’

To save money, and prevent the need to keep the building constantly stocked with kayaks she’s purchased to sell, Bentley plans to work out contracts with different distributors of various water sports products and have them come in on a rotating basis to do demonstrations of their products.

She’s currently negotiating with a company in Texas that makes a unique paddle board with pontoons.

Bentley also plans to offer loaner rods and reels for fishermen and eventually hopes to be able to sell fishing licenses at the store.

She hopes to do some landscaping in the store’s back yard and turn it into a place where people can come and relax in the shade during the summer months, possibly even constructing a small pond with koi or goldfish.

Her primary goal is to offer items that people will want and need when they visit Hope Mills Lake, either as fishermen or kayakers.

While she’s starting with kayaks, eventually she hopes to offer different types of water craft, including canoes, rowboats and possibly even pedal boats.
“The pedal boats are very expensive,’’ she said. “When we get that ball rolling the town is going to let us keep them on the water.’’

Eventually, Bentley hopes to have some kind of storage facility at the lake so she can keep the kayaks there as well and not have to move them back and forth.
She also plans to offer kayak owners the chance to bring their kayaks to her and let her sell them at the store.

She’d also like to sell items made by local artists and craftsmen. “I want to give them an outlet inside the store,’’ she said, “help them and help me.’’

As mayor of Hope Mills, Jackie Warner is always looking for opportunities to spark economic development and downtown revitalization. That’s why she and town finance director Drew Holland recently attended the 40th annual North Carolina Main Street Conference in New Bern.

The conference was geared toward communities roughly the same size as Hope Mills and looked at creative ways various towns had used to promote interest on the part of visitors that didn’t involve huge expenditures of money.

Warner and Holland split up during their time at the conference so each could come back with different ideas on revitalization.

With the news that the historic Trade Street property in Hope Mills has been put up for sale, Warner was particularly interested in things that the town can do to preserve the history there and possibly renovate some of the buildings along the street.

“We had already brought in somebody that explained you can get tax credits for historical preservation and renovating the building,’’ Warner said of a recent presentation that was put on by the town.

One of the most interesting presentations Warner attended involved something Hope Mills has already started doing, the addition of art to the downtown
landscape.

Ironically, before the presentation started, Warner saw pictures displayed from a town art display in nearby Laurinburg that was the inspiration for Hope Mills’ initial foray into municipal art.

Warner’s son, Teddy, worked with the town of Laurinburg when it started the idea of buying a lot, clearing it and setting up sculptures. “They were featured in one talk about how that helped economic development,’’ Warner said of the Laurinburg project.

Hope Mills established an agreement with Adam Walls, who lives in Hope Mills and is an art instructor at UNC-Pembroke, to have his art students provide the town with sculptures.

Warner noted that the presentation highlighted the success of art in other small North Carolina towns.

She mentioned the whirligig park in downtown Wilson, which features a variety of tall, colorful wind-driven sculptures.

Lexington, which is famous for its barbecue, features an assortment of pink pig statues.

The nearby town of Sanford has become famous for local murals that tell the story of the town.

“We could use those murals to show what Trade Street was like years ago,’’ Warner said.

Warner would especially like to do something to bring back the memories of the days when there was a train depot in Hope Mills and trains made regular stops in the town, instead of whizzing through over the downtown bridge as they do today.

Her desire is to get some kind of grant assistance to create a mural on Trade Street near where the old depot once stood. “We’ve got pictures tied to the railroad when it ran through town behind the old mill,’’ she said.

There are many other things Warner saw that could bring back an old-time feel to Hope Mills while at the same time bringing the town into the 21st century.

One thing she saw at the gathering were solar-powered street lights that have a retro look from the 1900s. “Solar lights are very cost effective, and you don’t know it’s a solar light,’’ Warner said.

She also saw some things in a tour of two New Bern churches that could be used at the Thomas Campbell Oakman Memorial Chapel downtown.

“They have times of the day when they are open for prayer,’’ Warner said. “I looked at a garden they had done beside one of them. “They also had a hidden restroom facility that we could easily do by our church. It was cost-effective and served a good purpose.’’

She looked at pavers, bricks and different types of sidewalks. There were also park benches and playgrounds.

Warner hopes to visit Sanford to take a look at the murals there. She would also like for the Hope Mills Creative Arts Council to visit Washington, N.C., a small North Carolina town that has raised significant money for the arts through various partnerships. “Because we’re a tier one county, there is money available if we go the right route to apply for it, to do some of the things we may want to do,’’ she said.

It is hard to get our heads wrapped around the Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. March 2020 is not the same America we knew in February of 2020. It is hard to understand the size and scope of this virus. To put this in perspective, this disease was first reported in China, on December 31, 2019. On January 11, 2020, the Chinese government announced the first death. On January 23, the World Health Organization declared that the virus does not yet constitute a public health emergency of international concern. On January 21, the U.S. announced the first case. On February 22, California announced its first case, and the White House said the president put Vice President Pence in charge of the response. On March 9, Europe went into lockdown. In an election year, and a world of 24-hour media, it is easy for anyone to take shots at the government and the captains of industry, but to put these things in perspective, as of March 12, Jeffery Dahmer had eaten more people than had died in this country. Just for reference, he ate 17 people. So, it is hard to understand how fast pandemic can spread.  This is probably one of the first times in history that we have had so much access to information in real-time, which makes us helpless spectators.

COVID-19 challenges us with science and arithmetic. While the smart people figure out what to do and how to contain this, we all know we need to take a deep breath, but our mind conflicts with what we see and what we do.

In Ed Sherwood’s book, “The Survivors Club: The Secrets and Science that Could Save Your Life,” we learn lessons about where is the safest seat on an airplane, where is the best place to have a heart attack, why does religious observance add years to your life and how can birthdays be hazardous to your health. He also talks about some terrible choices that people have had to make to survive in terrible situations. That is how the world feels this week. While the medical community hunts for answers and cures, we have been hunting for toilet paper and water. If you are one of the lucky ones that found some, you were faced with a moral dilemma: Should you buy more than you need? How much do you need? When will it be available again? And, the big question — should I buy more than I need?

We are living in that space I like to call “strategic space.” This is the space where the government has to do something but also has to come up with something to make it appear everything is under control to create distance between our emotions and chaos. Closing schools, activities and telling people to say home is probable good advice in this situation, as we know that the virus takes up to 14 days to manifest itself.

In Cody Lundin’s book, “98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive,” Lundin stresses that a human can live without food for weeks and without water for about three days or so; but if the body’s core temperature dips much below or above the 98.6 degree mark, a person can literally die within hours. Temperature is one of the first symptoms of CORVID-19. According to the CDC, symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure. Symptoms include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. If you develop emergency warning signs, get medical attention immediately. Emergency warning signs include:

•  Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
•  Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
•  New confusion or inability to arouse
•  Bluish lips or face

*This list is not all inclusive. Please consult your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning.

Until there are enough test kits and reporting mechanisms, there is no way to figure out who, where or how many people are spreading the virus. Couple that with the knowledge that the science community is telling us it may take up to a year-and-a-half to test and get the data back for a viable vaccine. This is a large gap to deal with.
As for the run on stores, we live in Fayetteville. In the last few years, we have had water mains break, hurricanes, tornados and a variety of other challenging situations. Having water, food and medical supplies on hand should be part of your everyday life — no matter where you live.

We all know that fear and greed drive the stock markets. We’ve heard that our whole lives, and if you listen to most news outlets right now, it’s absolute hysteria.
Do you believe that the American economy is doomed and that it will never return? Do you believe that all of the companies that you are invested in within your individual investment portfolio are going under? I don’t think this is the case, but as the stock market bounces up and down, remember to buy low and sell high.

Dr. Spencer Johnson’s book, “Who Moved My Cheese?” is a wonderful parable about the different ways we respond to life’s changes and how doing so skillfully can help us find more success and happiness in our lives. What is changing as of today?  Kids will learn to do homework, practice distance learning, and learn more computer skills. Employers are looking at teleworking. Many jobs are computer-based anyway.  You will learn about social isolation — or the joys of working independently. The entertainment business will take a hit, but the internet streaming businesses will be up. We may have to learn to cook, grow a garden or learn to go out and have a picnic.

It is easy to criticize the government for not having enough test kits or vaccines for everyone in America when the majority of people didn’t have enough toilet paper or water to get through a couple of weeks. Your beliefs will either build you up or let you down. Remember, your beliefs are yours alone, and your choices are yours.

The U.S. Senate has temporarily blocked the promotion of an Army colonel who formerly commanded Fort Bragg’s 3rd Special Forces Group, The New York Times reported. Col. Bradley Moses was in line for promotion to brigadier general. He was the commanding officer in charge when an ambush claimed the lives of four U.S. soldiers outside of Tongo Tongo, Niger on Oct. 4, 2017.

He did not receive any punishment and is eventually expected to receive his promotion. But for now, Senate members are delaying the matter.

Investigations following the Niger ambush were criticized for placing much of the blame on lower-ranking officers. Family members of the fallen soldiers criticized the Pentagon’s handling of the investigation. The leader of the ambushed Operational Detachment Alpha, also known as an A-Team, was Capt. Michael Perozeni. He took much of the blame until it was revealed that he asked to not continue the mission before the attack, according to a redacted investigation. The probe revealed the ambush highlighted problems with the U.S. mission in West Africa, including poor medical evacuation capabilities and a lack of air support for troops on the ground.

Moses’ No. 2, Lt. Col. David Painter, told the A-team to continue the mission, a decision Moses also approved, according to The Times. Painter was subsequently punished following the ambush and not promoted to full colonel. Moses was not punished. 

Maj. Alan Van Saun, an Operational Detachment Alpha team commander who was home on paternity leave at the time of the ambush, received a formal reprimand when the investigation was concluded, effectively ending his Army career. Investigators determined he failed to prepare his soldiers for the deployment.

“Following a complicated tragedy with no clear proximate cause, First Special Forces Command issued reprimands with inaccuracies and inconsistencies, focusing on pre-deployment training and personnel issues, instead of operational decisions made leading up to the ambush,” Van Saun wrote. “Senior leaders within Africa Command... presented their findings to the families of the fallen based on circumstantial evidence, which left them with more questions than answers.

“Africa Command held a press briefing, that, for the most part, admonished one of my Green Beret teams for their premission planning and preparation but barely mentioned the decisions made above their level,” he added.

Family members of those killed and even some green berets with the Third Special Forces Group expressed anger at the numerous investigations, spread out over almost two years, and lack of reprimands for high-ranking military officials, including Colonel Moses, for ordering the 11-member Special Forces ODA on the mission without knowing the enemy’s strength. Islamic State fighters had been tracking the team and were preparing to attack. Five Nigeriens accompanying the Americans were also killed in the hourslong gun battle. The four Americans killed — Sgt. 1st Class Jeremiah W. Johnson, Staff Sgt. Bryan C. Black, Staff Sgt. Dustin Wright and Sgt. La David T. Johnson — all received posthumous valor awards.

It’s important to have cash available for your everyday spending and the inevitable rainy day. However, you also need to develop a cash strategy that can contribute to your long-term financial success. But just how much cash do you need? And in what form?

To answer these questions, it’s useful to look at the four main uses of cash:

• Everyday spending — Your everyday spending includes the cash you use for your mortgage, utilities, groceries and so on. As a general guideline, you should have one to two months of living expenses available during your working years, and perhaps a year’s worth of living expenses when you’re retired. The latter can be adjusted higher or lower based on your income from Social Security or a pension. You’ll need instant access to this money — and you need to know your principal is protected — so it may be a good idea to keep the funds in a checking or cash management account.

• Unexpected expenses and emergencies — If you needed a major car repair or a new furnace, or if you incurred a big bill from a doctor or dentist, would you be able to handle the cost? You could — if you’ve set up an emergency fund. During your working years, this fund should be big enough to cover three to six months of living expenses; when you’re retired, you may be able to get by with one to three months’ worth of expenses, assuming you have additional sources of available cash. You’ll want your emergency fund to be held in liquid vehicles that protect your principal, such as savings or money market accounts or short-term certificates of deposit.

• Specific short-term savings goal(s) — At various points in your life, you may have a specific goal — a new car, vacation, wedding, etc. — that you’d like to reach within a year or two. Your first step is to identify how much money you’ll need, so think about all the factors affecting the final cost. Next, you’ll need to choose an appropriate savings vehicle. You could simply put more money in the accounts you use for everyday cash, or even in your emergency fund, but you would run the risk of dipping into either of these pools. Instead, consider opening a separate account — and tell yourself this money is for one purpose only.

• Source of investment — You can use cash in two ways as part of your overall investment strategy. First, cash can be considered part of the fixed-income allocation of your portfolio (i.e., bonds and CDs). Because cash behaves differently from other asset classes — such as stocks and bonds — it can help diversify your holdings, and the more diversified you are, the less impact market volatility may have on your portfolio. However, diversification can’t guarantee a profit or protect against all losses. The second benefit of cash, in terms of investing, is it’s there for you to purchase a new investment or to add more shares in an existing investment. In any case, you probably don’t want to be too cash heavy, so you might want to keep no more than 10% of your fixed-income assets in cash.

As you can see, cash can be valuable in several ways — so use it wisely.

Men who coached with him called the late Nathan Pittman one of the smartest people they ever knew, and an assistant football coach who was impossible to fool.
Pittman, who was part of four championship football teams in Fayetteville, died recently and was recognized during a celebration of life
service on March 15 at Rogers and Breece Funeral Home.

A native of Florida, Pittman came to Fayetteville as a young man and held assistant coaching jobs at a variety of local high schools. But it was at Seventy-First and South View high schools where he saw his greatest success in his role as defensive coordinator. He helped lead the 1970 Seventy-First team to the Eastern 3-A title, which was as far as schools could go in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association playoffs at the time.

He was a part of three state championship teams under head coach Bobby Poss, two at Seventy-First in the 1980s and a third at South View High School in the 1990s.
After Poss left South View, Pittman ended his coaching career with stops at Terry Sanford and Gray’s Creek high schools.

Greg Killingsworth played for Pittman his first year at Seventy-First and later hired him to coach at Terry Sanford when Killingsworth was athletic director there.
“If you were playing Trivial Pursuit, you wanted him on your team,’’ Killingsworth said. “He was the smartest man I ever met.’’

As for his skills as a football coach, Killingsworth said Pittman was way ahead of the game as a defensive coordinator. “He studied what people did and predicted exactly what they were going to do,’’ Killingsworth said. “You could move the football from the 20 to the 20, but when the field got smaller, his defense always rose to the occasion.’’
Bernie Poole, who became head basketball coach at Seventy-First, came to the school in 1984 and worked with Pittman as an assistant football coach.

“He made great adjustments when he watched films,’’ Poole said. “He never wanted to be a head coach. He liked who he worked for and that’s what kept him going.’’
Poss, who has won more NCHSAA football championships at different schools than any coach in state history, called Pittman a big part of any success he had while coaching at Seventy-First and South View.

“He was intelligent and he wasn’t one to get snookered,’’ Poss said. “You weren’t going to pull the wool over his eyes, whether you were the backup linebacker or the head coach.’’

Former Terry Sanford and Gray’s Creek head coach Bill Yeager took Pittman with him when he started the football program at Gray’s Creek.

“He was as knowledgeable as any football coach I’ve been around, I don’t care what level,’’ Yeager said. “I didn’t have to worry about the defense at all. He ran the defense, from top to bottom.’’

But Yeager said there was more than Xs and Os with Pittman. “He cared about the young men as far as being good people,’’ Yeager said. “The kids knew he cared about them. That was why they played so hard for him.’’

Facing some of the most challenging decisions the North Carolina High School Athletic Association has ever had to cope with, Commissioner Que Tucker stressed a positive attitude moving forward as she spoke to statewide media recently about her organization’s reaction to the pandemic caused by COVID-19.

Despite that upbeat mood, the initial announcements from the NCHSAA office in Chapel Hill were grim for coaches, athletes and high school sports fans.

Tucker was forced to announce that the state high school basketball championships, which saw Fayetteville’s Westover boys and E.E. Smith girls advance to the state 3-A finals, were postponed indefinitely.

The entire spring sports season was also put on hold, as were all practices and off-season skill development sessions until at least Monday,
April 6.

However, Tucker stressed the April 6 date was flexible and that her staff and members of the NCHSAA Board of Directors would continue to assess the situation in hopes it might be possible to play both the basketball championships and as much of the spring sports season as possible.

Tucker said the NCHSAA will study the calendar in hopes the situation with COVID-19 improves and see how much of a spring season with championships can be played.
She said that the spring season will not be extended into the summer months if play can resume in time because playing that late would conflict with graduation exercises and commitments some students may have with college camps.

If the spring season can be played, Tucker said the NCHSAA would have to work with conferences on coming up with some kind of formula to determine conference champions since all of the games likely could not be played in the time available.

She suggested they might use a percentage of conference games won, which is how conference standings are determined. She added the MaxPreps national and state rankings, which are used to seed NCHSAA playoff sports, may not be used in this situation.

As for the basketball championship games, if they are played there are many variables to deal with.

One would be allowing the teams that qualified for the finals sufficient time to practice and get into shape before playing the games if they can be scheduled. Another problem could be finding venues to play them. Reynolds Coliseum at N.C. State and the Smith Center at the University of North Carolina were supposed to host the championships.
If those arenas aren’t available, Tucker said the NCHSAA would first turn to other college venues then look at civic arenas.

It is possible if the games aren’t played that the NCHSAA could declare cochampions or do something it did in football years ago and have Eastern and Western champs with no outright state winner.

“I always like to lean toward the positive,’’ Tucker said. “I’m going to be hopeful and prayerful that by the time we get to April 6, as we get closer and closer, this situation will be different and maybe we will have some opportunity to look at resuming spring sports.’’

Puzzles are fun and entertaining, but their benefits go beyond simple recreation. In fact, playing and solving puzzles on a regular basis can benefit adults and children in various ways.  Puzzles often stimulate problem-solving centers in the brain and can improve brain health. Researchers have found that, by completing crossword puzzles, playing challenging games or doing other puzzle-related activities, individuals may be less likely to develop brain plaques that have been tied to Alzheimer's disease. Data published in the Archives of Neurology found a distinct connection between people who exercised their minds with stimulating activities in their early and middle years and brain health. This group had less Beta-amyloid protein uptake in their brains, which is linked to the onset of Alzheimer's, than those who didn't engage in puzzles during the same time frame.  Beyond their health benefits, puzzles offer some additional perks.

 Puzzles boost vocabulary. Puzzles such as crosswords or codewords/cryptograms introduce people to new words. This helps people expand their vocabulary and can help them improve their spelling.

Puzzles teach patience. Puzzles can be challenging, and such challenges can promote patience in regard to approaching and realizing goals.

 Puzzles can reinforce lessons. Teaching through puzzle play is an effective way to tap into memory retention while making lessons fun.

Puzzles may improve intelligence. Engaging in puzzles can force players to think and reason using general knowledge, memory, spatial imagery and logic. These skills help to sharpen intellect over time. Researchers at the University of Michigan even found that adults could boost their IQs by four points after spending 25 minutes a day doing puzzles.

 Puzzles reinforce concentration. Concentration is required to find words hidden in a word search puzzle or to solve a brainteaser. According to data on
SelfGrowth.com, puzzles naturally induce a state of creative, focused meditation. 

Puzzles improve visual-spatial reasoning. When solving a jigsaw puzzle or working one's way through a maze, players have to look at different shapes and figure out where they fit within the larger picture. Better visual-spacial skills can help with packing, driving and using a map and can be valuable career tools in fields such as architecture. Puzzles are a fun recreational activity that also can boost brain health.

Check out our puzzles on page 22 of our issue and see the benefits for yourself.

The health of members in our community is important. Due to the spread of the coronavirus, as a precaution, several events have been cancelled throughout the community. Please call to confirm events.

It’s been four years since Hope Mills Mayor Jackie Warner created the Hope Mills Mayor’s Youth Coalition. It is composed of students from Gray’s Creek, South View and Jack Britt high schools and seeks to better inform the community’s young people on the business of the town.Since it was started, Warner has been impressed with the talents of the young people who have served on the coalition and how involved they were with their schools.

Initially, she recruited students who were active in the Student Government Association at each of the three schools. But as time passed, she learned there was a problem with that.

The SGA students as a group were extremely busy at their respective schools and often involved in multiple projects. So this year, Warner increased the pool of students involved in the coalition. She sent an email to the principals of each of the three schools. She asked them to nominate two members from their SGA as usual, but also extended an invitation to members of the Key Club and students involved in JROTC.

“We’ve found that Key Club members volunteer a lot,’’ Warner said. “I’ve also been really impressed with the JROTC programs.’’

The result this year is the largest group of coalition students the town has ever had, and they are tackling a project called Hope Mills Beautiful as they work together to coordinate a litter sweep of the town on April 18.

“It’s neat the way all three high schools have worked together,’’ Warner said of the current group. “I think the benefit is building unity among the youth (and) how they relate to each other. Bringing them to the table, it’s interesting to watch them work well together.

“We hope to get the majority of them involved in our Citizens Academy.’’

The chairman of this year’s coalition is Candace Williamson from South View. She is a member of the JROTC at her school.

Vice-chairs are Christopher Vanderpool of the South View Key Club and Melissa Medina of the Jack Britt Key Club. The secretaries are Hunter Stewart of Gray’s Creek SGA and Briana Jackson of the South View SGA.

In addition to their work on the litter sweep, this year’s coalition has composed a letter endorsing the town’s work on Heritage Park. Down the road, they may be looking at finding ways to improve conditions in Hope Mills for people with disabilities.

Williamson, who is a senior at South View, initially didn’t want to be involved in JROTC but decided to join in order to carry on a family tradition.

“I realized we are all a big family and we all have different stories,’’ she said. “We all came together. It taught me leadership skills and stuff I can carry on after high school.’’

Williamson’s JROTC advisor at South View, Sgt. Maj. Ruby Murray, said Williamson reminds her of a butterfly. “She didn’t let her light shine,’’ Murray said. “She’d sit in class and keep quiet, but she’s always gotten her work done.’’

As years passed, Murray said Williamson displayed more and more leadership ability, eventually rising to the role of battalion commander at South View.

“She started showing more leadership ability, taking charge,’’ Murray said. “She became the eyes and ears her second year. When the mayor sent out that email (requesting nominations for the Mayor’s Youth Coalition), I knew I had to put the right person in charge.’’

Williamson said being a member of the coalition is helping her learn how to better herself and hopefully avoid repeating some of the mistakes her elders have made.

She said being part of the coalition has helped her understand everyone has their own voice. She feels she and her fellow members of the coalition are trying to use their various voices in harmony so they can come to agreement on decisions. 

She feels the mission of this year’s coalition, as shown by their involvement in the Hope Mills Beautiful project, is to make the town better.

She said the students from the three different high schools bring a variety of perspectives to the table. “I think that’s a good idea,’’ Williamson said, “sitting at the table with different leaders.’’

Pictured from top to bottom: Candace Williamson, Jackie Warner

The health of members in our community is important. Due to the spread of the coronavirus, as a precaution, several events have been cancelled throughout the community. Please call to confirm events. 

Shows like "American Idol" and "The Voice" have captivated the eyes and ears of people all across America for over a decade. These shows seemingly find some of the best vocal talent right off the street and plop them into living rooms in front of the whole country as they compete to see who has what it takes to be America's next hit performer. So, many people whose lives and voices tug at your heart strings filter through season to season but seem to disappear after it is all said and done. You're left saying, “Hey, what happened to that guy?” or “I really liked that one girl!” but have no clue what they've been doing since the show's finale. 

In 2009, on Season 8 of "American Idol," we met Wisconsin native and former church music director, Danny Gokey, who quickly won the hearts of the nation with his larger-than-life voice. However, there was more to Gokey than just his voice. Just four weeks before his audition, his wife of 12 years died due to heart disease but not before encouraging him to audition for one of her favorite shows — "American Idol."

America watched Gokey nail every performance in the middle of his overwhelming grief as he rose to third place that season. But, after the season ended, he seemed to disappear into the background of the music industry. 

After a couple of less-than-successful mainstream pop records, Gokey made the move musically to go back to where his heart could truly sing — he was signed to Christian music label BMG in 2013 and released his first Christian album in 2014.

Since 2014, Gokey has been nominated for eight GMA Dove awards and a Grammy, and he won a GMA Dove award in 2016 for Christmas Album of the Year. He most recently won K-LOVE Fan awards for Male Artist of the Year and Breakout Single for his song “Tell Your Heart to Beat Again” in 2018. Gokey has seen many milestone career moments, with all four of his albums debuting at No. 1 on Billboard Christian, RIAA Certified Gold Single, over 750,000 albums sold and over 175 million online streams. 

Even better news? His current tour, Unplugged: Stories and Songs featuring Coby James, is coming to our area. Mark your calendars for Thursday, April 2 at 7 p.m. at Central Baptist Church in Dunn. Get your tickets at www.christian1057.com, and click the Danny Gokey banner on the homepage.