The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department is preparing to conduct its annual drop-off of prescription and over-the-counter drugs in Fayetteville and Cumberland County. 

  The event is scheduled Oct. 27 from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., and there will be three locations in the Hope Mills area where residents can safely get rid of expired or unneeded medications. 

  The three drop-off points are Hope Mills Fire Department, Pearce’s Mill Fire Department and Stoney Point Fire Department. 

  Lt. Shawna Leake, who heads the community policing section for the county sheriff ’s department, said the drug drop-offs are normally held twice a year, once in the spring in conjunction with National Poison Prevention Week, and again in the fall. The three locations in Hope Mills are among seven countywide where people can drop off medications. 

Leake said fire departments are a good location for the drop-offs. “Those are places the public is familiar with,’’ she said. She added locations are chosen based on where there has been the best response from the public in previous years. 

  Leake said the public is encouraged to bring any kind of prescription or over-the-counter drug they’d like to safely dispose of – not limited to medications. 

  “Sometimes people bring us diabetic needles,’’ she said. “(Like) when they’ve lost a loved one and don’t know what to do with their medicines and have a lot of different drugs they are taking.’’ 

  Even seemingly harmless items like cough drops that aren’t being used anymore or any medicines that have expired are welcome. 

  The main drugs that need to be turned in are any narcotics, especially opioids, to prevent them from falling into innocent hands or the hands of those who would abuse them. 

  “We have an opioid epidemic we are currently combating,’’ Leake said. “Those are the things we really want people to turn in. We don’t want them to be flushed down the toilet or put in the trash.’’ 

  Any drugs disposed of in that manner have the potential to get into the local water system, Leake said. 

  The only kind of drugs that should not be brought to the drop-off are illegal drugs, she said. If individuals or families have substances like that they need to dispose of, they need to contact law enforcement directly. “We’ll respond to that call in a different fashion,’’ Leake said. “We would rather they not bring them to this event.’’ 

  For specific questions or concerns about the drug drop-off, call Leake at 910-438-4015.

The Town of Hope Mills will hold its annual Trunk R Treat celebration on Halloween night this year from 6-8 p.m. on the athletic fields at Hope Mills Municipal Park on Rockfish Road. But the preparation for the event is going to be a little different from past years. 

Meghan Hawkins, recreation programs supervisor for Hope Mills Parks and Recreation Department, said there will be a deadline to register to have a vehicle at the event and there is a form individuals and businesses need to fill out to take part. 

“This is the first year we actually have a registration form,’’ she said. “It gives us the option to track who we’ve got, who’s coming, how much space is needed and also to establish some guidelines and policies regarding the night of the event.’’ 

  Anyone planning to bring a vehicle and give out Halloween treats at the event must fill out a registration form and return it by 5 p.m. on Oct. 22. 

  In addition to gathering information about the person or business taking part in the event, the form includes information about what is and isn’t allowed at each individual display. 

  As in the past, participating vehicles in the Trunk R Treat will be parked on the outfield area of one or both fields at Municipal Park. 

  Hawkins said vehicle check-in for the vendors will begin at 4:30 p.m., and all cars or trucks must be in the field area and parked by 5:30 p.m. Late arrivals will not be allowed to enter. 

  There will be no electricity available on the field, so any displays on cars that need electric power will have to get it from the vehicles themselves or from batteries. Portable generators are not allowed on the field. 

  The actual Trunk R Treat will run from 6-8 p.m. Once vehicles are in place on the field, they will not be allowed to leave the area until the event ends at 8 p.m. 

  Businesses are encouraged to take part and are allowed to give out items to promote themselves. 

  All candy or edible treats given away must be pre-wrapped. No homemade goods of any kind are permitted. 

  Hawkins stressed that the Trunk R Treat is both family-friendly and kid-friendly. There should be no adult-themed displays or costumes. 

  Displays should not be designed to attack or disparage anyone, and no profanity or alcohol are allowed. 

  There are two contests currently planned in conjunction with Trunk R Treat, Hawkins said, one for best decorated trunk and one for most original. 

  Judging of both contests will begin at 6:30 p.m., and the winners will be announced at 7 p.m. 

  Copies of the registration form are available on the town of Hope Mills website or the Parks and Recreation Department Facebook page. 

  For those who need to meet someone face-to-face about the event, the recreation department offices are temporarily located in Town Hall on Rockfish Road. For other questions, call 910-426-4109. 

Photo:Mayor Jackie Warner at last year’s event. 

On Oct. 8, the Hope Mills Board of Commissioners voted against selling a piece of land to the Lone Survivor Foundation. 

Here is a statement from Tim Byrom, board president of LSF: “We’re very disappointed with the actions of the (town of Hope Mills) board. I made plans to attend the November meeting and was hoping to discuss our offer with them in person. Of all the people I’ve spoken to, only a half dozen indicated they were opposed to this partnership, and three of them were the board members who voted against it. We want to thank the Hope Mills community for the generous support and encouragement they’ve provided. But now it’s time to refocus our efforts elsewhere.” 

LSF first established a facility in Crystal Beach, Texas, in 2010, and provides rehabilitation retreats to veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury and military sexual trauma. More than 30 percent of the veterans treated at the Texas center came from the Southeast, so LSF has been scouting potential sites for a second retreat facility for more than a year. 

Terry Jung, who served as executive director for LSF until stepping down recently, presented the idea of establishing a local LSF center to the Hope Mills Board of Commissioners in a closed session on June 4. Five of the six board members were overwhelmingly in favor of the project. Commissioner Mike Mitchell was the only board member who showed hesitation. On June 5, the board directed town staff to contact LSF and let its representatives know the Hope Mills Board was excited to receive an official offer. But on June 11 when the town of hope Mills board met again, three of the commissioners were suddenly opposed to the idea and voted to deny the offer. 

At a July 23 Hope Mills board meeting, Jung spoke to the board again. Members of the audience were so moved by his comments and so enraged by the board’s actions, they signed up to speak on behalf of LSF. Commissioner Jessie Bellflowers made a motion to hold a public hearing, and one was scheduled for late August. But on Aug. 1, the board voted to cancel the hearing until the members had seen the results of a comprehensive parks and recreation study. Officially, the board members were waiting to know what the study indicated the town should do with the land LSF wanted to purchase. 

  The results of the study were presented Oct. 1 by Rachel Cotter, project manager for McAdams Group. The study indicated the municipality has more than enough land for current and future development. In fact, it has enough to cover the 10-year plan plus an additional 60 acres. Cotter’s presentation also indicated municipalities often choose to partner with outside organizations, such as LSF, to offset the costs of funding development projects. But the plan does not identify specific parcels of land to be developed or indicate what should be built on them. 

  While the results should have cleared the path for LSF’s purchase, it did not. Commissioner Meg Larson blasted McAdams Group during the Oct. 8 meeting. She indicated the study had been a waste of money and the information obtained could have been found in a Google search. 

  Larson made a similar claim several months ago when Hope Mills Public Works Director Hector Cruz presented information to the Hope Mills Board of Commissioners. Cruz resigned soon after. 

  Commissioner Jerry Legge echoed Larson’s comments and went on to say investing $87,000 into the survey on the off chance the town is able to obtain grant money was a poor investment. Both Larson and Legge voted to spend the $87,000 on the comprehensive plan earlier this year. And on the night of Oct. 8, they voted to have Cotter move on to the second phase of the survey, despite their reservations. 

  After the regular meeting, the board left for a closed session to discuss personnel issues. It’s common for the board to remain in closed session for an hour or more then reconvene to adjourn, so most of the staff and nearly all the audience members left. When the board reconvened just a few minute later, there were four people in the audience. Mitchell immediately made a motion to decline the offer from LSF. Bellflowers made a lengthy statement, arguing that the board members don’t own the land in question, but the people do. He said the board had an obligation to hold a public hearing not just because they said they would, but because the people of Hope Mills had a right to be heard. He also asked the board to seek an appraisal of the land before considering LSF’s offer. 

  But Larson interrupted to remind him there was a motion on the floor. Mayor Jackie Warner, who was visibly upset, insisted each board member give a reason for their decision as they voted. 

  Legge voted no and stated the land was never for sale. But the land was most definitely for sale as of June 5, when the board asked to receive a financial offer. Larson voted no because the board’s consensus on June 11 was to not sell. But that consensus pertained to LSF’s first offer to purchase 4 acres for $35,000. Mitchell voted no and stated an 8-1 margin of his constituents, including veterans, have spoken against it and asked him not to sell their land. 

  Bellflowers and Commissioner Pat Edwards both voted to sell the land to LSF. And Warner, who does not have a vote, went on record as being in favor of selling the land. She reminded the board of how much the town needed the money the sale would bring them and mentioned that it would be years before the board could even consider developing the land. 

  On the morning of Oct. 9, news of the board’s decision spread across social media. Wherein the board silenced them, the public found a platform on social media, and people are making their voices heard quite effectively. The discussion and vote weren’t on the agenda for this meeting. The public had a right to know prior to the decision. Hope Mills citizens had a right to be present, and they had a right to be heard. The hundreds of online comments indicate the people are furious and feel like the board manipulated the situation. 

  The comments also indicate the public won’t be silenced next November when this board is up for reelection. 

For some time, I have thought that objectivity is dying in – or disappearing from – America. The confirmation process for Brett Kavanaugh solidified my suspicion. Objectivity is very near death in America. From the Cambridge Dictionary, objectivity is “the state or quality of being objective and fair.” Then, for being objective: “Not influenced by personal feelings or opinions in considering and representing facts.” Given these definitions, consider some of what transpired during this confirmation process. 

President Donald Trump nominated Judge Brett Kavanaugh to serve on the Supreme Court. He met, individually, with all senators who were willing to do so. Included was Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-C.A. Kavanaugh also testified for over 30 hours before the Senate Judiciary Committee. 

After his testimony, but just before the committee was to vote on making a recommendation to the full Senate, an allegation of sexual assault against Kavanaugh from 36 years ago was made public. The allegation was made by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford who had written to her congresswoman, Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-C.A. 

Ford requested anonymity. The letter was passed to Feinstein, who did not act to address the allegation in accordance with procedures of the Judiciary Committee on which she is the senior Democrat. Instead, after the letter was with Feinstein for about two months, in a manner yet unexplained, the media was given the allegation and ran with it. 

Ford’s allegation is summarized as follows in an article by Eli Rosenberg and Lindsey Bever titled “‘Shut up and step up:’ Sen. Hirono’s blunt message to men.” 

“In an interview with The Washington Post, Ford alleged that Kavanaugh corralled her into a bedroom during a gathering in Maryland when she was in high school, pinned her to a bed, groped her over her clothes and attempted to pull off the clothing she was wearing.” 

There were two other women who later made allegations against Kavanaugh – these also from 30+ years ago. They were Deborah Ramirez and Julie Swetnick. After extensive negotiations with Ford and her attorney, a hearing was set before the Judiciary Committee. Ford and Kavanaugh testified. Republicans engaged Rachel Mitchell, an Arizona prosecutor specializing in sex crimes, to question Ford. Democratic senators did their questioning of both. 

When it became clear that the nomination was about to move forward, Democrats on the Judiciary Committee, along with opponents of Kavanaugh around the country, pushed for and got a supplemental FBI background check. Indications are that the FBI report did not unearth any additional information to support the sexual abuse allegations. 

In the end, Judge Kavanaugh was confirmed. However, this highly accomplished man who had a sterling reputation as a judge, Harvard professor, father, husband, public servant and gentleman has had all of that destroyed. Not only was his life destroyed, but those of his wife and two little girls were also tremendously adversely impacted. These human beings were treated as meaningless by Democrats in the Senate and by others across this country who are so focused on possessing power at any cost. 

  That quest for power by any means also ensnared Ford. She wanted to remain anonymous but was forced into the fray by one or more opponents of the Kavanaugh nomination when their primary tactic of obstruction failed. Sexual abuse allegations should be, and must be, investigated. Women and men who make such allegations must be heard and treated with respect. 

  The great challenge is to address these cases, and all matters, with objectivity. The Democrats’ handling of the Kavanaugh abuse allegations came nowhere close to objectivity. Prosecutor Mitchell provided a report as to her conclusion based on the testimony of Ford. It is available at www.axios.com/brett-kavanaugh-rachel-mitchell-prosecutor-memo-2c3233cc- 1d42-416b-af04-02700aa9a711.html. Her summary follows, but I encourage reading the full report. 

  “In the legal context, here is my bottom line: A ‘he said, she said’ case is incredibly difficult to prove. But this case is even weaker than that. Dr. Ford identified other witnesses to the event and those witnesses either refuted her allegations or failed to corroborate them. For the reasons discussed below, I do not think that a reasonable prosecutor would bring this case based on the evidence before the Committee. Nor do I believe that this evidence is sufficient to satisfy the preponderance-of-the evidence standard.” 

  Mitchell explained, “There is no clear standard of proof for allegations made during the Senate confirmation process.” 

  Given this situation, she provides an assessment of Ford’s allegations in the legal context. That is, the world in which Mitchell operates. Consequently, she presents facts and reaches a conclusion based on examination of those facts. This is being objective and fair. Here are a few of the facts presented and assessed in her report. 

• “Dr. Ford has not offered a consistent account of when the alleged assault happened.” 

• “Dr. Ford has struggled to identify Judge Kavanaugh as the assailant by name.” 

• “Dr. Ford has no memory of key details of the night in question – details that could help corroborate her account.” (Who invited her; how she got there; location of the house where the attack took place; how she got home.) 

• “Dr. Ford has not offered a consistent account of the alleged assault.” 

• “Her account of who was at the party has been inconsistent.” 

• “Dr. Ford’s description of the psychological impact of the event raises questions.” (Afraid to fly but flies frequently.) 

  Mitchell’s list of facts goes on. Now turn to how Democrats conducted themselves during this process. Without any corroboration of the allegations, they labeled Kavanaugh a sexual abuser. The following quote from an article by Thomas Jipping titled “Opposing Kavanaugh by ‘Whatever Means Necessary’” sent a clear message that Democrats would not be objective in considering the Kavanaugh nomination. 

  “Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) is out to show us that he’s one politician who can keep a promise. On July 9, within minutes of President Trump’s announcement of Judge Brett Kavanaugh as his Supreme Court nominee, Schumer vowed to ‘oppose Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination with everything I have.’ When he said everything, he meant it.” 

  Then there is this, regarding Kavanaugh, from Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, as reported in an article by Tyler O’Neil titled “Dem. Senator: Kavanaugh Doesn’t Deserve ‘Presumption of Innocence’ Because I Disagree With Him.” 

  “‘I put his denial in the context of everything that I know about him in terms of how he approaches his cases,’” the senator said, suggesting that the presumption of innocence — a core tenet of English common law and American law going back more than one hundred years — depends on a person’s judicial philosophy.” 

  Hirono sees no need to review this candidate in light of qualifications, experience, intellect, judicial temperament or basic facts. No, simply reject this man and destroy his life while doing great harm to his wife and daughters simply because you disagree with what you think is his judicial approach. There is no objectivity here. 

  I could go on for pages making the case that Senate Democrats and their cohorts across this country showed zero objectivity in this confirmation process. The question now is how will those Americans who recognize the great danger that is faced by our country in this near-death condition of objectivity respond to the crisis. My hope is that we will take action to save objectivity from death. Doing so requires that we follow the example of now-Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. 

  In the face of the onslaught by Judiciary Committee Democrats, he said, “You may defeat me in the final vote, but you’ll never get me to quit. Never.” By voting and every other action that is civil and legal, we must act – never quit. 

  As you decide how to respond to the Democrats’ treatment of Kavanaugh, consider the following from an article titled “Howie Carr: We are all Brett Kavanaugh.” 

  “We are all Brett Kavanaugh now. The politics of personal destruction that the Democrats and the media – but I repeat myself – have used in this despicable campaign to crush Kavanaugh could just as easily be deployed against anybody who gets in their way, male or female.” 

The city of Fayetteville needs and wants a vibrant downtown. The new Astros baseball stadium and tens of millions of dollars in new construction and economic development on our doorstep bring us nearly endless opportunities. Now is the time for city officials and downtown organizations like the Greater Fayetteville Chamber, the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County, the Downtown Alliance and Cool Spring Downtown District to come together to define and solidify a joint mission and to brand downtown as a destination. It’s time to find common ground that nurtures cooperation, instills confidence and exudes enthusiasm and hospitality. 

Spending $38 million on a baseball stadium will not be enough to accomplish this. Case in point: the unfortunate closing of the Walmart store in the Murchison Road community. I’m not a Walmart shopper, nor am I a fan of its overall national corporate strategy. However, this was a national corporate entity that stepped up to solve a Fayetteville community problem after a study identified that neighborhood as a food desert. 

Walmart Inc. is savvy when it comes to corporate planning and development. Walmart built that store on the premise that not only was it needed, but it would be supported by the people of the community and serve as the economic catalyst for Fayetteville’s future development of the Murchison Road corridor. 

But in less than four years, those warm and fuzzy sound bites and politically motivated assumptions failed to materialize. 

Why? Three reasons. 

  The study was based on political bias and faulty information. There was a lack of sufficient planning. And there was no advertising, marketing or promotion. Lesson learned? We’ll see. 

Back to downtown Fayetteville and its future possibilities. Cool Spring Downtown District, a nonprofit organization under the interim direction of former Fayetteville mayor Tony Chavonne, seems to be emerging as the catalyst for promoting the history, charm and attributes of downtown Fayetteville. Most impressive is the recent hiring of a marketing professional who understands how media works and acknowledges that if we want people to come downtown, they must first be invited and have a reason for coming. 

  I say this because for the first time that I can remember, downtown Fayetteville – via the CSDD – is actively marketing and promoting Fayetteville to more than 10,000 visitors who will attend the annual Comic Con at the Crown Coliseum the weekend of Oct. 20-21. 

  Like I said, the first step is to invite them. Comic Con visitors, vendors and celebrity guests have all been invited downtown, and we are giving them a welcoming party on Saturday night at Huske Hardware House Oct. 20 from 8-10 p.m. And guess what? You are also invited! 

  We tip our hats to CSDD and the folks at Huske Hardware. This is a wonderful example of how to successfully market, promote and advertise our community. We want to invite people to visit downtown to experience our history, view our art, eat in our restaurants and shop in our stores. And this is a great start. 

  Congratulations to CSDD. This is the start of something good, and we are proud to be a part of it. 

  Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly. 

D.J. Jones 

Pine Forest • Football/ track • Junior 

Jones has a 3.69 grade point average while splitting time between playing football in the fall and running track for the Trojans in the spring. 

Jalonni Gadist 

Pine Forest • Volleyball/ softball • Senior 

Gadist has a 3.13 grade point average. She has 30 digs in volleyball for the Trojans this season. 

I met Army Chaplain Darren Turner and his wife Heather at a movie screening a few weeks ago. My wife and I were invited to attend and learn more about the movie, which was pitched as an inspiring new film about families finding the faith and love to fight through hardships that threaten their marriages. Chaplain and Mrs. Turner attended because the movie was their story. Literally. 

“Indivisible” revolves around the true story of Darren Turner – an inexperienced Army chaplain who believes his faith and resolve will transcend circumstances. He finds himself haunted by battlefield experiences that put his marriage in jeopardy. 

If you’ve lived in Cumberland County or around the military for long, you have likely encountered wives like Heather Turner: strong, supportive and ready to fight for her marriage. In the movie “Indivisible,” we see a reflection of those wives as we witness how this resilient family bravely fights to reintegrate with each other and for love to ultimately win. 

“‘Indivisible’s’ true story shows there is no marriage too broken for God,” said Director David Evans. “We hope husbands and wives who see the Turners’ story on film will stop fighting one another and join forces to fight for their marriages together instead.” 

“Indivisible” isn’t just another movie – it’s a tale of heroic love and the will it took for a marriage to survive both the rigors and aftershocks of combat. This extraordinary true story follows a couple whose lives are fully devoted to serving God, family and country. From the comfort of a seat in a movie theater, we see that devotion face its greatest foe as war etches deep battle scars – both overseas and on the homefront – as the Turners’ rock-solid marriage is shaken to its core. 

Each carrying burdens the other can’t comprehend, they must decide if they’re willing to face one more battle: the fight to save their marriage. 

The film premieres in theaters nationwide, including AMC’s Fayetteville 14, on Oct. 26, featuring Sarah Drew, Justin Bruening, Jason George, Tia Mowry and Madeline Carroll. 

The term “barbershop quartet” often brings to mind a vision of men wearing boater hats and striped vests. But local crooners The Cross Creek Chordsmen are anything but dated. With a modern twist on a classic theme, this chorus brings the best of both worlds to every show. The group offers a unique blend of sounds combined with crazy humor and a lot of fun. The Chordsmen have come a long way since the group formed five years ago, and they’re proud to announce their first fundraiser concert, “Fun, fun, fun,” Saturday, Oct. 20. 

The Cross Creek Chordsmen consists of 15-20 men varying in age, profession and background. Many of its members have been singing together for much longer than five years. Some of them originally belonged, in the ’70s and ’80s, to a different group, which eventually dissolved. 

“We are going to showcase many of our classic barbershop songs with a modern twist,” said Joshua Gray-Heim, events coordinator for the Chordsmen. “We are so excited to have our District Quartet Champions, ‘Technically Sound,’ as our guest quartet as well as a quartet from our singers.” 

The theme for “Fun, fun, fun” came from one of the group’s new songs that morphed into an entire show because the whole group loved it so much. The group is close-knit, and the members describe it as more than just a group of men who sing together. 

“For me, it’s like being in a fraternity,” Gray-Heim said. “It’s another family. Each of us is completely different from the next; however, we all come together for the love of music.” 

This group has a lot more to it than “Fun, fun, fun.” The members participate in several community events for local nonprofits, including “Christmas in the Garden” at Cape Fear Botanical Garden; Heritage Days at the Poe House; Singing for the Carolina Highlands and Carolina Inn Facilities; Cottonade Parade of Homes; SwampDog Games; Eastover Days; and many others. 

Part of the attraction of this group is the fact that the performers specialize in being unique. They customize each performance. Heading into the holidays, the Chordsmen are booking up quickly for Christmas sets. 

“I first met the Crosscreek Chordsmen last Christmas season when they performed live on The River/106.5 WMRV,” said Christy “Sweet Tea” Andrulonis, afternoon host on All American Country/100.1 WFAY. “If you are planning an event and are in need of a unique sound and lots of fun, this is the group for you! Weddings, local events even singing telegrams. – you name it, and these talented vocalists can sing it.” 

The Chordsmen also have a special event planned for Oct. 28 called “Paint Fayetteville Pink.” It is a breast cancer awareness fundraiser. This event will be located at Huske Hardware in downtown Fayetteville and will feature a classic car show and special guest local musical talent Kascie Page. 

“Fun, fun, fun” is set for Oct. 20 at the Arran Lake Baptist Church Family Life Center, which is located at 1130 Bingham Dr. Showtime is 7 p.m. Tickets are $10. Call 910-729- 2063 for more information. 

A newly-constructed sign on the Fayetteville Academy soccer field lists the 16 state boys’ championships and two girls’ championships the school has won. 

Two men, Jimmy Maher and Andrew McCarthy, were directly involved in bringing 13 of those titles to the school. For their efforts, Maher and McCarthy have been chosen for induction into the Fayetteville Academy Hall of Fame. 

The ceremony will take place on Nov. 20 as part of the school’s annual alumni boys’ and girls’ basketball games. 

Maher was head boys soccer coach from 1994-2000. He won four titles before stepping away to pursue a business venture with Fayetteville Academy benefactor Dr. William Jordan. 

“I had a group of parents come to me and say ‘please don’t go,’’’ Maher said. He reassured them and told them he was confident a young man who had started helping out with the soccer team a couple of years before he stepped down would be an excellent coach. 

  That coach was McCarthy. “They thought the sky had fallen when I left but Andrew didn’t miss a beat,’’ Maher said. “He took it to the next level.’’ 

  McCarthy, who took over in 2001 and has been there ever since, said he and Maher have a similar vision about how to coach the team. “Every day we’re talking about life lessons,’’ McCarthy said. “We talk about getting ready for games and dealing with issues that will help them in life. 

  “We’re trying to teach the things that will help them become good fathers in the future. Very few, if any, are going to make a living out of the game. From the lessons they’ve learned, they’re going to be successful. I see a lot of our players going on and doing great things.’’ 

  Maher said the two approach the game with the same work ethic and share it with their players. “We worked extremely hard and tried to become better coaches,’’ Maher said. “We traveled the state, scouting teams we are going to play. It was rare we came up against a team we hadn’t seen on at least a couple of occasions.’’ 

  When Maher first wanted to come back and help coach the team in 2008, he asked McCarthy to let him work during the preseason only. McCarthy coaxed him into helping coach the boys and girls for one year. That has extended into 10 seasons. 

  Maher praised McCarthy for his success and is convinced McCarthy could be a coach at any level of soccer. 

  Neither is the type to promote personal success or accomplishments. “The game itself is enough for us,’’ Maher said. “The most important thing is the relationship with the kids. That’s the most valuable thing I get from what I do.’’ 

  McCarthy agreed. “It’s nice to be rewarded, but at the end of the day, we’re in it for the kids, how we see them growing and moving on to do wonderful things in the workplace.’’ 

Photo:Andrew McCarthy (left) and Jimmy Maher (right)

Photo credit: Sonya Bruffey

When Terry Sanford’s Jared Miller talks about what makes him such a dangerous scorer in soccer, he doesn’t waste a lot of words. 

“Being fast and being able to dribble,’’ he said. 

But his Bulldog coach, Karl Molnar, said there’s a little more to it than that. 

“He’s fast,’’ Molnar said. “He’s as fast with the ball as he is without. He changes directions a half second before you think he changes directions. His movements are so quick, he’s always a half step ahead of the defender.’’ 

Through Oct. 7, Miller leads Cumberland County Schools in scoring with 26 goals and four assists for a total of 56 points. 

The Bulldogs are 14-1 overall and 10-0 in the Patriot Athletic Conference. They have a two-game lead on second-place Pine Forest, three up on Cape Fear. The Patriot Conference is a split 3-A/4-A league, so one 3-A and one 4-A team will each get a first-place berth in the playoffs. 

Molnar said Miller has continued to fool him each season he’s been with the Bulldogs. “Every time you think they are going to figure him out, that they’ve got his number, he steps it up a notch,’’ Molnar said. 

But while Miller has enough talent to be a prima donna if he chose, Molnar said he’s anything but that. “He’s just one of the guys and bonds well with everybody,’’ Molnar said. “He’s a very good team player.’’ 

  It shows in talking with him as Miller prefers to talk about his teammates and not himself. He praised defense as a main reason the Bulldogs are leading the conference. 

  “Our defense is big,’’ he said, “our work ethic and our defense. We go hard in practice.’’ 

  The Bulldogs are assured of a state playoff berth, but Miller isn’t looking ahead to the postseason. 

  “We can’t let our guard down against easy teams,’’ he said. “We have to keep our intensity up.’’ 

  Molnar sees similarities in this Bulldog team and his 2016 team that advanced to the 3-A Eastern finals before losing to Chapel Hill 2-1. 

  “I think we’ve found our identity with stingy defense, the same as two years ago, and finding a way to score,’’ Molnar said. 

  “Two years ago, we did it off corner kicks and long throws. This year, it’s been Jared. He finds a way to score or set somebody up while the back line and goalkeeper are keeping other people from scoring.’’ 

  Molnar feels the Bulldogs have continued to improve all season and have shown good chemistry between offense and defense in the last few weeks. 

  “If they continue to do that, we might go a little further than anticipated,’’ he said. 

Photo: Jared Miller

We’ve all heard the phrase, “Bad news travels fast.” That seems like the case these days. In fact, a reporter once told me the news doesn’t report on planes landing. I guess no one would read a story with the headline “Plane successfully lands at Charlotte Douglas.” That’s why I’m very happy to see folks here in North Carolina report on good news that really matters. 

A little over a week ago, WSOC-TV Channel 9’s headline read, “Senate sends President Trump bipartisan opioids bill.” This comprehensive, bipartisan package will help get to the root of the opioids epidemic that’s ravaging communities across the country, including many right here in North Carolina. The package includes three of my bipartisan bills to help get unused opioids out of medicine cabinets and off the streets. 

While this might seem minor at first glance, it’s a huge issue – over 70 percent of heroin addictions begin in the medicine cabinet. As many as 92 percent of patients don’t use their full opioid prescription. Making sure we safely dispose of opioids before they fall into the wrong hands is a critical step in solving this national problem. 

  As your voice in Congress, I’ve worked to combat the opioid crisis for years, and I’m proud to be a leader on this front. 

  This isn’t a partisan issue – it’s an American one, and I’ll continue to work with my colleagues, President Trump and local leaders to stop the deadly cycle of opioid addiction. 

  In The Fayetteville Observer, another recent headline read, “Trump signs spending plan, avoiding government shutdown.” Representing Fort Bragg, the epicenter of the universe, I was proud to not only support this critical funding bill, but also to have my amendment included to provide more training for our Special Forces. Overall, this bill provides $17 billion to our military to increase training for our troops and improve warfighter preparedness. And it gives out troops a well-deserved 2.6 percent pay raise. This is in addition to another pay raise last year. 

  The Charlotte Business Journalalso reported, “Ivanka Trump talks higher education, workforce pipeline during Mooresville visit.” As Senior White House Advisor, Ivanka joined Congressman Ted Budd and me at the NASCAR Technical Institute to discuss job training. As a former trustee of Rowan- Cabarrus Community College, I know these programs are some of the best avenues we have to train workers for jobs in high-demand fields that would otherwise go unfilled. That’s exactly why I’ve made this a top priority and worked with the Trump administration to transform our career and technical education system. 

  We’ve made incredible progress – especially with the recent signing of the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (H.R. 2353). I will continue to work to close the skills gap and help equip workers with the tools they need to get good jobs. 

  Last, but not least, The News & Observerreported, “Washington sends $1.7 billion to the Carolinas in Hurricane Florence aid.” Getting responsible disaster relief funding was truly a bipartisan effort. This is just the first installment to help families in North Carolina rebuild, and I’m glad to see this bill head to Trump’s desk to be signed into law. 

  You see, if you look closely, there is some good news out there. We’ve taken major bipartisan steps on issues that impact our daily lives, and we’ll continue to do so through the end of this year and beyond. 

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.