As students of the Hope Mills Citizens Academy learned Thursday, Oct. 5, being a firefighter takes commitment. Deputy Fire Chief Steve Lopez told the class there is a high turnover rate in the department due to lack of commitment. 

“We will risk a lot to save a lot, but we won’t risk much to save a little,” Lopez said as he described the ratio of benefits to risk in his line of work.  “Like the military, the lessons learned typically are written in blood.” 

With firefighting comes injuries. Back injuries are very common. Unfortunately, so are heart attacks. Lopez said the reason for the high incidence of heart attacks among firefighters was not so much mental stress as it was physical stress caused from the heavy equipment, clothing and heat.

A firefighter must be willing to spend countless hours away from his or her family. Sometimes time away means a few days. Sometimes it means a week or more, especially during a devastating event such as a hurricane. 

Operations

Lopez  said the Hope Mills Fire Department is one of the two largest employed departments in the Town of Hope Mills. He went on to explain that his staff members work a three-day, 24-hour cycle with three shifts. They come in, work a 24-hour shift, go home for a day and repeat that cycle two more times. After that, they are off for four days.

There are no less than 15 people working on a daily basis.   Ten individuals work per shift. There is the captain, the lieutenant and the firefighters. The engineer drives the trucks. 

A-shift is the training shift. This shift administrates over the training division so all firefighter training is done either outside or inside the department and is recorded by them. The A-shift staff then fills out the required state forms that have to be reported on an annual basis.

B-shift is the supply and logistics shift. The B-shift staff is responsible for maintaining the “household” portion of the department. They make sure supplies such as soap, paper towels and other necessities are in stock and filled. 

C-shift is the maintenance shift. They handle light apparatus maintenance such as changing bulbs and filters and performing other duties that do not require certification.  “This shift has my plumbers, my heating and air guys, my electricians,” Lopez said. 

“Almost all of my people have a part-time job,” Lopez said. “The majority of those folks work at other fire departments. Some are plumbers. Some are HVAC. Some are welders.” Lopez, a veteran and a certified welder, sends his employees to Hercules Steel to become certified. 

The HMFD averages about 12-15 calls per day. Lopez said, “It’s difficult to sleep sometimes here because the radios and tones and all that are going off. The squads are going out the door. The ladder truck is going someplace. An active fire house is not a restful sleep kind of place.”

“However, our guys live here,” Lopez continued.

Every October, the HMFD tests its hose. They do this by pressure testing the hose against the rated pressure required by North Carolina. It’s to ensure enough pressure and water flow will occur when putting out fires. 

On a daily basis, firefighters clean the debris from trucks and run maintenance checks that ensure not only the people of Hope Mills’ safety but theirs as well. 

For the trucks, the HMFD has a great relationship with H and H Freightliner, which helps them maintain proper use. 

The HMFD is not just a fire department. It also has a team for rescue/recovery and for land search. HMFD staff have traveled all over the state and out of state to help other first responders in times of disaster. 

The Most Dangerous Fires

According to Lopez, we are coming into a time when there will be many more fires because of “the age of construction, the age of the wiring, the... lack of discipline.” He gave a few tips to prevent fires. Citizens should maintain fresh batteries in their alarms. They should clean the hoods over their stove and oven units whether at home or their place of work. They should keep their fire extinguisher up to date. Lopez said that if your fire extinguisher is expired, you can turn it in to the fire department and get a new one. As Lopez pointed out, “It’s much cheaper to spend $35 on a new extinguisher from Wal-Mart than it is to replace your house.”

Lopez taught the class that because heat causes metal to expand, a steel structure collapses quicker than one made from wood. Also, most homes and businesses have items that are sprayed with chemicals that, when burned, cause deadly fumes.

Lopez also said that one of the downfalls of modern structures, from a firefighter’s point of view, is when particle board began to be allowed in the walls and ceilings. Pressed board is also dangerous. Firefighters call it “gas wood,” and it is not dependable or durable. 

“It’s not just smoke we have to worry about now,” Lopez said. “It’s toxic gases from manufactured materials.”

History

HMFD was formed in 1945, and its district extended from Hope Mills where the Communications Workers of America building is located on Patterson Street all the way to downtown Fayetteville.

Its original truck came from the Navy during World War II and was part of the surplus. It was made of part of a garbage truck that the Town of Hope Mills acquired and part of a Chevrolet truck that Junior MacLean’s father had. 

At that time, the only two fire departments were in the Town of Hope Mills and the City of Fayetteville.

The HMFD was one of the first to utilize a First Responder EMS, which also allowed it to be one of the first to have a defibrillator.

Exploring the Trucks

After class, students were able to view and learn about the engines and the First Responder EMS. They were allowed to go up in the bucket on the ladder truck. Assistant Chief Wayne Dutterer controlled the ladder, which extends to 101 feet. Dutterer took the students up 94 feet. With his sense of humor, he had fun showing the class how sensitive the controls were. 

Deeper Respect

The students left with a deeper respect for their town’s fire fighters. They learned the dangers and sacrifices these men and women make on a daily basis to make the Town of Hope Mills safer. They saw the compassion from Deputy Fire Chief Lopez as he spoke about situations he and his crew have been through, whether it was fighting a fire, stopping an infant from having a heart attack, or helping other departments during devastating weather. And they learned some important safety tips to protect themselves and their families.

PHOTO:  Deputy Fire Chief Steve Lopez has been with the Hope Mills Fire Dept. since 1994.

The state of North Carolina has rejected environmental plans by Duke Energy and three other power companies to build the proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline. It’s an interstate pipeline to carry natural gas from West Virginia into southern North Carolina.

The letter of disapproval from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality is the first decision on the proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline from any state or federal government agency in its three states. Duke Energy is also expecting a decision this month from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on whether the $5 billion pipeline is necessary.

The 600-mile underground pipeline, which would plow through eight North Carolina counties including Cumberland, does not meet the state’s standards for erosion and sediment control. The project also needs an air-quality permit for a compressor, a machine that pushes the gas through the pipeline. And it needs a water-quality permit allowing developers to drill through streams and wetlands.

Duke Energy has been buying up land along the proposed pipeline route but has been stymied by some property owners in the Wade and Cedar Creek communities of Cumberland County.

“At the very least, (this) represents a significant hurdle the Atlantic Coast Pipeline will have to overcome,” said Doug Jackson, spokesman for the Sierra Club. The pipeline would carry natural gas from a giant depository spanning Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio and New York. The gas would be extracted from shale through hydraulic fracturing, or fracking.

Fort Bragg, North Carolina

The United States has some of the largest and most advanced military bases in the world. Fort Bragg is considered one of the eight most advanced military installations operated by the U.S., according to TheVeteransSite.com. Fort Bragg’s size alone makes it one of the most renowned military bases not only in the country but around the world. It houses 238,646 people over its 163,000 acres, making Fort Bragg the world’s largest military base regarding population as of this year. Other than the massive number of military personnel, students, families, civilian employees and other people who call Fort Bragg home, the army post is known for serving as a place that fostered the development of military tactics during World War II.

The base is home to several elite Army units including the four-star Forces Command, the 82nd Airborne Division and the U.S. Army Special Operations Command. More general officers are stationed at Fort Bragg than any other installation, making it second only to the Pentagon. The post is often referred to as the Pentagon South.

AUSA National Convention

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis pulled no punches last week during the annual convention of the Association of the U.S. Army. He said in no uncertain terms that they should “be ready” with military options should diplomacy fail with North Korea. When asked what the U.S. military could do to make war with North Korea less likely, Mattis said, “You have got to be ready to ensure that we have military options that our president can employ, if needed.”

The former Marine general said the U.S. is currently pursuing a “diplomatically led effort” that has seen the U.N. Security Council twice vote unanimously to sanction North Korea. “The international community has spoken, but that means the U.S. Army must stand ready.” In the event of war, the 82nd Airborne Division would be among the first elements to get the call. The division’s ability to rapidly deploy forces around the world is a critical component of the Global Response Force. Marines on Okinawa would also immediately join the fight. U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley put the threat of war in perspective during a news conference at the Army convention, saying there are “no risk-free options” in dealing with North Korea.

“It would be horrible, there’s no question about it,” Milley said of a war with North Korea.

A New Fayetteville Neighborhood

Fayetteville Area Habitat for Humanity hosted a groundbreaking ceremony to kick off the first phase of the construction of Oakridge Estates in West Fayetteville. The Oakridge Estates project is a collaborative effort between Habitat, the City of Fayetteville and the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development to build 49 single-family homes on 14.2 acres in what was once a rundown mobile home park.

“This community needs affordable housing now more than ever,” said Mayor Nat Robertson. It marks a historic partnership between the organizations in providing affordable housing in underserved and disinvested communities.

Veterans Day Vietnam Moving Wall

To celebrate Fayetteville’s Heroes Homecoming, the Airborne & Special Operations Museum Foundation will again host The Moving Wall on the museum’s parade field Thursday, Nov. 9, through Sunday, Nov. 12. The half-size replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., will allow visitors to experience seeing the more than 58,000 names of those servicemen and women who lost their lives during the Vietnam War.

Rolling Thunder and other volunteers will assist with locating names for visitors. The Moving Wall will be open to the public 24 hours each day. A torchlight ceremony will be held Nov. 9 beginning at 6:30 p.m. Gold Star family members will walk the length of The Moving Wall to the Iron Mike statue where the torch will be passed to each member as they say the name of their loved one. Rolling Thunder will also have a Missing Man table during the ceremony.

The ASOM Foundation is selling 30-inch flags for $5 each to be displayed on the museum’s grounds.

“Having a veterans’ flags in a place of honor directly in front of The Moving Wall (will) help give these veterans the added recognition they deserve,” said Mike Lynch, executive director of the museum’s foundation.

The Invisible Empire

The Klan is still alive in North Carolina. The Loyal White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan headquartered in Pelham recently distributed position papers at a Friday night Gray’s Creek High School football game.

School officials said they had no advance knowledge of the distribution. Gray’s Creek principal Lisa Stewart told reporters that the distribution of the fliers violated school system policy and that the matter was being investigated. A spokesman for the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office said it is not investigating the incident.

“Whites in America need to unite and start coming together,” an unidentified Klan official told a Charlotte television station. The man apparently told the WBTV reporter he didn’t want to be identified by name. “White people have always had the KKK, and we’re not going anywhere,” he concluded. Pelham has long been a haven for the Klan. The unincorporated village is on the Virginia state line just below Danville in Caswell County. It was named for Confederate Army Col. John Pelham.

 Acts 1:8: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

Jesus commands all followers to be worldwide witnesses. Yet, while all are commanded to be worldwide witnesses, some are called as vocational missionaries to minister interculturally. For those called to be a missionary, the journey often appears to be extensive, expensive and seemingly insurmountable. Here are a few things to consider when asking how to become a vocational missionary.

The importance of a local church

Matthew 16:18 “… I will build My church …”

Jesus promised to build His Church. Thus, a person called to vocational missions must see that charge confirmed and fulfilled through a local church. The church in Antioch functioned as a sending church: “Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away” (Acts 13:3). This is also the working of the Holy Spirit through a local church, as Acts 13:4 says: “So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit.”

The importance of training

Once set apart by the Holy Spirit and confirmed by a local church, a missionary must also be equipped.

Many local churches require a vocational missionary to prepare by means of rigorous training in obtaining a bachelor’s degree and often delegate such training to a Bible college. Carolina College of Biblical Studies is called to come alongside the local church to be of help.

Courses that serve the missionary well include:

1. History and Philosophy of Missions  This course is designed to develop insight regarding the strengths and weaknesses of missions throughout history with an analysis of missions movement from apostolic times to the present.

2. Contemporary Issues in Missions  This course is a study of the major issues, trends and problems related to modern missions. It will include an analysis of mission agencies and the local church, moral integrity, short term missions, church planting, teamwork and the role of prayer in missionary outreach.

3. Cross-Cultural Adaptation  This course introduces the challenges of living and working in a culturally foreign environment. It exposes the processes of culture shock, cultural adaptation and re-entry stress.

4. Missionary Life  This course is a practical study of missionary life and ministry. It surveys the procedures involved in becoming a missionary candidate and the various stages all the way through reaching the selected field of service.

5. Missions Practicum  A mission’s practicum covers practical concerns with missions service under the direction of supervisors and the program adviser. Ministries in and through the local church and/or mission agency will provide entry-level experience for the missions trainee.

We’re here to help

Carolina College of Biblical Studies offers training for missionaries by means of a minor in intercultural studies. The minor is designed to provide practical experience for those expecting to participate in some aspect of world evangelization in cross-cultural situations as a missionary.

By the end of the minor, students will be able to:

• Create a personal philosophy of missions to guide leadership capabilities.

• Explain the purpose of missions and demonstrate an understanding of the history of the modern missionary movement.

• Identify elements of the support structure for missions, including the roles of churches, individuals, mission agencies and other para-church organizations.

• Evaluate and create various types of written and oral communication for both intercultural and cross-cultural settings.

My roots run deep here in the eighth district and in North Carolina’s agriculture community. I can trace my family back seven generations, from humble beginnings as tobacco, hog and row crop farmers down east. It’s one reason why I was so thrilled to spend some time last week with farmers and agriculture leaders at the Moore County Farm Bureau’s annual meeting.

Like I told them, Washington could learn a lot from North Carolina’s farmers. They know what it’s like to wake up early, roll up your sleeves and get to work. Work from sun-up to sun-down that lets you fall asleep at night knowing you did your part to provide for your family, honor our God, and make our community a better place. Our farmers work tirelessly to provide for their families and to provide food and fiber – not just for our nation but for the world. For that, we are grateful.

As your congressman, I will continue to work to make sure they have the tools – and freedom – they need to keep their farms thriving and to improve our communities. One way I’m working to do that is through comprehensive, pro-growth tax reform.

Last week, we made good progress. I was proud to support H. Con. Res. 71, a budget resolution that sets spending limits for our government and puts us back on the path to fiscal responsibility. In the budget, we are taking a close look at the programs that matter most and funding them in a responsible manner.

This budget calls for preserving Social Security and Medicare for current and future generations, will reduce deficit spending by $6.5 trillion, and will balance in ten years. It also includes the largest mandatory spending reform in 20 years and paves the way for a smaller, more limited government.  This budget is a critical first step, not only in addressing our nation’s dire fiscal situation but also in creating an avenue for us to pass tax reform. Now, the Senate must pass a budget so we can unlock a powerful tool known as reconciliation that will allow us to pass tax reform with a simple majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

At the Farm Bureau meeting, we discussed the impact that tax reform would have. One key provision included in our framework is my bill to eliminate the Death Tax. I have been a longtime advocate for eliminating the Death Tax, which can take up to 40 percent of a family business’s assets if the owner passes away. As a champion of this cause, I believe we must end the double taxation that threatens the existence of family farms, small businesses and jobs.

At the end of the day, tax reform will have a meaningful impact all across our district – not just for our farmers. Because our tax code isn’t working for anyone. For working families, the system is far too complicated, requiring legal experts to help us navigate it. And taxes are too high and take too much of our hard-earned money. For businesses, rates are so high that the small businesses we love and that make our communities so special can barely afford to operate.

The bottom line is tax reform means higher wages, more jobs and more money in your pocket. I’ll continue to work because I care about you and your family.

As I was driving home from church Sunday, Sept. 24, a report of NFL players kneeling during the national anthem rumbled from my truck radio. The Baltimore Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars were playing in London. The number of players participating in this protest had dramatically increased from previous games. The explanation was that the kneeling players were responding to comments made by President Trump in which he said players who do not stand during the anthem should be fired. My response was one of outrage, disgust, confusion and a multitude of other similar reactions. When I got home, I shared the account with my wife, who is a committed NFL fan. My final statement to her was, “I won’t be watching any NFL games.” That is my position while this protest continues; however, it might be that I never watch another NFL game, even when the protest ends.

As I have researched and thought through this “refusal to stand” protest, my opposition to it has simply grown more concrete. Colin Kaepernick, former San Francisco 49ers quarterback, was the first athlete who refused to stand during the national anthem. This was during the 2016-17 season. His was a protest against police treatment of minorities. The current refusal to stand during the national anthem is said to be in protest of the oppression of black Americans.

My research and thinking through started with the claim of oppression. Cambridge English Dictionary defines oppression as “a situation in which people are governed in an unfair and cruel way and prevented from having opportunities and freedom.” As I look at all that is available to blacks in this country, I cannot come anywhere close to seeing oppression. Americans are, by no means, perfect in how we treat one another, but to label treatment of blacks in America as “oppression” defies reason. There are examples in the lives of millions of us (black Americans) that defy this claim of oppression.

Put the millions of examples aside and simply consider the average annual salaries of some of the black NFL players who are participating in this protest. Here are four players from a list of nine in an article by Brent Scher titled “Here Are the Highest Paid NFL Players Who Protested the national anthem on Sunday.” Denver Broncos’ Von Miller – $19 million; Buffalo Bills’ LeSean McCoy – $8m; New England Patriots’ Devin McCourty – $9.5m; Los Angeles Chargers’ Melvin Ingram – $16m.

These are black men who are paid millions per year to play a game that is substantially supported by whites in America. These players certainly do not appear oppressed. This is a nation that affords black citizens free public education through high school; programs that enhance the likelihood of college admission; protections from discrimination in employment; equal access to various government entitlement programs; access to military service; protections for equal access to housing. The list goes on. Again, I say, America has racial challenges, but defining the condition as oppression is inaccurate, unfair and hinders successfully addressing issues of race in this country.

I cannot understand how anybody thinks that not standing during the national anthem will rally Americans to seriously seek to resolve issues of race. The Free Dictionary includes two statements that explain my inability to understand this mode of protest: “A national anthem is a song formally adopted as the anthem for a nation. An anthem is a song of devotion or loyalty (as to a nation or school).” Given this explanation, Americans who refuse to participate in the prescribed manner during the national anthem open themselves to charges of being disrespectful of and unpatriotic to our nation.

No matter what is intended, given the role of the national anthem, refusing to stand is viewed by many Americans as totally unacceptable. In great part, objection to people not standing is driven by appreciation for the human cost paid and being paid to ensure our freedom. Those few minutes when the anthem is shared calls us to reflection. That is, remembering those who serve and have served in the military of this nation … those who gave their very life in defense of America. Beyond that, there is reflection on all that is good about our country. This is a solemn time that holds tremendous meaning for those who love and appreciate America. Consequently, protesting during the anthem is doomed to failure.

When challenged regarding their protest, participating players and others rush to The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. They argue that players, even at work, have free speech rights under that amendment. The amendment says: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” The focus here is on government not being allowed to compress freedom of speech.

The amendment does not apply to actions by employers. The truth of this statement shows through in NFL rules that affect players’ freedom of expression. The examples abound: even though recently relaxed, there are very detailed rules on end zone celebrations and what players may and may not wear during a game. The Dallas Cowboys were not allowed to, during preseason or regular season games, wear a decal showing support for Dallas police and family members of five officers killed by a sniper July 7, 2016. Add to this list the following from an article by Hank Berrien titled “NFL’s Free Speech: Kneeling For the Anthem Is Fine, But Fighting Breast Cancer And Domestic Violence? Shut Up:”

In 2013, Chicago Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall was fined $5,250 for wearing green shoes in honor of Mental Health Awareness week, which was especially poignant because Marshall himself suffered from Borderline Personality Disorder, as FOX Sports noted.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back DeAngelo Williams was fined $5,787 in 2015 for wearing “Find the Cure” eye black with the message “We will find a cure” printed along with a pink ribbon, according to Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL Network. His mother died of breast cancer in 2010.

The preceding discussion shows the NFL, or individual team owners, are not bound by First Amendment provisions. Consequently, allowing the anthem protest is not required. That leads me to wonder why the league and owners are allowing these protests to continue. I think former Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke partially answers the question as reported in an article by Todd Beamon titled “David Clarke: NFL Protests Part of Left’s ‘Culture War.’” Here are two Clarke quotes from that article:

“‘Really what it’s designed to do... is to shake the foundations of this country, this great country.’”

“To create as much chaos as they can,” he added. “To pit brother against brother, family against family – and ultimately bring down the Constitution of the United States and this great republic.”

David Clarke is correct. Across this nation, groups and interests are being pitted against one another for political gain and dangerous societal change. In the process, the Constitution of this great nation is being shredded, and chaos is engulfing us. This anthem protest clearly advances this strategy of division, chaos and eventual control of the minds of people.

At the bottom line, we have a protest that is based on a false narrative (oppression); disrespects a solemn practice intended to express love for our nation and appreciation for those who preserve our freedom; is wrongly seen as protected by the First Amendment; and is helping advance the destructive strategy of division, chaos and mind control.

The sad truth is, in the end, most Americans lose – especially black Americans. In this anthem protest, we are being further divided and absolutely nothing is being accomplished by way of positively addressing issues of race in this country.

Dear Mr. Thompson,

I am a long-time fan of the Fayetteville Up & Coming Weekly and your articles! This letter is in response to your most recent opinion piece, entitled “Hits and Misses” in Volume 22 Issue 40 of the magazine. 

While I often agree with many viewpoints in your articles, I was cautioned by your response to the recent traffic congestion caused by road construction and traffic accident investigations in our community.  I don’t view this as a contractor or a law enforcement problem. According to the US Department of Transportation’s Work Zone Management Program, there has been an increase of 7.8%  in work zone crashes, with more than 96,000 accidents occurring each year. There are at least 70 work zone-related incidents every day in the U.S. that also include an injury (https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/wz/resources/facts_stats/safety.htm). This is primarily caused by less mindful drivers who are either in too much of a hurry or not cognizant of the hazards that they approach on the roadway. For this reason, contractors and police have expanded their boundary markers, in the need to exercise much greater caution in order to protect themselves, as well as,  sidelined vehicles.

The bigger issue that is avoided in this discussion is the overall increase in the number of road construction projects that are occurring simultaneously across the entire county. Every major thoroughfare, from Ramsey Street, to Owen Drive, to Hope Mills Road has some type of long-term road construction going on at this time. This began in the late half of last fiscal year. What is apparent to me is that the big push for new projects fell in line with end-of-year expenditure of funds and was poorly planned.  I have an 11-mile commute to work from home and it now takes me just shy of an hour of one-way travel each day to make this trip due to commuter congestion and rerouting caused by the work zones that are peppered about our region.

I think we both agree that the road construction zones are a big “miss” for our community. But our leaders and decision makers for these projects need to design more responsible plans in the future to ensure that our citizens can efficiently, and safely, reach their destinations. The contractors and law enforcement are just doing their job. It’s not their fault and they aren’t to blame for this problem.

Thank you, Rebecca – Hope Mills, NC Citizen/ Workday Commuter to North Fayetteville

Dear Editor:

I am writing this letter in response to the Publisher’s Pen, dated Oct. 3. After reading this particular article for the fifth time, it is disturbing how anyone can demoralize the reason why Colin Kaepernick started to take a knee. To state that it is disrespectful to the veterans, military service members, and the United States, it just absurd given the fact that there are several service members of different nationalities that continue to be disrespected by racial slurs, injustice, and inequality. All this article did was just ignore the fact that it continues to happen, and deflect the real issues that are going on in America. The NFL is not an issue in my book. As an African American female veteran, I have experience this social injustice in the military and after I got out.

Since we are on the subject of Donald Trump, NFL, the American Flag, and the National Anthem, there is no one that is discussing why the American Flag was laying on the ground at one of the NFL games (https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DLOi2E7W0AI4Am0.jpg). From the opinion of someone that has served, this is the upmost disrespect that the service members and veterans that have served or continue to serve to protect this great nation. When politics started to play a part in regards to the NFL, they created the upmost distraction, and an abundance of people are falling for it. At the end of the day, this article is just an opinion and it doesn’t represent the reason why I served in the military.

Chanda Walker

Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein is apologizing for decades of sexual misconduct with multiple women, some of them household names, and is even accused of rape by some of the women. News reports have him atoning by checking into a European sex addiction clinic. So widespread were rumors of Weinstein’s behavior that it has been joked about on national television.

So what else is new?

Men in powerful positions have been treating women in such ways since time began and getting away with it for two reasons. The women involved are often too fearful of losing their jobs, whether movie star or housekeeper, to speak up, and others who are aware of the abuse turn blind eyes. Shameful as such conduct is, no one should be surprised by the accusations against such a powerful figure.

Maybe the surprise here is Weinstein’s acknowledgment of “mistakes” and his plea for a “second chance.” Perhaps he meant an umpteenth chance.

Sexual misconduct occurs in all sorts of circumstances.

My mother introduced several of my girlfriends and me to the concept when we were in middle school. She took us aside one day and suggested that we not get close to a then-powerful educator in Fayetteville with whom we had contact in school. Why was that, we asked. She explained that, while the man was a fine educator, he had “HF.” I thought she meant he had the flu or some other contagious illness, but when we asked, she explained that HF meant Hand Fever. He had the odd and unwelcome predilection of massaging girl students and women teachers up and down their backs. We got the point and gave the man wide berth in school hallways until we moved on to high school.

My mother did not know it, but she was participating in what is now known as a “whisper network,” which The New Yorker defined earlier this month as “the unofficial information channel that women use to warn each other about men whose sexual behavior falls on the spectrum from creepy to criminal.”

If you are a woman, you know exactly what I am talking about because you have likely advised other women or been advised yourself with something along the lines of, “Make sure someone else is in the room if you meet with John Smith.”

If you are a man, you have very likely been discussed on the network, either as safe and delightful company or as a jerk to be avoided if possible, and, if you cannot avoid him, take a friend with you.

Technology has turned whisper networks into more concrete entities, for better or for worse;  yet they still serve the same function – to save women from experiences that can range from unpleasant to actual trauma. After the Weinstein story broke, a spreadsheet entitled “S****y Media Men” began circulating on the internet among women in media, with the disclaimer that it was a collection of “allegations and rumors.” It will not be the last of such modern whispering.

Virtually every woman alive has some experience with sexual misconduct, and it is difficult in all circumstances whether she keeps it to herself or speaks about it, setting up a “he said, she said” exchange.

Such misconduct is tricky to prove because it almost always occurs in a private setting, which is why so many women keep quiet about it, either enduring it or simply moving on.

World-famous actresses Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie have said that Weinstein made unwanted advances toward them, but it took them years and the accusations of other women to make this statement publicly.

Allegations of Weinstein’s misconduct continue rolling in. He is the latest in a string of powerful men accused of taking advantage of less powerful women in their workplaces. Think Bill Cosby, Roger Ailes, Bill O’Reilly and Donald Trump, all variations on the same sick theme. Right now, with headlines still screaming, it feels like we may be reaching critical mass on this issue – the point at which society will say “enough.”

Cynics, however, argue that shining the spotlight on the issue may create another workplace issue for women – exclusion from power and responsibility. The risk, they say, is that women will be excluded from the halls of power because men fear finding themselves accused of sexual misconduct. Cynics predict a return to golf course decision-making and power exercised in places women are less likely to be.

The cynics have a point, but I believe that making bad behavior public and the massive humiliation that follows will give pause to other men who think they are entitled to do anything they please.

To think anything else is simply too scary and thoroughly revolting.

Fayetteville State University presents its Homecoming Week 2017 “No. 1 Homecoming on Earth” as students, faculty, staff, alumni and the community celebrate 150 years of excellence Sunday, Oct. 15, through Saturday, Oct. 21.

“Homecoming is really geared toward the alumni and to our current students,” said  Dr. James Anderson, chancellor of Fayetteville State University. “So when you look at the schedule of events, you will see most of (the activities) pertain to them.”

Anderson added that there are a couple of events that celebrate historic kinds of groups such as the alumni queens. They still celebrate the queens that have existed over the years. Some of the former queens come back and are involved in the coronation of the new queen. For the first time this year, the younger queens will be present. 

The heart of homecoming is of course the football game, which takes place Saturday, Oct. 21, at 2 p.m. “The football game is against our rival, Saint Augustine,” Anderson said. “We should expect for it to be a tenacious game.”

Anderson added that Saint Augustine knows it is the FSU homecoming, and both bands are expected to go all-out on the field during halftime. This is the best-attended game during the football season.   

The homecoming parade takes place Saturday at 10 a.m. on Murchison Road, and it is an opportunity for different groups to show they are part of the homecoming festivities and to showcase themselves as part of the Fayetteville community. These include civic groups, student organizations and high school bands. This year there will be four grand marshals of the parade – two alumni and two women in law enforcement.

“Each year, as part of our engagement with the city, we have a homecoming parade,” said Anderson. “Different groups from the city petition us to be part of the parade, and sometimes we have a minimum of 80 to 90 cars and floats and a maximum of 120.” 

Some of the other events include the step show, fashion show, volleyball game, an art exhibition, a concert, FSU’s history with Chesnutt Library, basketball frenzy and the Philadanco Dance Company.

“This is the best way in the school year that the entire Fayetteville community  can come together and really show out,” said Anderson. “There is a little bit of everything for everyone.”  

The chancellor said his favorite part of the homecoming festivities is the parade. He enjoys the ride in a convertible as he sits and waves to the crowd.

“Homecoming shouldn’t just be about the university or just about the football game,” said Anderson. “It should really be about the embracing of the university by the community and the embracing of the community by the university.” 

For a list of all homecoming events, visit  www.uncfsu.edu/ia/marketing/homecoming.

All tickets are available at the FSU ticket office located in the Seabrook Auditorium. Call (910) 672-1724 for more information.

There’s a problem with landmark victories that football teams record during the regular season. You don’t get long to celebrate them.

That was the message Jack Britt coach Brian Randolph shared with his team after the Buccaneers defeated Sandhills Athletic Conference rival Richmond Senior 41-20.

It was only the second time in 14 meetings a Britt team beat Richmond and was the first win for the Buccaneers over the Raiders on Britt’s home field, unofficially named the Boneyard.

“I told them to enjoy the victory throughout the weekend but to come back Monday ready to go,’’ Randolph said.

The reason was simple. Britt still has too many league games left with tough opponents to celebrate anything.

But there are some things to be happy about at Britt. One of the biggest is an improvement in offensive consistency and the ability to finish scoring drives.

Randolph said that’s something the Buccaneers have focused on since a couple of tough early outings with South View and Terry Sanford.

“Kids are accepting the responsibility for their job,’’ Randolph said. “They’re doing their jobs consistently, not just for one play or two plays, but for seven plays or 14 plays.’’

He pointed to Britt’s first scoring drive against Richmond, which covered 14 plays. The Buccaneers also had a 99-yard drive against the Raiders.

“That was almost like a coming out party as far as us being able to finish a drive,’’ he said. “I think our guys have to really take pride in that.’’

But while the win over Richmond was a milestone for the program and a big one for Randolph in his first year as coach, Randolph doesn’t want his team to put too much stock in the victory.

“This is no disrespect to the (Richmond) team and the coaching staff they have now, but none of those players has been to a state championship or won a conference championship,’’ he said. “We’re not intimidated by the things they did in the past. They’re a football team like we are. We came out, performed and competed as a football team and did well.’’

One of the players who was at his best was junior quarterback Brennan Shortridge. Shortridge has bought into Randolph’s offense and responded Friday
by completing eight of 13 passes for 191 yards and three touchdowns.

“It was a momentum shifter, not just for the game but for the season,’’ Shortridge said of the Richmond win.

“The fact we were able to roll in there and not only hold our own but put up some good numbers was a big confidence boost for us.’’

Randolph was pleased with the way Shortridge played within himself, and praised his touch on the ball.

“There were two fourth-down conversions we made because he was able to sit back and use the thing God blessed him with, and that was the ability to throw a football,’’ Randolph said. “Several times he made great clutch throws because he did what he was coached up to do.’’

Shortridge said Britt’s focus on improved execution since the losses to South View and Terry Sanford shows.

“We lacked discipline and couldn’t get in the end zone,’’ Shortridge said. “I lacked confidence like everyone else, then after that first game I realized these are my boys and we can do it just like anybody else can do it.’’

The win over Richmond puts Britt in a position to control its own destiny as far as winning a state 4-A playoff berth is concerned, but Randolph said that’s easier said than done in the Sandhills Conference.

“We can make that all go away by dropping a game,’’ he said. “We need to take care of every single game. Our No. 1 mission is to make the playoffs.’’

PHOTO: Junior quarterback, Brennan Shortridge

Colton Danks, Cape Fear

• Cross country

• Sophomore

Danks has a 4.0 grade point average. His activities outside of cross country include indoor track and field, golf, the Science Olympiad and Beta Club.

Kaylee Barriage, Gray’s Creek

• Volleyball

• Junior

Barriage has a 3.6875 unweighted grade point average. In addition to volleyball, she’s involved with the Student Government Association and is a volunteer at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center.

Todd Edge knew on paper his Cape Fear girls’ golf team had a chance to be good this season, but now that the regular season is over, even he’s shocked at how good it was.

“I thought we had the capacity of shooting around 260 (for a weekly round),’’ Edge said. The Colts eclipsed that number in four of seven regular-season matches, featuring a low round of 249 at Cypress Lakes.

They ended the regular season with a 1,802 stroke total, well ahead of second-place and perennial Cumberland County golf power Terry Sanford.

Toni Blackwell, Mary Catherine Hales and Hallie Ross led the charge for Cape Fear, taking three of the top four individual spots in the final standings. Blackwell was named the league’s Player of the Year, the only golfer to break 80 for the season with a 78.6 stroke average.

Edge, league Coach of the Year in his eighth season as Cape Fear girls’ golf coach, said this year’s team is the result of the work he’s done to practically build a program from scratch.

That’s not the easiest thing to do, he noted. “Not many people want to go on a five- or six-mile walk on Monday carrying a golf bag,’’ he said. “Most of the girls I come in contact (with) have picked up a club or played with their fathers. There have been a few I recruited who have never touched a club.’’

Blackwell, a sophomore, has played in a number of tournaments outside the high school arena, Edge said. “She’s starting to come into her own. She’s striking the ball and making good decisions.’’

Blackwell isn’t surprised at how well she and her teammates played this season. “I thought we would just keep breaking records like we’ve been doing,’’ Blackwell said. “I think our mental game has gotten a lot better.’’

She added that in addition to her mental game, her chipping and putting have improved. “I’m trying to get more one-putts,’’ she said, “more birdies to drop, getting on the greens.’’

Hales is one of those players who had never played before when she came out for golf. Edge said she’s cut 10 strokes off her average. “She’s conscientious about practice and doing it right every time,’’ he said.

Hales said she’s tried to focus on improving distance and accuracy, along with putting. “We’re all working more as a team than as individuals,’’ she said. “We’re trying to help each other more.’’

Ross is the veteran of the group, a senior who has been with the Cape Fear program all four years. Edge said Ross got little playing time as a freshman but has dropped her scoring average about eight strokes and this year became a factor in scoring.

Both Ross and Edge agree that having Baywood Golf Club in the Cape Fear community has been a big help to the program.

“We practice every day, and it’s only five minutes from the school,’’ she said. “I live here, and it’s really helpful. People at the course work with us very well.’’

By the time this story appears in Up & Coming Weekly, Cape Fear will have already played in the 3-A East Regional at Reedy Creek Golf Course in Johnston County.

Edge would love to see his team follow in the footsteps of his 2013 squad and qualify for the state tournament, but he knows that won’t be easy.

“They only take three teams and 24 kids from the regional,’’ he said. “It’s not playing other teams, it’s playing the course to the best of our ability.’’

If Cape Fear does make the state 3-A tournament, it will be held at Foxfire Golf and Resort Oct. 23-24.

PHOTO: (L-R) Hallie Ross, Toni Blackwell, Mary Catherine Hales

If anyone was an automatic to be picked for this year’s Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas, you’d think Michael Edwards of South View was near the top of the list.

“You’d think that on the outside looking in,’’ said Rodney Brewington, South View head coach. But Brewington apparently breathed a sigh of relief when Edwards’ name was one of the first ones called during the annual Shrine Bowl announcement recently.

Brewington was with Edwards at the final invitation-only combine held for this year’s North Carolina Shrine Bowl prospects.

“You saw the linemen down there and we were a little worried,’’ Brewington said. “There were some linemen down there I felt were deserving. We were so fortunate Mike got an opportunity to play.’’

Edwards, who has already committed to Wake Forest, stands 6-foot-7-inches and weighs 255 pounds.

He’s served in a variety of roles for the Tigers this season, playing offensive guard and primarily left tackle, and also seeing action in the defensive line.

“I’m sure he’s going to be in the offensive line (at the Shrine Bowl), but I told them he’s having a great year on the defensive side of the ball for us,’’ Brewington said.

Edwards’ biggest asset is his mobility. “It’s rare to see a kid that size who is that agile,’’ Brewington said.

The Shrine Bowl is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 16, at Wofford College’s Gibbs Stadium in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Kickoff is at 2 p.m.

Brewington said he expects Edwards will have no trouble staying in top shape for the game.

“He’s in weightlifting class, and we get a lot of strength and conditioning every day,’’ Brewington said. “We run every day and lift every day. He’s on a very good regimen.’’

Edwards said he chose Wake Forest mainly for the opportunity to get a good education. He plans to major in engineering and technology.

He called playing in the Shrine Bowl “a big honor” and said he’s got just one major goal in he game.

“Dominate the person in front of me,’’ he said. “That’s about it.’’

PHOTO: Michael Edwards

The Fayetteville Technical Community College Spring Lake campus offers a variety of corporate and continuing education classes to expand opportunities for career advancement, employment and lifelong learning.

Phlebotomy

The Phlebotomy program offers students an opportunity to learn a technical skill while maintaining a normal life schedule. This corporate and continuing education program requires a high school diploma or GED and a current CPR certification. The primary role of the phlebotomist is to obtain blood specimens and transport specimens for diagnostic testing. A student who completes the training and receives certification as a phlebotomist will be a key representative of any laboratory. 

Basic Law Enforcement Training

Students of the Basic Law Enforcement Training curriculum receive essential skills required for employment as a law enforcement officer with state, county or municipal governments, or with private enterprise. FTCC offers a BLET informational/application workshop once a month. FTCC staff will email the date, location and time for the workshop to anyone who inquires with interest. Contact  blet@faytechcc.edu. 

Emergency Medical Services

The EMS program offers various levels of EMT, paramedic, critical care and community paramedic courses. Upon graduation, students are prepared to take the National Registry and/or North Carolina Certification exam, which then allows them to seek job opportunities in the EMS field.

EMS is not limited to working in an ambulance. Doctor’s offices, hospitals, sporting events, factories and schools employ EMS personnel. Students will often utilize training in the field of EMS to propel them further into the medical field with the goal of becoming physician assistants, physical therapists, respiratory therapists and medical doctors.

In January 2016, FTCC’s program received national accreditation through COAEMPS and CAAHEP, the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs. FTCC offers a variety of courses including day, night, weekend and online classes. If you believe that emergency medicine is for you, we invite you to try one of our courses. Emergency Medical Services is a very rewarding profession. 

Pre-registration is required; visit Room 8 of the Neill Currie Building at the Fayetteville campus, call (910) 678-8251, or email EMSCONED@faytechcc.edu.

Registered Medical Assistant

FTCC’s Registered Medical Assistant Program is a two-part course designed to prepare students to become a vital part of the ambulatory care setting as well as polish and perfect interpersonal skills. Students also learn administrative and clinical skills in this exciting, comprehensive medical assisting course. FTCC’s program allows students to grow both professionally and personally and become a respected, marketable registered medical assistant.

The program offers flexible course choices including, day, night and hybrid options on two campuses and an instructor and administrative support system that is second to none. More than 150,000 medical assistant jobs are projected for the year 2020. Preregistration is required for this course. Visit Room 8 of the Neill Currie Building at the Fayetteville campus. For more information, call (910) 486-3923 or email healthprograms@faytechcc.edu.

Visit the Spring Lake campus to learn more about these and other programs available at FTCC.

The ZZ Top concert has been postponed due to an illness in the band. All previously purchased tickets for this concert will be honored for the new date when announced. For those patrons who seek a refund, please contact your point of purchase before Friday, October 20. Refunds will only be permitted before October 20 and only at your point of purchase.

ZZ Top is set to open the Community Concerts 82nd season Saturday, Oct. 20, at the Crown Complex. ZZ Top released its first album in 1971. It was aptly named “ZZ Top’s First Album.” Based in Houston, the band is still composed of its original members: bassist and lead vocalist Dusty Hill, guitarist Billy Gibbons – who is also the band’s leader, main lyricist, lead vocalist and musical arranger – and drummer Frank Beard.

“With six No. 1 singles and 10 platinum-plus selling albums, ZZ Top is one of the few groups to still have all its original members,” said Michael Fleishman, attractions director for community concerts. “ZZ Top will be one of our biggest shows ever, and it promises a night of down-home, Southern rock!”

Inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, ZZ Top has deep roots in blues music, claiming Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf and Jimmy Reed as sources of inspiration.

“Then again, most stack the deck with none other than Keith Richards, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, and of course, Peter Green,” Gibbons said. “Them all is Mount Rushmore-worthy.” In fact, as songs outside their catalog go, when it comes to the band’s favorite song, “I’d have to go with Muddy Waters’ ‘Standing Around Crying’ because you just can’t beat a song that starts ‘OH, BABY...!’ Gibbons added.

For this group, close to five decades of performing together has produced an intuitive bond that results in onstage chemistry that keeps fans mesmerized.

“We have this kind of telepathy between us,” Gibbons said. “We don’t have to necessarily speak, glance or nod to each other, but we seem to instinctively know what the other guys are about to do. Yes, we rehearse, but this is something beyond being well-prepared. It’s beyond preternatural – it’s supernatural and a case of the sum being greater than the parts.”

For the fans, it feels like magic, but for the band, it is “just us having a good time,” Gibbons said. “We get a kick out of getting out there and playing for the audience, and they, in turn, return that excitement, so things just kind of ramp up. It’s a natural, organic process that fuels itself – and us.”

Gibbons promised to keep the set list interesting for the Oct. 20 show, saying the band will be delivering “ZZ songs you know, ZZ songs you think you know but don’t really know, and some you don’t know but will get to know. It’ll be loud. And fun.”

Although they stay busy touring, the band has been spending time in the studio as their tour schedule allows.

“We’ve got a few sides down and anticipate doing some in a sequence of releases,” Gibbons said. “There’s definitely a continuum of that bluesy thing going on.”

With five concerts scheduled for this season, Community Concerts has set the bar high coming out of the gate with ZZ Top. The next four concerts of the season promise to continue the excitement.

Nov. 11, Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story on Stage brings heart-pounding music, passionate romance and sensationally sexy dancing to the Crown. The show includes “Hungry Eyes,” “Hey Baby,” “Do You Love Me?” and the anthemic “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life.” The musical spectacular tells the story of Baby and Johnny as their summer together unfolds.

Jan. 30 brings Riverdance – the 20th Anniversary Show. The much-loved show returns with new costumes, new lighting, new projections and the addition of a brand-new number, “Anna Livia,” featuring the female members of the Irish dance troupe in an a cappella hard-shoe number.

This tour takes the show to more than 60 U.S. cities. On the show’s website, www. riverdance.com, producer Moya Doherty said, “The success of Riverdance across the whole world has gone beyond our wildest dreams. The fact that the show continues to draw and excite audiences is a tribute to every dancer, singer, musician, staff and crew member who have dedicated themselves to the show.

“This 20th Anniversary Tour is a thank you to our audiences and a celebration of what has been an incredible journey across two decades.”

The Commodores with special guest Landau Eugene Murphy take the stage Saturday, April 14. Walter “Clyde” Orange, William King and J.D. Nicholas make up this group of more than three decades. This musical powerhouse is known for hits like “Brick House,” “Night Shift,” “Three Times a Lady” and “Sail On.” The group formed in 1968 at Tuskegee University. From there, they went on the sell more than 60 million records.

Closing out the season, The Illusionists Live from Broadway showcases the talents of five incredible illusionists. The show is billed as being “packed with thrilling and sophisticated magic of unprecedented proportions.” The performance includes stunning acts of grand illusion, levitation, mindreading, disappearance and, for the first time in history, a full view water torture escape. It’s classic magic that reaches back to the likes of Harry Houdini but with a contemporary feel.

Community Concerts is on a mission to bring the finest in top-notch entertainment to Fayetteville and the Fort Bragg/ Cumberland County community. The driving force behind this organization is its passion for the community. Bringing amazing performers to the area could be enough – but Community Concerts does not stop there. In 2008, Community Concerts founded the Fayetteville Music Hall of Fame “to honor those who have brought musical distinction to the community,” inducting new members each year.

Local high school students benefit from college music scholarships from Community Concerts – a tradition for the organization since 2004. The program has generously awarded more than 28 scholarships.

While bringing great music to Fayetteville is an important part of its mission, Community Concerts supports local musicians as well through its local artist showcase program. In recent years, Voices of the Heart appeared as an opener for Gladys Knight while children from the Linda Kinlaw School of Dance performed with Martina McBride. Local, emerging country music star Trae Edwards performed the Ricky Skaggs show as well.

Community Concerts provides free concert opportunities to groups ranging from children to deserving seniors. In recent seasons, recipients have included people at the Vision Resource Center, Urban Ministry, The Sunshine Center, members of local fire and police departments, high school theater art classes, members of our military, and many more.

To purchase tickets, or to find out more about Community Concerts, visit  www.community-concerts.com.

Oct. 20-22 the Arts Council of Scotland County presents a roster of award-winning storytellers and soulful musicians. The 12th annual Storytelling Festival of Carolina has a variety of local tales, timeless stories and fantastic music. “It is a small festival, but it draws people who perform all over the world,” said Erin Rembert, storytelling and arts center representative.

The storytellers for this year’s festival are Bil Lepp, Michael Reno Harrel and Priscilla Best.

Lepp is a five-time winner of the West Virginia Liars Contest, an award-winning author, and has received many other national and international accolades.

Harrell has performed at the National Storytelling Festival and was the Teller-inResidence at the International Storytelling Center in Jonesborough, Tennessee. He is also a talented musician and often incorporates music into his storytelling.

Best tells contemporary stories, folktales and chants from her African-American heritage and other cultures. Rembert described her as a “local girl with stories that make you feel good.”

Rembert said the storytellers are talented professionals who “engage the audience, feel the story and know where they are going, all (while) remaining flexible.” She added, “They are performers, and they tell it like they lived it.”

Due to the success of last year’s festival, the council will once again welcome musicians. Momma Molasses blends alt-country, blues and other musical styles into the sweet, slow-moving style of music that earned her name. Further performances will come from Clay Brown and The Legends Band as well as 2015 Native American Music Awards nominee Lakota John.

For the first time, the festival will take place in downtown Laurinburg. This means there will be a greater variety of food and entertainment options for attendees. Proceeds from ticket sales will be channeled back into the Arts Council and help fund next year’s festivals as well as other projects. The council’s goal is to bring in more opportunities and programs that Laurinburg wouldn’t have otherwise.

The festival begins Friday, Oct. 20, with a student’s day from 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and a sample of events to come at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday morning the venue opens to the public at 9:30 a.m. and runs until 5 p.m. with a variety of performances, workshops and autograph sessions. Saturday evening at 7:30 p.m. there will be gala where attendees can meet the storytellers and enjoy a sweet and savory dessert buffet. The final day of the festival is Sunday, Oct. 22, and features performances from 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

Call (910) 277-3599 or visit www.storyartscenter.org for tickets and more information.

PHOTO: Bil Lepp

A new festival is coming to Fayetteville – and it’s giving off serious “Outlander” vibes. “Outlander” as in the television series on Starz that features kilt-wearing, time-traveling adventurers. The Carolina Caledonian Festival takes place at Campbellton Landing Oct. 28-29. Kilt-wearing and time-traveling is optional but not entirely unexpected.

“Caledonian” refers to any person of Scottish descent. It originates from the old Roman name for Scotland. So naturally, the festival’s purpose is to celebrate Scotland, its traditions (particularly of Highlanders) and descendants.

The festival was borne out of event organizer Allen McDavid’s connection to his own lineage. His ancestors are originally of the Argyll Colony, which has more than a million descendants in the Fayetteville and surrounding area today, according to McDavid.

McDavid detailed how the Caledonian Festival will have a “Renaissance fair-like” feel but with a more historically accurate representation of Scottish culture. There will be a traditional market with merchants selling foods and wares. Re-enactors will be dressed and speaking like famous 18th century Scots. Demonstrations of Highland swordfighting and Scottish dancing will also take place.

“(The festival) will be like living history,” McDavid said.

Several musical performances will also be held at the festival, including the Celtic band Tuatha Dea, the Irish band Lift, the Cross Creek Pipes and Drums (home-grown in Fayetteville), and the Tan & Sober Gentleman and Carolina Ceili groups.

With the Caledonian Festival revving up on the weekend before Halloween, a few spooky treats are in store. Young ones will be able to trick or treat throughout the market or see the pumpkin-carving stations – a practice that originated in Scotland.

But the festival doesn’t intend to leave out Samhain. This refers to an ancient Gaelic festival celebrated in Scotland that represented the seasonal end of the harvest on Oct. 31. It was also seen by pagan ancestors as a time when fairies could easily cross over to our world. Think Mexico’s Dia de los Muertos. On Saturday night of the Caledonian Festival, there will be a bonfire and a telling of Samhain lore to attendees.

The imprints left behind by the Scottish Highlanders who settled in this region more than 200 years ago can be felt in almost every corner of Fayetteville. Seventy-First High School, for example, is named after the 71st Highland Regiment that fought in the French and Indian War. The Loch Lomond neighborhood bears the name of the largest lake in Scotland and the British Isles.

So, a festival dedicated to celebrating Highland culture is not only necessary to the area but also great fun for the season.

“I hope that attendees learn what seems to have been forgotten in these parts – that Fayetteville’s name may be French, but its DNA is Scottish,” said McDavid.

The Caledonian Festival has also partnered with the Second Harvest Food Bank of Southeast North Carolina. Two dollars will be taken off admission for those who bring a non-perishable item or can of food to the main gate. Adult tickets are $10 per day, and admission is free for children under 12. The festival runs Saturday, Oct. 28, 8 a.m.-11 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 29, noon - 6 p.m.  Learn more at www.caledonianfest.com.

Construction of a pair of multimilliondollar railroad overpasses in downtown Fayetteville has been ongoing since November 2016. The project includes construction of a larger than usual 1,200-foot culvert to carry water beneath the roadway.

Cross Creek flows adjacent to Bragg Boulevard and has historically resulted in major flooding during hurricanes and heavy storms. The new structure will replace the aging Rowan Street bridge that was built 60 years ago. It will have six lanes of traffic, three in each direction, and a center concrete median. There will be sidewalks and retaining walls on each side.

The project is running about 15 percent ahead of schedule, said North Carolina DOT spokesman Andrew Barksdale. “We have not adjusted the original completion date of May 2020 because there is still a lot of intricate work to be done, and we may encounter weather delays in the future.”

The Rowan Street bridge carries N.C. 24-210 over CSX railroad tracks, and separately the Norfolk Southern Railroad along with Hillsboro Street. The project is about a half mile in length. The new bridges will be opened to traffic in late 2019 with other minor work to occur afterward. The project will culminate in May of 2020, Barksdale added. Motorists are already seeing improvements to streets that will radiate from the Bragg Boulevard side of the bridges.

Rowan Street, Murchison Road and Bragg Boulevard will be realigned to meet at a single intersection. Except for the temporary rerouting of Hillsboro Street, there has been little disruption of traffic in the area.

Payments to the contractor are running 1 percent over what had been projected to have been paid at this point, according to Barksdale. The minor increase is because of some additional items of work that were identified after the contract was approved last year. “Spending may even out or be below the project bid of $24.3 million,” Barksdale added.

The massive construction project is expected to be completed about the time season one of Fayetteville’s Houston Astros minor league baseball team concludes. The adjoining stadium is to be completed well before the spring of 2019.  What about the old bridge? It will be torn down.

Political analysts will tell you it’s difficult to forecast local general election outcomes following primaries in off-year elections. One reason is the historically low voter turnout. This month’s turnout for the Fayetteville City Council election was dismal, but not unprecedented.

Standalone local elections rarely if ever generate voter interest the way statewide and presidential year elections do. Fewer than 13,000 people, or 10 percent of registered voters, cast ballots Oct. 10, of the nearly 130,000 registered voters in the city. It would not be unusual for twice that number of residents to vote in the general election Nov. 7. Pundits say the city council outcome will be decided by how well the finalists get their supporters to the polls. That’s another one of those indeterminate factors.

City council, day to day, has a more direct impact on local daily life than the state legislature or Congress, making decisions on important issues such as crime control, public transportation, affordable housing, parks and community centers and future growth of the city. There are 10 members on city council. The mayor is elected citywide. Nine council members are elected from individual districts. Not all the district councilmen were involved in primaries, which are held if one more than twice the number of candidates are seeking the available seats.

Districts 4, 8 and 9 have only one candidate each running against the incumbents. 

District 3 council member Mitch Colvin won the day Oct. 10 in the citywide mayor’s race. Colvin has been serving as the council-elected mayor pro-tem since early 2016. He got 45 percent of the vote.

Incumbent Mayor Nat Robertson was second with 31.6 percent. “We will be fine, but we’ll have to fight for it,” Robertson said as the primary outcome became clear. That sentiment was echoed by District 1 council member Kathy Jensen who failed to finish No. 1 in her primary. Of 1,024 ballots cast in the district, 20 votes made the difference for Curtis Brown Sr., who placed first. “Mr. Brown ran a good campaign … time for me to get to work,” Jensen said.

The District 2 race was even closer. The two finalists in a field of 10 were separated by only three votes. The winners were Dan Culliton who got 430 votes and Tyrone Williams who got 427. Both District 2 and 3 elections were hotly contested because the incumbents, Colvin and Kirk deViere, gave up their seats to run for mayor.

In District 3, newcomers Tisha Waddell and Jeremy Wright won the right to face off Nov. 7. In District 5, incumbent Bobby Hurst chose not to seek re-election. That means at least three new council members will be elected next month. Six candidates filed to succeed Hurst. Johnny Dawkins and Henry Tyson were successful and will vie for the seat next month.

Longtime councilman Bill Crisp and newcomer Toni Stewart will face each other in the general election. Crisp took an impressive 53 percent of his district’s votes, making him the top per capita voter getter of the day.

Trevone McNeill will meet incumbent Larry Wright in the District 7 general election.

Well, with one municipal election candidate forum over, it remains difficult to assess the public’s overall interest or participation in Fayetteville’s upcoming municipal election. This is not surprising. Candidate forums are valuable – especially if you have a good turnout of residents. However, once you separate out the participating candidates, their family, friends, campaign staff members and the personnel of the sponsoring hosts, it makes you wonder who in the audience is really a registered, taxpaying resident there to be informed and enlightened.

Reaching and communicating with the local masses has always been difficult. This year’s candidate forum hosts, the Greater Fayetteville Chamber and The Fayetteville Observer, are advertising and promoting that they will broadcast the event live on Facebook.

Really? Well, obviously the Observer doesn’t want to miss this excellent opportunity to solicit “likes” on its Facebook page. But effective communication? I think not. Social media is good for sharing information; however, it is not an effective medium for building an audience of loyal, informed and caring constituents. Not only does it lack reach, but it also lacks sincerity and credibility.

If Facebook and social media were, in fact, effective and credible media sources, the Oct. 10 primary election would not have had such a dismal and disappointing turnout. Again, in all fairness, social media can be a good means of communication once a relationship has been established. That is, of course, if fact-checking is not your thing. People who rely on the internet and social media for their news and information are by far the most uninformed and misinformed people.

What the Fayetteville/Cumberland County community needs more than anything else is a local TV station that practices journalism’s basic Fourth Estate standards. A daily newspaper with management and staff entrenched in local matters and committed to these standards would also be a valued asset. For the most part, we live in a community that is uninformed about what is going on around us. Why? Because we lack access to responsible local news and information on a consistent basis. This breeds skepticism and apathy toward our Fayetteville and Cumberland County leadership. This situation curtails citizen participation and community involvement.

Even in the most ideal of circumstances, it takes a focused and dedicated effort to be an informed voter. In Fayetteville, it takes a lot more effort due to limited access to local news and information. It is a sad situation that leaves the resident on his or her own to figure out what the issues are and what the truth is. This task is very difficult, and many people just stop trying. The result? Apathy. Many new families moving into our community don’t even start! The perception becomes reality. We just make it too hard to get to the truth. This year’s candidate forums are a good example. No offense intended, but it looks like we are going backward when it comes to exploring relevant issues and gaining insights into the qualifications and motives of local candidates.

Last year, the Greater Fayetteville Chamber was on the right track. It took control and created a candidate’s forum that was a multimedia event promoted and marketed throughout the community and involved journalists from WRAL TV, Up & Coming Weekly and The Fayetteville Observer.

This forum was a widespread community and media event supported and hosted by several local businesses and organizations. It was also promoted and televised on FayTV. The results were impressive and complimentary to all involved. This year, it seems we have lost that momentum at a time when Fayetteville is on the cusp of economic growth and becoming a more respected major metropolitan city. Can it happen? Will it happen? We’ll see in the next few weeks.

I have tracked Fayetteville’s progress, accomplishments and development for over 21 years. I have built a successful publishing business by accentuating the good and unique features of our local quality of life. No one is in a better position to recognize and applaud the good works of the people, businesses, organizations and opportunities that have come before us during the last two decades.

However, collectively, these good works and accomplishments pale in light of the hundreds – maybe thousands – of missed opportunities our county and city have endured because divisive sectors in our community refuse to give up their silos and cooperate and communicate for the betterment of all.

Only honest, trustworthy leadership along with a huge dose of integrity will enable our community to seize the right opportunites and continue our forward momentum. And it will all be on the ballot come Election Day in November.

So, do your part. Read the newspaper. Listen to the radio. Attend the forums. Ask hard questions. Seek out the truth. Be informed, and vote.

Once the last ballot is counted, I cannot promise you will get what you want, but this community will certainly get what it deserves. It always does.

Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly. Go to www.upandcomingweekly.com and subscribe to our Free Early Bird online edition and like our Facebook page. You’ll be one step closer to being better informed.

I don’t know about you, but I am getting along with my fellow Americans. No matter the angle — race, culture, religious belief or anything else — that the mainstream media tries to use to divide us, I am getting along with my fellow Americans.

The reason is quite simple. It’s respect. It’s treating others the way you want to be treated. The majority of people want to go through their day with little fuss and little drama. Most people smile back when you smile at them.

There are racists, misogynists and cruel people in every culture. It doesn’t matter the skin color, the gender or religious or political background.

I was once the only Caucasian in my line of work and was constantly harassed and abused. For example, I was chased off the road and almost driven off the overpass by my coworker. When I reported her, HR asked her for her reasoning and she pointed at my skin. Yet she was not fired — only reprimanded. I moved into a neighborhood in Fayetteville in 2001, and someone wrote a vulgar message on my mailbox in reference to my race. They threatened my life and the lives of my family members.

But I chose to not let those experiences create a belief that everyone from the same race is bad because of what a few of them chose to do. How we respond to such behavior can either provoke more hatred or stop it.

What we see online and on TV and what we hear on the radio could lead us to believe there is no unity in America, that we hold each other in contempt and that we choose to fight hate with hate. That has not been my experience — in fact, quite the opposite.

Walk into Sammio’s or Food Lion, and people of all backgrounds will greet you. Drive down Main Street and watch as cars allow others out of the parking lot to Rose’s or Lowe’s. Each car has someone in it who is different than you.

It happens every day. Strangers — people of different genders, races, religions, lifestyles — treat each other with kindness and respect. It’s wonderful when you think about it. All these people have a story to tell. Some may be sad. Some may be tragic. Some may be exhilarating. Yet each one is a small part of something that leads to a greater community.

For the most part, Americans want peaceful lives. They want to be able to go to work and provide for themselves and their families. They want to be able worship how they choose. They want to be able to express their opinions, rightfully so, without being harassed or threatened.

Don’t let the news on TV or radio lead you into believing that everyone is against you because of who you are.

Please note, I am in no way, shape or form, diminishing the evil actions of people like the Vegas shooter or the Orlando shooter. I am not in denial. I’m not looking through rose-colored glasses. I see the evils of this world. I do believe in being aware of the world around you.

But I also believe in living each day to the fullest and not letting the hatred that the media is trying to spread overshadow what is truly going on in my community. And when you stop and look at how the majority of the people within this community treat each other, the reality sets in. So please don’t feed into the hype.

 • Oct. 2 - Nov. 18 Registration for Youth Basketball at Hope Mills Parks and Recreation Center, 5766 Rockfish Rd. The center is open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Saturdays  9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. There is instructional basketball for ages 5-6 and regular basketball for ages 7-17. The cost is $30 per child. Address and birth certificate must be presented when registering. Call (910) 426-4105 for details.

•  Oct. 13 Kiwanis BBQ Fundraiser in the grassy area between the Hope Mills Main Street WalMart and Food Lion across from the gas station, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Monies raised will go toward ALMS House, Shop-with-a-Cop, Bicycle Presentation for Terrific Kids, Boys and Girls Club of Cumberland County, Boys and Girls Homes of Lake Waccamaw and many other community services. Call (910) 426-7256 for details.

• Oct. 14. Community Clean Up from 9 a.m. to noon at Hope Mills Parks and Recreation Center, 5766 Rockfish Rd. Gloves, safety vests, trash bags, water and lunch will be provided to volunteers. Call (910) 426-4109 for details.

•  Oct. 19 Hope Meals Food Truck Rodeo at 5770 Rockfish Rd. from 5:30-8:30 p.m.

• Oct. 19-21 Ole Mill Days Festival  Celebrate the Mills Way! Details: (910) 429-4109.

• Oct. 31 Trunk ’R Treat at Hope Mills Municipal fields 1 and 2, 6-8 p.m. Ages 1-12. Call (910) 4264109 for details.

• 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. On this day, the focus will be on Vietnam Veterans. Visit www.heroeshomecoming.com for more information. The event is free and open to the public.

• Nov. 5 Vietnam Veterans Memorial Ceremony and Flag Display hosted by The Hope Mills Veterans Advisory Commission at the Hope Mills Veterans Memorial from 3-4:30 p.m. Special guest speaker will be retired Lt. Col. Walt Brinker. Free and open to the public.

• Nov. 6 Bench Dedication at Hope Mills Lake by the Hope Mills VFW Post 10630. The dedication starts at 5 p.m. and is free and open to the public.  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 or visit www.heroeshomecoming.com for details.

The Hope Mills Citizens Academy aids the residents of Hope Mills in learning about the inner workings of town government while also making the town government more accessible.  On Thursday, Sept. 28, the 2017 class learned some of what it takes to monetarily run the Town of Hope Mills. 

Finance Director Drew Holland and Senior Accountant Ricky Ramey explained the vital part of maintaining the budget and of knowing how to prioritize spending.

Holland noted that the Finance Department is doing well and that everything is thoroughly examined before it goes to Town Council for adoption. The annual budget dates are from July 1 through June 30 of the following year. 

Holland described how each date on the budget calendar is vital to a successful year and what roles other departments play. It is important to note, he added, that the public has a say in how the budget is used on behalf of the town. There is a required public hearing every year in the spring. Only after the proposed budget is approved, adopted and signed by the council does it then become accessible to the public. 

The Citizens Academy class on Sept. 28 participated in a mock budget exercise in which the budget was overdrawn and five situations needed to be balanced. Class members also actively asked questions concerning the maneuvers of the Finance Department and how long the documents had to be kept. Holland gave examples of projects, like the refilling of Hope Mills Lake, to explain the regulations. After each project is finished, he said, the documents must be kept three years from that date. They are kept electronically. There are many regulations and guidelines that must be followed closely. 

The Finance Department remains in good standing. For further information about the budget for the Town of Hope Mills, visit  www.townofhopemills.com.

PHOTO: Hope Mills Finance Director Drew Holland