Last May, just after the N.C. High School Athletic Association Board of Directors voted to use MaxPreps rankings when putting together this year’s state high school playoff brackets, I spoke with Patty Evers. Evers represents our region on the board, serving as girls’ basketball coach and athletic director at East Bladen High School.

She didn’t support using MaxPreps and had strong reasons as to why.

“I’m not for a ranking system in high school,’’ she said. “How do you give somebody a ranking?’’

She cited last year’s girls’ basketball season as an example. Jacksonville Northside was consistently ranked ahead of her East Bladen team by MaxPreps. “We met them in the regional and beat them by 17,’’ Evers said. “How do you know who’s good and who’s not? Who’s going to do all that research?’’

Another problem Evers has with rankings, and one that impacts Cumberland County: how do you rank teams in a split conference, which has schools of different classifications?

In a split league, Evers noted, you have to play schools not the same size, and if you’re among the bigger schools in the league, that’s a liability. It’s also a liability if you’re in a big conference like the Patriotic Athletic and many of the teams on your schedule that you’re forced to play are considerably weaker.

“Look at your geographic area,’’ Evers said. “We’re not going to travel three hours to beef up our schedule because we can’t afford the gas.’’

So how should the NCHSAA address the problem? First, I’d do away with MaxPreps rankings. I don’t think strength of schedule is fair in a high school setting when schools are locked into playing teams they have no choice over playing.

I have no problem with ranking teams by overall records, but let’s take the whole record, no dropping games for any reason.

When you seed, seed conference champions first, then everybody else by records.

I also think you’ve got to stop showing too much preference to split conference teams that don’t win the conference title. Set a minimum win total to qualify for the playoffs, like the NCAA does for bowls. If you don’t make it, then use a bye or give it to a deserving wild card that didn’t qualify otherwise.

I hope this issue is addressed quickly and fixed before we disappoint many more teams.

The record: 79-22

I made a strong rebound from the disaster of 4-4, going 6-1. The season record is 79-22, 78.2 percent.

Rocky Mount at Terry Sanford – As D.K. Sports Page co-host Trey Edge noted earlier this week, good things have happened to Terry Sanford when the Bulldogs met Rocky Mount in the state playoffs. Let’s see if that will take place again.
Terry Sanford 28, Rocky Mount 14.

West Carteret at E.E. Smith – The big problem for the Golden Bulls this week is shaking off the disappointment from a tough loss to Terry Sanford and focusing on the playoff challenge ahead. If Smith plays like it’s capable, they should be headed to the second round.
E.E. Smith 24, West Carteret 12.

South View at Jamestown Ragsdale – Ragsdale has a rich tradition, going back to the '70s when they battled East Bladen to a 16-16 tie in the state title game in Elizabethtown. I’d like to pick South View, but I think this will be a tall order for the Tigers.
Ragsdale 21, South View 14.

Cape Fear at Hillsborough Orange – I’m hoping that Orange takes the 11th-seeded Colts lightly. I’m also hoping that some of Cape Fear’s numerous walking wounded, like quarterback Justice Galloway-Velazquez and running back Zaire Boykin, are going to be able to suit up and play Friday.
Cape Fear 22, Hillsborough Orange 20.

Raleigh Millbrook at Jack Britt – Millbrook was the top Raleigh football power back in the day before all the newcomers stole the show. The Wildcats aren’t the same program they were back then, and I think the Buccaneers can pull off a win at home.
Jack Britt 24, Raleigh Millbrook 21.

Westover at Southern Nash – This will be a good experience for the Wolverines, even though I don’t think the outcome is going to be especially positive.
Southern Nash 30, Westover 12.

Seventy-First at Durham Jordan – Once again, the Falcons get the short end of the stick and have to travel to play a team with a record worse than theirs. The reward, however, should be a first-round playoff win for Duran McLaurin’s team.
Seventy-First 21, Durham Jordan 7.

Other games

Charlotte Latin 24, Trinity Christian 20.

Village Christian 29, Harrells Christian 14.

Alexia Cross

Gray’s Creek

• Senior

• Cross country/soccer/track

Cross has a 3.92 grade point average.

She is active in Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Student Government Association, National Honor Society, Girls Expecting More Success, Future Farmers of America, Art Club and Thespian Honors Society.

She is also her school’s yearbook editor.

Michael Wright

Terry Sanford

• Senior

• Football

Wright is an offensive lineman with a 5.0 grade point average.

He is active in Student Government Association and also plays baseball.

The banner hanging on the soccer field fence listing the state championships won by the Fayetteville Academy boys’ soccer team is going to have to be updated. Again.

The Eagles brought home title No. 16 recently when they defeated Coastal Christian 3-1 for the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association 2-A title.

Since the string of championships began with the first one in 1984, that’s an incredible average of a state title just shy of one every two years.

Nine of those championships were engineered by one coach, Andrew McCarthy, who took over the program in 2001. McCarthy has been aided by another former Eagle head coach, Jimmy Maher, who now serves as McCarthy’s assistant.

Talking with players from this year’s team, it’s easy to see the respect and admiration they have for the coaching duo that has guided this school to unprecedented success.

“They know everything about soccer,’’ said Marcos de Paz, a senior and the leading scorer on this year’s Eagle team. “We just have to look at them and learn.’’

Julian Barbaro said the work of McCarthy and Maher goes far beyond practice. “They’re always motivating you to be the best you can, like giving us extra things like summer workouts starting in June,’’ he said. “They give us everything they possibly can, which leads to big things.’’

Drayton Smith said it’s a two-way street for the players, who want to perform to the best of their ability to please their coaches. “They are just great people,’’ he said. “You want to play to the best of your ability just for them. Making them happy makes you extremely happy. They are great people on and off the field.’’

Goalkeeper Carter Boliek thinks what makes McCarthy and Maher a great team is they know how to balance work with play. “They know when it’s time to joke around and have fun,’’ he said. “But when it comes to practice, it’s all business. And when it comes to games, it’s all business.

“We can still have fun, but they really take it seriously, and I think it translates into the team taking it seriously and us giving our best effort.’’

With nine state champions to his credit, McCarthy – like all coaches – hates the question about how the current team stacks up against his previous ones, but he still tried to give a good answer.

“We’ve certainly had more talented teams,’’ he said, “but from the beginning, there was always potential. It was definitely a together group, and the team chemistry was very good.’’

McCarthy agreed with the players that the relationship he has with Maher is important.

“We’ve known each other for 20 plus years,’’ he said. “I have the utmost respect for him, and he has the utmost respect for me.’’

That includes the ability to question each other and offer critical advice. “I think it’s a comfort level of being able to tell each other things,’’ McCarthy said. “I trust him implicitly.’’

If there was a turning point to the season, McCarthy thinks it came after a tough overtime win late in the season against Cape Fear Academy. “That was the last game going into the playoffs,’’ he said. “That week, practice was not good the first two days, and we had a meeting about it.’’

McCarthy said some of his past teams might not have been able to get over that hurdle, but this team did.

“We rallied well and really got together,’’ he said. “We were playing really well in the playoffs.’’

One player McCarthy pointed to as a key to the good chemistry on the team was newcomer Hudson Zeisman. “He’s a fun-loving kid who’s also a leader,’’ McCarthy said.

McCarthy added that leadership as much as anything is critical to that mysterious thing called chemistry. “Sometimes when you try to create team chemistry, it backfires. You’ve got to let it flow and monitor it and try to make a few subtle suggestions. But the key is good leadership. The team chemistry normally takes care of itself.’’

The Eagles lose some key seniors like de Paz and Boliek, but McCarthy is optimistic about 2018.

“We’re always excited,’’ he said. “We feel it will be a good year again.’’

PHOTOS: Top: The Eagles are adding another year to the banner. Bottom: L-R: Drayton Smith, Marcos de Paz, Coach Andrew McCarthy, Carter Boliek, Julian Barbaro

When it comes to high school athletics, I’m old school and make no apologies for it. During my years at Swain County and later West Rowan, you lived in a community and you attended the school where your home was.

Fast forward to the 21st century. Yes, I know, times are different. Kids, and more often their parents, are driven to look for the best deal, the best opportunity.

Sometimes it’s for a good reason, like improved educational opportunities. But when it’s solely for sports, especially basketball, which seems to be the prime game where it’s done, I tend to raise an eyebrow as to why. They move around from school to school to find the best athletic situation for a youngster they think is the next LeBron James.

I had a great conversation recently with Homar Ramirez Jr., head of the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association. He shared this observation with me: “It’s just a matter of the climate of athletics as a whole, the expectations of our coaches, expectations parents have on their kids, and I’d call those unrealistic. But that’s not unique to us.’’

He’s absolutely right. It goes to the highest levels of sports, like the NBA, where we see the top stars congregating to one team.

Michael Wilbon, who appears on the ESPN show “Pardon The Interruption,” nailed it recently when he talked about this trend of stars flocking together. He blamed it on what he called “massive egos and the AAU mentality.’’

I couldn’t agree more. It’s all about individual stardom and glory. Sports is supposed to be about teamwork, pulling together, all the oars rowing in sync, no matter if the arm doing the rowing is heavily muscled or a little flabby, or if the skin on that arm is black, white, red or yellow.

Maybe it’s time for the parents who have their kids on the superstar track to skip high school sports and just let their children play for AAU teams, where the big concern is working on your dunks and your crossover and looking good for the college coaches, who rarely darken high school gyms anymore.

Let’s leave high school athletics for the kids and coaches who work hard, play together, develop teamork and other skills that will serve them well in life.

• Congratulations to a number of Cumberland County baseball stars who have either signed college offers or will shortly.

Heading the list is Terry Sanford’s Christian Jayne, who will commit to East Carolina in a ceremony today in the media center at Terry Sanford.

Jayne is enjoying an outstanding year as the quarterback for Terry Sanford, but baseball is his first love.

Last season he was 4-0 with a 1.21 earned run average. He had 18 strikeouts in 17.1 innings.

He was also one of the county’s top hitters with a .373 average, leading the county in hits with 31. He had seven doubles, two homers and drove in 17 runs.

A trio of Jack Britt players signed last Friday. Brennen Herbert chose Appalachian State, Nick Lee picked Wake Tech and Brendan Shea chose Peace.

Herbert batted .337 with 29 hits and 25 RBIs.

Lee was 3-4 as a pitcher with a 1.43 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 44 innings.

Shea was 1-3 as a pitcher with a 4.33 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 21 innings.

Homa Ramirez Jr. is starting his third year as executive director of the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association.

He recently paid a visit to Fayetteville and was a spectator at Fayetteville Academy’s semifinal round game in the NCISAA 2-A soccer tournament.

While there are no major issues confronting the NCISAA at the moment, Ramirez said growing the association would be a welcome improvement.

“We have 93 schools in our association,’’ he said. “Parity is a good thing, but when you don’t have a lot of teams, you tend not to have that depth in the playoff experience.’’

In a perfect world, Ramirez would like to see membership increase to 120 schools, which would be a good fit with a plan to expand from three classifications to four. “A four-class system would not only be competitive, but more well-rounded,’’ he said.

There have been some complaints made about the outside influence being exerted in some sports in the NCISAA, notably AAU basketball. Ramirez is aware of the concerns and said the organization’s handbook is regularly revised so the rules and processes of the NCISAA are clearly understood.

“When red flags are raised, we make the phone calls, and we visit the schools,’ he said. “We investigate if that’s the term you want to use. But a lot of the situations that come about are hearsay, and there’s not a lot you can do with that.’’

While he doesn’t think these problems are rampant in the NCISAA, he said the organization has to be realistic. “Are their people pushing the envelope?’’ he said. “We have concerns about that. But it’s not the majority by any stretch.’’

Ramirez is looking to a couple of pilot programs that are designed to increase participation opportunities for member schools.

In football, two schools in the northeast corner of the state, Northeast and Hobgood, will be allowed to combine their athletes to field a football team. “We want to assess it to see if it’s a good experience and if we want to offer it to schools looking to start a program,’’ he said.

Another pilot program in basketball will have every boys’ and girls’ team in the state qualify for the postseason.

“We want to give these young people a chance to see what happens on the field,’’ he said.

Another big change for the association is the relocating of its headquarters from Asheville to the metro Charlotte area at the Charlotte Motor Speedway.

“People can come to the state office and we’ll show them our history that we’re proud of,’’ Ramirez said. “We’re also more centrally located for our member schools.’’

PHOTO: Homar Ramirez Jr., NCISAA executive director

It’s hard to earn the title of “classic,” and even more so to be labelled a cult classic. Can a story and its characters withstand the test of time? Find out on Nov. 11 at the Crown.

“Dirty Dancing” is one of a very few stories that can and has. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the original film’s premiere. It was a commercial success and a pop culture phenomenon that managed to reinvent itself onstage decades later.

“Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story on Stage” will have an exclusive one-night show at the Crown Theatre Nov. 11 at 7:30 p.m.

According to Broadway World, what began in 2001 as an eight-week staged workshop in Manhattan was parlayed into a sensation in its own right. The official stage premiere at the Theatre Royal in Australia in 2004 sold more than 200,000 tickets in a six-month run. Its five-year run at London’s West End is the longest-running production in the theater’s history. The highest advance sales in European history occurred when “Dirty Dancing” premiered in Germany in 2006.

But what’s even more special for Fayetteville is that one of its own has been cast in the North American tour.

Nickolaus Colõn, born and raised in Fayetteville, plays Billy Kosteki (Johnny’s cousin). Colõn started taking acting classes at the age of 7 at the Cape Fear Regional Theatre, where he would continue to perform for 10 years. He went on to graduate from the renowned University of North Carolina School of the Arts with a degree in drama in 2015.

When asked what it was like returning to his old stomping grounds with a huge company at his back, Colõn said, “I almost cried when I saw the touring sheet. You can’t ask for something more than that. It’s not about fame. It’s not about fortune. It’s just about this. I get to come back and make a career out of performing these amazing stories, especially for my hometown.”

This being the fourth year of the North American tour, there’s both old and new blood in the production. Sarna Lapine, fresh off of directing Jake Gyllenhaal in “Sunday in the Park with George,” is its new director. She is joined by the show’s original music supervisor, Conrad Helfrich, and choreographer Michele Lynch. Along with the classic songs from the film, several more than that. It’s not about fame. It’s not about fortune. It’s just about this. I get to come back and make a career out of performing these amazing stories, especially for my hometown.” This being the fourth year of the North American tour, there’s both old and new blood in the production. Sarna Lapine, fresh off of directing Jake Gyllenhaal in “Sunday in the Park with George,” is its new director. She is joined by the show’s original music supervisor, Conrad Helfrich, and choreographer Michele Lynch. Along with the classic songs from the film, several morepieces have been added to the set list.

Eleanor Bergstein, who wrote the screenplay for the film, has also been at the helm of the stage adaptation since the start. In an article for Cleveland’s The Plain Dealer, Bergstein said, “This is the summer that Martin Luther King made his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech, and that was very important to me, because three months later, (Robert) Kennedy is assassinated. This is the last summer that you believed you could reach out your hand and change the world.”

Bergstein had also described her desire to not disappoint fans of the movie with a subpar stage adaptation.

Colõn insists audiences are in for something different. His character Billy, for example, is best known in the film as the guy carrying watermelons with Baby as she sees real dirty dancing for the first time. But in the play, Billy actually has his own love interest with another counselor, Elizabeth, on the grounds. Billy is white, Elizabeth is black, and it’s 1963.

“That was a pretty big deal for a young white guy to be falling in love with a black girl,” said Colõn. “So Eleanor has added this whole other subplot and so much more. People will always love the movie, but they’re going to love the show even more because they’re going to get so much more out of it.”

This incredible persistence to really portray the cultural and social moment of the 1960s has been echoed by many outlets that have seen the musical. Critics have also raved that “Dirty Dancing” is nostalgic fun with electric dance numbers to rival the original film.

Colõn said, “It’s one of those things where the movie has such a specific, fond memory in basically everyone’s heart in America. It’s either a first kiss or a first date. It’s (someone saying)oh, I learned how to dance because of this … The first night, we finally had our first crowd and they were lively and fun. Then Johnny comes up and he’s like ‘Nobody puts Baby in the corner,’ and the whole crowd goes wild, and every night that’s the one thing that you can guarantee will happen.”

Get tickets while they last at  www.crowncomplexnc.com.

• Nov. 4-12 Heroes Homecoming V at the Hope Mills Public Library, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Nov. 4 is the first day of a nine-day ceremonious event to honor veterans. The focus will be on Vietnam veterans. Visit www.heroeshomecoming.com for more information. All Heroes Homecoming events are free and open to the public.

• Nov. 4 - 12 Cumberland County’s display of Missing Man Tables The public is invited to tour these tables, thank the businesses participating and – most importantly – honor our MIA/POW soldiers. Visit  www.heroeshomecoming.com for details.

• Nov. 8 Veteran Movie Extravaganza  Millstone 14 on Camden Road in Hope Mills will honor veterans by presenting an evening of military-themed movies. The event is free for veterans and their families. The event begins at 4 p.m., and space is limited. Call  (910) 354-2124 for more information.

• Nov. 10 Building Dedication Ceremony by VFW Post 10630 honoring retired CW4 Edwin S. Deaver, former Hope Mills mayor and commissioner.

• Nov. 11 Veterans Day event at VFW Post 10630 3-5 p.m. Call (910) 424-4555 for details.

• Dec. 2 Hope Mills Christmas Parade starting at 3 p.m. at Hope Mills Middle School and ending at Rockfish Elementary School. Call (910) 426-4109 for details.

• Dec. 2 Christmas in the Village directly after the Hope Mills Christmas Parade. Free train rides, hot cocoa, cookies, a visit with Santa and an outdoor Christmas movie at the Hope Mills Town Hall, 5770 Rockfish Rd. Call  (919) 426-4109 for more information. 

• Dec. 9 Breakfast with Santa at Hope Mills Parks and Recreation Center from 8:30-11 a.m. $6 per person. Menu includes pancakes, sausage, bacon, eggs and juice. Call  (910) 426-4109 to RSVP no later than Nov. 27.

• Dec. 16 First Annual Dinner and Dance with Santa at Hope Mills Parks and Recreation Center from 5:30-8:30 p.m. $20 per couple, $10 per additional person. Call (910) 426-4109 to RSVP no later than Dec. 4.

As I was waiting to speak with a business owner, I couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable in beholding the scene before me. There was a male with his pants so far down that he had to stand with his legs apart to keep them from falling around his ankles.  His boxers were showing in all their faded glory. I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but my eyes were not beholding any beauty whatsoever.

Towns and cities in various states across this great country of ours have adopted ordinances that will allow local police officers to fine anyone who openly and blatantly exposes underwear that causes offense to others. According to www.nydailynews.com, in April of 2013,  Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, adopted the ordinance with an 8-1 vote. Towns in Georgia and Florida followed suit in hopes of making people aware of the image they are portraying. 

What is that image? What comes to a person’s mind when he or she sees someone that has difficulty walking because of sagging pants? What do employers believe? 

Well, as someone who sees this on a daily basis – along with the rest of the U.S. – I find that sagging pants makes one look unkempt.  Wearing pants in such a way creates the image of someone who does not care about the future or reaching goals and has an “I don’t care” attitude about life in general.  

I could be sadly mistaken. But as a professional and a business owner, I could not allow that in my business. As a mom, I really don’t want it around my children – especially my son, who is now 16. Thank goodness he despises the trend. As a woman, I find it offensive when I walk into a public area and a male is all but exposing himself. 

Has society as a whole conformed our way of thinking when it comes to the sagging pants being appropriate? Or is it really true that common sense is still around and no one cares to see someone else’s underwear in public? I prefer the latter.  I like to believe I am capable of forming my own opinion. 

Where did it begin?

We have all heard the story that this fad began in the prison system as a way for a prisoner to let other inmates know he was “available” or that he was already “taken.” According to www.Snopes.com, that is false. But can we believe Snopes – considering their most recent downfall? Either way, it is a horrible stigma to have attached to a fad. And helping popularize this fashion atrocity are pop culture idols such as Justin Beiber, Lil Wayne, The Game and many others.  Please note the coincidence that these people have either served time in jail or prison.

The Risks

According to a 2011 article from www.hiphopandpolitics.com, wearing pants below the posterior can lead to problems such as severely bad posture, hip degeneration, lower back problems, bunions, life-long knee misalignments and erectile dysfunction.  

What if an emergency happened and the guy had to run? I’m extremely curious as to how he would make it out of a burning building. Hopefully, he’d survive.

On a positive note, if someone wearing sagging pants commits a crime, he is much slower, allowing the police to catch him. According to www. christianpost.com, in 2013, a robber in Brooklyn, New York, punched a woman in the face and stole her cellphone. He was easily caught because his sagging pants caused him to trip when the pants fell to his ankles.

Will the cities and towns of Cumberland County ever adopt an ordinance prohibiting sagging pants like the one in Louisiana? Who knows? Not much is being said, and now it is basically a personal issue for those of us who are against the sagging pants.  We will have to agree to disagree. Maybe it does come down to the cliche of “To each his own.”  I just know that my “own” wears pants that buckle or button above the hips.

When is the last time you thanked a veteran for serving and sacrificing? This is the time of year when we, as Americans, are given an opportunity to show our gratitude to those who have served and are currently serving in our military. America was founded upon the lives of those who fought for the freedoms that we partake of every day. We have been in numerous wars and have lost many soldiers, marines, airmen and sailors. And it’s not just the ones who serve or who have served that sacrifice. The families and loved ones sacrifice also.

Each veteran has a story to tell, whether he or she fought overseas or remained to protect the homeland. Each signed the anticipated “dotted line” and knew there was a chance they would be called away and not make it back home.

The American military has been met with honor and appreciation when returning from all wars since King George’s War (1744-1748). All except the veterans of the Vietnam War. These veterans, like all veterans, did as they were told – going overseas to fight a war at the behest of the president and Congress. When they returned, they were met with disdain, anger and physical abuse such as being spat on and kicked and beaten. Some chose to move overseas and are still there to this day because of the lack of respect from the country they diligently served. For the ones who returned, they have struggled to gain the respect they rightfully deserve.

Richard Maury joined the Army in 1965 and served in Vietnam. He explained how every unit was responsible for helping the local community’s orphanages, hospitals and other civilian facilities. Maury recounted how a young Vietnamese mother was carrying her baby and decided to use herself and her child as suicide bombers. Maury has post-traumatic stress disorder and can easily empathize with fellow military servicemen and women. He gives credit to his wife for standing by him and loving him throughout the healing process. He, along with countless others, suffers from the effects of Agent Orange – the toxic chemical the U.S. government used to kill the foliage in the jungles. This chemical caused a lot of health issues with the troops – including cancer.

Maury has dedicated much of his life to helping other veterans. He is a member of several veterans’ associations, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Association of Vietnam Veterans of America. While living in Colorado, Maury helped to bury over 20 Vietnam veterans a week due to suicide. Many of these veterans were loners. Maury believes there is great opportunity within Hope Mills to grow awareness of veterans’ needs.

James Clark joined the Army in 1968 and was shot at while circling over Saigon while landing for his first tour. He was on a small jet that carried 260 people. He was warned to “get out fast” and go straight to the bunker. He served two tours in Vietnam – 26 months total.

Clark also has health issues caused by Agent Orange. He said, “I’ve had 15 things wrong with me at one time or another, and every one of them is Agent Orange-related.”

Although he has dementia, Clark can vividly remember the details of his time served. When asked if he lost any of his comrades, he broke down in tears. He was proud to serve. His father served, and his son followed in his footsteps. As a collector of American Eagle statues, his home is beautifully decorated with numerous statues with the American symbol wrapped in the U.S. Flag. Clark is also a member of the VFW.

Michael Grilley was a military planner during the Gulf War. He served one tour as a soldier and the rest as a civilian as a government contractor. Grilley retired as a Sgt. 1st Class. He trained soldiers before they headed to war. He made sure that they knew what to do, how to do it and when to do it. He spoke of how enemy fire was not the only thing that kept a soldier from coming home, but how failure to respect equipment took lives. “My fear was that if I (wouldn’t) train you properly and you leave here and not be prepared to go to battle,” Grilley said.

He knew he was the last one to give instruction before the soldiers left, and he took that to heart. “I wore that uniform with pride. Every time I put it on, I was proud,” Grilley said. He, Maury and Clark are on the board for Heroes Homecoming in Hope Mills, which raises awareness of Vietnam veterans, those declared missing in action and prisoners of war and explains the importance of respecting the sacrifices that the military make daily. The initiative also helps organize placement for the “Missing Man” tables on display throughout the community and so much more. Grilley is also a member of the VFW.

Whether you agree with war or not, veterans deserve our respect. They don’t just sacrifice time. They sacrifice health. They sacrifice limbs. Some sacrifice their lives. Many never made it home because they were declared missing in action or were taken as prisoners of war.

When you see Old Glory waving in the breeze or spot an eagle flying high, remember that those symbols represent the men and women who have given so much for us to enjoy our freedoms. On this Veteran’s Day, thank a veteran. He or she would appreciate it.

It was an honor to speak with these gentlemen – these soldiers who provided a way for my family and myself to be able to do what I do every day … live in freedom.

“The bottom has fallen out of the Republican Party.” So wrote Fort Worth’s Star-Telegram columnist Cynthia Allen last week.

“Well,” she continued, “not the bottom exactly. More like the middle.”

She was writing about Texas, where the far-right-wingers are driving moderates out of the party. “So-called Republican ‘moderates’ have been living on borrowed time. They are vestiges of an era when compromise was a hallmark of good policymaking.”

She had harsher words for Texas Democrats, who, she said, “drove out every member of their party who didn’t adopt the agenda of the far left.”

If Allen lived in North Carolina, she might say the same things about both of our major parties. They are forcing out the moderates who are uncomfortable with their parties’ unwillingness to accommodate compromise and less strident approaches. “It’s a sad state of affairs,” Allen wrote. “We need the middle.”

About divisiveness within two parties nationwide, the Pew Research Center last week issued a report that confirmed major challenges for the political middle. “Nearly a year after Donald Trump was elected president,” the report begins, “the Republican coalition is deeply divided on such major issues as immigration, America’s role in the world and the fundamental fairness of the U.S. economic system.”

Democrats have a shade different stage of divisiveness. “The Democratic coalition is largely united in staunch opposition to President Trump. Yet, while Trump’s election has triggered a wave of political activism within the party’s sizable liberal bloc, the liberals’ skyhigh political energy is not nearly as evident among other segments in the Democratic base. And Democrats also are internally divided over U.S. global involvement, as well as some religious and social issues.”

The Pew report helps explain the power of the extremes in each party. Core Conservative Republicans on the right and Solid Liberal Democrats on the left “make up an even larger share of their partisan coalitions when political engagement is factored in.

“While Core Conservatives make up about a third of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents overall (31 percent), they constitute a larger proportion of politically engaged Republicans (43 percent).”

Similarly, the Pew report says, “Solid Liberals constitute by far the largest proportion of politically engaged Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents. Solid Liberals make up a third of all Democrats and Democratic leaners – but close to half (48 percent) of politically engaged Democrats.”

Thanks to their more-active participation, far-right Republicans and far-left Democrats have moved their parties away from the middle and toward the fringes.

Officeholders in the middle of the Republican Party face competition from Steve Bannon’s support network and others on the fringe. One of them, moderate Texas House Speaker Joe Straus, announced his retirement earlier this month, as did U.S. Sens. Bob Corker of Tennessee and Jeff Flake of Arizona.

Republicans on the fringe may be celebrating, but Cynthia Allen mourns, “While the fight may be futile for politicians like Straus, Flake and Corker, the only way they have a chance of improving the odds for their team is by staying in the game. Instead, they are abandoning the field, and everyone loses.”

Democrats have similar challenges. The middle may be bottoming out of their party, too. Long-time moderate Democrats with pro-business, free trade and socially conservative views wonder if they are still welcome.

What are the pathways for those in the unwelcome middle of both major parties, other than following the route out of politics shown by Straus, Flake and Corker?

Allen, who recognizes the need for a strong middle in both parties, wants the disaffected to stick with their parties and fight it out against their parties’ controlling fringes.

Although it has been more than 150 years since Americans organized a major new political party that competed for control of the national government, today’s disappointed middle in both parties may see this possibility as their only alternative to dropping out.

With the national debate about tax reform heating up, you’ll be hearing a lot about the difference between marginal and average tax rates. It’s an important distinction – and the concept doesn’t just apply to taxes. Postsecondary education is another area where the “fallacy of the average” often rears its problematic head.

To put it simply, what is true “on average” does not necessarily provide useful guidance about what will happen, or what one ought to do, in a particular case.

You experience this difference all the time, even if you don’t realize it. In sports, for example, Jones may be a better player than Smith in general. But if the other team plays Brown, Smith matches up better than Jones, so the coach makes a substitution.

In business, the distinction is critical. The average cost of producing a product is usually different than the marginal cost of producing the next unit of that product because of up-front costs, limited capacity or efficiency gains that come from experience.

To apply the concept to tax policy, it’s important to understand that if income taxes, for example, have a significant effect on the individual decisions of employers, employees, investors and consumers, the effect typically occurs on the margin, not on average. If I work harder, add a second job, add a new product line or make a new investment, how much of the new income can I expect to lose to taxes? This future tax loss may be much higher than the tax burden I already shoulder.

I mentioned that a less-familiar application of the principle can be found in post-secondary education and training. Fortunately, two American Enterprise Institute scholars, Mark Schneider and Rooney Columbus, have just produced a fascinating study that illustrates the effect in the education markets of three states: Florida, Texas and Tennessee.

On average, students who pursue and earn bachelor’s degrees certainly do have higher lifetime incomes than those who earn associate degrees, who in turn make more money than those who get post-high school certificates, who in turn make more money than those whose formal education ends with high school.

But these relationships between averages don’t necessarily mean that any specific person would be better off economically by foregoing community college or the working world and enrolling in a university. Circumstances matter. Some young people who don’t go on to universities have concluded quite properly that they aren’t likely to succeed there – either because of academic preparation, distance from home or preexisting responsibilities. You can’t assume that the population of those already university-bound is equivalent in every relevant respect from the population of those who aren’t – or that any differences are purely matters of finances that can be eliminated by larger subsidies.

More importantly, students don’t get an “average” bachelor’s degree. They get degrees in particular subjects from particular schools. It turns out that there is a very wide variation in post-graduation earnings, a variation that is masked by “average” lifetime incomes.

For some careers and individuals, it makes more sense to pursue less-expensive education or training at community colleges. One report estimated that 28 percent of holders of associate degrees have higher incomes than the median income of those with bachelor’s degrees.

In their own study, Schneider and Columbus looked at careers with the highest rates of return on investment. Many of them required community college, not university training, such as allied health and electronics technicians in Florida, fire protection and quality-control experts in Texas and automotive technicians and computer-assisted designers in Tennessee.

Boosting personal incomes and the overall economy aren’t the sole purposes of higher education or even the most important ones. I think the study of arts and sciences has great intrinsic value (although it need not occur in expensive campus settings). For many young people deciding what to do after high school, however, career preparation is a high priority. They shouldn’t let the fallacy of the average obscure what North Carolina’s ubiquitous and impressive community colleges have to offer.

Every year, the Sts. Constantine And Helen Greek Orthodox Church offers the greater Fayetteville area a delicious spaghetti meal. And every year, thousands show up to partake. Nov. 15 marks the church’s 59th Annual World’s Largest Spaghetti Dinner and Greek Pastry Sale. This muchloved tradition lasts just one day, but it’s worth attending.

During the early years, the spaghetti dinners were dine-in affairs, serving about 400 meals each year. The event has grown so much that eating in is no longer an option, but still, thousands turn out to pick up the piping hot pasta in to-go boxes.

While the community is always eager to support this delicious endeavor, it’s a huge effort on the part of the Greek congregation as well. Dozens of church volunteers come together to make a couple of tons of pasta and 900 or so gallons of meat sauce – all topped with 200 or so pounds of grated Parmesan cheese – for their friends, neighbors and community.

Head chef Tony Kotsopoulis started helping with the dinner in 1989. By 1993, he was running the kitchen for the event along with the generous help of many volunteers. There is a lot that goes into making the dinner and pastry sale a success year after year. The planning, the prepping, the cooking and the serving all take time and energy. But as cars line up and the boxes of spaghetti start heading out the Hellenic Center doors, it becomes worth it. Few events receive this kind of support from the community, and that’s not lost on the volunteers who twice a year pull together to embrace Fayetteville. The other occasion is the Greek Festival, which takes place each September.

The delicious pasta is reason enough to support the spaghetti dinner, but the Greek pastry sale that happens alongside this event has a strong following, too. For anyone with a sweet tooth, the pastries are a treat not to be missed.

While the dinner and pastry sale is a boon for the community, it’s about more than filling stomachs with a hearty meal. The proceeds benefit local nonprofits that help people in this community. The beneficiaries change from year to year, but the generosity of the Greek congregation does not.

The spaghetti dinner and pastry sale runs Nov. 15 from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. at the Hellenic Center at 614 Oakridge Ave. Tickets cost $7 and can be purchased at the door. Call (910) 484-8925 for more information.

The Campbellton Youth Chorus, a choral music group, has no affiliation with any school or church. The organization is dedicated to fostering music literacy and giving children a lifelong love for music. As its website states, this group is open to “youth ages 9 to 14, regardless of school affiliation, ethnicity, socioeconomic background or religion.”

The group’s artistic director, Donna Jo Mangus, said, “It’s really a community choir and the only youth community choir in Cumberland County.”

The idea for a diverse, music-centered youth choir came from the Cumberland Oratorio Singers, a local adult symphonic choir of which Mangus is a member. The connection works well for both groups, providing the Campbellton Youth Chorus opportunities to sing three times a year as the opening act for Oratorio Singers concerts. Once a year, the youth are even given the opportunity to sing in a joint performance with their parent choir and learn about large group performances.

Those performances are in addition to the youth chorus’s three yearly concerts and other events. Mangus said the youth choir sings, “secular, sacred and patriot music.” She added that this spring they will also sing pop songs and some show tunes.

The choir is in its third year and second full season and is already scheduled to perform Nov. 10 at Saint Patrick Catholic Church; Dec. 16 at Anderson Street First Baptist Church; and March 1-3 they will be in Greensville as part of the 2018 Piedmont Invitational Children’s Choir Festival.

Also, the chorus will perform in a joint concert with the Cumberland Oratorio Singers at Haymont United Baptist Church April 27, and in July they will participate in the Independence
Day symphony concert at Festival Park.

Those interested in inviting the chorus perform for events, as well as those parents who would like to have their child join the Campbellton Youth Chorus, should send an email to Mangus at DonnajoMangus@gmail.com.

The chorus practices once a week, and yearly dues are $90 for what Mangus says is “almost like a private group singing lesson.” Interested children are not required to have any vocal experience or education. The group is devoted to inclusivity and music, so the only requirement is a love of singing.

More information about the group’s mission and their performance schedule is available at  www.campbelltonyouthchorus.org.

Vision 2026. Cool Spring Downtown District. A new artistic director for Cape Fear Regional Theatre. A new music director for the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra. These recent initiatives and changes reflect a growing, collective thought: Fayetteville is ready to grow, and that growth requires collaboration.  

Successful entrepreneurial collaboration is the message of Charlie Brock, keynote speaker for Methodist University’s third annual Reeves School of Business Symposium and Awards Dinner. The dinner will held Thursday, Nov. 16, at Embassy Suites Fayetteville/ Fort Bragg from 6:30-8:30 p.m. In addition to the keynote speech and dinner, seven awards will be presented to individuals who have demonstrated excellence in Fayetteville’s business community.

Pam Bierman, MU Center for Entrepreneurship instructor and co-organizer of the event, said this night is not only relevant to award recipients and those already entrenched in the business community.

“Entrepreneurism is everywhere, and I believe there’s a budding entrepreneur in each one of us,” she said. “I think a lot of people have had dreams of what they would like to do, but they don’t know how to do it.”

That’s where 20-year veteran entrepreneur Brock comes in. His speech for the night is titled “Transforming Cities through Innovation and Leadership.” Bierman said she first heard Brock speak at a regional pitch competition for students in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

“A couple of things struck me about Charlie that I thought would be perfect for having a keynote here,” she said.

First was the evidence of Brock’s success in his own city – and how the mechanisms of that success could apply to Fayetteville. “Chattanooga has been transformed over the last 20 years,” Bierman said. “Twenty years ago, it was … really a rough city, a lot of problems with drugs and gangs. Some prominent members of the community decided to take back the community and make it a safe, prosperous and enjoyable place with a high quality of living. (Brock) was one of those people.” Through Brock’s work in organizations like Launch Tennessee – of which he is the president and CEO – early-stage investment in Tennessee has increased 100 percent, and Chattanooga now boasts the fastest internet and smartest electric grid in America.

“He’s very involved in developing what I would call entrepreneurial ecosystems throughout Tennessee,” Bierman said. “I kind of parallel Chattanooga to Fayetteville. We’ve really seen a need for better collaboration; we’ve got little pockets of it but not necessarily orchestrated at a higher level. … He’s doing that, and we want to know how to do that. He’s not only working with legislators in trying to have state legislation that’s business-friendly, he’s (also) mentoring, trying to create incubators and accelerators and those kinds of programs that help businesses get started.

“(He’s) an exciting person who is doing and has been doing what we want to do in Fayetteville.”

The seven awards of the night will honor community leaders who, like Brock, have laid and are laying the groundwork for the change their city wants to see, Bierman said. These awards are Alumni Business Person of the Year; Entrepreneur of the Year; Business Person of the Year; Greater Good Award; SmallBusiness Excellence Award; Silver Spoon Award; and Outstanding Woman Entrepreneur of the Year.

“A lot of people attend to see the award winners,” Bierman said. “We make people wait until the end, because it’s kind of the climax of the event.”

Attendees will get to learn about each awardwinner’s work, ideas and passions in short videos that will play as recipients make their way onstage.

Tickets cost $75 each. To register or to learn more, visit www.methodist.edu/rsb-symposium.

PHOTO: Keynote speaker, Charlie Brock

November is Diabetes Awareness Month. Diabetes is the sixth-leading cause of death in Cumberland County. One out of 10 North Carolinians are diagnosed with diabetes, and one out of five may have diabetes and not be aware that they have it. Better Health presents its fifth annual Red Apple Run for Diabetes Saturday, Nov. 18, at the Medical Arts Center at 8:30 a.m.

“This is a fundraiser for Better Health and our charitable programs. We want to help raise funds to support the programs that we offer to the community,” said Amy Navejas, executive director of Better Health. “But at the same time, we really wanted to have something that was applicable to what we believe in and what our mission is – and that is health.” Navejas added this event was the perfect opportunity to combine the two by presenting an opportunity for individuals to get out and get active.

The run features three races: a 5K run, a 10K run and the fun run. “This is our fifth Red Apple Run, and we will have a little something for everybody at all different levels,” said Navejas. “We are going to have the 10K run, which goes through historic Haymount, a 5K run, and we will also do a one-miler called the Haymount Hill Climb.”

Navejas added that the one-milers will get participation ribbons and the others will receive medals for first, second and third place winners in their age categories.

A DJ will be on-site as well as a variety of healthy food.     

The event is called the Red Apple Run for Diabetes because one of Better Health’s biggest programs is its diabetes management program. “In this program we offer clinics in our office three days a week where individuals can come and meet with a nurse and get educated on different topics related to diabetes,” said Navejas. “We bring in guest speakers, and we try to be very thorough. We also have diabetic supplies that we can offer for low-income clients, and we check blood sugar.”      

Diabetes is a complicated condition, and often people need that extra support. “It is hard to manage diabetes on your own, and we want to help individuals to get better at doing that and give them those tools to help work with their doctor,” said Navejas. “Our goal is to raise $23,000. We are excited and look forward to an outpour of community support.” 

Registration for the 5K is $25, the 10K is $35, the fun run is $20, and it is $15 for children ages 10 and under. Prices go up after Nov. 9. Free screenings for diabetes are available at Better Health’s weekly clinics.

For more information, call  (910) 483-7534.

At a recent meeting, Cumberland County Commissioners indicated they were prepared to settle an issue that has confounded Fayetteville City Council for weeks. Commission Chairman Glenn Adams said at a meeting of the joint 911 Task Force that the county had agreed to let the city operate the planned $30 million center. But, the financial formula was changed by county officials when they agreed to let the city run the facility.

Deputy City Manager Kristoff Bauer and Assistant County Manager Tracy Jackson have been the principle negotiators. Bauer said Jackson’s position is constrained by the board of commissioners.

“We do a disservice to the citizens of our community if we don’t move this thing forward,” Adams said. Commissioners want funding percentages for the center’s operation to be based on the pro rata share of population between the city and county. All parties agree it comes down to a 64/36 population split with Fayetteville shouldering the larger share.

“This is as close as it’s ever been,” said City Manager Doug Hewett, referring to the back and forth between agencies.

The details are contained in a 16page interlocal agreement that the jurisdictions have yet to agree on. The agencies aren’t far apart on percentages of operational expenses. But a city council subcommittee continues to propose that the cost of construction be based on calls for emergency services, not the formula the county has proposed. An acceptable formula the council subcommittee agreed to would cost the city $7.8 million with the county’s share being $5.2 million.

“We’re bending over for that,” Committee Chairman Bobby Hurst said. “We could play hardball, but we can iron this out with the county,” he added.

The subcommittee, comprised of Hurst, Councilwoman Kathy Jensen and Mayor Nat Robertson, voted 3-0 in favor of both funding formulas. The local governing bodies hope the State 911 Board of Directors will award local government $15 million toward construction of the communications center, which would be built on cityowned property off Fields Road.

There are still some ambiguities in the proposed agreement, noted Bauer, such as the structure of the communications center’s advisory governing board. However, all parties are in agreement that the city and county managers would have final responsibility for decision-making.

A grant application to the state for partial construction funding must be submitted by the city of Fayetteville no later than Dec. 15. An application submitted two months ago was turned down because the agreement outlining which local government would be the lead entity was not included in the application. In counties where joint centers have been established, such as Wake and Guilford, the cities of Raleigh and Greensboro were designated as the lead agencies with operational responsibility.

Admitted deserter goes free

The commander in chief of the U.S. military wasn’t at all pleased with a Fort Bragg judge’s decision to spare Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl from serving a prison sentence. Bergdahl pleaded guilty to deserting his post in Afghanistan in 2009.

“The decision on Sgt. Bergdahl is a complete and total disgrace to our Country and to our Military,” President Donald Trump tweeted. Bergdahl won’t serve time in prison for endangering his comrades by walking off his Afghanistan post, the military judge ruled. Army Col. Jeffery R. Nance sentenced Bergdahl to forfeit $10,000 in pay, a reduction in rank to private E-1 and a dishonorable discharge, barring him from receiving any medical or other benefits entitled to most veterans.

Bergdahl was captured by the Taliban and endured brutal captivity for five years before President Barack Obama struck a deal to release the captured soldier in exchange for Taliban prisoners. Immediately after he was captured, the U.S. military conducted a massive search operation that resulted in the deaths of six American soldiers. Trump called Bergdahl a “no-good traitor who should have been executed” last year, during his presidential campaign. The president’s remarks could have played into Nance’s decision, although he publicly denied it.

Panhandling unresolved

Some Fayetteville City Council members were disappointed at the last meeting that the administration hadn’t recommended changes to the city’s panhandling ordinance. City attorney Karen MacDonald gave members some options based on what other North Carolina cities are doing. But, she said recommendations won’t be forthcoming until January. MacDonald, who reports directly to city council, wanted more council input and apparently needs time to research the law further.

Council members Bill Crisp and Chalmers McDougald like the idea of arresting people who give beggars money. They suggested fines and jail time for them. Councilman Jim Arp wants the city to launch an educational, public service outreach in the community asking people not to give panhandlers money.

Judicial review of alleged gerrymandering

The federal court has appointed a special master, Stanford Law professor Nathaniel Persily, to review proposed legislative districts from the latest Republican district map, which Democrats charge is just another gerrymander. The action suggests that the federal court believes the Republican Party is still illegally drawing districts based on race.

In its court order, the judges named Persily to sample and review North Carolina House districts in Sampson, Wayne, Wake, Guilford and Mecklenburg counties to address concerns that these districts failed to remedy the identified constitutional violation or are otherwise legally unacceptable. The judges and Persily will review the legality of the districts in question. The courts concluded earlier that districts mapped in 2011 were drawn for the sole purpose of facilitating and ensuring a Republican majority in the General Assembly, disenfranchising thousands of voters in the process.  

Fayetteville police commander arrested

A city police captain has been charged by the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office with failing to report her husband’s recent sex offender violations. William Augurson, 47, is a registered sex offender. He allegedly violated terms of his registration by unlawfully attending at least three events on protected premises, said Sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Sean Swain. The events were primarily intended for children, he said. Augurson’s wife, Captain Tracy Bass-Caine, attended the events with him and, “being a law enforcement officer with the Fayetteville Police Department had an obligation to report this offense,” Swain said. Bail bonds for both were set at $30,000. Police spokesman, Lt. Todd Joyce, said Bass-Caine had been suspended with pay.

Another Green Beret death  – this time, murder

Two Navy SEALs are suspects in the murder of a Fort Bragg Green Beret who was assigned to the western African nation of Mali. It’s the same part of West Africa where four other Fort Bragg special operators were ambushed and killed while on a surreptitious support mission in Niger. The Pentagon identified the fallen soldier as Staff Sgt. Logan J. Melgar, 34, of Fort Bragg’s elite 3rd Special Forces Group. The Army’s Criminal Investigation Command said he was strangled in a June 4 attack and was found dead in his hotel room in Mali’s capital of Bamako.Military medical examiners determined the cause of death was “homicide by asphyxiation,” The New York Times reported, citing unnamed military sources.

There have been five U.S. combat deaths this year in Africa – four in Niger and one in Somalia. Those are the only cases in which U.S. forces have been killed in action during the past 10 years, according to AFRICOM. There have been numerous other noncombat deaths attributed to malarial infection, driving accidents, and now, murder.

The Navy SEAL Team 6 members were quietly taken out of the country and placed in military custody on administrative leave, the Times reported. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service is now leading the investigation, according to U.S. Africa Command. These incidents have provoked questions in Washington. Members of Congress have voiced complaints that they are ill-informed about military activities in the region, some admitting that they were unaware of special forces’ involvement in many parts of the world.

Let us now praise famous rats. Rats come in all shapes, sizes and species – both the rodent and the human variety. There are way too many human rats for this column to ponder more than briefly in passing; Benedict Arnold, Jane Fonda and Tokyo Rose, just to name a few. Today’s focus will be on the wonder and lore of the rodent variety of rats.

A recent article in The New York Times breathlessly described the discovery of a new variety of rat – the mysterious and now famous Vangunu giant rat. Just when you thought you had too many things to worry about – North Korea’s Little Rocket Man, the indictments on Manafort Monday or whether diet Coke is worse for you than regular Coke – along comes the Vangunu giant rat.

Once more elusive than Big Foot or a good nickel cigar, the Vangunu giant rat was rumored to exist on the island of Vangunu, which is part of the Solomon Islands way out in the South Pacific. You may recall that Lt. Commander Quinton McHale of the 1960s TV show “McHale’s Navy” was stationed in the South Pacific along with Ensign Parker and Capt. Binghamton during World War II. It is unclear if McHale ever confronted a Vangunu giant rat. We can only hope there is a video somewhere in the vaults of ABC that can solve that mystery.

But I digress. Back to the Vangunu giant rat. VGR, as his friends call him, is the royalty of the rat family. He is one big rat. VGR can weigh in at about 2 pounds, stretching 18 inches long from his nose to his scaly, bald tail. His dental prowess is legendary, despite never having been known to floss, use fluoride or participate in a regular program of professional dental hygiene. VGR can crack open a coconut using his bare teeth. He will drill a hole in his coconut and scoop out the coconut meat, discarding an almost completely empty coconut shell. If Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones had trained a pet VGR to retrieve coconuts, he would have never fallen out of that coconut tree, landing on his head in Fiji back in 2006. Like cockroaches and Twinkies, one day only Keith Richards and Vangunu giant rats will survive the coming nuclear apocalypse. It’s time we began to seriously think about the kind of world we want to leave behind for Keith Richards once we all have crossed the great divide.

Until very recently, VGRs were just rumored to exist on Vangunu. The only evidence they were real were the drilled, emptied coconuts and unidentifiable rat droppings that appeared on the jungle floor.

Enter professor Tyrone Lavery, the Indiana Jones of rat detectives. Lavery spent years of his life searching for proof of the VGR to no avail. The professor was the Inspector Javert in pursuit of the VGR. He was no quitter. He laughed at the danger of falling coconuts. He used every trick in the rat detective playbook to try to confirm the existence of the VGR; traps, cameras and hanging out under coconut trees at all hours of the day and night. A lesser rat detective would have given up years ago and gone back to studying the effect of gallons of caffeine on lab rats. Not our intrepid professor Lavery. He persevered in his rat detection.

On one tragic day in the jungle, a particularly unlucky VGR, Rodney, was imitating Keith Richards in a coconut tree when the tree itself fell to the ground. Rodney was seriously injured and unable to scamper away to the Rat Rehabilitation Clinic.

Lavery discovered the injured Rodney while on his daily rat patrol. Lavery attempted to nurse Rodney back to health. Unfortunately, the professor was fresh out of the tiny little rat veterinary instruments necessary to save the Rodney’s life. After a few hours of rodent hospice care, Rodney expired. Rodney went to dwell in the land of his ancestors in the Peaceable Kingdom of the Rat Havens, which is filled with soft-shelled coconuts and music by Keith Richards.

Rodney’s body was interred for the traditional 10-day period in a stone tomb, after which the stones were rolled away and his mortal coil was sent to the Queensland Museum in Australia where it remains to this day. If you have enough mileage points, you can fly Qantas and see Rodney.

The mystery of the existence of Vangunu giant rat is solved. We are left only to ponder one final question. If a coconut tree containing a Vangunu giant rat falls in the jungle and Keith Richards is not around to hear it, does it make a sound? As the King of Siam once said, “It is a puzzlement.”

Some mornings I can hardly wait to hear overnight news, and some mornings I dread it. As I write this, our nation is reeling after the terrorist attack in New York City, apparently timed to involve school children on Halloween day by a man who seems proud of his deadly work. Not all news, though, is bad. Some of it is just plain wacky, so much so that the only description I can come up with is, “You really can’t make up this stuff.”

Here are a few examples.

If it’s Tuesday, who is being accused of sexual harassment today?

Allegations against Harvey Weinstein continue to roll in, and he is hardly alone. More recently, Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey of “House of Cards” fame has been accused by a young actor who says he was a teenager at the time he was assaulted. For his part, Spacey took the opportunity to make it public that he is gay, something long-rumored in the industry. Netflix grabbed its opportunity to suspend production of “House of Cards.”

There have also been allegations against three Dartmouth College professors, a top NPR editor and actor Jeremy Piven. And lest North Carolina be left out, the Wilmington Star News reported that a candidate for the Kure Beach town council is the longtime author of a blog regarding all things sexual. A sample post read, “Her punishment went well. She left with marks and bruises that should remind her of proper behavior for quite a while.”

You really can’t make up this stuff.

From the annals of history, The New York Times reports that Michelangelo, one of the world’s greatest and most famous artists of all time, was in an artistic snit by the time he completed painting the exquisite Sistine Chapel at the Vatican, one of the most beautiful and iconic rooms in history. The Chapel was opened in 1512 after four years of painting during which Michelangelo lay on his back high above the floor as he painted the ceiling with God and Adam reaching fingers toward each other. Wrote the painter, sculptor and all-around Renaissance man:

“I’ve already grown a goiter from this torture, hunched up here like a cat in Lombardy  (or anywhere else where the stagnant water’s poison).  My stomach’s squashed under my chin, my beard’s pointing at heaven, my brain’s crushed in a casket, my breast twists like a harpy’s. My brush, above me all the time, dribbles  paint so my face makes a fine floor for the droppings. My haunches are grinding into my guts, my poor ass strains to work as a counterweight, every gesture I make is blind and aimless. My skin hangs loose below me, my spine’s all knotted from  folding over itself. I’m bent taut as a Syrian bow.”

Michelangelo goes on a bit more, but you get the idea.

I wish we were all so creative when we gripe about our jobs, but none of us could make up that one.

From Washington, the biggest and most serious news surrounds the indictments of President Trump’s former campaign manager, along with one of his lieutenants. Unbeknownst to everyone beyond the special prosecutor and his staff, a Trump campaign aide has apparently been spilling some serious beans. George Papadopoulos pleaded guilty to a lesser charge in exchange for telling what he knows about campaign contacts with Russians. In doing so he went, in the words of a president whose relationship with the truth is challenging at best and seemingly nonexistent at worst, from “an energy and oil consultant … an excellent guy” to a “lowlevel volunteer” who “has already proven to be a liar.”

Finally, from The Associated Press comes a little item from Germany about a couple in the city of Kassel who will not under any circumstances be allowed to name their newborn son Lucifer. You read that correctly - Lucifer, a word connoting Satan and general evil. German parents are allowed to name their children, of course, but officials are allowed to step in if the name would expose the child to humiliation or offend others. Step in the officials did, and the parents decided to switch to Lucian, though there is no word on what the boy will be called at home. AP also reports that several countries have banned Lucifer and other names. Not so in the United States, where 13 little boys were named Lucifer in 2016, a record crop.

You really can’t make up this stuff.

 I’ve heard many opinions about how to create jobs and how Fayetteville is barely shuffling along and only creating “fast food” jobs; now if the hard-hearted politicians would only fund this program or that program, we’d solve poverty and create jobs for everyone. Well, if the solutions were that simple, we’d have implemented them by now. Perhaps the real answer isn’t that easy. This article is an attempt to share my conversations and experiences over the last five years as a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives and to point toward possible answers. Just to be clear, my opinions are not based on just one conversation. I’ve spoken with scores of outof-county and out-of-state businesses, and they all echo similar sentiments.

Step one: Let’s agree that the real answer isn’t easy. If you don’t agree, stop reading here. 

Step two: What are companies really looking for? There are hundreds of studies that try to answer this question by evaluating municipalities and regions against one other to come up with some magical ranking. When we’re near the top of the list, we congratulate ourselves, and when we’re near the bottom of the list, we blame one another for the perceived failings. These lists may be fine as a general guide, but they do not hold universal answers for municipalities and regions across the country.

Last year, I had a discussion with the vice president of Apple, who was in charge of selecting new expansion locations. The decision boiled down to one issue – the bottom line. Apple considers where it can make the most money. This is the spirit that continues to make America great: satisfy customer demand, provide new and innovative products and services, keep operating costs low and sell products and services at a profit to grow your business. 

So, what goes into the cost of doing business? Here’s what I’m continually told is near the top of companies’ concerns.

• State business taxes. We’re competitive in this area. Our corporate tax is at 3 percent and going lower. When you compare our tax rates to those of other states, compare apples to apples, no pun intended. This year, when we were trying to land Project Zeus, a $240 million potential investment in our county, the Legislature quickly changed a section of the Mill Machinery tax to make us competitive with other states. The Cumberland County Business Park was one of the final two sites on the East Coast under consideration, thanks to this change and the cooperation of the city of Fayetteville and Cumberland County. 

• Cost of land/buildings/facilities. Rural land is less expensive than land inside the city limits. We’re competitive in both the county and the city.

• Access to a trained workforce. We come in OK in this area for many industries not needing advanced college degrees. For those of you who continue to ask the question why we can’t attract high-tech pharmaceutical companies in Cumberland County, the answer is we just don’t have the job skills those companies are looking for. It would take decades to grow that base. For industries that require workers trained in specific skills – for example, special manufacturing processes or specialized computer skills (think cybersecurity) – our community college system is ready, willing, able and funded to set up whatever worker training is required. 

• Ease of hooking into utilities. Here, we fall short. Again, this is what companies are saying, not my opinion. If you remember back to the city of Fayetteville/PWC debate of just a few years ago, you’ll recall that an early version of the bill allowed the PWC to extend water and sewer into the county without being required to request “voluntary annexation.” One of the reasons that section was inserted into the bill was because 13 different companies over a two-year period did NOT select Cumberland County to build small manufacturing facilities (20 to 100+ employees) in the county because they didn’t want to pay city taxes and conform to city codes. The final bill “solved” the water issue, but not the sewer issue.

• Ease of doing business. Time is money. I’ve heard from companies that have locations statewide, and almost every one complained that dealing with the city and county are some of the worst experiences they have had. Both the city of Fayetteville and Cumberland County have come a long way in addressing this issue, but neither is competitive amongst their highest-performing peers.

Step Three: We need a brand. I ask people outside of our community how they would define Fayetteville and Cumberland County. I usually get blank stares or some mumbled response about Fayettenam. That’s a real problem. We need to define ourselves. But, before we can do that, we should be able to recognize and celebrate the economic development our community has achieved lately. If we’ve done something well, shouldn’t we tell that story?

Case in point: What’s the most significant economic development project with the highest number of well-paying jobs that has occurred in Cumberland County in the last five years? The answer is the new residency program at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, which began earlier this year. In the next three years, this program will generate 300 resident doctors, about 50 teacher, mentor and support positions and an additional 300 associated jobs. That’s at least 650 wellpaying jobs with the upside potential of increasing to over 900 jobs. This equates to a minimum new payroll of $30 million a year. This doesn’t address the increase in quality health care that will benefit the entire region.

So, where does all this fit in with our message to outsiders? We have “Visit Freedom’s Home,” promoted by the Fayetteville Area Convention and Business Bureau. “Building a prosperous and resilient community through business leadership,” from the Greater Fayetteville Chamber. The Fayetteville Cumberland County Economic Development Corporation highlights opportunities in defense, food, manufacturing, business and financial services and logistics on its webpage. How about the “History, Heroes and a Hometown Feeling,” signage at the entryways to the city? I understand that each of these organizations has a unique mission, yet, I have been unable to find any unifying theme among the various groups. While these are all positive messages, they are unrelated and disconnected.

Our community needs a unified message. We need to have a positive, accurate, realistic discussion regarding what we can do together to tell our story better and make our economic marketing message efforts more effective. I’m encouraged that there are some people and organizations in the community who share this view and are already coming together.

Whatever the results of these efforts, the message needs to be more than an empty slogan. Every business, organization and elected official needs to be able to explain the “mission” and “buying proposition” to everyone they meet, particularly the media. If the media hears it often enough, we will see more positive headlines about our community rather than stories and reports about how our crime rate is increasing, who murdered who in what parking lot, what drug deal has gone bad or what political candidate got a speeding ticket 30 years ago.

An overarching brand with a unified message for our community will surely help. But then, we must live up to it. Branding, advertising and marketing alone won’t convince industry and new companies to locate here.

I’ll finish the way I started, by challenging you to think about how we can advance our community both economically and socially. There is no simple answer. Are you willing to join with those who’ve begun an honest assessment of our community and are working toward making Fayetteville and Cumberland County more attractive to business and industry?

Join those of us willing to work.

The holidays are fast approaching, and UNC Pembroke’s Givens Performing Arts Center is ready to entertain well into the new year. Monday, Nov. 20, GPAC takes holiday showmanship to a new level with the 10th anniversary national tour of Broadway musical “Cirque Dreams Holidaze.” The show includes a 30-foot-tall Christmas tree with 30 performers from seven countries as the ornaments. As stars, dreams and ornaments come to life, the stage fills with music, sparkle, song, dance and more.

“The only thing ordinary is the extraordinary,” Director Neil Goldberg said on the show’s website. “The thing that makes ‘Cirque Dreams Holidaze’ so unique and different than traditional holiday shows is you never know what’s going to happen next.”

Jill Winters is the creative content director of music and talent for “Cirque Dreams Holidaze.” Part of her job includes attending circus and performing arts festivals all over the world to find fresh talent. “That is just amazing because these events are really big deals with red carpets and award ceremonies – and incredibly talented artists,” she said. “I get to pluck these amazing performers before other people even know about them.”

Having an international cast means many world views and a diverse talent pool, which is part of what makes the production so special. It also means working through language barriers. There are interpreters, but Winters has also become very good at charades. “We have a great team. They are usually very open to new ideas,” she said. “We have amazingly talented artists, and they work hard, but it takes time to put a show like this together. We start getting ready in May.”

Bringing the magic of the holidays to audiences means pulling out all the stops when it comes to what happens on the stage. Winters credits the team with making the magic happen. From handheld props to larger-than-life scenery to the performers, it all comes together to deliver that feeling that makes this time of year special.

“Everyone who comes to this show leaves with something different,” Winters said. “Anyone from ages 2 to 92 can sit in the audience and enjoy it. I think the kids love the spectacle part … we have slinky candy canes that come across the stage and angels and gingerbread cookies that do flips and soldiers walking on thin wires. We have snow onstage – and, of course, Santa. The show pays tribute to Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and New Year’s Eve, too. I think everyone can have fun at this show and leave happy.”

“Cirque Dream Holidaze” starts at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 20. Tickets range from $21-$41.

Drawing on local talent, the UNCP music department hosts its Ninth Annual Holiday Extravaganza Dec. 1. The Holiday Extravaganza showcases virtually all the university’s ensembles and choirs in performing uplifting renditions of holiday favorites. The performance includes a sing-along of well-known Christmas carols.

“We’re happy to have this unique ‘Cirque’ performance just before Thanksgiving. We hope it helps put our audience in the holiday mood,” said GPAC Director James Bass. “Then, when we come back after Thanksgiving break, we’ll have our annual Holiday Extravaganza, which is not to be missed.”

A “Tuba Christmas” performance at 7:30 p.m. in front of GPAC will precede the Dec. 1 concert; the concert itself starts at 8 p.m. Tickets for the show are $12 for adults and $5 for children. The concert raises money for music scholarships at the university.

The GPAC season continues on Jan. 9 with a Derik Nelson and Family concert. Consisting of siblings Derik, Riana and Dalten, this group grew up performing together. Known for their three-part harmonies, the group has more than 3 million YouTube views. The show features “Derik clones” – electronic clones of Derik – a light show, and a 20-foot video display that takes audiences on a journey that includes landscapes, weather conditions and musical settings.

Derik’s singing has been included on FOX’s “Raising Hope” and “New Girl,” CBS’ “How I Met Your Mother,” and NBC’s “Go On” and “The Voice.”

Riana is no stranger to show business, either. She’s been a casting associate for FOX’s “Empire,” an onscreen vocalist for Renee Zellweger’s pilot “Cinnamon Girl” and the lead vocalist for Princess Cruises.

Dalten appeared on several episodes of television’s “Glee.” He also conceptualized, designed, filmed, edited and executed more than 150 separate videos in perfect sync to create the visual immersion footage that plays on the 20-foot video screen during the show. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $5 for students to $16.

Well-Strung string quartet comes to GPAC Jan. 23. Using vocals and strings, the group blends classical and modern pop music. The group is made up of Edmund Bagnell (1st violin), Chris Marchant (2nd violin), Daniel Shevlin (cello) and Trevor Wadleigh (viola). The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $5-$16.

On March 12, “Amazing Grace: The Musical” takes the stage. Based on the true story behind the song, the performance tells a tale of romance, rebellion and redemption. John Newton must choose between following his father into the slave trade business or listening to his lover’s more compassionate voice. With his slave, Thomas, in tow, Newton sets out on a journey on the high seas where he has a transformative moment of self-reckoning. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $10.

The iconic “Wizard of Oz: The Musical” will show March 19 at 7:30 p.m. This musical promises to blow audiences away with great acting, brilliant music and, of course, flying monkeys. Tickets start at $10.

“On Golden Pond” closes the 2017-18 season. Based on the Academy Award-winning film starring Henry and Jane Fonda and Katharine Hepburn, the show explores an estranged fatherdaughter relationship. It’s heartwarming and touching to watch as an unexpected relationship blossoms. Tickets start at $10. Showtime is 8 p.m.

For information about tickets and the full season lineup, visit www.uncp.edu/gpac or call (910) 521-6361.