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    04keem ibarra 380519 unsplashIt seems that saying no has become the predominant response in American politics. When it comes to addressing difficult issues that profoundly impact our citizens and the future of America, the answer is too often no when yes makes sense. The great obstacle to knowing when to say yes is that doing so requires clear-headed reasoning and right motivation. In our time, both appear to be in short supply.

    In my estimation, this deficit in politicians, and others, knowing when to say yes shows through in what is happening with the “Formerly Incarcerated Reenter Society Transformed Safely Transitioning Every Person Act,” or the “First Step Act.” I was made aware of this legislation when a friend sent me an article that mentioned it. The article was from The Associated Press under the headline “Pastor praises Trump as ‘pro-black’ at prison reform event.”

    Here are some sections from that article.
    • “President Donald Trump was lauded by inner-city pastors, including one who said he may go down as the ‘most pro-black president’ in recent history, during a White House roundtable on Wednesday, which was focused on efforts to reform the prison system.”
    • “‘When we say hire American, we mean all Americans,’ Trump said.”
    • “The White House has been focusing its criminal justice reform efforts on improving re-entry, rehabilitation and workforce training programs,  instead of sentencing reform, which many advocates argue would make a bigger difference.”
    • “Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and adviser, has been leading the effort, which has included lobbying Congress to pass a bill called the First Step Act.”
    • “The House passed the bill in May.”The First Step Act is summarized as follows in an article by Justin George titled “Is The ‘First Step Act’ Real Reform?”

    “The bill, sponsored by Reps. Hakeem Jeffries, a New York Democrat, and Doug Collins, a Georgia Republican, seeks to add educational and vocational training and mental health treatment in federal prison. It earmarks $50 million a year over five years to expand these in-prison opportunities. It also expands the number of days in a halfway house or home confinement that inmates can earn for good behavior and self-improvement. It would expand the use of risk assessment tools – algorithms that try to predict future behavior. It bans the shackling of pregnant women; calls for placing prisoners in facilities that are within 500 driving miles of their families; and helps them get identification cards upon release.”

    As I write this column, the legislation is with the Senate for action. Opposition to it centers around the following major points: It does not include reduction of minimum sentences and allowing judges greater discretion in determining sentences; concern that passing this legislation without sentencing reform could jeopardize enacting sentencing reform in the future; since only a small portion of the country’s incarcerated are in federal prisons, the impact of this legislation would have limited impact; the $50 million per year, over five years, for rehabilitative programs is seen as insufficient. Further, German Lopez writes the following in an article titled "Congress’s prison reform bill, explained.”

    “But algorithms can perpetuate racial and class discrimination; for instance, an algorithm that excludes someone from earning credits due to previous criminal history may overlook that black and poor people are more likely to be incarcerated for crimes even when they’re not more likely to actually commit those crimes.”
     
    Also from the Lopez article: “In the Senate, Democrats Cory Booker (NJ), Dick Durbin (IL), and Kamala Harris (CA) are normally on the side of criminal justice reform. But when it comes to the First Step Act, they have strongly opposed the bill – sending a letter on Thursday condemning the legislation as “a step backwards” and urging their Democratic col- leagues to vote against it.” The list of individuals and organizations saying no to this legislation is long. Among these are the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and the American Civil Liberties Union. A May 21 letter posted at civilrights.org/vote-no-first-step-act-2 opens with this line: “On behalf of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, and the 108 undersigned organizations, we write to urge you to vote NO on The FIRST STEP Act (H.R.5682).”

    The German Lopez article, referenced above, states, “Chair Chuck Grassley (R-IA), who oversees criminal justice issues in the chamber, also reportedly opposes the bill because it doesn’t include sentencing reform – leading Politico to label it as ‘DOA in the Senate.’”

    On the other hand, the list of supporters is also long. This from the Justin George article: “More than 100 former federal prosecutors are endorsing the bill. Conservative groups such as the American Conservative Union Foundation believe the bill is a no-brainer. ‘So disappointed to see a handful of Democrats oppose the First Step Act because Cory Booker and Elizabeth Warren don’t want to give Republicans a win,’ David Safavian, deputy director of the group’s center for criminal justice reform, tweeted before the House vote. ‘Putting politics over the lives of those incarcerated – and their families – is just a horrible thing to do.’ Prison Fellowship, a faith-based advocacy group popular with evangelicals, also supports the bill. As does Families Against Mandatory Minimums. FAMM President Kevin Ring said he understands those holding out for sentencing reform, but he said it’s been years since any meaningful bills have passed to help prisoners. He said he believes Jeffries and Collins will not stop pushing for sentencing reform if the First Step Act passes.

    In the end, where is the clear-headed reasoning and right motivation in what is presented above? On the one hand are those who are holding out for more when their central point of sentencing reform has not, and does not, have traction in the current political climate. Their purported reasoning is to not pass anything that does not include sentencing reform. Joshua B. Hoe, who served time in prison, writes this in an article headlined “Memo to Senators: Swallow Your Doubts About the First Step Act.”

    “If the people who are left behind by criminal justice reform will be in no better or worse shape than they were before a particular piece of legislation is passed, we should still help as many people get home as we possibly can.” That assessment is reasonable. The argument for doing nothing until sentencing reform is included is like contending that if a cure for one form of cancer is discovered, do not make it available to patients until there is a cure for certain other forms of the disease.

    Then there is the matter of motivation. Given the clear record of Democratic opposition to, and obstruction of, anything President Trump proposes or supports, their outcry against this legislation is to be expected. At best, their motivation is suspect, and that brings into question the credibility and rationality of their opposition to the legislation.
     
    The saga of this First Step Act is just another painful reminder of how clear-headed reasoning and right motivation are disappearing from the American landscape.

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    06ParatroopersMarchingWith the return this month of 82nd Airborne Division soldiers of the 249th Composite Supply Company, America’s Guard of Honor is united at Fort Bragg. “This would be a first time in a while that all units within the division are home,” said 82nd spokesman Lt. Col. Ramon Osorio.
     
    The unit of the 189th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion worked in Iraq, Kuwait and Syria during the nine-month deployment.

    As the largest parachute force in the free world, the 82nd Airborne Division is trained to deploy anywhere, at any time, to fight upon arrival and to win. From cook to computer operator, from infantryman to engineer, every soldier in the 82nd is airborne-qualified. Almost every piece of divisional combat equipment can be airdropped by parachute onto the field of battle.
     
    U.S. defense spending
     
    President Donald Trump signed the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act into law last week, marking the first on-time passage of the annual bill in 22 years. The $717 billion defense policy bill goes into effect Oct. 1, the start of the 2019 federal fiscal year.

    The legislation moves on two tracks. A defense appropriations bill is what funds the Pentagon to pay for the spending plan. Without such a spending measure in place by Oct. 1, lawmakers might need to pass a temporary budget measure, which is known as a continuing resolution, to keep the government afloat until a permanent plan is in place.

    With a 2.6 percent pay raise slated to go into effect Jan. 1, service members will see their wages increase to the highest level in nine years. “It clearly signals that Congress wants military pay to be competitive,” said Mark Cancian, a senior adviser with the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

    Under the plan, an E-5 with eight years of service could see a monthly basic pay increase of $80.81 from $3,126.16 in 2018 to $3,206.97 in 2019.
     
    Fort Bragg’s 100th anniversary
     
    The city of Fayetteville and county of Cumberland are celebrating the Fort Bragg Centennial with exhibits and banners. Exhibits are now on display at the Airborne & Special Operations Museum, the Fayetteville Area Transportation & Local History Museum, Fayetteville City Hall and the North Carolina Veterans Park. Banners commemorating the post’s centennial will be on display at Fayetteville- Cumberland Parks & Recreation buildings, the E. Maurice Braswell Cumberland County Courthouse, city hall and all county public libraries.
     
    “The history of Fayetteville can’t be told without Fort Bragg,” City Manager Doug Hewett said. “Fayetteville is blessed and fortunate to have nearly 60,000 servicemen and women and their families here.”

    Fayetteville and Cumberland County government leaders presented proclamations celebrating Fort Bragg’s 100th anniversary to Garrison Commander Col. Kyle Reed.
     
    “We are incredibly grateful to the military members and their families who have served our country for the last 100 years while stationed here. We are also thankful for the civilians and contractors who assist Fort Bragg in meeting its mission,” said County Manager Amy Cannon.

    Hope Mills honors
     
    Restoration of Hope Mills Lake has won the town special recognition from the City-County Joint Appearance Commission. The honor was presented to the town of Hope Mills earlier this month during the 10th Annual Community Appearance Awards Program.
     
    The town has also been chosen to receive the Association of State Dam Officials 2018 National Rehabilitation Project of the Year award, Mayor Jackie Warner said. The award recognizes construction of the new dam, which was completed late last year. The lake was impounded early this year. The dam project cost $9.6 million. It replaced a new dam that failed in 2010 – only two years after it was built. Town Manager Melissa Adams said the dam safety award will be presented Sept. 10 in Seattle, Washington.
     
    DMV customer lines are too long
     
    The state Division of Motor Vehicles says it is reassigning staff and hiring additional driver’s license examiners to try to reduce the long lines at driver’s license offices around the state. The DMV says it is working to fill 80 existing vacancies for driver’s license examiners and hire more. In addition, 14 examiners who work at mobile units are being reassigned to offices where customers have been waiting for hours to be served.

    DMV Commissioner Torre Jessup acknowledged that many DMV offices have been overwhelmed with customers this summer, resulting in lines that stretch outside and wait times that can take most of a day. “Our top priorities are to issue accurate and timely documents in an efficient manner for all our customers,” Jessup said.

    DMV also announced that it would establish teams of employees dedicated to doing road tests, so driver’s license examiners won’t need to leave their desks to do them.

    Division of Motor Vehicles offices in Cumberland County are located at 4705 Clinton Rd., Stedman, near Cape Fear High School, 2439 Gillespie St. (US301) near the State Highway Patrol Barracks, in Eutaw Village at 831 Elm St., 3333 N. Main Street in Hope Mills and on highway NC210 in Spring Lake.

    City and County property taxes are due
     
    The Cumberland County Tax Administration office mailed tax bills to property owners Aug. 10, with reminders that property taxes are due Sept. 1. But, a grace period doesn’t require payment in full until Jan. 7, 2019, with no penalties or interest. After Jan. 7, unpaid tax bills will begin to incur a 2 percent interest charge the first month and 0.75 percent interest charge each month thereafter.

    Taxpayers may pay their tax bills online, by mail, by phone or in person. Information is available online at co.cumberland.nc.us/tax. Payments can be made by electronic check, debit card or major credit card. Fees are charged by the county for use of plastic cards. Taxpayers can set up online bill pay options with their financial institutions.

    Taxpayers can also make payments in person from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Tax Administration office, which is located on the fifth floor of the Cumberland County Courthouse.

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    20Katelyn Bristley Cape FearWhen it comes to athletics at Cape Fear High School, senior Katelyn Bristley has had a pretty packed schedule over the last four years.
     
    She’s played softball, basketball and tennis for the Colts, along with being a cheerleader and working as a student-athletic trainer during football season.
     
    But she’s also found time to represent Cape Fear, and high school athletes at large, on a statewide stage. This fall, Bristley is beginning her final year of service on the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s Student Athlete Advisory Council. It’s composed of 16 athletes from across the state, two each from the eight regions of the NCHSAA. Bristley is a representative from Region 4.
     
    Bristley and her fellow council members travel to Chapel Hill once every three months to meet and discuss issues of importance to all high school athletes at NCHSAA member schools.

    “We get to put our own stories that we experience into the program,’’ Bristley said. “We get to have our own little part.’’
     
    One of the first things she did when she became a member of SAAC was attend a national conference at the Indianapolis headquarters of the National Federation of State High School Associations.

    “There are a lot more athletes out there and everyone has different experiences from it,’’ she said. She enjoyed meeting people who had goals similar to hers who were just as motivated to be good in both athletics and academics as she was.
     
    But SAAC isn’t just about going to meetings and sharing personal experiences. The council is also designed to promote leadership and sportsmanlike conduct, along with promoting the mission of the NCHSAA and its Student Services division.

    For Bristley, that meant coming back to Cape Fear and organizing a project that would benefit others in the community.

    Her project has been something she calls Unify Night.
     
    During football season, she picks a junior varsity game, usually during September, and gets members of the Cape Fear varsity football team to come out at halftime and help hold a scrimmage for special needs youngsters from the Cumberland County Parks and Recreation Department’s Buddy Sports program.
     
    Bristley volunteers with the Buddy program herself. She brings youngsters from the program to the game and also posts flyers in the Cape Fear community to get those not involved with the Buddy program to come to the Unify Night.

    “I figured I’d bring it into our community and have our players experience that they are very lucky to play a sport they want to,’’ she said. “Some kids really want to play but have to play a modified version or need assistance. You’re there to help them learn how to play a sport, and it makes their day a whole lot better.’’

    In this, her final year in SAAC, Bristley wants to find someone at Cape Fear who can help continue the tradition of Unify Night after she graduates, although she plans to come back from college and help out each year.
     
    She also hopes to attend some leadership conferences in different parts of the state this year with her fellow SAAC members.
     
    “I definitely want to get involved and meet different people,’’ she said. “Just sharing your experiences is a big deal.’’

    Photo: Katelyn Bristley

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    08Carrie KingThe longtime executive-director of Fayetteville’s Dogwood Festival has retired, sort of. Carrie King now calls Cherry Grove, South Carolina, home. Her last day here was Aug. 17. King had been with the Dogwood Festival since 2006 and recently returned from the annual conference of the Southeast Festivals and Events Association with the “Best Event in the Southeast” award.

    “The spirit of the Fayetteville community made the Dogwood Festival a natural choice for the award,” she said. Events in eight southern states competed for the award.

    King is credited by many with developing the Dogwood Festival into the city’s marquee event, featuring a midway/carnival, food vendors, live entertainment, inflatable/bounce houses, arts and crafts, a classic car show, street fair with shopping, and lots of fun for the whole family. In large part thanks to King’s work, the Dogwood Festival has received top honors from local, state, regional and international organizations.

    King’s decision to leave Fayetteville came as a surprise to some. She often referred to Fayetteville as her hometown. “This is my home,” she said in an interview three years ago.

    “It was our goal to move when our son graduated from high school,” King told Up & Coming Weekly. King said members of her family have lived in North Myrtle Beach for five years and it was her family’s turn to move to her “happy place.”
     
    She said she is proud of the growth the Dogwood Festival has undergone. She noted that when she first started working with the Dogwood Festival in 2006, the festival’s initial budget was $150,000. This year, the operating budget was $500,000. Those in the community with whom she has worked describe Carrie King as the epitome of humility. She credits her family, friends and board members for the Dogwood Festival’s success.
     
    King’s volunteer work has included event planning for the Arts Council of Fayetteville /Cumberland County. In South Carolina, she has taken a job with a nonprofit as development manager. Her new home is 3 miles from the beach, 1 mile from her sister and 6 miles from work. “My night and weekend travel will be by golf cart,” King quipped.

    The Fayetteville Dogwood Festival was founded in 1982 by then-mayor Bill Hurley and other city leaders who had a vision to improve the image of Fayetteville and create a uniting force for various events in our community. Hurley proclaimed Fayetteville “The City of Dogwoods.” The festival is staged every fourth weekend in April.
     
    The Fayetteville Dogwood Festival, Inc. is a non-profit organization comprised of a board of directors and two staff members. Its events are presented in cooperation with the city of Fayetteville. In addition to the annual signature spring festival, the organization also produces The Fayetteville Dogwood Fall Festival, Cumberland County’s largest pageant and Fayetteville After 5.

    The 2018 spring Dogwood Festival blossomed into an even larger event with two stages of entertainment, more vendors and more anchored attractions.
     
    Photo: Carrie King, former Fayetteville Dogwood Festival executive director

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    01coverUAC0082218001Waltz. Tango. Swing. Foxtrot. Cha Cha. Merengue. If you wanted to learn any of these dances, you’d probably think of Roland’s Dance Studio on Hope Mills Road. But what about once you learned them? Where would you go to practice, show off your fancy steps and simply enjoy dancing in a social setting?

    That’s a question 12 Fayettevillian friends who were taking dance lessons first asked themselves 25 years ago. They went to work organizing a social ballroom club and held their first dance March 21, 1993, in the ballroom of the Prince Charles Hotel
    downtown. Over the years, the club, now known as Cape Fear Ballroom Dancers, danced all over town, eventually choosing Roland’s as the site for its regular monthly dances. A few weeks from now, on Saturday, Sept. 15, CFBD will celebrate its 25th anniversary with a special dinner and dance at Highland Country Club.

    Aside from dancing, there will be live music by Wilmington’s Duke Ladd Orchestra, toasts to honor the club’s founders, a delicious meal and reading material with interesting facts about the club’s history.

    Club president Drew Ziegler, a retired lieutenant colonel whose first and last duty station was Fort Bragg, has been involved with CFBD since the late 1990s. He served on the board and as treasurer before becoming president in 2010. He and his wife, Kalli, first started taking dance lessons after he retired, something he said they’d always wanted to do.

    He encourages novice dancers and newcomers to join in for the festivity, saying involvement in CFBD, and especially the anniversary dance, provides the opportunity for an evening out that’s not easy to come by.

    “The opportunity for this kind of live entertainment... to have a Glenn Miller-type orchestra, that’s rare and special. You get to do some dancing. And even if you’ve never danced before, nobody’s gonna know. You can just give it your best shot, and everybody will pat you on the back.”

    He added that the club’s more experienced members, including those who are dance instructors, are good at partnering with those who are still learningor new to the scene.

    “It provides a safe, fun, elegant date night.... In today’s fast-paced (world), it’s almost a lost experience,” Ziegler said.

    Although the yearly anniversary celebration is the biggest and grandest event of the year, CFBD does hold quarterly dinner-and-dance formal events at Highland Country Club in addition to its monthly social dances at Roland’s. CFBD has always had a close relationship with Roland’s, Ziegler said, adding that Roland Sr. himself is a CFBD member.

    At the monthly dances, which are themed and usually take place the third Saturday of the month from 7-10 p.m., professional instructors give a brief lesson on the style of dance for that night. The lesson is meant to be a refresher and complement to formal lessons taken elsewhere, but all levels of experience are welcome. There are also free refreshments and a cash bar. These dances are $15 for the public and $10 for members.

    CFBD members also participate in many community service events, doing demonstrations at venues such as Sunday on the Square, the Dogwood Festival and the Cumberland County Fair. They also join with organizations like The Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County, Cape Fear Regional Theatre, retirement homes and local schools.

    Former Fayetteville Mayor J.L. Dawkins recognized the contributions of CFBD to the city and ballroom dancing in general by proclaiming Sept. 18-24, 1994, as Ballroom Dance Week. A quarter-century later, that legacy lives on and continues to grow.

    Advance registration for the CFBD 25th Anniversary Dinner-Dance is required and must be completed by Sept. 8. Registration costs $50 for members or $60 for guests and can be completed at ww.capefearballroomdancers.org. Attire is semi-formal or formal; tuxedos are preferred for gentlemen. For more information, call Ziegler at 910-987-4420.

    A brief history of some ballroom dances

    Straight from the royal courts of Vienna, Austria, in the 17th century, the waltz is an upgrade of sorts to the turning dances of peasants in Austria and Bavaria. Instead of dancing with arms intertwined, the waltz includes a close hold. At the time, it was scandalous. With its morally questionable close hold and easy-to learn-steps, many opposed the waltz – especially religious leaders and dancing masters. By 1900, though, most dance programs were 3/4 waltzes and 1/4 all the other dances.

    Buenos Aires in Argentina and Montevideo in Uruguay gave birth to the Tango in the late 1800s. A favorite dance of the European immigrants, former slaves, working and lower classes of people, the Tango began as a movement with its own slang, music, dance and mindset. From the brothels and cheap cafes, this dance of the misfits and downtrodden has become a well-respected ballroom dance.

    Swing dance emerged when Big Bands took over pop culture in the 1920s and ’30s. During its heyday, there were hundreds of swing dance styles. Still a versatile dance, swing includes Lindy Hop, Balboa, Collegiate Shag, and the Charleston.

    Flowing and graceful, the Foxtrot’s origin is murky. Some credit African-Americans with its creation. Some say its original name was the
    Bunny Hug. Either way, once it was introduced by vaudeville performer Harry Fox in 1914, the Foxtrot enjoyed unparalleled popularity in dance halls through the 1940s.

    What do you get when you cross the mambo and the danzon? The Cha Cha! Violinist Enrique Jorrin is credited with the music that brought forth the syn-copated rhythms that led to the Cha Cha in dance halls of Havana, Cuba, in the 1950s. The dance has a heavy African influence as well. It hit American shores in 1954, and by 1959 was considered the most popular dance in the U.S.

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    19Hope Mills Lake Celebration committeeThis year’s Hope Mills Lake Celebration was such a rousing success that town officials have decided to make it an annual event.

    Plans have already started to make sure next year’s observance will improve on the first one. Mayor Jackie Warner said various town leaders decided about halfway through planning the first celebration of the lake’s return that it would be a good idea to make the lake celebration an annual event, separate from other town observances including Fourth of July and Ole Mill Days.
     
    The big hit of the lake celebration was the inaugural cardboard boat race, which Warner expects will be the centerpiece of the lake festival every year.

    “It was the novelty of it,’’ she said. “People hadn’t seen anything like that before. It was just fun watching. It was amazing when they saw what people could do with cardboard, when they got there and saw what had been created.’’

    The boat race was so popular it has already secured a sponsor for 2019, Members Credit Union, which has an office on Trade Street in Hope Mills.

    “They were really pleased with the results and want to help promote the event,’’ Warner said. The local Veterans of Foreign Wars chapter, which sponsored the trophies for the boat race winners, has agreed to return to sponsor them again next year.

    There will be two major changes in next year’s lake celebration, one involving the dates and the other the length of the event.

    The first lake celebration extended over five days and stretched into the town’s annual Fourth of July observance.

    Next year, the celebration will start on Friday, May 18, and only last one weekend. It will include many of the same events as the first celebration, but some of them will be combined on the same day.

    For example, beach music night and jazz night will be held at the same time, along with the street dance. The whole event was moved to the weekend of May 18 to take advantage of spring weather and to separate the lake celebration from Memorial Day weekend and the Fourth of July.
     
    Dr. Kenjuana McCray, who is a sociology professor at Fayetteville Technical Community College, was involved in the planning both the jazz events and Church on the Lake at the first celebration. She has some ideas for expanding offerings at next year’s celebration. “I want to have an event called Hope and Art, bringing art to Hope Mills,’’ she said. “When I say art, I mean musicians, artists, people who do cooking demonstrations dealing with different cultures and foods.’’

    As a sociology instructor, McCray said issues related to culture and diversity are near and dear to her. “I’m a member of the Fayetteville Arts Council and I feel this is an extension of the work I do with the Arts Council,’’ she said. “Even though we have some great festivals in Fayetteville, this will be unique to Hope Mills.’’

    McCray felt the last lake celebration was a success and brought a lot of people to the community who normally don’t take part in those kinds of events.

    She said the town is actively recruiting sponsors, vendors and talent to take part in next year’s celebration. They can either contact the town office at 910-424-4555 or call McCray at 910-494-1352.

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    11BacktoCoolThere are reasons people love Fridays. It’s the end of the workweek for most of us and a chance to kick back and relax with friends and family. And there is no shortage of things to do on a Friday evening in Fayetteville. Once a month, the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County and the Cool Spring Downtown District team up with multiple venues downtown for a celebration. It’s known as 4th Friday. This month, Aug. 24, from 6-9 p.m. there will be new art exhibits, shopping, entertainment and more.
     
    The Arts Council’s newest exhibition opens during 4th Friday festivities. It’s called “Contemporary Art Forms By America’s First People.” The show celebrates the works of contemporary American Indian artists. Works include paintings, drawings, pottery, textiles and baskets. The exhibition runs through Oct. 20.

    “This is the second time that the Arts Council will present an exhibition that features the contemporary works of America’s first people,” said Deborah Martin Mintz, executive director. “The first one – in 2016 – was so well-received, we decided to bring it back. Some of the same artists are included in the upcoming exhibition, as well as new artists.”

    The Cool Spring Downtown District makes 4th Fridays an interactive adventure, showcasing downtown with themes and activities. This month, the theme is “Back to Cool.” According to Sam DuBose, CSDD general manager, “The contest this month will be a hybrid ‘orientation’ and will include various sites in downtown. The sites are broken into departments. For example, the Arts Council is the ‘Art Department’ and so on. People will take selfies and use our designated hashtag and upload their pictures to social media. And there will be a random drawing for a winner – a gift basket will be the prize.”

    There will be copies of the “orientation” guide/“yearbook” available at various downtown businesses or on the 4th Friday Facebook page for download. It will include instructions about how to upload selfies as well as the social media hashtag.

    Have you ever wanted to get a bird’s eye view of downtown? The Market House is open to the public from 6-10 p.m. during 4th Friday. Venture upstairs and see the permanent exhibit “A View from the Square: A History of Downtown Fayetteville” and check out
    the August exhibit “Market House History.” What really went on under the rafters of Fayetteville’s only National Historic Landmark?

    Say goodbye to summer with fun and happy songs at Headquarters Library. Rhonda and Meliheh will sing and play lighthearted sounds on their ukuleles. There will be light refreshments. It’s free to attend. Call 910-482-7727 ext. 1344 to learn more.

    Fascinate-U Children’s Museum invites children to make a pencil topper craft on 4th Friday. The museum is open for free play from 7-9 p.m.
     
    With so much going on, Janet Gibson, Arts Council director of marketing and communications, summed up the fun saying, “The joy. It can beseen – and felt – all around downtown during the 4th Friday celebrations. Myheart always melts when I watch kids
    discover art, perhaps for the very first time, in the Arts Center at 301 Hay St. I love to watch families and friends come together to explore all the downtown galleries, restaurants, shops and other cool businesses. There truly is something for everyone.”
     
    Visit www.visitdowntownfayetteville.com or www.theartscouncil.com for more information.
     
    Photo:This oil painting, titled “James Locklear, Lumbee,” depicts the great-grandfather of artist Jessica Clark.

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    12Dodge Diabetes is a serious medical condition that affects over 29 million Americans, and many of them don’t even realize they have the disease. Better Health presents the “Diabetes... Dodge! It Dodgeball Tournament” Saturday, Aug. 25, at 9 a.m. at the
    Freedom Courts Sportsplex on Gillespie Street.
     
    “This is a fundraising event to support Better Health and its programs because it falls in line with our mission,” said Amy Navejas, executive director of Better Health. “Our mission is all about being active, getting out there and doing something different. Even if you are not the best dodgeball player, just getting everyone out there moving and participating together is important for all ourprograms and clients.

    “Diabetes is incredibly prevalent, and the rate of diabetes has nearly doubled in the past 20 years,” said Navejas. “It is a serious issue in the United States and something we have to start taking seriously. And the best way to avoid it is to prevent it.” Not only do adults have the disease, but children have it as well. “You usually would not see Type II diabetes in children, but that’s becoming increasingly frequent these days,” said Navejas. “A lot of it has to do with our lifestyle and needs for changes in our diet as well.”

    In that vein, Better Health plans to increase programming on the topic. “In September, we are kicking off a new program called Fayetteville Fit. This program has been done in Durham at Duke Hospitals,” said Navejas. “We were fortunate to be selected as the fourth site to branch out in North Carolina. Children who are obese will be referred to the program, and their entire family is eligible.”

    Better Health is a nonprofit charitable organization that provides diabetes awareness, education and self-management clinics, childhood obesity prevention and education, loans of medical equipment, and emergency medical needs such as critical prescriptions, dental clinic care, vision and travel assistance.

    “This is our 60th anniversary,” said Navejas. “During that time, we have assisted many clients with our small staff.” Navejas added that in 2017, Better Health saw over 6,000 clients and that Better Health only has two full-time employees and a handful of part-time employees.

    “We are really over here hustling and doing what we can to get the information out there and touching lives to help get the word out about how we can improve health outcomes in Cumberland County,” said Navejas.

    Registration for the tournament, which costs $150 per team, is open through Aug. 22. Admission is $5 for
    spectators. Register and download forms at www.betterhealthcc.org. For more information, call 910-483-7534.
     
    Photo: The Fayetteville Police Department (above) won the 2107 Diabetes... Dodge It! Dodge-ball Tournament.
     

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    23Bobby PossI was thrilled when the announcement of this year’s newest class of inductees to the North Carolina High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame was announced last week.

    Two good friends and deserving candidates, Bobby Poss and Bob Lewis, were named as honorees.

    Poss is no stranger to Cumberland County. He won a pair of state titles in football at Seventy-First and then moved over to South View and won a third with the Tigers. He went on to win two more championships at Asheville Reynolds.
     
    Lewis, like Poss, has multiple state titles at different schools. He won his first at East Bladen in 1973. But his real mark was made at Clinton, where he brought home four championships. He also won an NCISAA title at Harrells Christian Academy.

    I’ve heard some people wonder aloud why Poss and Lewis weren’t in the NCHSAA Hall of Fame already.
     
    As a former member of the Hall of Fame selection committee, I can give you an excellent reason. For many years, I was honored to be a member of that panel, stepping down from that role when I retired from daily newspaper work in 2016.
     
    At the time I retired, neither Poss nor Lewis had been nomi-nated for consideration, and you must complete the nomination process for a candidate for the Hall of Fame to be considered.

    The form for nominating someone is available on the NCHSAA web page, NCHSAA.org. Go to the home page and scroll down to special programs. There is a link there for the Hall of Fame that will take you to the form.
    Walters helps investigate student-athlete death

    The unbelievable story coming out of the University of Maryland regarding the tragic death of one of their football players was told graphically in a press conference last week, where school officials accepted complete responsibility for the death of one of their football players during an off-season conditioning session.
     
    Now a Fayetteville native, Dr. Rod Walters is at the center of the investigation that will look into what went wrong at Maryland and how to try and repair the damage going forward.

    For those who don’t know Walters, he was a student athletic trainer at Terry Sanford High School during the Len Maness years in the late 1970s. He graduated Appalachian State in 1980 and went on to be the athletic trainer at Lenoir-Rhyne, Appalachian State and the University of South Carolina.

    He has gained national prominence for his work as an athletic trainer and was inducted into the National Athletic Trainers Association Hall of Fame in 2005.

    Walters’ report on the Maryland situation is scheduled to be released Sept. 15.
     
    Photo: Bobby Poss

  • Details
    Meetings
    For details about all meetings and activities, including location where not listed, call Town Clerk Jane Starling at 910-426-4113. Most meetings take place at Town Hall or the Hope Mills Parks and Recreation center.

    • Veterans Affairs Commission Thursday, Aug. 23, 7 p.m.
    • Parks and Recreation Advisory Monday, Aug. 27, 6:30 p.m.
    • Labor Day Holiday Monday, Sept. 3. Town Hall will be closed.
    • Board of Commissioners Monday, Sept. 10, 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.
    • Hope Meals Food Truck Rodeo Thursday, Sept. 6, at the parking lot between Town Hall and Parks & Rec Center. 5 p.m.
    • Registration open for the 4th Annual Miss Hope Mills
    Cotton Pageant Applications are now being accepted at Hope Mills Parks & Recreation. Registration Deadline is Fri- day, Sept. 14. The pageant is for ages are 3 - 22 years old. Visit www.townofhopemills.com/375/Miss-Hope-Mills-Cotton- Pageant and see applications for rules and important information for contestants. The pageant takes place Oct. 5 for ages 3-9 and Oct. 6 for ages 10-22.
    • Ole Mills Days 2018 Saturday, Oct. 27, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. For more details and vendor information, contact Parks and Recreation Director Kenny Bullock: 910- 426-4107 or kwbullock@townofhopemills.com

    Promote yourself: Email hopemills@upandcomingweekly.com.

  • Details
    18AMKUS combi tool 1 of 2By the end of this month, if folks from Hope Mills find themselves trapped in a car or stuck inside a building with doors that don’t open, they can breathe a little easier when the Hope Mills Fire Department arrives on the scene.

    That’s when Chief Chuck Hodges expects to have a new piece of equipment in the fire department’s assortment of extrication tools that will make the job of getting people out of tight spots easier.

    The town’s board of commissioners recently approved the purchase of a device known as a combi-tool, which serves the dual purpose of cutting through surfaces or spreading doors or entryways open.
     
    The fire department already has extrication equipment in its assortment of gear, but this new device is a distinct improvement.
     
    “It runs off a battery instead of a hydraulic pump,’’ Hodges said. “The advantage of that is it can be put into service immediately instead of having to take a pump off the truck and hook up hoses.’’
     
    The fire department’s existing extrication equipment is powered by an external motor connected with hydraulic hoses. It operates using a gas-powered engine, which is noisy and produces carbon monoxide, so it’s sometimes challenging to use when there’s an extrication involved in a home situation.

    The noisy engine is also a problem when there’s a child or animal being extricated from something. All that racket along with the trauma of being stuck can be extremely unsettling.

    That’s not a problem with the new combi-tool, Hodges said. “It’s quiet,’’ he said.

    And at 50 pounds, 34 inches long, 10 inches high and 10 inches wide, it falls into the category of what firefighters consider a lightweight piece of equipment. The device comes with a charger and two rechargeable 60-volt batteries.

    Hodges said battery life will vary with what the device is being asked to do and how long the power has to be turned on.

    The fire department won’t be getting rid of its other heavy-duty extrication equipment, Hodges said. But he added that if the fire department needs to cut the roof off a pinned car or open a jammed door inside a house, this device can do the job much quicker than with the older equipment that requires a little longer to set up.

    “By the time you pulled all the other equipment off the truck and got it hooked up and running, you could have done what you needed with this one,’’ Hodges said.

    When the new device does arrive, Hodges said it will be necessary to train his firefighters in its proper use. He doesn’t expect that to take long because its operation is similar to equipment that the Hope Mills Fire Department already has.

    “We never put any equipment in service until everybody is trained,’’ Hodges said. “It’s a good thing it’s similar to what we already use. The functionality of it is going to be the same.’’
     
    Even if the device is delayed in shipping, Hodges estimates in the worst case it will be available for use at accident and fire scenes by mid-September.

    “I just think it’s going to enhance our capabilities and enhance the service we provide for our citizens and visitors to the town,’’ he said. “We’re excited about it.’’
     

  • Details
    05HonorIn just a few short weeks, we will honor the 16th anniversary of the tragic loss of life when America was attacked brutally on Sept. 11, 2001. Americans made a collective promise that we will never forget the horror of that day.

    The 2018 Campaign of Honor was launched last week to recognize and honor all first responders in Fayetteville and Cumberland County. Over the next few weeks, local officials and supporters, led by Sen. Wesley Meredith, will make personal visits to all the first responder operations in Cumberland County in a show of support, gratitude and appreciation.

    The 5-week campaign will showcase the operations of local first responders, such as the city and county emergency communications centers, law enforcement departments, emergency medical services and fire departments.
     
    The campaign started Aug. 13 with Meredith and his colleagues’ initial visit to Fayetteville’s and Cumberland County’s emergency telecommunicators. They met with Cumberland County Telecommunications Manager Adam Johnson and Lisa Reid, 911 manager for the city of Fayetteville Police Communications. They also spoke with and interviewed several career 911 operators. Everyone marveled at their unique talents and dedication to
    the mission. 

    Meredith said, “I wanted to visit 911 dispatchers first because this is where it begins. ‘Thank you’ does not begin to show them our appreciation. The telecommunicator works completely behind the scenes listening to problems and horrific situations that they may not always receive closure for. On behalf of the citizens of Cumberland County, I want to publicly thank these true first responders.”

    During the next few weeks, the 2018 Campaign of Honor will continue to recognize these local heroes and raise awareness of what our first responder organizations do and how they impact our lives. Sen. Meredith stated he wants to “raise the awareness in Cumberland County of what our first responders do and to share valuable information on all emergency services.”

    Tuesday, Sept. 11, Sen. Meredith and friends will host a reception in honor of Cumberland County’s first responders at The TapHouse at Huske Hardware, 411 Hay St., from 5:30-7 p.m.
     
    The Campaign of Honor started with Sen. Wesley Meredith (center) and his colleagues’ visit to Fayetteville’s and Cumberland County’s emergency telecommunicators. They met Cumberland County Telecommunications Manager Adam Johnson (left) and Lisa Reid, 911 manager for the city of Fayetteville Police Communications (right).

  • Details
    16Music iconsPaul Thompson is a musician and entrepreneur with a heart for this community – especially its big-hearted
    musicians. He owned Big Harry’s Tavern for 13 years and hosted countless bands there as entertainers, but he also hosted fundraisers to help others. And local singers, songwriters and bands always showed up to give stellar performances. Thompson was so touched by their generosity that in 2011, he created Fayetteville’s Icons of Music. “I started this program to recognize musicians who have contributed to events and causes throughout the years,” he said.

    Sunday, Aug. 26, Thompson will add 12 names to this distinguished list. The celebration is open to the public and includes food, fun and an open mic jam.
     
    Today, Thompson is the proprietor of a new nightclub – Paul’s Place – and the program is still going strong.

    “Someone came and made me an offer I couldn’t refuse,” he said about his former establishment, Big Harry’s. “So,
    I sold and tried to retire for two years.” But that didn’t work out, and he opened Paul’s Place behind the Trophy House on Bragg Boulevard in what used to be Lois’s Book Store, continuing his legacy.
     
    The Icons of Fayetteville Music honored Bob Steele as its first inductee in 2011. “Bob Steele started playing in Fayetteville in the late ’60s after Vietnam,” said Thompson. “I thought (about the fact that) every fundraiser I ever had, Bob was there. So, I presented Bob a guitar with his picture on it.”

    Thompson noted that this program is not a competition but a way to acknowledge the generosity and good works of Fayetteville musicians. It celebrates the diversity and community of the music scene. “I spent 20 years in the military, and you hear a lot about the band of brothers and the brotherhood. While that is true, the musicians here are like that, too. They cooperate and support each other. I did a fundraiser recently, and we had live music for nine hours and raised $3,000.”

    The musicians named Icons of Fayetteville Music have a place of honor at Paul’s Place – an entire wall filled with their photos and accomplishments. Thompson said this is a true representation of the spirit of giving that resides in local musicians. “I’ve got some musicians on the wall that I never got along with, but that doesn’t diminish their contributions (to the community). They give a lot to this community, and their families always appreciate seeing them on the wall. You have to have been active in the Fayetteville area and supporting this community and made a lasting contribution (to be inducted to the Icons of Fayetteville Music).”

    The newest round of inductees that will be honored at the celebration on the 26th are Bill Joyner, Danny Young, Bryan Shaw, Guy Unger, Jerry Godfrey, Scott Miller, Pat Vines, Ken Barfield, Carlton Warwick, Vince Groves, Darrell Collins and Brad Muffett. Food will be served at 2 p.m. followed by a presentation at 3 p.m. A regular Sunday open mike jam follows this ceremony.

    Paul’s Place is located at 719 Starling St. Search Paul’s Place on Facebook to learn more about this event and the many others that Thompson hosts.

  • Details
    03ABCChanges and fragmentation in traditional news media operations have brought many changes, including less coverage of state government news in areas outside state capitals. Two important events occurred earlier this month, though, that should register with all of us. First, North Carolina’s five living former governors, three Democrats and two Republicans, got together in the old capitol and urged voters to reject proposed constitutional amendments that will appear on our November ballots.
     
    The governors say the amendments would redistribute the balance of power between the legislative and executive branches of government. The five, Jim Hunt, Jim Martin, Mike Easley, Bev Perdue and Pat McCrory, who collectively logged 40 years in North Carolina’s Governor’s Mansion, know whereof they speak, and I, for one, will be taking their advice. Our Constitution is not broken and does not need fixing, thanks just the same.

    North Carolina’s elected state auditor, Beth Wood, also released scathing findings of a yearlong audit of our state-run Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission. The audit reported the ABC Commission wasted about $11 million in tax revenue through mismanagement and lazy oversight. Not surprisingly, the report triggered cries of “not me” and political finger-pointing, along with calls for privately owned and operated liquor stores.

    Infuriating as the audit findings are, let’s not overreact.
     
    Our state’s ABC Commission has been around since 1937 and has historically been a vehicle for political patronage under both parties. That said, as a state-controlled monopoly, it returns millions of dollars to state and local governments and provides hundreds of jobs. No one knows what exactly would happen if the system shifted to a market-based private system, but it is a safe bet to say ABC revenues to governments would have to be made up with tax hikes, some on people who never patronize state ABC stores.
     
    In addition, while alcoholic beverages are legally sold and enjoyed in 98 of our 100 counties, it is also true that alcohol addicts some of its users, causing pain and distress to them and those who love them. State oversight originated as a protection of sorts.
     
    Perhaps our state-controlled ABC system should include some private entrepreneurs or change altogether, but that is a decision to be made after much study of other private systems and with great deliberation. It has potential ramifications far beyond reacting to a critical audit report.
     
    ********************
    “Spare the rod, spoil the child” is an oft-quoted modern justification for corporal punishment of children. Many believe the saying may be a corruption of a biblical verse found in the book of Proverbs, but whatever its origins, it is a virtual artifact in North Carolina’s public schools. With the Robeson County School Board’s vote of 6 to 5 earlier this month to ban the practice, only Graham of our 100 counties continues to sanction the “intentional infliction of physical pain upon the body of a student as a disciplinary measure.” Nineteen states continue schoolhouse corporal punishment, most of them in the South.
     
    ********************
    Several Up & Coming Weekly readers took me to task for a recent column entitled “Mysterious Melania,” in which I talked about other first ladies, quoted humorist Celia Rivenbark, and opined, “It cannot be easy being Mrs. Donald Trump.”

    My take was particularly unpopular with one reader who emailed, “what a hit piece on our first lady... as a wife, mother, grandmother, nurse... I cannot believe Margaret Dickson would right (sic) such an appalling piece on a woman, much less the first lady of the United States.”

    I thanked the reader for her response, and we agreed that we are all blessed to live in a nation where we can share our opinions freely and openly, whether we agree or not.

    In that vein, a recent New York Times piece on our first lady entitled “Melania Trump, a Mysterious first lady, Weathers a Chaotic White House” provides a longer, more detailed look. Here is a link: www.ny-times.com/2018/08/17/us/politics/melania-trump-first-lady.html

  • Details
    13Comedy of ErrorsSweet Tea Shakespeare, the downtown theater company known for quirky outdoor performances that include live music and simple, creative staging, kicked off its 2018- 19 season on Aug. 21 with “The Comedy of Errors.” It’s a story about two sets of twins who get separated during a shipwreck and the satisfyingly chaotic shenanigans and reunions that follow, and it runs through Sept. 8.
     
    The show is directed by STS Artistic Director and President Jeremy Fiebig, Associate Artistic Director Jessica Osnoe and General Manager Jen Pommerenke.
     
    “It’s a story about one giant family that has been torn apart and is seeking one another,” Pommerenke said.
     
    In productions around the world, “The Comedy of Errors” is almost always played as a gag show – solely for laughs born from slapstick confusion and chaos. “It’s written so hilariously that the text alone could have the audience in bouts of laughter,” Pommerenke said. However, she said, STS took a different approach; one that shows how, at the core of the story, there are real hurts the characters experience due to the confusing situations.

    “There’s a twin that has a wife. So when that wife runs into the other twin, he says, ‘I’ve never seen you before in my life.’ So often, that’s played as this big joke. And that line always struck me as so hurtful and so sad. We decided as a directing group to try to play the heart of the story as well as the hilarity.... We sought to find the balance of lifelike truth in it.

    “For us, it’s a story of the lengths people will go for those they love and those they seek to know.”

    Pommerenke added that “The Comedy of Errors” is one of the most family-friendly shows STS has put on, and that it’s also one of the most accessible stories for those who are not familiar with Shakespeare. “The topic might be confusing, but because of the way we’re doing it, people will be able to follow it,” she said.

    Co-directors Pommerenke and Osnoe are in the unique position of also playing one set of the twins who are central to the story. Osnoe plays Dromio of Ephesus and Pommerenke plays Dromio of Syracus, comprising twin-set No. 1; twin-set No. 2 is Traycie Kuhn-Zapata as Antipholus of Ephesus and Taj Allen as Antipholus of Syracuse. The story’s other main characters are in some way tied to these four; there are mothers, fathers, wives, sisters-in-law, friends and powers that be.

    When asked about uniquely STS elements in the show, Osnoe talked about the creation of a balcony that happens every night. “It doesn’t sound like much, but given that we build our set outdoors on a daily basis, things of that nature pose a challenge in staging,” she said. “This particular scene shows our answer to that challenge in true STS fashion.”

    Pommerenke said the element that comes to her mind is the casting of the sets of twins. While she and Osnoe look pretty similar – in fact, their physical likeness is part of what inspired the decision to do this show – the other two actors are physical opposites. Kuhn-Zapata is a white woman and Allen is a black man. However, throughout the show, the two are constantly referred to as being obviously identical, adding to the hilarity of the situation. This is a casting move Pommerenke said she’s never seen in any adaptation of the show.

    “The Comedy of Errors” runs nightly, at 7:30 p.m., through Sept. 2 at the 1897 Poe House and Sept. 5-8 at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church. As usual, drinks (including sweet tea and spirits) and food will be available for purchase to enjoy during the show. Look out for a special ginger pomegranate sour crafted just for STS by Sanford-based Hugger Mugger Brewing Company.
     
    To buy tickets or learn more about STS, visit www.sweetteashakespeare.com or call 910-420-4383.
     
    Photo: L to R: Traycie Kuhn-Zapata, Jessica Osnoe, Taj Allen, Jen Pommerenke

  • Details

    21Arnold Pope L Neil Buie R22Left Tony Haire Right Mark Dreibelbis supervisor of officials for the N.C. High School Athletic Association
    Two veteran high school football officials, Arnold Pope and Tony Haire, were recently honored by the Southeastern Athletic Officials Association at their annual preseason meeting of football officials.
     
    Pope retired after some 60 years of work as both an on-field official and a supervisor who grades and counsels other officials.

    He is a Methodist minister and formerly served as dean of students at then-Methodist College.
     
    He was a charter selection to the North Carolina Weightlifting Hall of Fame, winning 27 state and six Southern titles in the Open Divions. He was the 1988 world champion in the masters division, winning 11 consecutive national titles and earning induction into the National Masters Weightlifting Hall of Fame in 1988.

    He was inducted into the Fayetteville Sports Club Hall of Fame in 2013.

    He also competed in the Scottish Games for 20 years and was North American caber toss champion in 1976. That same year he was the first American to win a caber-tossing title in Scotland.

    Haire received the Dick Knox Distinguished Service Award from Mark Dreibelbis, supervisor of officials for the North Carolina High School Athletic Association.
     
    Haire has been with the SAOA since 1997, officiating softball, football, basketball and baseball.
     
    He has officiated three Eastern Regionals in basketball and one state final, that occurring in 2003.
     
    He has called the state football finals twice, in 2005 and 2017.

    He is currently the sports chairman for football for the SAOA. This involves training officials and assisting Neil Buie, the regional supervisor of football officials for the SAOA.

    Left photo: Arnold Pope (L) and Neil Buie (R). Right photo: Tony Haire (L) with Mark Dreibelbis, supervisor of officials for the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (R).

  • Details
    This picking business has certainly changed over the years I’ve been doing it. When I first started, there was an information void.
    Teams hadn’t even been together since the previous season ended. They took to the practice field just a few weeks before the first games and then went after each other.
     
    Now, everybody has been working since last winter, with nearly full-scale workouts in spring and summer.
    On top of that, we’ve got an assortment of preseason conference polls and state and national rankings. Everybody’s got an opinion.
    But that’s the problem. It’s just opinion. You still have to play the game, and that’s one part that hasn’t changed.
    So thanks for all the informed theories and rampant optimism. It’s all going to come down to who blocks and tackles the best and figures out a way to do what Vince Lombardi used to preach. Run to daylight.
    Here’s to a great season for everybody.
     
    Clinton at Cape Fear - It’s game one for Cape Fear without Justice Galloway-Velazquez. It’s also game one for Clinton with hall of fame coach Bob Lewis no longer on the sidelines. I like Cape Fear’s chances for a win.
    Cape Fear 24, Clinton 12.
     
    Douglas Byrd at Fairmont - Is this the year Douglas Byrd snaps its 25-game losing streak and gets a win for Mike Paroli? If the Eagle performance in the BSN Sports Cumberland County Football Jamboree is any indication, there’s a good chance it will finally happen.
    Douglas Byrd 21, Fairmont 12.
     
    Seventy-First at Westover - First-year Wolverine coach Ernest King couldn’t have picked a much tougher opener. Seventy-First just might be the best team in Cumberland County as we begin the season.
    Seventy-First 35, Westover 12.
     
    St. Pauls at E.E. Smith - This should be a good opener for a fairly young Golden Bull team that needs to get experienced quickly before Patriot Conference play begins.
    E.E. Smith 27, St. Pauls 6.
     
    Purnell Swett at Pine Forest - This is an early chance for Pine Forest to build momentum before a couple of tougher nonconference encounters.
    Pine Forest 18, Purnell Swett 12.
     
    South View at Jack Britt - This is more than just a meeting of neighborhood rivals. South View has been unofficially crowned as the favorite in the Patriot Athletic Conference. Jack Britt has designs on being a serious contender in the always tough Sandhills Athletic Conference. The winner of this one will get a big boost to it chances.
    South View 24, Jack Britt 18.
     
    Gray’s Creek at Parkwood - It’s a long road trip for the Bears to start the season. Like Parkwood, Gray’s Creek had a disappointing result in 2017, going 2-9. This one looks like a tossup so I’ll give a slight edge to the home team.
    Parkwood 13, Gray’s Creek 12.
     
    Fuquay-Varina at Terry Sanford - Can Terry Sanford get out of the gate with a win now that the Jayne brothers have graduated? I think so.
    Terry Sanford 22, Fuquay-Varina 8.
     
    Other games: Providence Day 22, Trinity Christian 21; Dillon Christian 18, Village Christian 12; East Columbus 17, Fayetteville Christian 12.
     

  • Details

    07LimeBike 1024x683Bike-sharing is popular in cities across America. Now it’s coming to Fayetteville. Fayetteville State University has contracted with Lime to make 150 bikes available to students beginning Aug. 21.

    Lime Bike’s first location was the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. It was launched in June 2017 with 125 bicycles and expanded in July 2017 to the cities of Key Biscayne, Florida; South Bend, Indiana; and South Lake Tahoe, California. In May 2018, the company announced that it would rebrand as simply "Lime” and partner with Segway to produce new scooters.

    Bike-sharing is a transportation program in which bicycles are made available for shared use to individuals on a short-term basis for a price. Bikesharing is already in use or soon will be in most of North Carolina’s large cities. It is ideal for short-distance trips, providing users the ability to conveniently and inexpensively use bicycles located in their area. It can reduce vehicular traffic, especially for short, point-to-point trips.

    Lime is one of the most popular firms in the U.S. As of October 2017, it had 150,000 users. Lime differs from some major U.S. bike programs, such as New York City’s Citibike initiative with Motivate Co, because it doesn’t require corrals where several bikes are stored for customer use. Instead, Lime bikes are parked and locked wherever customers end their trips. They’re then available on the spot for someone else to use.

    Lime was inspired by mainstream Chinese-style bike-sharing. In China, companies have raised massive amounts of venture capital and distributed tens of thousands of their GPSenabled bikes in urban markets. Lime uses green-colored, three-speed cruiser bikes equipped with GPS and 3G connectivity. The bicycles also feature operating headlamps and tail lights, front baskets, solar panels and smart locks. Most users download the Lime app on their cell phones.
    They are then equipped to find a bike or a scooter and scan the QR code or enter the number to unlock the bike.

    Lime charges one dollar to unlock the bikes. Thereafter, it’s a dollar per 30 minutes of travel.

    Fayetteville City Council is considering adopting an ordinance to regulate the use of Lime bikes in the city. City staff is recommending that city council consider adopting local regulations like those in Durham’s ordinance, a city where three bike-sharing companies are operating. Vendors would be issued permits after agreeing to operational standards. City ordinances and company rules will require that riders wear helmets, stay off sidewalks and use bike lanes where available.

    City council is committed to expanding marked bike paths in heavy use areas. Riders must obey traffic laws and park their bikes away from pedestrian walkways.

  • Details

    06gerrymandering copyNorth Carolina leaders across the American government spectrum can agree on one thing: We are a divided people. A group of 60 influential North Carolina leaders, comprised of people in the state’s political, business, academic and faith communities, was asked by North Carolina’s McClatchy newspapers what they think is driving the partisan divide. The question was posed as part of an ongoing series.

    They could not agree on specifics, but there was a general sense of gloom among respondents that North Carolina and the U.S. are becoming more and more divided. Several themes resonated through answers from people on both sides of the political aisle: Civility in public debate is eroding. People are stuck in echo chambers, hearing only ideas they agree with, while social media spreads misinformation.

    Political parties have increasingly abandoned moderates and have become more extreme. “President Trump seems to be manipulating people’s fears,” said Bob Page, CEO of Greensboro-based Replacements Ltd. “We’ve got to overcome this divide by returning to a sense of working together to solve problems as opposed to electing extreme politicians who divide us instead of inspire us.”

    Bob Morgan, president of the Charlotte Chamber, said changing demographics are contributing to tensions in the state. “Race is a major factor as our  population is increasingly diverse and political power is slowly shifting to non-whites,” Morgan wrote. That is evidenced in Cumberland County by the election in recent years of more African-American judges than whites. And, in November of last year, a 6–4 majority of blacks was elected to the Fayetteville City Council for the first time in modern memory.

    “White folks are not going to the polls anymore because of animosity,” said a local official who asked not to be identified.

    “My goal is to continue to be a unifying force of all people in our community,” Mayor Mitch Colvin said through a spokesman, though he is on record as
    believing there is a clear racial divide in Fayetteville. Colvin is the second African-American to be elected mayor of Fayetteville. He believes the community is
    somehow immune from state and national trends of misunderstanding and extremism. “What goes on in the federal and state political arenas has, thankfully,
    not affected us here in Fayetteville,” he insisted.

    Ric Elias, CEO of Red Ventures, said people aren’t willing to hear opposing viewpoints anymore. “The biggest issue we have as a state and as a country is that we have stopped listening to each other,” Elias said.

    Forty-two percent of respondents in the Mc-Clatchy newspaper poll pointed to political gerrymandering as a prime cause of polarization. Gerrymandering is the practice of manipulating district boundaries in an effort to establish a political advantage for a particular party or group. It has created uncompetitive political districts at all levels of government.

    “Gerrymandering requires office holders to play to their base on every issue,” said former Gov. Mike Easley, a Democrat. “The districts need to change so that all leaders listen to all voters as they try to resolve important issues.”

    Former Bank of America CEO Hugh McColl of Charlotte had a simple answer to the question of what is driving polarization among the populace: “Massive ignorance.”

  • Details

    05Ethel ClarkLongtime Spring Lake Mayor Ethel T. Clark has died. She was 72. She served in public office in Spring Lake for 30 years.

    Clark was elected and re-elected mayor from 2001-2011 after serving 20 years on the Board of Aldermen. She became the town’s first African-American female chief executive.

    Clark was mayor when the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office assumed control of the Spring Lake Police Department, after State Bureau of Investigation agents arrested two Spring Lake officers on charges ranging from embezzlement and obstruction of justice to kidnapping and breaking and entering. Sgt. Darryl Eugene Coulter Sr. and Sgt. Alphonzo Devonne Whittington Jr. eventually pleaded guilty and were sentenced to prison.

    The funeral service for Clark was held Aug. 8 at Williams Chapel Church in Spring Lake.

    Highly decorated Fort Bragg soldier dies in parachute mishap

    Sgt. Maj. Christopher Nelms, an Army special operations soldier, died when his parachute failed to fully open during a training maneuver in Scotland County, Fort Bragg’s Special Operations Command confirmed this month. Nelms, 46, was identified as a member of the elite Delta Force, a secretive special operations group, said Yahoo News, which was first to report his death.

    The Army did not announce the accident. Nelms died July 1 at Duke University Medical Center. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery on July 31 and was posthumously awarded the Legion of Merit.

    Nelms was critically injured while training at Laurinburg-Maxton Airport, Lt. Col. Robert Bockholt, a spokesman for USASOC, said in a statement to Army Times. His parachute did not fully deploy during a June 27 free-fall exercise, Yahoo News reported.

    Nelms was a troop sergeant major with USASOC. He deployed six times to Iraq and Afghanistan and once to Niger. A native of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma,
    Nelms is survived by wife Stephanie Nelms and their two children, 16-year-old Naley and 15-year-old Nolan.

    Eight-mile river walk

    Crews will soon begin construction of a new section of the Cape Fear River Trail that will connect two existing segments. When completed, the trail will extend for eight miles from the Jordan Soccer Complex off Ramsey Street to the southern end at the city’s Riverside Dog Park near the new bridge at I-95 Business.

    The CSX railroad sold the city of Fayetteville an easement through its property beneath the railroad tracks, allowing the city to build a bridge under those tracks overlooking the banks of the Cape Fear River. Construction is slated to begin this fall and could be completed next summer.

    “We are excited to be able to connect these portions of the trail,” said Deputy City Manager Kristoff Bauer.

    Funding for the bridge, which will run through the CSX easement, includes a federal grant in the amount of $600,000, a state contribution of $1 million and a city contribution of $150,000.

    Shoreline Drive to receive repairs

    Construction on Shoreline Drive in College Lakes to replace a culvert beneath the roadway began Aug. 13. Lanier Construction Company of Snow Hill, North Carolina, was awarded the $830,000 contract.

    Several factors led to the emergency replacement of the 36-inch pipe. The existing culvert on Shoreline Drive has been in service since the late 1960s. It deteriorated to the point that it had to be replaced. Shoreline Drive is the only accessible roadway to the upper portion of the College Lakes subdivision, which necessitated this project.

    Construction is expected to be completed by spring of 2019.

    Fayetteville hazmat team recertified

    The Fayetteville Fire Department’s Special Operations Division has been recertified. It is charged with overseeing the operation of the hazardous materials team and the collapse, search and rescue team. Recertification is required every five years by the North Carolina Association of Rescue and EMS.

    “I’m proud of our staff and I congratulate them on this achievement,” said Assistant Fire Chief Robert Brinson.

    Hazardous material team units are assigned to fire stations 1 and 17. Each team member is required to obtain, at a minimum, state certification as a Hazardous Materials Level II Technician.

    In addition to handling all local hazardous materials incidents, the team is also contracted by the state as one of seven regional response teams responsible for a 12-county area. In the event of a long deployment, the team is also equipped with tents, food and water. Members are issued specialized protective equipment to ensure safety during dangerous operations.

     

    PHOTO: Ethel T. Clark

  • Details

    04ParisThanks to the calendar, with some help from the Earth rotating around the sun, summer comes every year. This phenomenon leads to my unrequested, rarely read and inevitable column about summer vacation. Mrs. DelGrande, my fourth-grade teacher, began this process for me. Old habits are hard to break. To quote a time-honored adage, a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds. When it comes to enjoying foolish consistencies and cranial hobgoblins, count me in.

    This summer, we went to Paris to renew our acquaintance with cafe au lait and Monet. The trip began on a spooky note. Our seats on the plane were in the last row, which meant they would not recline, resulting in an up-close-and-personal olfactory relationship with the toilet. We were on the interior row of three seats. No window access.

    As a bonus, a lady with a 2-year-old was our row companion. Four humans in three seats. What could go wrong? The little darling would sit on her lap for the next eight hours. Small children typically enjoy being confined in a small space for prolonged periods. We were really looking forward to being joined at the hip with our new roomies for the next 4,000 miles. Fortunately, a very kind stewardess took pity on us and moved us to another location.

    We went on the red-eye flight, arriving at 7 a.m. Paris is six hours ahead of North Carolina. This results in sleep deprivation on arrival. Lesson one: do not attempt to negotiate the Paris Metro with a head full of lack-o-sleep. We had a bit of a fun meltdown in a vain attempt ride the metro.

    Undaunted, we tried the Paris Uber Survivor Challenge, which is not for the faint of heart. You plug in where you want to go. Then the Uber Fuehrer starts you on a 5-minute race to meet your driver at an unknown location several blocks away in an unfamiliar city. The stakes are high – find the Uber, get a ride; don’t find the Uber on time, and you are penalized six Euros and remain a pedestrian. Until you have had a phone conversation with a non-English speaking Uber driver who keeps repeating the number 21, you cannot truly say you have experienced Paris.

    On Sunday, we went to the Gregorian Mass at Notre Dame, which was solemn, ancient and impressive. We left the spiritual world to re-enter the temporal plain when we left Notre Dame. We emerged to the frenzied preparations for the completion of the Tour de France that afternoon on the Champs Elysees. These preparations involved setting up food stands and a large presence of heavily armed soldiers and gendarmes in case of bad guys. The sight of French soldiers with Uzis is surprisingly reassuring.

    At the Pompidou modern art museum, we tested the resilience of our somewhat worn museum feet for hours while viewing the finest in nouveau art. One  exhibit stood out particularly strongly – a plain wooden chair sitting on a slab of plexiglass. The exhibit was labeled “Chair.” You could not sit in it. You were just to contemplate the chairness of it in relation to the cosmos and the dilemma of man and Mr. Death. It dramatically demonstrated that Andy Warhol was right when he said, “Art is what I can get away with.”

    We subsequently passed a sanity test when we went upstairs to the rooftop cafe at the Pompidou to get lunch. After sitting down and studying the menu, we
    saw it offered a $36 hamburger. We got up and left without eating there. The cafe obviously subscribed to Warhol’s theory that “Burger prices are what we can
    get away with.”

    My wife Lani ate snails at a sidewalk cafe. I discovered that there are few better ways to contemplate the meaning of life than sitting in a clean, well-lit place at
    the end of a Paris day nursing a cup of cafe au lait and a Cognac. It doesn’t get any more Parisian than that. La vie est belle.

  • Details

    03EatingWe all do it. We all do it daily. Many of us do too much of it, and some of us do so little of it, we risk our lives. It gives us pleasure, and sometimes it makes us sick. We do it alone, and we do it with others. We read and sometimes take advice about doing it. Sometimes we get it right, and sometimes we get it wrong.

    Yes, we all eat, and lots of us try to eat well. But what the heck does that really mean?

    The old food pyramid of meat, starches and vegetables of my childhood is a culinary relic, and even though I try hard to pay attention to the latest in nutritional learning and advice, I am still confused most of the time. How much protein is right for my size and age? How much fat? Should I give up all white foods – pasta, potatoes, rice, breads, mayonnaise? What about my chardonnay at the end of the day? What happens if I do? What happens if I don’t?

    A new book posits that we should eat in sync with our ancient circadian rhythms, meaning during the 8 to 10 hours of the day when our bodies’ hormones and metabolisms are active and primed for processing food, like most other animals on earth. In “The Circadian Code” by Satchin Panda (yes, just like the pandas in China), the Salk Institute professor says extending our feeding times into the wee hours – remember that pre-bedtime bowl of ice cream? – simply ripens us up for weight gain and metabolic disorders.

    Maybe Panda’s nutritional notions are spot on, as well as the oncefamous grapefruit diet, which gave me a stomach ache and on which I nary lost an ounce. Maybe so as well to food that arrives in boxes dropped on our doorsteps and all the fancy and expensive juice concoctions made with spinach, exotic fruits and
    Lord knows what else. Maybe we should all be on a Paleo diet, eating just what we could have hunted or gathered way back when.

    As the daughter of a mother who believed we could eat anything we want if we do so in moderation, the recommendations of Aaron E. Carroll, professor at Indiana University School of Medicine, who also blogs at the Accidental Economist, make good sense for most of us. They have lots of wiggle room for those things our diverse tastes and metabolisms just have to have and those we simply cannot tolerate. Carroll is quick to say that his recommendations are not etched in stone – that no foods are “demons” or “miracles.”

    Here are some of Carroll’s recommendations.

    • Take as much of your nutrition as possible from unprocessed foods, including fruits and vegetables and meats, fish, poultry, and eggs that have not been cooked or prepared in some way until you do it. Choose whole grains over refined ones, and eat your fruit instead of drinking it in juice form.

    • Understand that most of us are all going to eat some processed foods. I have never made homemade pasta in my life and don’t expect to, but I have certainly cooked plenty of dried pasta. Fine, says Carroll, but not every day. Ditto for cookies, chips, breads and most cereals, which all contain processed ingredients.
    Know that homemade really is better, but it is not unprocessed either. That said, eat homemade food as often as possible. It gives us more control of what we are eating, and in Carroll’s words, “you are much less likely to stuff yourself silly if you eat home-cooked food.”

    • Use fats, including butter and oil, and salts in food preparation. Our bodies need them, but don’t go overboard. When we do this ourselves, we know what is in our food. We often do not know that in restaurant food.

    •Drink lots of water, but other beverages, including coffee and some alcohol, are OK as well. Remember that except for water, black coffee and most teas, all beverages have calories, often far more than we think.

    • This is probably Carroll’s best advice. Eat with other people, especially those near and dear, as often as you can. It will make you, or maybe some of them, more likely to cook. You will be happy in their company and will probably eat more slowly as you enjoy the conversation.

    Well said, Dr. Carroll, well said. You and my mother are kindred spirits at the table.

  • Details

    02LSFThere are now two Hope Mills mediaresources residents can depend on for accurateand dependable Hope Mills news. Andboth are free and accessible to everyone.They are Up & Coming Weekly and the blogHopeMills.net, which is hosted by ElizabethBlevins. Below is a sample of Blevins’ journalistictalent and unrelenting resolve forseeking out the facts. We welcome Blevinsas a journalist and media partner ready,willing and able to serve the residents ofHope Mills.
    Stay informed. Sign up today at www.upandcomingweekly.com and HopeMills.net.

    – Bill Bowman

    Interview with Terry Jung, executivedirector, Lone Survivor Foundation

    In March of 1865, Gen. Sherman stormed through our small town, burning the mills around which we’d built a community. His intention was to bring absolute destruction to the South, to ensure future generations felt his wrath. He succeeded. It would be the last time the town of Hope Mills knew real industry. More than 150 years later, our town center is a disorganized mix of pawn shops and nail salons anchored around a long line of fast food joints, regrettably known as “Hamburger Hill.” We’re a bedroom community. The residents of Hope Mills choose it for its proximity to Fayetteville and Fort Bragg.

    Despite that, Terry Jung, executive director of Lone Survivor Foundation, chose us. He chose a forgotten piece of swampy land as the future home of a Lone Survivor Foundation facility. And, ironically, the very fact that we’d neglected it for 50 years is what made it so appealing. It’s secluded, tranquil and the perfect retreat for soldiers suffering from PTSD.

    I spoke with Jung about his search for the perfect piece of land and ongoing battle to buy the property.

    More than a year ago, Jung began his search. He was diligent, looking at more than 50 properties in Cumberland County before a series of introductions led him to the Fayetteville Cumberland County Economic Development Center.

    The FCCEDC staff, which includes Hope Mills’ Mayor Warner’s son, Teddy Warner, were instrumental in pairing Jung with the property in Hope Mills. Several commissioners have accused Mayor Warner of collusion, implying that she and her son somehow manipulated the process in which Jung brought his proposal to the Hope Mills Board of Commissioners.

    But Jung disagrees, “I’m confident they’re wrong because we’ve dealt with two other cities in the Cumberland County area – Godwin and Fayetteville – and that’s exactly the procedure we have followed (each time).”

    On June 4, Jung and members of the FCCEDC presented the board with their proposal in a closed session. By all accounts, most of the board was receptive of the idea. “Pat Edwards, Jessie Bellflowers and Meg Larson all expressed very positive thoughts to us. All three of them, when the meeting was over, said to either Tim (Byrom, LSF president) or me directly, ‘We’re gonna get this done.’”

    But Commissioner Mitchell was hesitant. After quizzing Teddy Warner about the tax value of the land – which has never been assessed – and without conferring with the other board members, Mitchell quoted a price for 60+/- acres that was much higher than market value. This is interesting in that Mitchell has steadfastly maintained the land was not for sale. Jung, who was never interested in buying the entire parcel, was bewildered by Mitchell’s behavior.

    “I didn’t know any of the history of Mitchell and Warner; I didn’t know anything about him being beaten twice in a mayoral election. I quickly sensed something
    was askew.”

    During the initial meeting, no one discussed the 2030 Southwest Cumberland County Land Use Plan or the McAdams Group Parks & Recreation survey. In fact, we know now that the land in question wasn’t initially included in the McAdams survey. It was included July 31, when commissioners Mitchell and Larson reached out to the McAdams Group and asked that it be added. There was no discussion of the 1999 and 2014 PWC surveys at this time.

    According to Jung, no one mentioned that the land wasn’t technically for sale. In fact, not only did Mitchell suggest a selling price, but the other commissioners all requested Jung make an official offer as a jumping off point for negotiations.

    And no one seemed at all concerned about the way in which the presentation had come to the town. No one suggested a conflict of interest or collusion. They were all, except Mitchell, in favor of the project and incredibly excited to move forward.

    “We left the meeting feeling like this was a done deal … the majority, three out of five commissioners, said we were gonna get this done.” Jung wasn’t prepared for what happened next.

    The morning of July 18, Jung received a call from the Hope Mills attorney informing him the board had rejected his offer and wasn’t interested in any further offers. He and other supporters of LSF had also been removed from the agenda of the next board meeting. Undeterred, Jung made the pilgrimage back to Hope Mills (from Houston, Texas), and addressed the board – not once, but twice.

    “I don’t want to be in the middle of all of these politics – I’m just trying to look out for what I believe is the best for the veterans, and you’ve got a community that is very veteran-centric that seems adamant they want this,” Jung said.

    Jung credits the Hope Mills community, which has been overwhelmingly supportive, with bolstering his resolve to fight on. But he also admits to being frustrated with the antics of the board and the time wasted. “We’re willing to fight some more, but there’s going to come a point where it’s not to the benefit of the soldiers anymore,” he said.

    Jung won’t give an exact timeline, but when 22 veterans commit suicide every day, every day spent waiting is a tragic waste of life.

    Crystal Beach, Texas, the home of LSF’s first facility, is thriving. After being devastated by Hurricane Ike, which destroyed 7,000 homes, the town had no economy to speak of. When LSF chose the community to operate out of, it gave confidence to residents who’d lost their homes and they began to rebuild. Today, more than 5,000 new homes have been added, and affiliates of LSF have purchased 52 acres of land for hosting largescale events. Each spring, the LSF affiliates host a Memorial Day Concert that brings more than 5000 people into the community. They’ve also hosted Jeep and motorcycle rallies. The town’s economy is rebounding … LSF and the town’s reputations are growing.

    The media blitz surrounding the Hope Mills Board of Commissioners has helped spread the word to neighboring communities, which have adopted a “your loss is our gain” mentality, and LSF is fielding offers from towns more than willing to support the organization. We can only assume they recognize the prestige associated with hosting a nationally recognized nonprofit organization.

    But do the commissioners of Hope Mills recognize the devastating effects of rejecting a nationally known nonprofit organization? Jung was hesitant to divulge details, but he indicated the story of Hope Mills and our squabbling board is spreading outside of this community. Other organizations and businesses are taking note of the trouble LSF has dealt with these last two months. We can’t expect them to ignore our bad decisions. We’re standing on the wrong side of history and the nation is watching.

    There will be a rally in support of LSF atGrace Place Christian Church, 3748 S. MainSt., Hope Mills, Aug. 16, at 6 p.m. The purposeof the rally is to measure public support forthe LSF and discuss the next course of action.The public is invited to attend.

  • Details

    01coverUAC0081518001Dr. Larry Wells, director and conductor of the Fayetteville Symphony Youth Orchestra, thinks laughter is essential to the learning process, but he’s not here to play. He’s here to train Fayetteville’s young musicians to operate at a professional level and to help build Fayetteville into a city where the best and brightest  want to stay.

    “It bothers me that... our best young people want to leave,” he said. “That doesn’t bode well for our future if that continues. In my little way, because I just have my little slice of this pie, I want to have something that young people want to stay and do.”

    Wells plays trumpet with the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra and the Carolina Philharmonic and is a professor and director at Methodist University. He holds a Master of Science in teaching music from Portland State University (1996) and a Doctor of Musical Arts in trumpet performance/wind conducting from the University of North Texas (2006).

    Though his current resume is impressive, Wells said growing up there was a lack of programs for young musicians in his home-state, Washington, and that he didn’t have access to professional training until college. This is a situation he never wants to happen to Fayetteville’s young talent.

    “There are certain rules in the professional world that young people won’t have been exposed to unless they’re in a program like (the FSYO); even how you practice and go about your day, how you dress,” Wells said. “The youth symphony is an opportunity for kids to study.”

    The FSYO, which was formed in 2014, is open to students ages 13-21 in public school, private school or homeschool. It includes Cumberland County students as well as students from many other counties.

    Wells said the FSYO is not meant to compete with high school music programs, but rather to complement those programs for students who want to go further. For this reason, the FSYO meets on Sundays; Saturdays would force many students to choose between marching band and the youth symphony.

    “We’re all on the same team,” he said. “The high school programs do a great job for what they do. (The FSYO) can be a conduit for the next step.... There are nitty gritty things like (transposition) that maybe don’t really apply on a marching band field but absolutely apply in a concert hall on an audition.”

    Every week, FSYO students rehearse music for one of three or more concerts they will perform over the course of the year, but there’s also a lot of teaching going on.

    Wells gives them a basic lesson in conducting so they can follow his movements – “No 1, 2, 3, 4 here,” he said. If the students run into a difficult rhythm they don’t know how to play, Wells pauses rehearsal and break the rhythm down on the whiteboard. When players need to transpose their sheet music, they learn how to do that, too.

    If the flutes are having trouble, Wells calls in FSO flute section leader Sarah Busman to work with them in a separate mini-session.

    Students’ direct access to their professional counterparts in the FSO is one of the strongest elements of the program, Wells said. “I’ve got a doctorate in trumpet, but I can’t play tuba well enough to teach my kid how it should sound. Here, they’ve all got access to all of it.

    “We talk a lot about intonation, music theory … Whatever the day, it’s like ok, this is what’s happening, let’s talk about (it) from a professional perspective.”

    The students’ hard work results in three or more concerts over the course of one season, culminating in the “side-by-side” concert, in which students get to play onstage with the FSO. The FSO is led by Music Director and Conductor Stefan Sanders, who has conducted for the New York Philharmonic among many other orchestras.

    Another of the FSYO’s strengths is a structure that allows for both specialization and inclusion. This structure is comprised of a Concert Band (woodwinds, brass and percussion) led by Wells, a String Orchestra (violin, viola, cello and bass) led by FSO violinist Monica Thiriot, and a Full Orchestra led by Wells. Wells said having these separate groups creates two advantages.

    First, he said, separating Concert Band and String Orchestra allows students in those groups to play music that’s challenging for their instruments. Sometimes, he said, music that’s challenging for strings can be painfully easy for woodwinds, and vice versa. It also allows for more specialized instruction.

    Second, the structure allows Wells to say yes to every student who wants to learn. No student who auditions is ever turned away from participating in Concert Band or String Orchestra. However, the audition does determine students’ seating, and to play in the Full Orchestra, they have to be at the top of their section.

    “(This structure) gives me flexibility to meet the needs of all the kids, and it also gives a spot for people where I don’t have to say no,” Wells said. “You never know when the light’s gonna come on for a young person. But if you don’t have them in your group, then you’ll never know if the light (could) come on. He added that having students with a range of skill levels allows for less experienced players to learn from their seniors and then pay it forward.

    String coach Thiriot, who also leads string programs for K-second-graders and ages 13 and under, said her favorite thing about working with the students is giving them music they don’t ever think they could play – and getting them to a place where they realize they can.

    Wells added that the FSYO’s “never say no” policy coupled with the fact the FSYO gets students from school systems as far as an hour away creates a diverse body. Students get to play and connect with other musicians their age they might otherwise never have met.

    The FSYO also holds extra workshops and social events outside of its weekly rehearsals. These include free workshops for Cumberland County students that focus on preparing students for things like all-district auditions and college auditions, as well as an end-ofthe- year party at Wells’ house and possible field trips.

    All in all, it’s a program that lets those who are willing to work for it shine, Wells said.

    “Good enough isn’t good enough for me. … I jokingly tell my students that’s why I’m bald. Because my hair will never look good. So it’s gone. They laugh, but I get my point across. If they’re laughing, then they’re learning.

    “If mediocre is the best you can do, then don’t. Either work hard enough to not be mediocre, or find something you’re good at. Way too many people shoot low; I don’t want Fayetteville musically to shoot low.”

    The thing is, Wells said, being serious about music is actually really fun. “It’s fun to learn, and it’s fun to be good,” he said. “It’s fun to not suck. Young people get that. And again, they laugh, but they remember.”

    The FSYO meets on Sundays; Concert Band and String Orchestra separately from 4-4:50 p.m., and Full Orchestra from 5-6 p.m. Registration for the 2018-19 FSYO season must be completed by Aug. 31. When students register, they also sign up for an audition time. Learn more at fayettevillesymphony.org/youth-orchestra. View the FSO’s upcoming season, which includes dates for the FSYO’s concerts, by clicking on “Concerts and Tickets” and “2018-2019 Concerts.”

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