Where do leaders go for inspiration? For new ideas? To grow? To get refreshed? For the past three years, the Fayetteville Business 2 Business Expo & Refresh Leadership Simulcast has provided all these things and more to local leaders. Oct. 24, Express Employment, the Greater Fayetteville Chamber, the Better Business Bureau, Ramada Plaza and Up & Coming Weeklyinvite local leaders to the 4th Annual Fayetteville Business 2 Business Expo. It’s a daylong event packed with insight from national and local leaders, learning and networking opportunities, vendors and fun, and it lasts from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. There is one ticketed event, the keynote luncheon, and the rest of the day’s offerings are free. 

Express Employment has hosted this annual event on a national level for eight years, and the Fayetteville business community has benefited from the event for almost as long. 

“Express Employment and the Greater Fayetteville Chamber are making the day inclusive by rolling in the Chamber’s Coffee Club and Business After Hours into the expo, and it ends with a reception,” said Up & Coming WeeklyPublisher Bill Bowman. “We will have food, prizes and giveaways – and a lot of networking. Local businesses will be there with employees and will have vendor booths. We will have a panel of local experts, business people and leadership authorities so the attendees can ask questions.” 

The day starts with the Chairman’s Coffee Club at the Ramada Plaza at 8 a.m. This business networking breakfast has rotating local guest speakers from Cumberland County, the city of Fayetteville, Fort Bragg and Cumberland County Schools. The speakers discuss key issues in the community each month. 

The Refresh Leadership Simulcast follows at 9 a.m. with a welcome and then a simulcast featuring the day’s three speakers. 

Mark King is the first speaker. King is an innovation expert and the former president of Adidas North America. His simulcast begins at 9:05 a.m. The topic is “Lessons in Leadership: Competing with Creativity.” In it, King will share how to inspire a workforce of creativity and confidence. He’ll encourage leaders to, by coming to work with big dreams, vision and energy, create things consumers won’t believe are possible. 

At 10:15 a.m., retired U.S. Army Gen. Colin Powell, who also served as U.S. secretary of state from 2001-2005, will speak on the topic of taking charge. Using his experiences as a leader on the world stage, Powell will lay down exactly what it takes to be a leader during times of change and crisis. 

Powell was the first African-American chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Author of two books, Powell crafted and articulated the U.S. position on the world stage. 

He’ll share his insight on efforts to stabilize a troubled world and discusses the diplomatic and leadership skills needed to transform unstable regions into havens where societies and cultures flourish. 

At 11 a.m., Paralympian Josh Sundquist will give a talk titled “1MT1MT: One More Thing, One More Time.” That was his motto during his training for the Paralympics: One more thing, one more time. 

This athlete and bestselling author is both humorous and inspirational. He motivates audiences to elevate performance in sales, customer service, quality, leadership and more. 

The simulcast portion of the event ends at 11:45 a.m. The breakfast and simulcast are both free to attend. 

There is a special ticketed event following the simulcast. Starting at noon, the Keynote Leadership Luncheon features speaker and innovative authority in sales and management marketing Kyle Burrows. There will also be entertainment by special guests – the Fayetteville Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, the Cross Creek Chordsmen. 

Burrows’ speech is titled “Becoming Famous and Fabulous.” 

“It is based on observations,” Burrows said. “It is a simple mental tool that helps people and organizations find their sweet spot in a world that is always changing. It will provide a deeper dive into becoming famous and fabulous and will help attendees walk through the process of a leadership principle that is three-pronged.” 

Sponsorships and vendor spaces are still available. To become a sponsor or purchase individual tickets for the luncheon, visit http:// b2bshoplocal.com. The afternoon and evening events are free and feature several leadership workshops with local leaders and a panel of experts. 

Kent Hill, director of the Center for Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Small Business at Fayetteville Technical Community College, started his career working in the marketing departments of The Coca-Cola Co. and Kellogg’s. His career is divided almost evenly between working for blue-chip corporations and cofounding several successful (and a couple not-so-successful) startups. His leadership workshop topic is “Branding is Everything. Everything is Branding.” 

There has never been a marketplace as competitive as the one we live and work in today,” said Hill. “And it will be even tougher tomorrow. To succeed in this hostile and volatile environment, you need to see and understand the entirety of your business from the customer’s experience.” 

In this fast-paced workshop, Hill will share some secrets to keeping pace with your customers’ expectations – and a step ahead of your competitors. 

President of the Better Business Bureau of the Coastal Carolinas, John D’Ambrosio, is also a speaker for one of the leadership workshops. He will be doing a track talking about integrity and research in business. It will include the importance of having confidence in businesses and organizations. 

  “What I hope to impart is how important honesty and integrity are to establishing trust in the marketplace,” D’Ambrosio said. “Businesses that care about customers and put them first is what is important in the marketplace today because there are so many choices out there. Knowing how to lead your business in that direction is vital.” 

    PWC Chairman Darsweil Rogers is one of the panel experts. For him, events like this matter – a lot. 

    “The future of our community is in the hands of our leadership, and we are at a point in time where we have to rethink and even re-envision where the community is heading,” Rogers said. “There is so much technological change taking place right now, and with the proper vision, we can leapfrog other communities. That’s is why I am excited to participate in events like this. 

 “Opportunities like Refresh Leadership let us talk with leaders about having a broader vision. Leaders can say we want to be a smart community, but we need to talk about what do we need to do to make that happen.... This idea of having a bigger vision needs to be a groundswell.  

   “Research Triangle Park didn’t just happen; it required leadership at the state level, and Duke, Wake and Orange counties had to come together and re-envision that community. 

   “We can do something similar here.” 

   The event concludes with an after-hours reception. Visit B2Bshoplocal.com to learn more, to register for the events or to purchase tickets for the luncheon. 

  Assistant City Manager Jay Reinstein, 57, is leaving his post with the city of Fayetteville this week after five years on the job. He has been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, which affects people under 65. Early-onset Alzheimer’s, sometimes known as younger-onset Alzheimer’s, is a form of dementia. It means a person has a progressive and sometimes chronic brain condition that causes problems with thinking, behavior and memory. 

  Dementia itself is not a disease, but a syndrome; its symptoms are common to several brain diseases. Alzheimer’s gets worse over time. But medications sometimes slow that decline and help with symptoms such as behavior changes. More than 5 million Americans have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. It’s what most people think of when they hear “dementia.” 

  “I will go out on family medical leave and use my accumulated sick time through April or May of 2019,” Reinstein said. 

  He is not yet eligible for retirement but has had time to educate himself about the benefits available to him through his employer. Disability insurance provides income for a worker who can no longer work due to illness or injury. 

  “Two months prior to leaving the city, I will apply for short-term disability through the NC State Retirement System,” Reinstein said. “Then, about 12 months after getting approved for short-term disability, I will apply for long-term disability until I can officially retire in 2022.” 

  “Tell me, doctor, how long do I have?” That, says Dr. Gregory A. Jicha, M.D., is the first question patients ask after receiving a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. Jicha did a comprehensive study of 1,300 patients and found that the majority of people with early-onset Alzheimer’s have sporadic Alzheimer’s disease. It is the most common form of the illness and is not attributed to genetics. The average amount of time that people live with Alzheimer’s disease is approximately seven years, according to the Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders. Life expectancy varies from person to person. 

  Like many people with early-onset Alzheimer’s, receiving an accurate diagnosis is important. Reinstein said the first clue that there was a problem was a day several months ago when, on the way home from work, he drove two doors past his home before realizing it. 

  “It’s the little things,” he said, like “what dresser drawer the underwear is in.” Memory issues don’t occur all the time, he added, “but there is a lot of frustration.” 

  “I’m really a workaholic; it’s going to be difficult not being a leader.” 

  City Manager Doug Hewett said, “Jay is an asset to our organization. His care and concern for others is evident in everything he does. We will all miss our daily interactions with him, and we wish him all the best as he transitions from public service.” 

  Reinstein has been dealing with the realities of his illness long enough to have come to grips with it. He noted it’s his caretakers who will struggle over time. He has tried to make it easier for his family by saying he doesn’t want sympathy – he wants support. He looks forward to spending time with his family and doing volunteer work. He is already involved with the Alzheimer’s Association and has organized a team that raised $23,000 for research. 

  Filling Reinstein’s position won’t be easy for city. “I plan to fill the position temporarily with an internal interim appointment and likely won’t fill the position for several months,” Hewett said. 

Photo: Jay Reinstein

North Carolina has a lower-than-average state sales tax rate of 4.75 percent, but actual combined sales tax rates are higher than average when local sales taxes from the state’s 322 local jurisdictions are taken into account. Cumberland County’s combined rate is 7 percent, which is a higher tax rate than 56 percent of North Carolina localities. Taxable sales in Cumberland County for fiscal year 2017 totaled approximately $4 billion, which represented a 5 percent increase over fiscal year 2016. 

The way sales tax receipts are distributed among local governments has been a contentious issue the last year and a half. State law says county governments choose how to divide the money based either on property taxes or population. An interlocal agreement between Cumberland County and the municipalities dates to 2003 and states sales tax receipts would be shared based on population. 

In 2005, Fayetteville annexed 42,000 county residents and 27 square miles of land, provoking the county board of commissioners to consider changing the way sales tax revenues are divided between the county, the city and towns. The county would get more money under the property tax formula and less under the population method, while the city and towns would get less with property taxes and more with population. 

The various jurisdictions eventually agreed to keep dividing the money based on population, with the city of Fayetteville reimbursing the other towns one-half of the additional sales tax revenue they get from annexed areas. Mayor Mitch Colvin has noted that most of the retail sale of goods and services take place in Fayetteville. 

The 2003 contract, which has been amended a couple of times, expires the end of June 2019, and leaders have tried to reconcile their differences since early 2017. “This has been a lingering issue,” Colvin said during a recent city council committee meeting. 

City Manager Doug Hewett came up with a proposal to renew the arrangement for 10 years. “The county wants certainty and a long-term agreement,” he said. The committee of five council members agreed to it. 

Beginning in year two, reimbursements made by the city to the smaller towns would be gradually reduced and would end in year six. Reimbursements to county government would continue as currently calculated over the first five years, after which repayments to the county would be capped at the dollar amount paid in year five. 

Fayetteville City Council and the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners each have internal subcommittees studying probable solutions to the sales tax allocation. They haven’t met publicly as a combined group in more than a year. 

Tax revenue reimbursements of $86 million have been made by the city to the county and small towns since 2004. 

Meetings 

For details about all meetings and activities, including location where not listed, call Town Clerk Jane Starling at 910-426-4113. Until the Parks and Recreation building has been repaired following damage from Hurricane Florence, some meetings may be moved to Luther Meeting Room at Town Hall at regular dates and times. Those meetings are noted with an asterisk below. 

• Mayor’s Youth Leadership Committee, Monday, Oct. 22, 6 p.m., at Luther Meeting Room, Town Hall. 

• Appearance Commission, Tuesday, Oct. 23, 6:30 p.m., at Parks and Recreation Building.* 

• Senior Citizens Advisory Committee, Wednesday, Oct. 24, 4 p.m., at Hope Mills Parks Senior Center. 

• Veterans Affairs Commission, Thursday, Oct. 25, 7 p.m. at Parks and Recreation Building.* 

Activities 

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

• Pumpkin decorating for seniorsTuesday, Oct. 30, 10 a.m.-noon in the small activity room of Parks and Rec. No fee, but advanced sign-up is required. Only 20 pumpkins are available. Prizes will be awarded for the best three pumpkins. 

• Ghostly Gala for seniorsWednesday, Oct. 31, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. in the Parks and Rec community room. Advanced sign-up at the reception desk required. Costumes are preferred. There will be a costume contest and pumpkin decorating contest. Potluck social. Bring main dish, side dish or dessert. 

• Trunk R TreatWednesday, Oct. 31, 6-8 p.m. at Hope Mills Municipal Park. Anyone planning to bring a vehicle and give out treats at Trunk R Treat must fill out a form and turn it in by Oct. 22 at 5 p.m. Forms available at www.townofhopemills.com under Parks and Recreation. 

Hope Mills residents should consider buying a new pair of walking shoes because they’re going to be getting some more sidewalks. 

The town of Hope Mills has been awarded a grant from the Fayetteville Metropolitan Planning Organization to build sidewalks from Johnson Street near the Robin’s on Main restaurant down to Trade Street. 

The sidewalks will be on the opposite side of Main Street from Hope Mills Lake, said Chancer McLaughlin, development and planning administrator for the town. 

McLaughlin said the grant from FAMPO is for a little under $400,000. It’s what’s known as an 80/20 matching grant, which means the town will add about $80,000 to the project. 

This newest grant will allow for a continuation of a project already underway that’s constructing sidewalks near the Hope Mills town offices on Rockfish Road. 

It will extend existing sidewalks in the downtown area and make it possible, once completed, for people to walk via sidewalk all the way from the town hall area to the restored Hope Mills Lake. 

  “It will possibly cut down on traffic and create a safer balance between vehicular and pedestrian traffic,’’ McLaughlin said. “The main goal is to create a more pedestrian-friendly environment, connecting the town of Hope Mills.’’ 

  In addition to the sidewalks, the grant will help pay for some enhancements on Main Street, McLaughlin said. 

  “We are going to do a major crosswalk installation at Johnson and Main because there is no crosswalk now,’’ McLaughlin said. “We are also going to do a raised mid-block crosswalk halfway between Johnson and Trade Street. At the intersection of Trade and Main, we’re going to do a major enhancement, adding more pedestrian signals.’’ 

  Now that the grant has been awarded, McLaughlin said the new sidewalk project for Main Street is in the design phase and there is no timetable yet for when the sidewalk construction will actually begin. 

  “We are moving forward and filling gaps,’’ he said of the various sidewalk projects going on. “We’re applying for another grant in November. 

  “This is not a one-time thing and by no means (is it) the end of the road. It’s the beginning.’’ 

For 27 years this season, the Cumberland Oratorio Singers have been performing traditional choral music throughout the Sandhills – and not without getting the community’s attention. The group was inducted into the Fayetteville Music Hall of Fame for 25 years of service under the leadership of Michael Martin, and has recently established a new youth choir, the Campbellton Youth Chorus. To celebrate the group’s achievements, COS will kick off its 27th season with some unexpected sounds. “A Night of Jazz” is set for Friday, Oct. 19, at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church at 7:30 p.m. 

For “A Night of Jazz,” the Singers will collaborate with the Fayetteville Technical Community College Choir to perform classic jazz hits from the ’30s and ’40s. According to COS Choral Director Jason Britt, “COS alone is great, but when you add more people to it, it can become really great.” 

Moreover, the collaboration is an attempt to unify Cumberland County and broaden COS’ audience. “By reaching out to the community, with more people, we can do bigger and better things,” said Britt. 

The COS plan to team up with a jazz combo band and are set to perform pieces such as “I’ve Got a Crush on You,” “They Can’t Take That Away from Me,” “A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square,” “You Make Me Feel So Young,” “The Way You Look Tonight” and “I Got Rhythm,” among others. 

For most of the group’s existence, the COS has performed captivating traditional pieces that its audience has grown to expect and love. The ensemble’s director, however, is excited to introduce new styles into the group’s repertoire. 

  “My emphasis on this season is to try to relate to the people a little better by performing music that might be recognizable to our audience members,” said Britt. “For the last 26 years, the Cumberland Oratorio Singers have had a reputation of preserving traditional choral music, and I realized that not everybody is a fan of that.” 

  While Britt and many of the members of the ensemble, not to mention its audience, cherish the more traditional works, the group is ready to adopt some new sounds. “A Night of Jazz” is the COS’ first step to achieving this goal. 

  Jazz isn’t the only genre to expect from the Singers’ upcoming season. “I included one night of just traditional music (in this season),” Britt said. “I really didn’t want to alienate our base – some members really expect traditional choral works, and we love performing them.” 

  This year’s COS season includes “A Night of Screen and Stage,” which will include popular hits from famous movies; “Messiah Sings!” a Christmas cantata featuring Handel’s beloved “Messiah;” and “A Night with the Masters,” which features traditional choral pieces by artists such as Mozart and Schubert. 

  “We really wanted a variety of things,” Britt summarized. “It’s very refreshing not to do the same thing every time; you have a variety of elements that make things interesting.” 

  Tickets for the Oct. 19 season opener, “A Night of Jazz,” can be purchased for $15 at the door. Students with ID can purchase tickets for $5. Holy Trinity Episcopal Church is located at 1601 Raeford Rd. 

  Season tickets are $45. Learn more at www.singwithcos.org. 

 Julia Napoli isn’t the type to back down from challenges, especially when told she can’t do something. 

Her mother, Jen, remembers a time in fourth grade when she wrote a paper about football and why it’s usually off limits for girls. “Everybody would say girls can’t do that because they’re not strong enough or fast enough,’’ Jen Napoli said. “She still has the paper, which is funny.’’ 

Julia’s also got the will to beat the odds, and she’s doing it so far as she recently made the football team at Gray’s Creek Middle School, the first girl in school history to do that. 

By the time this issue prints, Napoli and her Bruin teammates will have played their first game of the season at Douglas Byrd Middle School. 

Napoli is no stranger to the world of competitive sports. Growing up, she took part in soccer for some years and later switched to gymnastics. 

But after going as far as she felt she could with gymnastics, she turned her attention to playing football at Gray’s Creek. 

When Gray’s Creek coach Dante Murphy met Napoli at the school’s open house this year, he had no reservations about letting her try out for the team. 

“She’s an outstanding athlete,’’ Murphy said of Napoli, who’s about 5-foot-3 inches tall and weighs around 120 pounds. 

“I told her from the beginning they’re going to treat you just like a football player, no less, no different.’’ 

Murphy said her teammates have accepted her with no reservations. “I’ve got a great group of kids,’’ he said. 

Napoli is playing wide receiver and defensive back for the Bruins and is also competing on special teams. 

Murphy said she’s not a starter at this point and that time will tell what kind of role she plays on the team. 

While not wanting to discourage her daughter from pursuing her dreams, Jen admitted it wouldn’t be the truth if she said she wasn’t concerned about injury. 

“We bought her some extra pads and a padded shirt that will protect her ribs, kidneys and spine,’’ her mother said. “It’s stuff she can legally wear that’s not issued by the team.’’ 

Jen said there’s a fine line between standing in the way of Julia’s ambition and keep- ing her safe pursuing it. “I don’t want to shelter her so she doesn’t take a chance and never knows if she could have made it,’’ Jen said. 

Jen said she wants her child to win, but at the very least, she wants her to have fun with what- ever she does. 

Like her mom, Julia knows there’s a chance she could get hurt, but she’s not focused on that. “I just pray,’’ she said. “I like playing wide receiver because you get to run and you get to beat some- body to the ball. It’s all about who gets to the ball first and being able to run.’’ 

As for the chance to play defensive back, she looks forward to tackling someone “for another brother,’’ she said. “I take pride that it’s your team, it’s your brotherhood and you’re together forever.’’ 

In a perfect world, Julia said she already knows what she’d like to see happen in her first game.

“A touchdown,’’ she said. “A touchdown. Or an interception.’’

Whatever happens, she’s finally living her dream by just being on the field. 

Photo: Julia Napoli

Primary Health Choice, Inc. presents Hotel California – “A Salute to the Eagles” band Friday, Oct. 19, at 8 p.m. at Givens Performing Arts Center. 

“We actually had Hotel California back in 2011, so this is their second time coming here,” said Chad Locklear, director of marketing of GPAC. “They came before and we had a great turnout from the community, so we thought we would invite them back again for our 2018 Homecoming.” 

Hotel California, the original Eagles tribute band, will perform during UNC Pembroke’s homecoming celebration. The band will showcase classic hits that include “Take It Easy,” “Desperado,” “The Long Run” and “Hotel California.” 

The band was founded with intentions of filling the void left by the demise of The Eagles. For three decades, the band has been recreating the legendary sounds. They’ve captivated audiences all over the world since then and set the bar in 1986 by remaining the industry lead substitute for The Eagles. 

The band toured relentlessly in the ’80s through today and have shared the stage with The Doobie Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Gretchen Wilson, REO Speedwagon and more. 

Their stage show has evolved into one of the most popular productions on the North American festival circuits that has audiences dancing and enjoying the music. 

The homecoming festivities for UNCP will take place Oct. 15-20 and will include athletic games, a step show, a homecoming dance, a tailgate party, an alumni awards banquet, midnight madness event, a bonfire, Ms. UNC pageant and much more. 

“We try to bring acts here that will engage and entice our alumni,” said Locklear. “We have a lot of alumni that come home for homecoming, so this is one of the shows that is geared more towards that crowd. 

“We are looking forward to a festive week, so come join us for the fun.” 

Tickets cost $31-$36. Alumni tickets cost $18, $15 for children, $16 for faculty and staff and $10 for UNCP students. For more information, call 910-521-6361 or visit www.uncp.edu/ advancement/alumni/homecoming-2018. 

 After a brief delay caused by Hurricane Florence, the popular Gallberry Corn Maze is back and better than ever at 5991 Braxton Road in the Gray’s Creek community. 

Originally scheduled to open Sept. 15, things finally got started at slightly reduced hours the weekend of Sept. 29. 

By the time this story publishes, corn maze spokesperson Jeannette McLean expects regular hours to resume from 5-10 p.m. Friday, noon to 10 p.m. Saturday and 1-6 p.m. Sunday. 

The last tickets go on sale an hour before closing time each day. Admission is $10 per person ages 3-65. Military, county school employees and senior citizens 65 and older get a $1 discount. Groups of 20 or more also get a $1 discount. 

The admission fee covers basic entrance to the corn maze and children’s maze plus a host of activities, McLean said. The list includes a hay ride, barrel train ride, jumping pillows, interaction with farm animals including maze mascot Mr. Hee Haw the donkey, a double barrel tube slide, the giant fort over the double sand- box, and a corn shack with 6,000 pounds of corn to play in. 

One activity that comes with extra charge is playing with air cannons that shoot tennis balls. 

There is one new activity called rat rollers. McLean described it as huge corrugated plastic tubes that children get inside. They then navigate down a track made of plumbing pipe. “They work together, race down the pipes and turn around and roll back,’’ she said. 

The rat rollers is included in the general admission price. 

There is also a full concession stand featuring a variety of special items including things like fried corn on the cob, fried Oreos, fried honey buns and family-sized s’mores packs for the maze’s fire pit. 

A final decision hasn’t been made, but McLean said it’s likely the maze will be kept open an additional week to Nov. 11 since the opening was delayed by the hurricane. 

“We think the crop will hold up,’’ she said. They use sorghum instead of corn, and McLean said it generally stays greener than corn longer. 

For folks who are concerned about the mosquitoes that have descended on the area since the hurricane, there will be insect repellent available on-site, but spectators are encouraged to bring their own as well in case the problem continues. 

“Once it turns cooler, we won’t have a problem,’’ McLean said of the mosquitoes. 

For further information, check the Facebook page, Gallberry Corn Maze, go to www.gallberrymaze.com, or call 910-309-7582. 

Twenty-five miles of interstate highway in Cumberland, Harnett and Johnston counties are going to be widened from four to eight lanes. Construction on a local segment of I-95 will begin next year, according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation. The public is invited to attend an open house meeting to review the accelerated schedule and preliminary map designs. The public meeting from 5-7 p.m. will be held Thursday, Oct. 18, at the Falcon Children’s Home Activity Building in Falcon. 

The DOT plans to award a contract next spring to a design and construction team that will widen I-95 from Eastover exit 56 in Cumberland County to Dunn exit 71 in Harnett County. In 2020, the DOT is scheduled to award another contract to extend the interstate expansion beyond exit 71 to exit 81 in Benson, where I-95 and I-40 intersect. 

I-95 additionally will need new interchanges and overpasses in Harnett County. “We have to rebuild six interchanges with new bridges and overpasses and ramps and loops,” said DOT spokesman Andrew Barksdale. “They are not up to modern design, and the bridges are substandard for height.” The structures will be raised in height to better accommodate truck traffic. 

Crashes and overall traffic safety are some of the factors used by DOT in determining which projects will get funded in the Transportation Improvement Program. Fatal and otherwise serious crashes have occurred regularly in Eastover, and north into Harnett County where the highway has narrow medians and archaic metal guard rails. 

“I-95 is our East Coast main highway and a vital link in our state for business expansion, residential growth and tourism,” said Grady Hunt, who represents Division Six on the N.C. Board of Transportation. “This will be a significant investment in North Carolina.” 

The projects will mark the state’s first substantial upgrade of I-95, which was funded in the 1950s as part of what became known as the Eisenhower interstate system. The combined projects are estimated to cost more than $700 million in land acquisition and construction, including appropriations the state transportation improvement program and a $147 million federal program known as Infrastructure for Rebuilding America. The DOT was awarded the federal grant this summer. State transportation officials hope to widen other sections of I-95 in future projects. 

The open house Oct. 18 will be informal, designed to allow people to examine maps, talk with DOT representatives and provide feedback. The department will accept comments on the projects through Nov. 2. 

For more information or to send comments, contact Scott Pridgen at Division Six at 910-364-0603 or on- line at gspridgen@ncdot.gov; or P.O. Box 1150, Fayetteville, NC, 28302. 

NCDOT will provide auxiliary aids and services under the Americans with Disabilities Act for disabled persons who wish to participate in the Oct. 10 workshop. People requiring special services should contact Diane Wilson at pdwilson1@ncdot.gov or 919-707-6073. 

A consultant for the city says downtown Fayetteville parking will not be a problem when the Hay Street minor league baseball stadium opens. Jon Martens of Walker Consultants told city council that the current system is adequate “with lots of room to grow.” Marten’s firm counted just over 2,500 public parking spaces within a five-minute walk of the stadium. 

Few disagree with the consultant, from city staff to downtown realty professionals. “Forty-five years ago, there were many more businesses and half as much parking,” said realtor John Malzone. City Manager Doug Hewett noted that parking availability improves after business hours, which is when baseball games are played. 

“Peak parking occurs at 1 p.m. weekdays,” Martens said. Even then, he noted, only 45 percent of the spaces are used. 

Special events and large promotional celebrations will require parking opportunities beyond the five-minute walk parameters, Martens said. Park and ride shuttles from areas beyond the immediate center city could be adopted according to city traffic engineer Lee Jernigan. He said a more detailed report of additional considerations such as providing convenient parking for the disabled will be available in a month or two. 

The Franklin Street Parking Deck is typically underutilized. It is two-and- a-half blocks from the stadium and just within the five-minute walking distance, Jernigan said. “A short walk to the ballfield is part of the professional baseball experience,” said Mark Zarthar, Fayetteville Baseball Club president. 

Estimated game attendance will vary from 2,700 to 3,500 fans depending on who you talk to. A sold-out event would consist of 4,700 people. Jernigan said private business people and county government are being asked to make their parking lots available for ballgames. 

The owner of the Medical Arts building at the corner of Robeson Street and Hay Street has agreed to lease its parking lot to the city. City Hall, the Airborne & Special Operations Museum and NC Veterans Park lots are governed by the city and will be popular parking areas for fans. 

Making the public aware of available parking is a major challenge to be undertaken by city government. “We can use technology to provide customer information,” said City Councilman Jim Arp. 

The consulting firm suggested that an automated parking guidance system be adopted. Martens urged officials to proceed with a multifaceted plan combining new parking technology and an informational campaign showing where parking spaces are available downtown, including promoting the Franklin Street Parking Deck. Lighted LED signs with colorful, bright, moving messages would attract customers. Smaller permanent, custom signs could direct motorists to clusters of inner-city parking availability. 

The new ballpark is being built at a cost of nearly $38 million. Features will include a 360-degree concourse, a grand stand and casual outdoor dining areas for group gatherings and parties. Zarthar said at least three firms have indicated interest in stadium signature naming rights. 

The name of the Advance Single-A team owned by the Houston Astros will be announced early next month. 

Damage caused to the Hope Mills Parks and Recreation Center offices will force this year’s fall one-stop voting to relocate from there to the Gray’s Creek Recreation Center. 

Both Cumberland County Board of Elections officials and representatives of Hope Mills are hopeful that voting will return to the recreation center on Election Day in November. If it can’t, Election Day voting will move to Town Hall. 

Terri Robertson of the Cumberland County Board of Elections said she was informed there was dam- age to the center that could not be guaranteed to be repaired by the time one-stop voting begins Oct. 17. 

Robertson said nothing about one-stop voting will change in Hope Mills except the location. Hours of operation will be the same. To confirm what those are, visit the Board of Elections website at www.co-Cum-berland.nc.us/departments/election-group/elections. 

Adams said the recreation center had already been scheduled for repairs caused by possible condensation from the air conditioner before Hurricane Florence arrived. The storm did further damage to the roofing, which led to interior leaking and damage inside the building. 

The repairs of the earlier damage have been rescheduled to coincide with the repair of the roof. 

Adams said the town is in the process of getting bids on the repair work. While insurance will pay for some of the cost, she said the matter will likely have to go before the Board of Commissioners for approval. 

If the bids are obtained in time, she hoped to make the presentation at the board meeting scheduled for Oct. 8. If the bids weren’t available by then, she indicated a special meeting may have to be called since she didn’t want to wait until the next scheduled meeting on Oct. 22 to get approval to begin the repairs. 

In addition to forcing a change in one-stop voting, the damage to the recreation center has forced parks and recreation staff to temporarily relocate to space in Town Hall so they can continue planning for the town’s big Ole Mill Days and Trunk or Treat events coming up later this month. 

The damage has also disrupted the schedule of many regular activities held at the recreation center. 

“We are terribly sorry for the inconvenience for events scheduled at parks and recreation,’’ Adams said. “We are trying to work as quickly as possible so they don’t have to be disrupted any longer than they have to be. 

“We apologize and ask for the public’s patience.’’ 

To quote the Apostles in the musical “Jesus Christ Superstar,” “What’s the buzz, tell me what’s happening?” In response, to quote the Entomologists, AKA Bug Exterminators, “The buzz is our old friend Psorophora ciliata, better known as the giant mosquitos from Hell.” To mangle the opening lines of the old Superman TV show, “Look up in the sky, it’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s Super Mosquitos! 

“A horde of strange visitors from another planet who came to Earth with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal mosquitoes. Psorophora ciliata, who changed the course of the mighty Cape Fear River, chewed through metal window screens with their bare proboscises, and who, disguised as zillions of mild-mannered dormant mosquito eggs lying in Florence floodwaters, fight a never-ending battle against DEET, for Insect Triumphalism and the Mosquito Way.” 

Jerry Lewis’ closing song in the annual Muscular Dystrophy Association telethon was right. Since HurricaneFlorence, when you go outside, you will never walk alone. You will be surrounded by a horde of bloodsucking beasts. I do not refer to politicians or lawyers.You have just crossed over into the Mosquito Zone. It is a dimension as vast as the Kavanaugh judicial hearings and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between fruitlessly swatting mosquitos and splattering blood- gorged skeeters on your arm. It lies between the pit of man’s insect fears and the summit of his ability to develop mosquito repellant. Your next stop, the Mosquito Zone. 

North Carolina’s Florence mosquito infestation has kept us in the national news. Viewers in less flooded locations can’t get enough of the biblical plague of mosquitos that has descended upon our fair city. I encountered the full blast of the Mosquito Zone while carrying a chair into a shed in the back yard. The chair took two hands to tote, leaving my bald head defenseless against Mosquito Attack Force Zebra. It was a short walk through the yard. The mosquitos spotted me immediately, descending on my head armed with battle axes, pikes, hypodermic needles and C4 explosives. I was defenseless. Both hands were occupied, so I was an all-you-can-eat buffet for the skeeters at the Country Corral Bald Head Café. Hordes of Psorophora swooped in and began chewing. Bald heads are not particularly attractive. A bald head covered with mosquito welts looks worse than that slice of 2-week-old pizza that you forgot at the back of the refrigerator after the power went off during Florence. 

Things are grim on the mosquito front. Reports from the usually unreliable sources have come in about citizens being raptured up into the sky by mosquitos to be eaten at leisure. FEMA is reported to have purchased 300,000 complete suits of armor from China for the citizens of Cumberland County. The armor serves the dual purposes of slowing mosquito bites and being so heavy that mosquitos cannot carry off voters. To sign up for the mosquito armor, dial BR 549 and wait until Hell freezes over – which, incidentally, is when the mosquitos will finally disappear – at the first frost in December. 

The relentless mosquito attacks got me thinking about the Insect Fear genre of all the great 1950s science fiction horror movies that featured giant bugs eating people. A classic example is the movie “THEM!” starring giant radioactive ants under Los Angeles. 

“The Incredible Shrinking Man” was a poor guy sprayed by a mosquito truck with bad chemicals that shrank him down to a nub. He ended up in a terrifying fight with a normal-sized spider that was the size of an elephant compared to his shrunken size. Our hero was armed only with a straight pin, which he used like a spear to fight the spider. 

In “The Fly,” the hero gets into a trans- porter that zaps a human from place to place. Unfortunately, he doesn’t notice a fly has gotten into the transporter with him. He comes out with a fly head and a fly arm. Double plus ungood. 

“The Day of the Triffids” has Hollywood being attacked by hordes of giant praying mantises. The “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” has space aliens who burrow into people and wrap their victims up in creepy cocoons until they take over their bodies.

In “The Thing from Another World,” James Arness, who ultimately became Marshal Matt Dillon, plays a giant, intelligent carrot from outer space who lands at the North Pole. This movie has the greatest line of dialogue ever written – Scotty: “An intellectual carrot. The mind boggles.” While a giant carrot is not technically an insect, the principle is the same. Some small, everyday item becomes giant and malevolent and tries to eat people. Just like our newest insect foe: the Psorophora ciliata. 

The next time you swat a mosquito, realize you are not only defending your own skin, but you are defending the earth from Insect Fear. The mind boggles. You may now resume itching and scratching. 

 For many people in the Carolinas, this week has been hellish with the aftermath of Hurricane Florence. My heart goes out to so many that have lost so much. 

A few days prior to getting my storm preparation on, I was doing a mental inventory of what I needed versus what I had. Then I thought to myself, my motorcycle has a lot of things that I might be able to use. 

I have two bikes, a Suzuki DR-650 and a BMW R1200GS. Both are great bikes on and off the road. 

I have traveled on both bikes for weeks in some very remote places, so I am capable of living off the grid with them. As I looked at the situation, I started breaking things down. I’ve always had a Plan A and Plan B for critical situations. Plan A was to stay at the house. Thus far, I have not experienced flooding but could easily be land-locked. Plan B, if needed, was to evacuate to a friend or family member’s house. 

For Plan A, the motorcycle bags non my GS could be used as water- proof luggage. I have a Rugged Geek RG1000 Safety 1000A Portable Car Jump Starter, Battery Booster Pack and Power Supply with LCD Display, INTELLIBOOST Smart Cables, LED Flashlight and USB and laptop charging. This is great for keeping things charged around the house. 

My bike has a nice first-aid kit that has tourniquet supplies in the event of a serious motorcycle emergency. This includes stitches, Band-Aids, trauma bandages, blood clotting bandages and a few other things. 

My wife had bought me a generator after Hurricane Matthew for a Christmas present. Gas was somewhat a concern for me since I have not used the generator before, so I was not sure how much gas I needed. I had three 5-gallon gas cans but was not sure how long that would last. However, I knew I had two motorcycles with almost 5 gallons each that I could siphon from and my wife’s car, which has about 18 gallons. 

I did discover I had a small problem with my hose that I had in the bike. It was cut
to siphon gas from motorcycle to motor- cycle and not from the bottom of a car tank to the bike’s tank. SoI was short about 5 feet. This put me in a small panic. Before the night of the storm, I found a hose at Auto Zone. Relief!

I have a SPOT emergency transponder that I have mounted on whichever bike I’m on. This device runs on AAA batteries and is waterproof. It is very small and has a snap-link that can clip onto anything. The SPOT works over satellite to an emergency call center that in turn will notify 911. 

As a last result, I could also use the power adapter on the bike to charge electronics or use my electric air com- pressor to blow up our air mattress in the event we needed to put up an extra guest. 

If I needed to execute Plan B and get the heck out of dodge, I’d need maps. Detailed maps. I didn’t have time to get them for the state, but my Garmin GPS on the bike has a car mount. That would be great because my Garmin GPS has detailed trails and other specifics that my cell phone or car GPS does not have. 

For travel water, I have a few cases of water in the garage, but for the bikes, I have two 2-quart canteens and a CamelBack hydration pack for extra water. 

I also have a small gas stove that I could use to cook or boil water if I needed to purify water. 

Although the hurricane has passed, our day-to-day things we have around us can always be used as dual-purpose. 

I hope we never have to go through another storm like this again, but Mother Nature always does what Mother Nature does. 

If there is a topic that you would like to discuss, you can contact me at motorcycle4fun@aol.com. RIDE SAFE! 

In January 2016, the Pentagon ordered the armed services to conduct a sweeping review of medals of valor awarded since the 9/11 terror attacks. Officials directed service leaders to determine whether individual military members had been shortchanged in the medals they received. As a result, former Army Staff Sgt. Ronald Shurer II’s Silver Star was upgraded to the Medal of Honor for heroism above and beyond the call of duty. Shurer fought through an enemy ambush, saving his teammates’ lives 10 years ago in Afghanistan. 

Shurer was as a Green Beret medic with Fort Bragg’s 3rd Special Forces Group. He joined the Army in 2002 and was deployed with Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force in Afghanistan for six months, from November 2007 to May 2008. Shurer was one of 10 members of his unit to receive Silver Stars for their heroics. He was honored with the nation’s highest award for valor by President Donald Trump Oct. 1. 

On April 6, 2008, Shurer and his team were assigned to take out high-value targets of the Hezeb Islami al Gulbadin in Shok Valley, according to the Army. As the soldiers moved through the valley, they were attacked by enemy machine gun, sniper and rocket-propelled grenade fire, the White House said. The lead assault element suffered several casualties and became pinned down on the mountainside. 

Shurer ran through enemy fire to treat a soldier who had been hit in the neck by shrapnel from an RPG blast. He then fought for an hour through a barrage of bullets and enemy fighters up the mountain to the rest of the lead element. There, Shurer treated and stabilized four more wounded soldiers before evacuating them aboard medic helicopters. 

The Green Berets honored for their heroism in the Battle of Shok Valley represented the largest set of citations for a single battle since the Vietnam War. After the citations were read, the then-commander of Fort Bragg’s U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Lt. Gen. John F. Mulholland Jr., stated: 

“There is no finer fighting man on the face of the earth than the American soldier. And there is no finer American soldier than our Green Berets. If you saw what you heard today in a movie, you would shake your head and say, ‘that didn’t happen,’ but it does, every day.”

Shurer was honorably discharged in May 2009 and went on to serve with the U.S. Secret Service. He was eventually assigned to its Special Operations Division. Shurer lives in Virginia, with his wife and two sons. 

Photo: Former Army Staff Sgt. Ronald Churer, II

The Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra is committed to educating, entertaining and inspiring the citizens of the Fayetteville, North Carolina, region as the leading musical resource. Making first-rate music affordable takes some creativity, though. That creativity manifests in forms like the FSO’s Bachtoberfest fundraiser, which is set for Thursday, Oct. 18, from 6-9 p.m. 

“This event helps support a lot of the things we do,” said FSO CEO and President Christine Kastner. “Our ticket prices are (kept) low. They really only cover 20 percent of the cost of a concert, so we have to fundraise and get grants to cover the rest. 

“We want to keep ticket prices affordable, so we really can’t go higher... or it limits who can come to the shows. Our tickets for concerts and other events are $30 and below.” 

Like its concerts, the symphony’s fundraisers are inventive and fun. Bachtoberfest will take place in a local, private biergarten and will include delicious German fare prepared by the symphony’s board members. Think bratwursts and German potato salad. Guests can wash it down with a sudsy brew and sample 10 craft beers. Bright Light Brewing Co., Dirtbag Ales Brewery and Taproom, Southern Pines Brewing Company and Healy Wholesale will provide the evening’s beverages. 

“There will be some games going on, too – relay races with a full beer stein and some of those kinds of fun games,” said Kastner. 

FSO musicians will play music throughout the event. “There will be oompah music as well as jazz to keep the evening flowing,” Kastner said. “The location has a fire pit, so you can make your own s’mores, too.” 

Bachtoberfest is intentionally casual and laid back to make it inviting to people who may have preconceived ideas about the symphony. “People think of the symphony as formal and stuffy, and we are not,” Kastner said. 

The FSO has another fundraiser planned for November – Friendsgiving Brewery Tour, which will include tastings from Bright Light Brewing Co., Dirtbag Ales Brewery and Taproom, Mash House Brewing Company, World of Beer and Paddy’s Irish Pub. 

These fundraisers not only help keep ticket costs low, they support outreach initiatives like the Nov. 3 free children’s concert, “Once Upon a Symphony.” The concert is for young and special-needs children. 

“(The children) can move around as they need to and sit on the floor or the bleachers,” said Kastner. “The whole program is kid-friendly. We will have music from ‘Frozen,’ ‘Harry Potter,’ ‘Star Wars’ and ‘Superman.’ It is a way for families to introduce young kids to the symphony.”

Tickets for the Oct. 18 Bachtoberfest are $75 per person. Call the symphony office at 910-433-4690 or go to www.fayettevillesymphony.org and click on the Support and Events tab, then Special Events. 

 In past years, Gallberry Farm Elementary School Principal Dawn Collins has kissed a rabbit and a pig at the school’s annual Fall Festival. 

Now she’s bracing to pucker up for a llama. Again. 

The vote to determine if Collins or Assistant Principal Natasha Norris gets to be a little too personal with the llama is one of the highlights of this year’s annual event. It’s scheduled for Friday, Oct. 12, from 5-8 p.m. at
the school of about 1,000 students. 

Collins started the festival about eight years ago after becoming principal because she felt they needed some kind of community outreach that would involve the school and surrounding area. 

“We talked about a spring fling, but so many children are involved in sports in this community (that) we decided the response would be better in the fall.’’ 

The event is always scheduled on the same Friday when Gray’s Creek High School has an open date on its football schedule. Collins said that’s because she borrows a host of volunteers from the high school student body, pulling from organizations like Future Farmers of America, Student Government Association, National Honor Society, JROTC and the school’s technology academy. 

“We truly do not have enough staff to pull this off on our own,’’ she said. 

She was briefly worried that Hurricane Florence was going to disrupt this year’s football schedule and possibly wreck the festival, but she remained hopeful things would work out, and they did. 

After Hurricane Matthew hit the area in 2016, Collins said Gallberry had the most successful fall festival in school history. She’s hoping for similar results this year. “People were looking for something happy and positive to do,’’ she said. “That’s what we’re hoping now. We know there is a lot of loss in the community. We are hoping we can bring them back together for something lighthearted.’’ 

For Collins, that probably means kissing a llama again this year. Last year she lost the vote to Norris, and she’s already fearful it will go against her again this time. 

She plans to use the same strategy for kissing the llama as last time. 

“I tried to go to the side, kiss him on the side of the mouth, and when I did, he turned his whole face to mine,’’ she said. “The kids love it.’’ 

Anyone from the Gallberry or Gray’s Creek community is welcome to attend, whether they have a child attending the school or not, Collins said. 

An entry fee of $10 gets you an armband that pro- vides admission to a host of activities, the highlight of which is the haunted hallway, a hallway in the school building that features child-friendly scares and thrills. There will also be a trunk-or-treat event and unlimited access to an assortment of games. 

The armband also covers a hot dog, drink and chips. 

There will be additional food items on sale that can be purchased either for cash or with tickets that can be bought on-site, $5 for 20 tickets. All transactions on site will be cash. An ATM will be available. 

Collins said the festival is by far the school’s biggest fundraiser each year and holds a special place both for faculty and students. 

“It makes me feel very positive about the culture of our school,’’ she said. “It’s just a great community event.’’ 

 Fayetteville Technical Community College’s Systems Security &Analysis program is a concentration under the information technology major. This curriculum provides individuals with the skills required to analyze and implement effective, comprehensive information security controls. Upon completion of the program, students receive an associate degree in System Security & Analysis and will be well equipped to enter the growing field of cyber security.

Alumni of this program have gone on to work for companies including the city of Fayetteville, Dell, and Cisco. 

The National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security have designated FTCC as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Two-Year Education. This designation is known by the acronym CAE2Y. FTCC’s Systems Security & Analysis program offers students a diverse educational opportunity by exposing them to materi- als from several academic partners, such as Cisco, CompTIA, EC-Council, Palo Alto, and Red Hat. 

The Systems Security & Analysis department is also a member of the National CyberWatch Center, a Data Privacy Day champion, and a National Cyber Security Awareness Month champion. The Department partners with the Fayetteville/Fort Bragg chap- ter of the Information Systems Security Association. 

Fayetteville Tech offers a broad range of programs of study lead- ing 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 & Development, Cyber Defense Education Center, Database Management, Digital Media Technology, Game & Interactive Programming, Mobile & Web 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. 

Fall eight-week classes begin Oct. 18, and the spring semester begins Jan. 14. For students inter- ested in pursuing an exciting career in a high- demand field, FTCC is the smart choice for educa- tion in computer and information technology. Visit www.faytechcc.edu to apply now and begin the enrollment process. 

For more information about the program, visit www.faytechcc.edu/academics/computer-information-technology-programs/systems-security-analy- sis. Call 910-678-8509 or email herringc@faytechcc. edu with questions about pursuing Systems Security & Analysis education at FTCC. 

FTCC’s Cyber Defense Education Center also has information concerning the program, ISSA meetings and other current events. Visit www.faytechcc.edu/ academics/computer-information-technology-pro- grams/cyber-defense-education-center to access that information.