When Pine Forest football coach Bill Sochovka had his team fill out goal sheets in February, most of them listed winning the state championship as a priority.

Sochovka asked them to take it a step further, telling them it was fine to want to win the title, but better if they listed ways as a team they can make it happen. “Having that goal is great, but knowing the plan to get there is more important, everybody being on the same plan,’’ he said.

Sochovka feels that so far, this year’s team is more focused. “We have a lot of guys who are more team players, playing both sides of the ball, not afraid to step up and do things they haven’t done before,’’ he said.

He cited quarterback Richard McEachern Jr. as an example. The Trojans are changing to a 4-2-5 look on defense, and McEachern is being moved to free safety because he’s smart enough to handle the switch, Sochovka said.

“That says a lot about him being a senior, being able to step up and make a difference,’’ Sochovka said. “Sometimes you get a kid at his age that says, ‘No, I’m a quarterback and I don’t want to do both.’ He’s willing to do that.’’

One area where the Trojans need work is the offensive line. Sochovka said he fired his old offensive line coach, himself, and brought in Andy Karcher from Triton.

He thinks the 4-5-2 defensive alignment fits his personnel better. Last year’s offense found itself running the ball, and he plans to stick with that same philosophy this fall with returning running back and outside linebacker Dominic Roberto leading the way.

Roberto saw limited action at running back behind all-conference selection Lavonte Carter, rushing for 177 yards and two touchdowns.

“He’s got a lot of hard offers from Southern Conference and Big South teams,’’ Sochovka said. “Furman likes him at running back, Elon likes him at linebacker.’’

Another player who’s had a good spring is slot receiver D.J. Jones, Sochovka said. Jones caught 14 passes for 246 yards and three touchdowns last season.

Roberto said the main thing the Trojans need this fall is leadership on the field and he hopes to provide some of it. “I’ve got to come out here and lead the team, guide them,’’ he said.

“I think if we work hard and condition hard, we can compete with anybody.’’

PHOTOS: (T-B) Bill Sochovka & Dominic Roberto

This Fourth of July, Alex Warner will display the United States flag and the POW/MIA flag outside his business, Countryside Furniture Co. on Main Street in Hope Mills.

He’ll set up chairs beneath his covered storefront so folks can sit and enjoy the annual Fourth of July parade as it traverses the roughly two-mile route from Hope Mills Middle School to Rockfish Elementary School when it begins at 10 a.m.

For Warner, a former politician who is the husband of Hope Mills Mayor Jackie Warner, the Fourth of July is filled with tradition, memories and deep respect for what the celebration means.

Warner thinks back to his youth, when Hope Mills ground to a halt for the holiday.

At midnight on July 3, Warner said, the machinery at the textile mills the town was named for would shut down and go silent. The only noise you might hear was people setting off fireworks or firing a shotgun in celebration if they didn’t have them.

The following day the whole community would gather to celebrate, something that Warner said wasn’t easy in a mill town since you always had people coming off a work shift and preparing to go on the next one.

For Warner, it wasn’t a celebration just for the sake of celebration. There was history behind it.

“We knew the history of our country, and we knew that we were celebrating the rebellion from England and the almost impossible establishment of a brand-new country,’’ Warner said. “It could not have happened without the leadership and the grace of God that created it.’’

Work benches were taken out of the mills and set up for people to come and sit and enjoy food that people brought and shared. The folks from Merita Bread donated loaves to make all manner of sandwiches, but peanut butter and jelly was always a big hit.

Lemonade was served from huge wooden tubs. Warner said he can still remember how sweet it tasted.

Elderly veterans were in attendance, proudly wearing old military uniforms that in some cases were becoming threadbare from age.

For a vantage point to watch all the things that were going on, Warner said he and some of his young friends scouted out a huge acorn tree. They used a fence near the mill to climb up and get to the lowest branch, and from there they had ringside seats to all the action.

There was plenty of music, mostly singing of patriotic and religious favorites, accompanied by guitar, banjo and maybe a flute.

There was a watermelon seed spitting contest, a three-legged race and softball games, sometimes between mill villages, and sometimes the kids played.

It was a day of pure fun. The only real danger of getting hurt, Warner said, was stepping barefoot on a lit cigarette butt or a hill of red ants, so everybody watched where they were walking.

Warner said the celebration in Hope Mills was timed so everyone could travel to Fayetteville for the parade there. “I remember Uncle Sam would show up on stilts 10 feet tall,’’ Warner said.

In his store today, Warner has a framed American flag he got from Charlie Biggs that was flown at the end of World War I on Nov. 11, 1918, and the Fourth of July every year after that.

“Today, the small towns have preserved much of that,’’ Warner said. “We were appreciative of the freedom and liberty given us by our forefathers. It was a day of appreciating our country, a great day of excitement and unity among our people.’’

In Hope Mills this Fourth of July, it still is.

After the parade, activities will move to Municipal Park near Town Hall on Rockfish Road. There will be a horseshoe tournament at 4 p.m., a cornhole tournament at 4:30 p.m. and a frozen T-shirt contest at 5 p.m. The object is to take a T-shirt that has been frozen, try to thaw it out and put it on over your clothes.

The official welcome will be at 6 p.m., followed by performances by two bands, Eastline and Rivermist. Both play beach and country music along with hits from the ’80s and ’90s.

The day will conclude with fireworks at 9:15 p.m.

PHOTO: Alex Warner displays an American flag that was flown at the end of World War I on Nov. 11, 1918.

Meetings

For details about all meetings and activities, including location where not listed, call Acting Deputy Town Clerk Tiffany Gillstedt at 910-426-4112. Most meetings take place at Town Hall.

• Board of Commissioners Monday, July 9, 7 p.m. at Town Hall in the Bill Luther Meeting Room.

Activities

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

• Fall sports registration through July 28. $30 per child; $15 late fee after registration deadline. Season begins Sept. 8. Call 910-426-4109 for details.

• July 4th Celebration Wednesday, July 4, various locations in the town. Parade, kids activities and fireworks. Call 910-426-4107 for more information. Town hall will be closed this day.

• Food Truck Rodeo Thursday, July 5, 5-8 p.m. Held in the big parking lot at Town Hall.

• Wine-Tasting, Cheese and Appetizers Saturday, July 28, 5-8 p.m. Held at the Boarding House Tea Room, 3903 Ellison St., at the corner of W. Patterson Street across from Hope Mills YMCA. Open to the public once there is a 10-person commitment. Mix and mingle in cozy and quaint surroundings. Tasty hors d’oeuvres and vintage treasures available. Call Carla at 910-527-7455 to make reservations.

Promote yourself: Email hopemills@upandcomingweekly.com.

The town of Hope Mills recently lost a trailblazing member of the police force who was loved by both her fellow police officers and members of the community she interacted with.

Boo, the town’s first full-time police dog, passed away at the age of 18. She became the town’s first police dog in 2005 and served 10 years before going into semi-retirement when her health prevented her from doing all the things a police dog is asked to do.

She continued to serve in a mostly ceremonial role, making public appearances for tours of the police department and other community events, until she passed away.

Hope Mills Police Chief Joel Acciardo said Boo was a special dog with a great disposition.

“You could bring Boo in for a kindergarten class tour and she would let the children run all over her, pet her, jump on her back, and she would just lay there and love it,’’ he said. “You could put her in a field situation where she was doing a track and she would be the most fierce, protective animal you ever saw in your life.’’

Boo worked most closely with her handler, Hope Mills Police Sgt. Lee Sumners. Acciardo said Sumners was unable to be interviewed about his work with Boo because he was still trying to deal with her passing.

“Boo was a trailblazer,’’ Acciardo said. “When you’re going into new territory, everything is a milestone. That made her very special. There is a bond between that handler and the animal. They become a team.’’

Acciardo said Sumners was responsible for Boo’s medical care, hygiene and training, everything associated with her needs and well-being.

When she wasn’t living with Sumner, she stayed in a police department truck, but it’s air conditioned and always running, Acciardo said. “They are never in a non-climate controlled environment when they’re not actually working,’’ he said.

When the police department’s new public safety facility is completed, it will include a kennel that will be the workplace home for all future Hope Mills Police Department dogs.

Boo was replaced in 2014 when the department added a new dog, Ringo, to the team. Like Boo, Ringo comes from a kennel in the Netherlands that specializes in breeding police service dogs, according to Hope Mills Deputy Chief Dave Servie.

Ringo already made a name for himself with Hope Mills Police in 2016 when he helped officers locate the weapon used to murder Andrew Jacob Derenzy.

Boo and Ringo are both what are known in law enforcement circles as a patrol certified dog.

Servie said they are typically called on to track, detect narcotics or specific articles like a gun or wallet, or protect their handler. Both Boo and Ringo reported for work daily with the handler and were used for whatever need arose.

While Ringo has adapted well to his new role with Hope Mills Police, Acciardo said there’s no question Boo will be missed by everyone.

“Boo just absolutely loved people,’’ he said. “You couldn’t ask for a better ambassador, when you’re having a class of fourth graders come through, to represent the department’s canine team.’’

PHOTO: Boo, left, with her handler, Hope Mills Police Sgt. Lee Sumners, right.

“Standpoint: A Group Exhibition” at Gallery 208 opens Tuesday, July 10, with a reception from 5:30-7 p.m. It showcases a joining of 11 artists who work as higher education art faculty in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Higher education art faculty in this city are like all other universities and community colleges faculty. As members of the faculty they have three roles: teaching, service and scholarship. In the area of teaching, each day is different, with unexpected situations to resolve and new material or techniques to research and apply. Service can be for the department, the university, the community, professional service or all four. Then there is scholarship, the making of new works of art if you’re a faculty member who teaches a studio class.

What’s unusual is that many of the full-time fine art faculty from competing schools in Fayetteville have come together to build their personal relationships as practicing artists – not as educators – by creating a comradery of support and even to have an occasional potluck dinner together.

It all began with an idea after the director of Ellington-White Contemporary Gallery, Calvin Mims, brought several artists together to talk about initiatives for the community and what the faculty needed. Mims started by inviting full-time and part-time art faculty from Fayetteville Technical Community College, Methodist University and Fayetteville State University to do the recent group show titled “Higher Ed Fayetteville Art Faculty Exhibition.” That lead to a couple of potluck dinners and discussions about enrichment for each other as artists.

“Standpoint: A Group Exhibition” at Gallery 208 is the result of those discussions over dinner. The artists from academe include Vilas Tonape from Methodist University; Callie Farmer, Katey Morrill and Robin Teas from Fayetteville Technical Community College; and Shane Booth, Dwight Smith, Vicki Rhoda, Jonathan Chestnut, Skylor Swann, Dwight Smith and yours truly from Fayetteville State University.

The 11th artist is Christopher Happel. Happel is employed at Ellington-White Contemporary Gallery and is a recent graduate from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, focusing on the medium of sculpture. The group, New Vision Collaborative, wanted Happel to be part of the first-year initiative since he is a millennial among seasoned artists. All were interested in the insights of a young millennial who is also a dedicated artist. For Happel, he’s happy to be able to interface and exhibit with experienced artists and educators.

“Standpoint: A Group Exhibition” includes a lot of variety since each artist brings his or her own expertise, style and purpose for creating works of art. Two works were selected by each artist for the exhibit; the range of media includes paintings, drawings, sculpture, ceramics and prints. “Standpoint: A Group Exhibition” is the kickoff event for a year of collaboration among the participants in what they’re calling the New Vision Collaborative.

After one year of collaborating with each other in workshops to share technical information, provide support for artists to try new mediums, and to offer group critiques and discussions, another exhibition will take place June 2019 at Ellington-White Contemporary Gallery titled “Standpoint: 365.”

The Fayetteville area has embraced many art initiatives and alliances to improve the arts locally over the years. But, this group of artists/educators has one common goal – to enrich themselves and maybe others along the way. Dwight Smith from FSU noted, “We have a connection between the three schools – a passion for the arts, and intellectual exchange.

Calvin Mims commented, “All of the artists in this group are continually engaged in the pursuit of excellence.”

Callie Framer, a printmaker from FTCC, reminded our group that students have us (their teachers) and each other to critique their work. Yet, as professionals, it would be helpful to have professional critiques. For students, seeing us exhibit together offers a good example of the continued efforts of local art faculty. Faculty can share techniques and strategies about how to stay creatively focused instead of falling victim to teacher burn-out.

Already, during the dinners, members of New Vision Collaborative have had discussions about relevant websites and ways to engage the public with unfamiliar styles. The next meeting will include creating a calendar of events for the group and more events for the public to attend.

Skylor Swann, a new ceramicist at FSU, noted he was interested in participating since he wanted to share new research, process and materials. As well, he is interested in looking at what artists are not doing and examining his own personal growth as an artist. He said, “We all bring something different to the collaborative – life experiences and viewpoints.”

Jonathan Chestnut brings his interest and knowledge of technology to the collaborative. Chestnut teaches the computer graphic classes at FSU and has always been interested in sculpture. During the last eight years, in addition to teaching, his focus has been on ways to apply technology to fine art. From laser cutters to 3D modeling, Chestnut has influenced artists in his department to use technology. In “Standpoint: A Group Exhibition,” Chestnut is exhibiting layered wall reliefs created by using the laser cutter at FSU.

Vicki Rhoda, the new art education instructor at FSU, was quick to point out how “we share with the community an identity and our expertise. By having exhibitions, we are demonstrating our belief in the importance of art and how art is a constructive interaction among people in public spaces.”

So, it will be an interesting year for New Vision Collaborative, culminating in the 2019 exhibition at Ellington-White Contemporary Gallery. The group is not interested in becoming a nonprofit organization but will remain open to change and choices. The year ahead will include discussing ideas in think-tank formats, sharing websites and suppliers, conducting workshops and critiques amongst the group, and planning events for the public to attend. By the end of the year, the artists will have been enriched and come to understand what works and what doesn’t work before expanding the group.

Calvin Mims was more than happy to have Ellington-White Contemporary Gallery be the central place for the group to meet and plan the activities. Mims said, “I think it’s important the New Vision Collaborative is thinking about what is missing in the community when it comes to the visual arts. As contemporary artists, it’s important the public sees the value and importance of contemporary art in a community. As well, your students will see that you do what you are encouraging them to do. So, coming together and having a presence in our community is relevant.”

The public is invited to attend the opening reception of “Standpoint: A Group Exhibition” at Gallery 208, located at 208 Rowan St., from 5:30-7 p.m. July 10. The show will be up until early September. The gallery hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday. For more information, call 910-484-6200.

President John Kennedy stated, “Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” Fayetteville Technical Community College has long been a leader in providing education to military service members of Fort Bragg and surrounding communities. Since the founding of the college in 1961, there has been a special relationship with neighbors from the college’s military and veteran community.

The college’s mission statement is to “Serve our community as a learning-centered institution to build a globally competitive workforce supporting economic development.” The mission of the college provides a clear purpose in ensuring that our local military members and their family members have the necessary education opportunities to meet their career goals.

In 1974, the college opened its Fort Bragg Center to provide better access to numerous technical and vocational programs. The Fort Bragg Center, located on Fort Bragg at the Bragg Training and Education Center, is a one-stop shop for all the services an aspiring student would need to enroll at FTCC. The staff members are either veterans or dependents or have a family member serving. This staffing characteristic provides FTCC’s Fort Bragg office with a unique understanding of the issues facing service members as they pursue their education-related goals. The staff takes extra time to educate students about the process for admissions and class registration.

FTCC repeatedly earns top designation marks as a “Top School” or “Top 10 Gold Category College Award” for best community colleges serving military and veterans. FTCC is a leader in Credit for Prior Service, specializing in converting military training to college-level credit. The CPL effectively jump-starts the service members’ education pursuit, allowing quick completion of educational training in the shortest amount of time possible. The college offers a CPL online tool that provides an estimated credit the student may earn. Paralleling the effort of providing college programs, FTCC opened the Transition Tech Program, which provides tuition-free certifications to veterans. The Transition Tech Program includes courses in collision repair, computer and information technology, logistics, CDL truck driver training, pipe welding, solar technology, EMT Basic, telecommunications and others, providing an intense, shortened training experience with time focused on industry certificates and credentials that prepare the student to enter the civilian workforce.

If you are looking for a way to capitalize on the valuable military training you have earned or would like additional information about FTCC and the more than 250 programs of study available, visit with the Fort Bragg Center inside the Bragg Training and Education Center. FTCC values the hard work and dedication needed to accomplish military training and experiences. FTCC is honored to help service members maximize their military service through programs of study that focus on military occupational specialty areas.

Visit or learn more at www.faytechcc.edu/militaryveterans to discover why FTCC is the smart choice for education.

Loving Hands International and Culture & Heritage Alliance present the African World Peace Festival Friday, July 13 – Sunday, July 15 in downtown Fayetteville.

“This is our fourth year of putting together the African World Peace Festival,” said Isabella Effon, president of Culture & Heritage Alliance. “We want to bring cultural awareness and educate our children about the continent of Africa and let them know it is not just a country.”

Effon added the festival also includes the Caribbean community to let children know they have Africans and Afro-Cubans who have migrated and now become a part of the population.

The event will feature the African World Peace Festival with entertainment and music as well as a 5K Peace Run and Cape Fear Valley’s Take Charge of Your Health event.

Friday, July 13, is the kickoff from 6–10 p.m.

Saturday, July 14, at 7 a.m. is pre-registration for the 5K Peace Run. The run starts at 8 a.m. There will be free health screenings provided by Cape Fear Valley’s Take Charge of Your Health at 11 a.m. These screenings are for diabetes, blood pressure and sexually transmitted diseases. The music festival starts at 2 p.m. and will end at 10 p.m. The headliner is Kevin Lyttle. There will also be cultural performers.

“This year for the health screenings we want to reach out as much as possible to let Wilmington Road, B Street and surrounding areas know they are a part of the Cool Spring Downtown District,” said Effon. “We want them and the surrounding communities to come and participate in the free health screenings.”

The event continues Sunday, July 15. “From noon-7 p.m. is the gospel concert,” said Effon. “It will feature traditional drumming and contemporary gospel music, and we will have vendors until 5 p.m.”

Loving Hands International and Culture & Heritage Alliance are nonprofit organizations that focus on the needs of the poor in Ghana and West Africa as well as the local needs in the Fayetteville and Fort Bragg area. “Our cause is to give back to the community and also to reach back to students in Africa,” said Effon. “We have been collecting books for schools, hospital supplies and first-aid supplies to send over there.”

Effon added that in the Fayetteville/Fort Bragg area, the organization facilitates canned food drives for Operation Blessings during the summer.

“Come join our community event with all of us celebrating diversity and benefitting our community,” said Effon.

The cost of the 5K run is $25 for children and $30 for adults. The music festival is free and open to the public. Bring your lawn chair and umbrella to enjoy the music. Food vendors will be on-site. If you want to volunteer, become a vendor or sponsor, or if you have a question, call 910-728-2186.

The British Empire settled its first permanent colony in the Americas at Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607. This was the first of 13 colonies in North America. The colonies can be divided into three regions: New England, Middle colony and Southern colonies.

The New England colonies included Connecticut, Massachusetts Bay, New Hampshire and Rhode Island.

The Middle Colonies were those now described as the mid-Atlantic and included Delaware, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. Settlers in these colonies included English, Swedes, Dutch, Germans, Scots-Irish and French, along with Native Americans and some enslaved and freed Africans.

The Southern colonies were North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Georgia. Long before Jamestown, in 1587, a group of 115 English settlers arrived safely on Roanoke Island off the coast of North Carolina. By the middle of the year, the group realized they needed more supplies, and they sent John White, governor of the colony, back to England. When White got back to  Roanoke, there was no trace of the colony, his wife, his daughter or his granddaughter.

Conflict between the colonies and England was already a year old when colonial leaders convened a Continental Congress at Independence Hall in Philadelphia in the summer of 1776. In a June 7 session, Richard Henry Lee of Virginia presented a resolution with the famous words: “Resolved: That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.”

Lee’s words were the impetus for the drafting of a formal Declaration of Independence. A committee of five was appointed to draft the document, and the task itself fell on Thomas Jefferson. Discussion of Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence resulted in some minor changes, but the spirit of the document went unchanged. The process of revision by the Continental Congress began July 1. It continued through all of July 3 and into the late afternoon of July 4, when the Declaration was officially adopted.

Of the 13 colonies, nine voted in favor of the Declaration, and two – Pennsylvania and South Carolina – voted no. Delaware was undecided, and New York abstained. July 4 has been designated a national holiday to commemorate the day the United States laid down its claim to be a free and independent nation.

Benjamin Franklin was a member of the committee of five that drafted the Declaration. Historians consider his contributions vitally important in the history of the movement from 13 individual colonies to one unified nation. He said of the new United States of America: “We must, indeed all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately.” Franklin’s actions as elder statesman and diplomat helped ensure independence. His scientific and literary achievements earned him respect at home and abroad. His significance cannot be understated.

Fayetteville City Council members are divided on whether to expand terms of office from two to four years. District 7 Councilman Larry Wright broached the idea several months ago. Now the governing body has decided to put the idea to a vote of the people. Mayor Pro-tem Ted Mohn made the motion, which was seconded by Wright. Council has indicated it would abide by the voters’ decision.

Council voted 6-4 to place the “yes or no” issue on the November ballot. If passed, the longer terms of office would apply to the 2019 municipal election. Presumably, the members would serve staggered terms, but the measure did not include that provision. Fifth District Councilman Johnny Dawkins and 9th District Councilman Jim Arp said they do not favor four-year terms, but they voted for the referendum anyway. Members Dan Culliton, Bill Crisp, Kathy Jensen and Tisha Waddell voted against it.

“We’re rushing into this issue,” Waddell said. Crisp said the timing wasn’t good.

The referendum in November will also include a formal resolution asking that the state legislature modify the city charter to allow recall elections. Only the general assembly can do that, but the city has authority to change city council terms of office. Some members wanted to separate the issues, but all seemed to favor the recall provision. It stems from the recent attempted bribery allegations involving recently resigned District 2 Council member Tyrone Williams.

At its recent meeting, city council also debated whether to continue its financial commitment in support of the planned $65 million North Carolina Civil War and Reconstruction History Center planned for Fayetteville. New District 4 member, D.J. Haire, questioned the city’s $7.5 million commitment to the foundation funding the center. Fayetteville and Cumberland County governments have pledged a total of $15 million contingent on a commitment from the state as well as millions in private funds already raised.

The foundation asked the city to donate four acres of property abutting the historic Fayetteville Arsenal site where the facility is to be built. Council agreed but will follow up with a property appraisal so that its value can be deducted from the $7.5 million pledge. The 60,000-square-foot history center is planned at the end of Arsenal Avenue in Haymount on the grounds where the antebellum facility once stood. It was destroyed by Union Gen. William Sherman on his march north from Atlanta.

Education is the center’s goal. It will house exhibits, classrooms and research areas for visitors. So as not to be thought of as a museum, the center will not have weapons of war and battlefield depictions. Another dimension of the project is the development of digital educational material for students in all grade levels that can be accessed online, in the classroom, at home or anywhere in the world.

Suicide report for active duty military, veterans confusing

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs late last month reversed itself on a new suicide study that appeared to show thousands of unreported military deaths in recent years. The VA’s annual National Suicide Data Report is a collaboration between Veterans Affairs, defense researchers and census analysts. It found that from 2008 to 2016 about 20 veterans took their own lives daily.

For the first time, this most recent update breaks down the figures into veterans receiving VA health care, veterans not using the department’s health services, and a group including active-duty troops, guardsmen and reservists. The new calculation would put the official Defense Department suicide total among troops at close to 1,400 for 2015, or 65 percent higher than what the military previously reported.

Several news outlets took note of the sudden data spike following the report’s release. VA officials acknowledged that the military figures are misleading. “In our report, VA did not differentiate deaths between active duty... Guard and Reserve,” said Dr. Keita Franklin, VA’s national director of suicide prevention. “This difference in the report may have caused some confusion and led to the misperception that approximately 1,000 more current service members died by suicide than DoD reported in 2015.”

VA officials blamed the confusion regarding the troops’ suicide information on inconsistent definitions used by various agencies. Individuals who served in the Guard or Reserves and are considered “veterans” in census reports may not have been counted in the Defense Department statistics.

VA researchers are now emphasizing they have not found fault with official military suicide statistics, which have counted between 550 and 450 active-duty, Guard and Reserve suicides in each of the last five calendar years. Fort Bragg authorities do not disclose suicides when reporting soldier deaths. The Army does not disclose cause of death in such instances.

Prince Charles Hotel project update

There is clear evidence of progress in the renovation of the former Prince Charles Hotel on Hay Street. A photo taken from the floor of City Hall across the street shows that window frames are being removed for replenishment. The Historic Resources Commission has told owners of the building that its facade must remain intact. Developer Jordan Jones said renovations are on schedule and should be completed by the end of the year. By February 2019, Jordan said, the building should have 61 apartments plus offices on the eighth floor with restaurants, coffee shops and retail facilities at ground level.

New public safety hires

The Fayetteville Fire Department has hired 17 recruits who graduated from the Fire Academy in June. A significant number of the graduates were minorities. The department has been under pressure in recent months to diversify its force. Fire Chief Ben Major said the academy class included three African-Americans, two Hispanics and two Asians. A total of 62 applicants were interviewed for the vacancies.

Watching the news about the startling situation on America’s southern border regarding separating children from their parents got me to thinking about our old friend Jonathan Swift. Some folks say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. So, I am sincerely stealing an idea from Jonathan Swift from his 1729 essay about what to do about the children of the poor people of Ireland.

For those of you who may not have been English majors, allow me to briefly summarize Johnny’s proposal. He was concerned about the plight of the Irish poor who could only survive by begging. His suggestion was that Irish children be sold to be eaten. To quote him, “I have been assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance in London, that a young healthy child well-nursed is at a year old a most delicious, nourishing and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked or broiled: and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricassee or a ragout.”

When his essay came out, some folks did not realize that it was satire. Undoubtedly there will be some of my gentle readers who may take offense to Johnny’s essay and likewise this very column. Kindly be aware that no migrant Hispanic children were harmed in the writing of this column, although the same cannot be said of 2,300 Hispanic children separated from their parents on the Mexican border.

I am not suggesting that migrant children be eaten. As Nixon once said, “That would be wrong.” However, seeing the fenced wire cages the children are being contained in did remind me of the treatment of calves who are destined to be veal. You keep the calves in one place, don’t let them move around much, and they are much tenderer and tastier than free range calves. I hope that whoever is in charge of storing the incarcerated children did not take Jonathan Swift literally.

The cages also reminded me of the “Twilight Zone” episode where benevolent space aliens come down to Earth with cures for diseases and all manner of misery. They start taking humans to a new paradise planet where the humans are told they can start a new and better civilization. Earth scientists manage to translate the title of a book the aliens left behind as “To Serve Man,”  which sounds pretty nice. Sort of like a summer camp in an abandoned Walmart Superstore. Unfortunately, “To Serve Man” turns out to be a cookbook.

But what should be done? Laura Ingraham compared the Walmart Supercenter where the children are being housed to summer camp. Our compassionate friend and former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski said, “Womp, Womp!” when confronted by a story about a 10-year-old girl with Down syndrome who had been separated from her parents. Sympathy abounds in Corey’s breast. The government is calling the detention centers where babies and toddlers are being kept “Tender Age Shelters.”

George Orwell would be proud of that phrase. As you may recall, George once said, “Political language is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind.” “Tender Age Shelters” is a triumph of political language. I salute whoever came up with that phrase. Both sides of the immigration debate cannot hear each other over their shouting opposing slogans. Sad.

The news last week began with TV personality Samantha Bee making an ill-considered remark calling Ivanka Trump a feckless cupcake due to Ivanka’s silence on the new zero tolerance policy requiring child/parent separation at the border. Great offense was taken by the Right, as no name-calling has ever come from our president about his perceived enemies. Perhaps if Bee had referred to Ivanka as a feckful cupcake, then all would have been well.

Under the law of the Conservation of Energy, the total amount of feck in an isolated system remains constant. Feck can neither be created nor destroyed, it can only be transferred from one form of feck to another form of feck. Either one is full of feck, or one is without feck. Feck is in the eye of the beholder. If you have feck, you are a good person. If you are without feck, you are a bad person. Too bad Bee didn’t understand the distinction. Or, as a disinterested observer might say, “What the feck?”

I leave you with these conflicting thoughts.

Let he who is without feck cast the first stone. Ask not for whom the feck tolls. It tolls for thee.

Years ago, in another life, I attended a presentation by a well-known and respected North Carolina demographer whose talk was entitled “The Browning and Graying of North Carolina.” He addressed our state’s growing diversity and aging population to an audience of “mature” North Carolinians, mostly white and mostly over 50. The demographer expounded on when white people would become a minority in North Carolina and what an aging population means for the workforce, health care and our culture. The United States Census Bureau says this will happen nationally in 2045, though our demographer said earlier in North Carolina.

Suddenly, a man in the audience shouted, “I just don’t believe that!” The demographer brandished another chart, and again the man blurted, “I just don’t believe that!” Patiently, the demographer talked about trends that were long since underway, but when the man shouted for a third time, the demographer looked calmly at the audience and asked us to look to our left and look to our right. “Are any of you people going home tonight to have a baby?” he asked pointedly. The answer was laughably obvious.

Score one for the foresighted demographer.

Newly analyzed data from the National Center for Health Statistics show that in 2016, more whites died than were being born in North Carolina and 25 other states. This was true in only four states in 2004. Part of this has to do with North Carolina’s aging population, but other factors include declining birth rates for millennial women since the Great Recession and deaths by despair – drugs, alcohol and suicide – especially among whites between 30 and 59. The change became apparent in rural areas before it became a statewide fact. For example, in Martin County in northeastern North Carolina, deaths now exceed births for both whites and blacks. In the 1990s, Martin County had 12 public schools, but that number has declined with the loss of about 40 percent of its school-age population.

Writing in The New York Times, Sabrina Tavernise said this. “The change has broad implications for identity and for the country’s political and economic life, transforming a mostly white baby boomer society into a multiethnic and racial patchwork.” Pundits of all stripes speculate about what the change means for our politically divided nation, with many asserting that a younger and more diverse electorate will bring a more progressive agenda. Maybe so, but there is certainly no assurance of coalitions forming among diverse groups or that they will even vote with the same frequency that older, whiter voters have over time. Donald Trump is our president, and Democrats in New York just turned out an established and ranking member of Congress in favor of a young woman of Puerto Rican heritage. At 28, she will be the youngest woman ever elected to Congress. Both political realities prove that anything is possible.

What I understood the demographer to be saying all those years ago to the rude and disbelieving man is that population trends are like tides. They start, and they build until they wane, or until some other trend overtakes them. They are neither positive nor negative. They are just facts to be dealt with, not handled. We can no more change them than we can change our world’s rising sea levels.

The browning and graying of our state and country is the latest chapter in the evolution of a still-youthful nation. It will continue no matter how you, I or the grumpy old guy feel about it.

For decades, I have used thiscolumn to opine about issuesthat affect the quality of life inthis community. On some rareoccasions, I have yielded thisspace to local civic and politicalleaders and organizations whose messages for a betterFayetteville and CumberlandCounty resonate. The substanceof the messages conveyed mirrorsthe same valued missionand mandates that have madeUp & Coming Weekly a uniquecommunity newspaper. Thisweek, I’m sharing informationfrom one of the most importantprojects and opportunities everto grace our community, theNorth Carolina Civil War &Reconstruction History Center.This is the information you needto be in the know about thiswonderful project. Enjoy.

A town hall meeting, “Toward a More Perfect Union: The N.C. Civil War History & Reconstruction Center,” sponsored by the history center and Fayetteville State University, will be held  Thursday, July 12, at 7 p.m. The event will be in the Rudolph Jones Student Center on FSU’s campus, 1200 Murchison Rd. It is free, and the public is invited to attend.

The town hall, which will be moderated by FSU Chancellor James Anderson, will provide a public forum where the audience will be invited to ask questions. The center’s architect, Victor Vines, and its exhibit designer, Jerry Eisterhold, will answer questions and discuss future plans. Other representatives from the center will also be present to answer questions.

Planners say the town hall meeting is intended to give an overview of the N.C. Civil War History & Reconstruction Center to those who will reside closest to it, within Cumberland County and surrounding areas.

Ground for the first phase of the center was broken April 18. The facility will reside at 801 Arsenal Ave. in Fayetteville, the present site of the Museum of the Cape Fear and the site of the Fayetteville Arsenal. The arsenal was originally built by the U.S. government. At the beginning of the Civil War, it was taken over by the Confederacy. The arsenal was used to produce weapons for the Confederate Army until it and The Fayetteville Observer newspaper building were destroyed by Union Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman during his Carolinas Campaign in March 1865.

The first phase of building involves rehabilitating three existing Civil War-era homes, including the John Davis House, which will be used as headquarters for the center’s Digital Outreach Education program. Progress is underway.

Also planned on the grounds is a 60,000-square-foot building with construction set to begin in 2020. The building will replace the existing Museum of the Cape Fear.

If built as envisioned, the center will cost $65 million. Of that amount, $27 million has been raised, with $7 million raised privately, $5 million from the state of North Carolina and $7.5 million each from the city of Fayetteville and Cumberland County.

Once complete, the center will be owned and operated by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

This is a great opportunity for ourcommunity. We hope to see all our Up &Coming Weekly readers there to learn moreabout this future Fayetteville/CumberlandCounty venue and how it will positivelyimpact our community.

Thanks for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

As Dr. Marvin Connelly Jr. begins his official role as the new superintendent of Cumberland County Schools, I’m hopeful he’ll review a policy left over from his predecessor and consider changing it.

Dr. Frank Till first got the CC Board of Education to establish a rule that said no students in the county could participate in extracurricular activities if they did not maintain at least a C-average.

As a college graduate who earned both summa cum laude as well as honors while attending UNC Wilmington, I fully support the push for requiring better grades. School is about learning, and athletes need to know that just being stars on the playing field isn’t enough. They’ll be in the game of life a lot longer than they’ll be playing their favorite sport, and the better educated you are, the better your chance for later success.

But I think the CC policy as it stands now is too restrictive and gives our young people and their coaches an unlevel playing field for battle.

When you remove the chance to play completely, for many of these young people you’re taking away one of the main incentives to be in school and stay engaged. There’s a greater risk of them giving up and dropping out completely.

Our coaches and their teammates are being hurt because some of these youngsters are good athletes who aren’t being allowed to compete, robbing their teams the benefit of their talents.

This especially shows in a sport like football, where numbers are crucial to success. Our county football has shown a sharp decline in recent years, with only Cape Fear advancing to a state championship game in recent memory. There was a time we had a team in the finals almost every season.

I’m not suggesting we don’t hold athletes accountable. The North Carolina High School Athletic Association has a standard they must meet, and while somewhat low, it does hold them to a certain level of performance.

All I’m asking be changed is removing them from the team. We can still require those who are not maintaining a C-average to attend tutoring sessions led by faculty members willing to volunteer.

I think it’s worth a try and would be a great way to kick off the 2018-19 school year on a positive note.

• We welcome two new head coaches in varsity sports at CC Schools. Travis Lemanski, former coach at North Brunswick and St. Pauls, is the new boys basketball coach at South View, replacing Wendell Wise.

At Gray’s Creek, Nicholas Lewis replaces Anissa Little as girls basketball coach. Lewis comes from Pine Forest Middle School.

• Congratulations to Andrew McCarthy, soccer coach at Fayetteville Academy, who has been named the school’s assistant athletic director.

• A reminder that the annual CC Football Jamboree will be Aug. 8-9. To learn about sponsorship opportunities, call Vernon Aldridge at 910-678-2300.

Here is the schedule for this year’s jamboree:

Aug. 8 at Pine Forest: 6 p.m. - Farmville Central vs. Westover, Rolesville vs. Overhills. 7 p.m. - Union Pines vs. E.E. Smith, Triton vs. Terry Sanford. 8 p.m. - Scotland vs. Cape Fear, Lumberton vs. Pine Forest

Aug. 9 at Jack Britt: 6 p.m. - St. Pauls vs. Douglas Byrd, West Bladen vs. Gray’s Creek. 7 p.m. - East Montgomery vs. Hoke County, Eastern Wayne vs. South View. 8 p.m. - Lee County vs. Seventy-First, Apex Friendship vs. Jack Britt.

The road back to the football success of Douglas Byrd in the late 1990s has been a rocky one for third-year head coach Mike Paroli.

Paroli, the son of legendary Eagle head coach Bob Paroli, is still looking for his first win as head coach after being hired in 2016. The Eagles have posted back-to-back 0-11 seasons in the Patriot Athletic Conference.

Paroli would like to turn the corner this season, but challenges to improvement still remain following the recent conclusion of spring workouts.

“We haven’t gotten as much accomplished in the spring as we would have,’’ Paroli said. “The weight room has been more of a focus. We’re trying to get as strong as we possibly could and worry more about the helmets and shoulder pads things for June.’’

There will be some new faces in the Eagle program this fall, but Paroli declined to elaborate on just who those faces are. “We have some kids who haven’t played here before that we are trying to bring along slowly and find out if they are going to stay with us,” he said.

The biggest problem for the Eagles headed into the official start of practice in August will be rebuilding a secondary from scratch. Another challenge will be trying to continue a philosophy started last year that Paroli admits didn’t work very well, trying to avoid playing any players on offense and defense.

He said they particularly want to keep from doing it early in the season. “That’s going to be a difficult task for us right now,’’ he said.

One thing that has been a plus for the Eagles is a new Cumberland County policy that allows eighth graders to be on the high school campus once Easter break is over. “We are hoping that translates into having a junior varsity team,” Paroli said.

Paroli said he’d like to avoid using any of those incoming freshmen in the secondary, but he added that may have to happen because the situation there is desperate.

One player the Eagles will definitely be using a lot is Nikai Butler, a 6-foot-2-inch, 245-pound senior who has been in the Byrd program since he was a freshman. Paroli said colleges are already talking to Butler, who plays linebacker, defensive line, offensive guard, tight end and just about any other position the Eagles need him.

“He’s had a tremendous offseason,’’ Paroli said. “He’s a straight-A kid, top ten of his class and a wonderful young man. We’ll look at him to play in all those different spots plus be the positive school and team leader he is.’’

Like his coach, Butler realizes there’s no easy solution to turning the Byrd program around. “We just have to continue to work, no matter the circumstances,’’ he said.

Asked if he thinks the Eagles can return to the glory years they enjoyed when Bob Paroli was head coach, Butler quickly replied yes. “I’ve got faith,’’ he said. “We just have to have dedication and people wanting to play.’’

PHOTOS: (T-B) Mike Paroli & Nikai Butler

“Strike at the Wind!” – a play beloved by generations – returns to Givens Performing Arts Center for two shows as part of the 50th anniversary of Lumbee Homecoming.

The iconic drama, which tells the local story of the Lowrie War in 1865, will be performed Saturday, June 30, and Sunday, July 1.

“Strike at the Wind!” returned in 2017 after a 10-year hiatus, thanks to the collaborative efforts of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke and the Lumbee Tribe.

The play ran from 1976 to 1996 and was staged at the Adolph Dial Amphitheater at the Lumbee Tribal Cultural Center. It returned in 1999 and again in 2007.

Jonathan Drahos, who is directing the play, said 95 percent of the 2017 cast is back, including Matthew Jacobs and Wynona Oxendine, who play the lead roles of Henry Berry Lowrie and his wife, Rhoda Strong.

“Everyone is excited to be back again this year,” said Drahos, director of UNCP Theatre. “The fact that most of the cast is back is a real positive step in the right direction. They were inspired last year by the spirit of the play and the audience response.”

The play chronicles the life of Lowrie, who led a band of men in a seven-year battle against those he believed killed his father and brother.

“The play celebrates the heroic effort of a culture of people,” Drahos said. “This story is one example of the enduring spirit of the Lumbee people and how much their culture has changed history.

“Henry Berry was someone who was able to move the conversation forward toward equality and justice, and that, to me, is the most important aspect of the play. His gang had Native Americans, whites and blacks – people of all races – fighting together for one cause. We need important causes like that in order to progress.”

This year, the play will feature live musical performances by local artists, including Charly Lowry, Mark McKinney & Company, Lakota John, Alexis Jones and Kirk Blue. They will be performing the play’s original songs composed by the late Willie French Lowery.

“Live music, I think, is going to be a major shift from what the audience saw last year,” Drahos said. “It adds a new element. It’s going to be exciting.”

Wynona Oxendine, a graduate of UNCP’s theatre program, teaches drama at Seventy-First High School.

“This play tells such a legendary story,” she said. “This year, the audience is in for another high energy, epic production. We are all super excited!”

The June 30 show begins at 8 p.m. and the July 1 at 5 p.m. Tickets prices for the evening shows are $15. Call 910-521-6361 or visit www.uncp.edu/gpactickets to purchase tickets.

Meetings

For details about all meetings and activities, including location where not listed, call Acting Deputy Town Clerk Tiffany Gillstedt at 910-426-4112. Most meetings take place at Town Hall.

• Veterans Affairs Commission Thursday, June 28, 7 p.m.

Activities

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

• Fall sports registration through July 28. $30 per child; $15 late fee after registration deadline. Season begins Sept. 8. Call 910-426-4109 for details.

• Lake Celebration June 30-July 3 at Hope Mills Lake. Cardboard boat race, Street Dance, Heroes on the Water, Church at the Lake, Art and Jazz at the Lake, Beach Dance. Visit www.townofhopemills.com/364/2018-Lake-Celebration for details.

• July 4th Celebration Wednesday, July 4, various locations in the town. Parade, kids activities and fireworks. Call 910-426-4107 for more information. Town hall will be closed this day.

• Wine-Tasting, Cheese and Appetizers Saturday, July 28, 5-8 p.m. Held at the Boarding House Tea Room, 3903 Ellison St., at the corner of W. Patterson Street across from Hope Mills YMCA. Open to the public once there is a 10-person commitment. Mix and mingle in cozy and quaint surroundings. Tasty hors d’oeuvres and vintage treasures available. Call Carla at 910-527-7455 to make reservations.

Promote yourself: Email hopemills@upandcomingweekly.com.

Kyle Jackson’s 1910 Apothecary has barely been open a year at its location on Trade Street. Just days past his first anniversary there, he’s changing locations, but not too far, moving to the other end of Trade Street where he’ll share space with the existing Get Twisted Yoga studio.

Jackson said it’s not a matter of being disappointed with his old location, where he sold a variety of items he made himself, including soap, candles and products associated with natural healing.

“I loved the old location and the history of the building,’’ Jackson said. “But I needed a little more room. It became a little difficult because I didn’t have much storage. I was having to move a bunch of things around and it was like musical chairs just to get something made.’’

Jackson has unofficially already started conducting business in his new location at Get Twisted Yoga, but his official opening won’t take place until the latter part of June.

“We still have to get the new flooring put in, but that’s not really a necessity,’’ he said. “It’s just cosmetic.’’

He said most of his customers have made the transition to the new location and are already coming to see him there, as he alerted them the move was in progress.

As the move progresses, he hopes to expand the services he’s currently offering them and dovetail some of his natural healing approaches to the yoga instruction that goes on at Get Twisted Yoga. He also works there part-time as an instructor, which was part of the reason for his decision to move his business.

His goal is to offer more products and services related to natural healing. He stressed that he’s not allowed to advertise what he does as cures, just alternatives in some cases to traditional
medicine.

One thing he has an interest in is called reiki. Reiki is a natural healing technique based on the idea the therapist can channel energy into a patient by means of touch.

Jackson said the only thing he can guarantee people who undergo reiki is they will be relaxed. “There are different levels of certification,’’ Jackson said. “My ultimate goal is to have a natural healing clinic paired with the yoga studio.’’

He said he’ll continue to offer the variety of products he makes himself that can be seen on his Facebook page or his website, www.1910apothecary.com.

“I’ve worked so hard on those recipes I don’t want to deviate from them,’’ he said.

He’s currently working on a shampoo that a number of his customers are testing for him. “We’ll see what happens and if everyone comes to agreement,’’ he said. “I’m not making any claims it will treat anything because you can’t do that. I can steer people in different directions depending on what they have an issue with.’’

Jackson said his business hours at his new location will be the same as his old location. Hours will be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily except for Wednesday when he’s open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The business is closed on Sunday.

For further information, visit the Facebook page or the website, or call 910-835-6833.

The Boarding House Treasures and Tea Room is preparing for a major transition in the way it does business, so owner Carla Welsh decided a big event would be a nice way to introduce the change to the Hope Mills community.

After the month of June, the business will no longer be open regular hours for dining as Welsh will transition to solely using the Boarding House for reservation-only events that aren’t open to the general public.

To celebrate the change, Welsh is planning a wine-tasting on Saturday, July 28, that will celebrate various arts as well as showcase the items in the Boarding House available for sale.

Welsh had initially planned for a book signing featuring Leslie Miklosy, but that plan didn’t work out, so she’s hoping Miklosy will be able to come and read some of his works, including his newest, “The Wiggle Room.’’

“He does things like whimsical, insightful reflections and essays,’’ she said. “It’s very entertaining and makes you think as well.’’

Another business owner from nearby Trade Street will be on hand, Cherri Stout, who operates The Studio on Trade Street.

She will bring photographs for viewing and sale.

Another artist, Kimber Dryden, will be there with some of her works. She specializes in portraits, oil paintings and cloud paintings.

Also on hand will be Kai Pickett, who creates unique sculptures in brass jewelry.

There will also be a 10 percent discount on all of the items already for sale at the Boarding House.

Welsh said much of what’s available in the Boarding House could best be described as collectibles and unique gifts. They have everything from a jar of marbles to a $600 painting, she said.

“There are over 300 pieces of artwork all over the house,’’ she said. “There are two rooms upstairs, two rooms downstairs, a breezeway and a hallway.’’

She said there are many small items as well as ceramics.

As for the wine-tasting, Welsh plans to offer 16 wines. “It’s not a large selection and not an expensive one,’’ she said. “It’s going to be what we’re serving now. I may embellish it slightly.’’

Choices include house wine Canyon Road, along with Barefoot, Turning Leaf, Alice White and Apothic Red.

Welsh will offer three tastings for $5. Each tasting comes with celery sticks and crackers as palate cleansers. Once patrons decide which wine to buy, the wines will be available by the glass, the threeglass carafe or the bottle while they last.

Appetizers will also be for sale, including puff pastry and wraparound munchies.

As of June 19, Welsh said she already has 15 people who’ve made reservations. The house can only accommodate 25 people inside at a time, but there are outside areas on the deck and patio if too many people show up at one time. People can request an arrival time, and Welsh said it would be greatly appreciated if they arrive when expected.

Anyone interested in making reservations can go to the Boarding House Facebook page or the website, www.boardinghousetreasures.com.

Since the event is being held on the weekend, Welsh said plenty of parking should be available on the streets near the Boarding House.

For reservations or other information, call 910-491-7777. Welsh can also be reached at 910-527-7455.

Why are you reading this column?

Make no mistake — I’m glad you are. I hope you are an avid reader of editorials, op-eds, and columns in newspapers, magazines and online forums. But motivation matters.

If you read my column, or anyone else’s work, because you already expect to agree with the opinions expressed and want to feel reaffirmed, I get it. If you agree and hope you’ll gain more “rhetorical ammunition” with which to argue your case, I get that even more. It’s certainly one reason I read conservative editorialists and magazines voraciously.

But if you don’t necessarily expect to agree with me, yet plan to read my column anyway, you have my sincere thanks. All opinion writers ought to aspire to attract readers with whom they don’t already agree. If I’m not trying to persuade, I’m not really doing my job. And if you’re not open to being persuaded – or, at least, to learning more about a topic and how different people think about it – then, if you’ll pardon me for being blunt, you aren’t quite doing your job as a reader, either.

It’s no news at this point that our political conversation has become coarse, constrained and unsatisfying. Indeed, the conversation all too often devolves into a shouting match among partisan hacks rather than a reasoned exchange of contrasting views about challenging issues.

Across the political spectrum, people say they don’t like this harsh turn in our politics. But which came first, the shouting matches or audience demand for them? Don’t the most bellicose, bombastic or hyperbolic talking heads get the most public attention, which encourages them to maintain their shtick and others to copy them?

In my view, both the purveyors and the consumers of content have some power here. If you yearn for a better political dialogue, reward those who deliver it with your time and money. As for politicians and commentators, they can set a better example of constructive engagement across political differences – an example that, according to a growing body of empirical evidence, the public truly will follow.

Dr. Vincent Price, now president of Duke University, has spent much of his scholarly career studying these issues. In one 2002 paper, he and his co-authors found that exposure to political disagreement helps people not just come up with more and better reasons for their own views but also helps them understand why other people might reasonably come to a different conclusion.

Interestingly, this effect occurred when people were actually talking across the political divide with acquaintances. It didn’t come from exposure to the news media, where the one-sided screeds and shouting matches were already crowding out more substantive fare.

Coincidentally, it was at Duke, but before Price’s arrival last year, that my colleagues and I founded the North Carolina Leadership Forum, which brings people from across the political spectrum together each year for precisely the kinds of conversations – respectful but spirited – that seem to bear the most fruit.

Our goal isn’t unanimity. People disagree. In fact, a lack of substantive disagreement within an organization, a profession or a government can itself be a sign of trouble, evidence that the group may not be perceiving, understanding and carefully vetting all its options.

In our view, the proper course is neither to engage in wishful thinking nor to encourage groupthink. It is to treat others with the respect they are due as fellow human beings. In my case, this means that I should assume you have good reasons for what you believe, and vice versa.

If we disagree, I should hope to persuade you, yes. But I should also be open to having my own mind changed. Even if persuasion never occurs, I should hope to have you finish my column having learned something new – a fact, an argument, a way of thinking – that you will appreciate knowing even as you continue to disagree with my conclusions.

And, of course, I should hope that you will read my next column.

The first day of summer has rolled around once again, and in light of the current hot temperatures with accompanying high humidity, many are probably dreaming about escaping to the ocean with a nice, flowing breeze and just taking it easy for a while. But this time of year is also time to prepare for attending college. Fayetteville Technical Community College is registering students for fall 2018, and the sooner students begin the process, the better.

Students should complete the FTCC application and the free financial aid application now to ensure that all the paperwork is in place in time to begin fall classes Aug. 20. Do everything as early as possible to get the best choices for desired classes. Early completion and submission of paperwork when applying for financial aid is wise, too. Sometimes the financial aid process can take a while, so getting started now helps to ensure that aid is in place.

To get started, visit FTCC’s website, www.faytechcc.edu, and click “Apply” when the pop-up box appears on the home page. Or, click “Admissions Info” from the dropdown menu at the top of  the home page to learn a great deal of information about applying to FTCC. The FTCC Financial Aid webpage shares a direct link to the free, online College Foundation of North Carolina application used by FTCC. Students can also view videos and helpful information about available financial aid opportunities.

Once a student has completed and submitted the application, FTCC sends an email to the student’s email address used in the application. FTCC also sends a hard-copy letter to the physical address recorded on the CFNC application. The email outlines the steps for admissions and provides links to forms to request a transcript from high school or other colleges, links to financial aid, the assessment and placement office and links to connect with an FTCC admissions counselor. The email also contains links to Veteran’s Services and military websites, a health programs admissions counselor and counselors at FTCC’s Spring Lake Campus and Fort Bragg Education and Training Center.

Students will also receive a letter from FTCC providing login and password set-up information for student email and WebAdvisor accounts. This occurs early on, prior to class registration. It is important for new students to check student email and WebAdvisor accounts regularly, as these are the primary methods of communication. WebAdvisor allows applicants and students to manage financial aid, register for classes, contact an advisor, view grades, request transcripts and set up an interest-free payment plan (for students who pay tuition out of pocket).

Once the FTCC application is complete, students should visit www.FAFSA.gov. Services provided through FAFSA.gov are provided free of charge. Any website that charges fees for services related to financial aid assistance for education is not the right website. Apply for the academic year 2018/2019. Be prepared with tax documents. Most students who live at home will use their parents’ income information, but extenuating circumstances may change that. Visit the Tony Rand Student Center at the Fayetteville campus for help in answering questions about financial aid.

FTCC is proud to offer face-to-face, personal assistance. Visit the Tony Rand Student Center to begin the first step for fall classes – and to a brighter future through education at FTCC.

Children can drop as many as two reading levels during the summer months. Even though school is out, there is plenty to do to keep young minds engaged. One option is to read at least 30 minutes each day. Another is to explore learning opportunities in other places.

Fascinate-U Children’s Museum has hands-on, child-friendly exhibits that will keep kids’ active minds busy and let young imaginations run wild during these hot summer days.

“We are open every day except Monday and all of our exhibits are hands-on, so when you come to visit, the children get to play and pretend to be a grown-up,” said Susan Daniels, executive director of Fascinate-U. “We have a grocery store, costume stage, a news desk, a doctor’s office, school room, army fort, post office, farm, voting booth and restaurant exhibit.” Daniels added that the children get to pretend to be employees through role-playing, manipulation and interacting with each other.

The museum also hosts several programs and events, including partnering with other child-centered summer camps in the community. “We do offer programs for visiting groups, and some of those summer camps come to us and we do science programs with the children,” said Daniels. “It is mainly slime and weird pets.”

As part of its regular programming, the museum has recurring events for families that can’t get to the museum during the week. “The second Saturday of each month we have a craft activity between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.,” said Daniels. “On the third Saturday of each month, between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., we have a science activity.”

Daniels added that these events are free for participants with a paid membership. A family membership is $50 and includes admission for the whole family for the entire year.

“We invite the family to come out and join us for some interactive fun and engagement,” said Daniels. During 4th Friday events, the museum offers free crafts for children each month.

Another way Fascinate-U reaches out to the community is through partnerships with other community organizations like the Cumberland County Public Library and Information Center for story times. The museum also hosts summer camps and is available to host birthday parties.

Admission fee is $4 for children and $3 for adults. Admission is free Wednesdays from 1-7 p.m., and donations are accepted. For more information, call 910-829-9171 or visit www.fascinate-u.com.

Whether due to personal passion or well-meaning parents, most adults can remember participating in a summer camp skit or school play at some point in his or her childhood. As a tree, as a star, as part of the warbling chorus, performing as a young person is usually an indelible experience. Sweet Tea Shakespeare, a local theater company known for its whimsy, creativity and live music, recently introduced a new opportunity for performers ages 12-17: Green Tea.

“Green Tea is not merely a class or camp activity, but over time will be closely integrated in the company as a way of fostering new talent,” said Jeremy Fiebig, STS artistic director and president.

Green Tea, which kicked off this March, is headed by Jennifer Pommerenke, STS general manager. She’s the previous assistant program director for Camp Kahdalea in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, and she’s worked for Carnival Cruise Lines’ youth department. She said Green Tea is a program in which young people learn to create their own acting process and then perform in a show to put what they’ve learned into practice.

“Since the company and ensemble’s structure is such a vital component to Sweet Tea Shakespeare, we wanted to create a mini version of that (with Green Tea),” she said.

STS’ structure is similar to a medieval craft guild. It’s composed of committed members who contribute in a variety of ways, giving each other feedback and learning from each other’s strengths and mistakes.

Pommerenke said building friendships is an important part of Green Tea, too. At the start of each monthly two-hour session, she said, everyone warms up with improvisation games.

“At this pivotal point in their lives, this helps them learn how to listen to each other,” she said. “They’re games with no lines, no direction, no text. They really have to listen to one another to build a story that makes sense.” Next, they read chunks of Shakespearean text with the goal of processing and understanding the words together. The session ends with an acting lesson.

“I take what the kids want to learn and where they are at in the process and build it off of that,” Pommerenke said. “I am catering it (to) who they are and what they enjoy. I can see... what gives them life, joy and delight and say that’s what I want to do next class.”

Various STS company members and visiting artists also come in and teach classes.

Green Tea’s first production will be a shortened adaptation of “Twelfth Night,” Shakespeare’s romantic comedy about twins separated in a shipwreck. Pommerenke said the show will open some
time after Christmas.

“We are hoping a couple Masters can come in and take some small parts,” Pommerenke said, referring to high-level STS company members who often play leading roles in STS productions. “That lets Green Tea know they are part of the company.”

She said “Twelfth Night” will also feature a version of STS’ pre-show, a chance for actors to sing or dance in the half hour leading up to the start of the play.

Registration for Green Tea is rolling, and interested students can drop in for a free trial class prior to joining. Green Tea meets one Sunday per month at the Capitol Encore Academy, 126 Hay St. Ages 12-14 meet 1-3 p.m. Ages 15-17 meet 3:30-5:30 p.m. Students sign up for one year at a time.

For more information, email Pommerenke at gm@sweetteashakespeare.com or visit www.sweetteashakespeare.com/green-tea. To learn more about Sweet Tea Shakespeare and its 2018-19 season, visit www.sweetteashakespeare.com.

PHOTO CREDIT: Megan Dohm, Thistle and Sun Photography

Road building takes a long time. Politics, money and regional competition often come into play. Planning for Fayetteville’s Outer Loop began in the 1980s. The first phase of the project from I-95 north of Fayetteville to U.S. 401/Ramsey Street opened 20 years later, in 2005. The final local sections of the future interstate will be completed in less than three years. By 2022, the roadway will extend through southern Cumberland County into Robeson County near St. Pauls. When finished, the 39-mile project will have cost $1 billion, according to North Carolina Department of Transportation spokesman Andrew Barksdale.

The 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001 hastened construction of the Outer Loop in two ways. Military authorities asked the state department of transportation to accelerate the local project. Military officials had asked for years that the state provide Fort Bragg direct access to I-95 for the orderly movement of troops and equipment in response to world events requiring the 82nd Airborne Division to respond.

The DOT diverted funds initially set aside for a highway project in Charlotte for the Fayetteville Outer Loop, now designated as future I-295. The loop will provide unprecedented interstate connectivity for the region and already provides Fort Bragg a direct connection to I-95. Completion of the segment from Bragg Boulevard to Ramsey Street was a key factor in the Army post’s plan to close Bragg Boulevard through the post.

Work on the section from Ramsey Street to the All American Expressway was completed in three stages: from Ramsey Street to Murchison Road, which was completed in August 2016; from Murchison Road to Bragg Boulevard, which was completed in August 2014; and from Bragg Boulevard to the All American Expressway, which was completed in December 2016.

DOT said the Fayetteville Outer Loop is critical for the region in that it will not only support the military, it will also promote continued economic growth and strengthen North Carolina’s ability to attract and retain business and industry. DOT said other benefits include reducing the volume of traffic on portions of the local street network; connecting major routes in the south, west and north portions of Fayetteville; and providing an additional crossing of the Cape Fear River.

The next section of the roadway from the All American Expressway to Cliffdale Road is under construction now and is expected to open to traffic in October of this year. Then comes construction of the segment from Cliffdale Road to Raeford Road. NCDOT awarded an $85.2 million design-build contract in June 2016 for that 3.1-mile stretch.

Design-build allows all aspects of a project from design through construction to be completed under a single contract. Work also includes replacing the Lake Rim bridge on Old Raeford Road over Bones Creek. It should be completed by May of 2021, according to DOT.

Remaining segments of future I-295 south of Fayetteville will not be finished until 2022. But for practical purposes, the Outer Loop will provide local residents easy access from I-95 North all the way to Raeford Road, which is precisely what major city highway loops are designed for.