Time and time again in these columns, I lament that America is off-course. That is, we seem to be in decline as a nation. It is reflected in our strained relationships with so many other nations, but also in our inability, at the federal level, to do the routine business of governing. At that level, consider all the issues: lacking strong national security; unsuccessfully confronting threats, such as those from Russia, North Korea and Iran; faltering in building an economy that provides adequate jobs for most citizens; politically-based anger, racial and socioeconomic tensions that are downright scary; debilitating crime rates; fiscal mismanagement.

Even as the Trump administration appears poised to make progress on each of these and other similarly troubling issues, the focus of far too many people and organizations is totally on making his a presidency that fails.

Why are we in this condition as a nation? I think the answer is that there are many contributing factors. One is that we have a multitude of politicians who know far less than they think they know about doing what is right for this country. This is especially true of Congress. On the other hand, maybe the situation with some is that they are more concerned with gaining power and wealth than they are with doing what is good and right for the country.

Watching the House and Senate go about their business reminds me of three golfers I saw a few days ago. My 87-year-old golfing buddy and I were walking and playing our usual nine holes of golf. Out of nowhere, these three golfers drove past us. We told them we would wait and let them play the hole we were on. They said they preferred to skip that hole and go to the next. I understood that to mean that these were men who knew the game and would be out-of-sight quickly. No, they held us up hole after hole. The point is that they thought they had a good game, but their actions showed that was not the case. So it is with most members of Congress. They think they know how to do what is needed for the good of America; however, their actions say they are like those golfers.

Even further, we have come to a point where many politicians, and far too many Americans, think that our form of government is a democracy. This misconception leads people to believe that elected officials are supposed to automatically do what the majority of Americans want done in governing. We are a representative republic, not a democracy. Consider the following from www.diffen.com/difference/DemocracyvsRepublic:

Democracy. Rule by the omnipotent majority. In a democracy, an individual, and any group of individuals composing any minority, have no protection against the unlimited power of the majority. It is a case of Majority-over-Man. …the majority can impose its will on the minority. All eligible citizens get equal say in decisions.

Republic. A republic is similar to a representative democracy except it has a written constitution of basic rights that protect the minority from being completely unrepresented or overridden by the majority. …the majority cannot take away certain inalienable rights. All eligible citizens get equal say in decisions with the protection of unalienable rights to individuals.

Given this misunderstanding regarding the American form of government, many citizens, including politicians, act as though we are a democracy. This misunderstanding has resulted in a political atmosphere where decisions are driven by poll results, who has the loudest megaphone and who can bring enough factions together for an election win.

In this atmosphere, the Constitution is shredded, and unalienable rights are trampled. We then operate as a democracy. That’s where we are. Those who would unfairly take from the wealthy, neglect working people and appeal to those they have channeled into victimhood portray America as a democracy. Doing so allows them to abuse a minority (not racial). That abuse produced President Donald Trump, because the abused minority rose up. With his ascension came a dangerous divide, driven by his opponents in both political parties, that is contributing to our nation being off-course.

Then there is the media contribution to being off-course. In my estimation, what most media has become in this country is simply disgusting. I try hard not to use such strong words in my writing or speaking. In this case, I see “disgusting” as appropriate. I am comfortable adding repugnant, revolting and sickening. I find it unbelievable that most media organizations and individual so-called journalists are fixated on ensuring the failure of Donald Trump as president.

Consider just some of what his administration has accomplished: the lowest unemployment rate in 16 years; a record-breaking stock market; very impressive consumer confidence; a 70 percent decrease in illegal border-crossings as measured by apprehensions; roll-back of numerous regulations that adversely affected business growth; getting a United Nations vote for sanctions against North Korea; real progress toward defeating ISIS; the missile attack on a Syrian air base; and signing the Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017, which makes it easier to fire VA employees.

In spite of all these positives, with very few exceptions, the media focus is on looking for collusion between the Trump team and Russia during the 2016 presidential campaign. The normal process is that a crime is committed and there is an investigation to bring guilty parties to justice. This is a case of an investigation looking for a crime. Months have passed without success, but the media keeps that issue front-and-center while hardly addressing  the positives.

This search for and focus on negatives, even if only in the tone of a report, is obvious. Byron York wrote the following in an article titled “Harvard Study: CNN, NBC Trump coverage 93 percent negative:” “… the coverage of some news organizations was so negative, according to the Harvard study, that it seems hard to argue that the coverage was anywhere near a neutral presentation of facts. Assessing the tone of news coverage, the Harvard researchers found that CNN’s Trump coverage was 93 percent negative, and seven percent positive. The researchers found the same numbers for NBC.”

Others were slightly less negative. The Harvard team found that CBS coverage was 91 percent negative and 9 percent positive. The New York Times coverage was 87 percent negative and 13 percent positive.

Maybe the most impactful of all the reasons for our being off-track is that far too many Americans decide issues based on sound bites and headlines. The negative impact is compounded because media, politicians and advocates for various issues/ causes use this condition to their advantage. A case-in-point is what happened with The Obamacare Repeal Reconciliation Act (ORRA) of 2017. A CBS News article titled “CBO: Latest health bill would leave 32M more uninsured in 2026” said the legislation “…would eliminate Obamacare’s individual and employer mandates and repeal the law’s Medicaid expansion at the end of 2019. It would also repeal Obamacare-related taxes over the next few years.”

That 32M figure has been endlessly repeated. With very few exceptions, the whole story is not told. Two statements from the CBO report are relevant to my point. First, “In 2018, by CBO and JCT’s estimates, about 17 million more people would be uninsured under this legislation than under current law.” Second, “Although most of those reductions in coverage would stem from repealing the penalty associated with the individual mandate, CBO and JCT also expect that insurers in some areas would leave the nongroup market in 2018.” Taken together, these statements say that many of the uninsured would be so because having health insurance would no longer be mandated. Instead of addressing a fact such as this, Obamacare advocates scream, “32 million will be uninsured.” Addicting the public to sound bites and headlines … a tactic that works, but helps keep us off-course.

Please, my fellow Americans, give thought to these, and other, conditions/tactics that are keeping our beloved nation off-course from greatness.

We are all heading in the same direction, and we likely share fantasies of writing our own obituaries and attending our own funerals. I have heard of people who did, in fact, write their obituaries before the fact, hoping those they left behind would choose to publish it instead of their assessments of the dearly departed. Attending one’s own funeral is obviously more problematic.

However they come to be, we Southerners have left behind some doozy obits, real laugh-out-loud creations that make us wish we had known the deceased ourselves — or maybe not. And while Southerners are champs at obituary writing, there are some outliers from elsewhere. Here are excerpts from several of my favorites.

William “Freddie” McCullough left us four years ago next month. His obit in the Savannah Morning News opened with these words. “The man. The myth. The legend. Men wanted to be him. Women
wanted to be with him.... Freddie loved deep-fried Southern food smothered in cane syrup … Little Debbie cakes, ‘Two and a Half Men’ and Jim Beam. Not necessarily in that order. He hated vegetables and hypocrites. … Freddie was killed when he rushed into a burning orphanage to save a group of adorable kids. Or maybe not. We all know he liked to tell stories.” Freddie’s obituary was accompanied by a photograph of him in a white cowboy hat and a shirt unbuttoned almost to his waist and 72 more photos available online.

According to her obituary in the Memphis Commercial Appeal, Ida Mae Russell Sills was born to unmarried parents. “In the 1930s, it was unthinkable for a child to be born to a single mother. … Her parents contracted (sic) Georgia Tann at the Tennessee Children’s Home. Georgia, now famous for selling babies, found a couple who was willing to purchase the child.” Ida’s first marriage “was a three-ring circus, engagement ring, wedding ring and suffering.” She married again. “Albert wanted a son, Ida wanted a dog.”

Albert prevailed, and Lee was born, followed by Denise. “As a professional armchair consultant to the NBA, Ida was nick named Hoop Mama Two. Ball handling and dribbling was (sic) Ida Mae (sic) biggest weakness.” Among her survivors is a grandson, Josh. “Ida regrets not being here to influence his future children, but she will be watching.”

Antonia W. “Toni” Larroux died in Missouri, and for reasons I do not know, her obituary appeared in The New York Times.

As a child, Toni contracted polio, “contributing to her unusually petite ankles and the nickname ‘polio legs’ given to her by her ex-husband.... It should not be difficult to imagine the multiple reasons for their divorce 35+ years ago. Two children resulted from that marriage.... Due to multiple, anonymous Mother’s Day cards, which arrived each May, the children suspect there were other siblings but that has never been verified.” Toni’s family requested, “Any gifts in her honor should be made to the Hancock County Library Foundation (to the overdue book fund). Toni’s obituary was accompanied by 28 online photographs.

A non-Southern obituary for Bill Eves from Kingston, Ontario, holds its own with almost any Southern obit I have ever read. It begins, “On Saturday … Molson’s stock price fell sharply on the news of Bill Eves’s passing.” My mother would have my hide for this, but it continues about the former school principal. “Perhaps most important to Bill was educating people on the dangers of holding your farts. Sadly, he was unable to attain his lifelong goal of catching his beloved wife Judy ‘cutting the cheese’ or ‘playing the bum trumpet’ — which he likened to a mythical rarity like spotting Bigfoot or a unicorn.” As per his wishes, a “Praise Bill Party” was held to celebrate his life.

And perhaps my all-time favorite was Harry Stamps’s obituary, which was written by his loving daughters and appeared in the Gulfport, Mississippi, Sun Herald. They described their father as “a ladies’ man, foodie, natty dresser and accomplished traveler. Harry was locally sourcing his food years before chefs in California starting using cilantro and arugula (both of which he hated).... He had a lifelong love affair with deviled eggs, Lane cakes, boiled peanuts, Vienna (Vi-e-na) sausages on saltines, … and buttermilk served in martini glasses garnished with cornbread.” Harry was a member of a bacon of the month club, and “… his signature look every day was this: a plain pocketed T-shirt designed by the fashion house Fruit of the Loom, his black-label elastic waist shorts worn above the navel and sold exclusively at Sam’s …”

Harry’s family asked “in honor of Harry that you write your congressman and ask for the repeal of Day Light Saving Time. Harry wanted everyone to get back on the Lord’s Time.”

Given all this, I may begin work on my obituary today. I am a tad nervous about what the Precious Jewels might say on their own.

PHOTO: A non-Southern obituary for Bill Eves (above) from Kingston, Ontario, holds its own with almost any Southern obit.

PHOTO CREDIT: www.Yourlifemoments.ca

What is happening to our nation? At all levels — national, state and even here in Fayetteville and Cumberland County — the undercurrents of discontent, anger, hate and mistrust are permeating everything we do. It’s hard to comprehend and even harder to articulate.

So first, I say to the cynics: If our nation is so broken, so unjust, so misdirected and unfair, how did we become the greatest nation on earth? How is it that we now enjoy, yet take for granted, all the virtues and benefits of living in a free, civilized and industrialized nation, yet we have factions within our population that refuse to recognize or appreciate how we got here?

We have a history of more than two centuries of strife, hard work, sacrifice, bloody wars, incredible innovation and amazing ingenuity, and here we are … uniquely America. The United States of America! I love the sound of those five words. America is the most envied country in the world, yet we are a nation that is quickly becoming cynical and unappreciated.

Perhaps too many of our citizens think we have reached the pinnacle of our civilization, leaving them nothing left to achieve, learn or accomplish. If this is the case, the only recourse they have to justify their existence is to find fault with our existing government, laws, institutions and way of life, leaving them no alternative but to engage themselves in dismantling it while, ironically, hoping to discover something better. Well, here’s a news flash for these discontents: We are a nation of self-made men and women. If you contribute nothing, in the end, you will gain nothing. Why? Because there will be nothing left. No values, history or traditions. 

Yes, people are upset and on-edge over the thoughts and actions of removing monuments and statues that depict American history that certain groups interpret as offensive. Really? So, at what point does this madness stop? Already, many age-old monuments have fallen victim to this craziness. Monuments that had nothing to do with this subjective historic controversy have been vandalized and damaged. This is craziness! What are these people thinking and when and where will it end? What’s next? Will we be forced to ban the term “Southern fried chicken” because some radical group has declared it an offensive racial term? Or, perhaps someone will insist on removing all images of Colonel Sanders because his Kentucky heritage makes him a hurtful symbol of southern hostility  and racism.

Fayetteville and Cumberland County need to pay attention to these sensitive and potentially explosive national phenomena. Case in point: We are not Durham; Greenville, South Carolina; or Ferguson, Missouri. We are Fayetteville, and such comparisons need to stop immediately. We need to focus on looking out for what is best for our citizens and community. And it is not comparing ourselves to other cities and communities that have few commonalities.

This is a critical time for us. The local elections in 2017 and 2018 will predict the true future of the Fayetteville/Cumberland County community. Why? Because by the 2018 elections, we will be “all in.” That’s a poker term meaning we have put up everything we have in hopes of a positive outcome. We will be right in the middle of our $80 – $100 million worth of city/county infrastructure investments — the point of no return. This infrastructure has the potential of generating another $65 million in local economic development in downtown Fayetteville.

So, what is the master plan for managing such an aggressive and muchneeded undertaking? This community will need to elect city and county leaders who are qualified to take on such a vitally important venture. These leaders need to be the best of the best. They need to be dedicated, business-savvy and intelligent — with excellent communication skills. They need to be personable and, most of all, have a positive strategic vision for the future of the Fayetteville/Cumberland County community and a plan on how to obtain it. They must have a clear understanding that very little will be accomplished, few goals and objectives will be met and our quality of life will continue to lag behind other communities as long as divisive egos and arrogance remain paramount between the city of Fayetteville and the county of Cumberland. Forget about attracting industry with lucrative incentives. Once the potential client senses this level of animosity, they’re gone.

They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different result. If we examine our past, it will help us define our future. If we ignore our history, we will undoubtedly pay the consequences. We are a great nation, and we have the potential for being a great community. However, we need our leaders to do the right things for the right reasons. That means electing leaders willing to do the right things for the citizens of the community and not what is selfishly and politically advantageous to them. Otherwise, we will continue to pay the consequences and forever be asking ourselves why we can’t be like Durham or Greenville, South Carolina. 

Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

2016 record: 7-5    |    Coach: Rodney Brewington

Top returners: Donovan Brewington, 5-10, 165, Sr., QB; Michael Edwards, 6-7, 250, Sr., OL; Jaylan Spellman, 6-3, 260, Sr., OL; Johnathan Gilmore, 6-4, 260, Sr., TE; Nyneem Williams, 6-2, 260, Sr., OL/DL; Joel Evans, 6-0, 330, So., OL/DL; Jaquan Span, 5-9, 165, Sr., Ath.; Jarieal Douglass, 5-10, 180, Jr., RB/LB; Steven Butler, 5-11, 195, Sr., FB/LB; Matthew Pemberton, 5-8, 175, So., WR/FS.

Top newcomers: Emery Simmons, 6-2, 180, Jr., ATH.

Team strengths: Senior leadership. Veteran quarterback. Team chemistry.

Team concerns: Depth at running back.

Coach’s comment: This year’s team is not as big and deep as in years past. Team speed and leadership will be the catalyst for a good season.

PHOTO: Jaquan Span

2016 record: 8-4    |    Coach: Craig Raye

Top returners: Damani Bowden, 6-1, 210, Sr., DE; Tim Houston, 6-3, 270, Sr., OL/ DL; Shakim Middleton, 6-2, 185, Sr., DL; Tyron George, 6-0, 175, Jr., WR; Te’Andre Walton, 5-11, 180, Jr, RB/LB; Darrolyn Shoulars, 5-11, 180, Sr., DB; Steven King, 6-1, 220, Sr., OL; Camari Williams, 6-1, 180, Jr., WR; Damarion Ford, 5-7, 170, Jr., RB; Jonathan Wright, 6-0, 175, Jr., WR.

Top newcomers: Travon Hart, 5-11, 210, Jr., LB; Xavier Marsh, 6-1, 170, Jr., WR; Da’niel King, 5-10, 175, Jr., RB; Keyshown Lindsey, 5-9, 175, So., RB/LB; Nahala Moore, 6-0, 180, Jr, OL; Jon Reid, 5-11, 212, So., DL; Pernell Shoulars, 6-3, 320, Jr., OL; Quevonte Hall-Bonaparte, 6-1, 230, OL.

Team strengths: Westover returns seven offensive starters and five defensive starters.

Team concerns: Kicking game.

Coach’s comment: We’re hoping we can find some senior leadership. We’re a real young team. We have about seven or eight returning seniors. We’re hoping those guys can step up and help us. They should be able to build on what they did last year. We’ve got a good nucleus returning. We’re looking forward to a good season.

PHOTO: Tyron George

2016 record: 9-3    |    Coach: Duran McLaurin 

Top returners: Reggie Bryant, 6-0, 170, Sr., WR; Kyler Davis, 6-1, 190, Jr., QB; Thomas Washington, 6-2, 265, Jr., DL; Jamarques Carr, 6-3, 190, Sr., DL; Greg Walker, 6-2, 280, Sr., OL; Aristolis Bennett, 6-2, 185, Sr., LB; Reuben Willis, 6-3, 260, Sr., OL; Benjamin Willis, 6-2, 250, Jr., OL; Bryson Hamilton, 6-2, 190, Sr., S; Jaylin Razor, 5-10, 250, Sr., FB.

Top newcomers: Cameron Townsend, 5-7, 150, Jr, WR; Kyle House, 6-2, 180, Jr., WR; Russel Hewett, -10, 250, So., DL; Devante Wedlock, 5-8, 220, Jr., LB; Nasir Merritt, 5-8, 165, Sr., DB.

Team strengths: The team will be experienced on the offensive and defensive line, returning many of the more productive components from last season. The team will also be returning the top receiver from last year who has been with the starting quarterback for the past three seasons. The team will also be returning some experience at the linebacker position from players who played a lot of meaningful snaps last season.

Team concerns: Inexperience in the secondary. Replacing two linebackers. Filling the quarterback spot as veteran Julian Hill recovers from a  knee injury.

Coach’s comment: The key to our success will be relying on talent in our returning offensive players and the quick maturity of our secondary (players).

PHOTO: Reggie Bryant

2016 record: 3-8    |    Coach: Deron Donald

Top returners: Xeaiver Bullock, 6-0, 175, Sr., QB; Rahsaan Young, 5-8, 165, Sr., RB/WR; Kyle Fennel, 6-1, 245, Sr., OL/DL; Khari Carrington, 6-0, 250, Sr., OL/DL; Ethan Bolger, 6-1, 270, Sr., OL; Ethan Bolger, 6-1, 270, Sr., OL; Jerry Davis, 5-11, 190, Sr., LB; Clifford Adamson, 5-9, 170, Sr., DB; Reginald Loyd, 5-8, 175, Sr., DB; Byron McNeil, 5-11, 185, Sr., DL/OLB; Tre’Marquis Patterson, 5-10, 175, Sr., OLB. 

Top newcomers: Andrew Whitaker, 6-1, 175, Jr., OLB; Vashawn Williams, 6-0, 180, Jr., OLB; Eric Burke, 6-0, 170, Jr., DB.

Team strengths: We have a lot of returners from last year’s team, which should provide experience. There’s only one thing that beats experience and that’s maturing with experience. 

Team concerns: Lack of depth.

Coach’s comment: We finished the season 3-8, and many of the games were close, but we could not finish. Our emphasis as a program has been to get stronger and learn how to finish.

PHOTO: Kyle Fennel

Judging by the number of motorcycles on the road, everyone is in full travel mode. I am in the middle of getting my bike, personal affairs and myself ready for a two-week ride out west. I wanted to pass along some of the things I do to get ready for a longer journey like this.

My first consideration is how long I am going to be away and how many miles I intend to ride. As of now, I am looking at a 5,000-mile trip. For this, I have to plan out my resources. I believe I need a budget of $250 a day for hotels, gas, food and a few things I may pick up along the way. I need to get cash, not a debit or credit card, for those possible situations that require you to buy your way out of trouble.

I do take two credit cards and keep them in separate wallets. One has just enough money to kick around town. That way if I lose my wallet or get robbed, I can still continue with my trip. I also keep some money in the bike in a waterproof bag just in case everything goes wrong.

You may need to contact your credit card company if you are bouncing around the country or especially if you’re crossing the border. They may think someone stole your credit card and not approve your purchases.

On to the bike. I know people who just jump on their bike and go and everything turns out great. I also know people who do that and never make it out of town. Getting ready for a trip this long requires my bike to be in tip-top shape. If all goes well, we will hit some roads with altitudes of 14,000 feet that will include some cold and some high- heat areas along the way. This will add stress to my bike, my body and my gear. My bike will need fresh tires and an oil change before I go. I also clean the bike by hand and make sure I touch and tighten any bolt or screw that may have worked its way loose.

A good checklist is like gold. It will save you time and money in the long run. It will also help you focus on the right things to take and should help prevent you from over packing.

My list is always being improved. I have an “oh crap” bag that holds odds and ends — not obvious necessities, but things I’ve needed over the years. In this bag, I have various zip-ties, fence wire, a hose in the event I have to siphon gas, an old prescription bottle with extra bolts, screws and fuses. I have duct and electrical tape wrapped around the bottle. I also have about a foot of electrical wire in the event a wire gets cut. I had a small set of jumper cables, but those are being replaced with a power pack that can jump a car and has a USB charger in the event my phone dies. This bag has saved me many times and has been handy in helping out a fellow motorcyclist who was stuck on the side of the road.

For a long trip, I also carry a spare set of old glasses. You never know when you will suddenly be rendered blind because you accidently stepped on your good glasses. My bike now requires an FOB. So I have an extra FOB in the event I lose my primary. This is a real show-stopper and is expensive. If you have a key bike, you still should carry a spare somewhere.

Carrying a garbage bag is a nice touch. Everyone who rides knows you will get wet sooner or later. When you stow away your rain gear, put it in the garbage bag. This is a simple way to keep your other gear or clothes dry and mildew-free. Remember to let your wet gear dry when you stop. It is hot this time of the year. Stay hydrated, take breaks often, stay alert and stay alive.

If there is a topic that you would like to discuss, you can contact me at  motorcycle4fun@aol.com. RIDE SAFE!

The Umoja Group, Inc. presents its 2017 Umoja Festival Saturday, Aug. 26, from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Seabrook Park and Recreation Center. The festivities will begin with a health-focused morning.   

“This year we are really concerned about the health of our citizens in Broadell Homes (and the) community, and we are trying to get more men involved in taking care of their health,” said Dorothy Fielder, co-founder of the Umoja Group, Inc. “Men seem to need more encouragement to make changes that would benefit their health and well-being.... Our theme this year is ‘heritage, culture, family, community and well-being,’ and every year we seem to save the life of someone in the neighborhood that has never been screened.” Fielder added that almost every year there is a patient, homeless person or uninsured person who has never seen a doctor and has high blood pressure. Arrangements are made to immediately take the person to the hospital for treatment.

“We are going to start off with a tennis class at Fayetteville State around 8:30 a.m.,” Fielder said. “The community health fair will begin at 10 a.m.”

The health fair will last from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and prioritizes prevention and early detection screenings. Darvin Jones, a leader in Cape Fear Valley Health System’s “Take Charge of Your Health” initiative, will be in charge. “He has all kinds of screenings and testing that he brings, along with 25 social and health agencies to share their information with the people in the community,” Fielder said. She added that this is the largest health clinic and screening brought to any neighborhood and that Umoja Group, Inc. appreciates Cape Fear Valley Health for giving the group this opportunity. This is the seventh year the Umoja Festival has featured a health fair.

This year, Fielder reached out to local churches for support. Many offered the use of church vans to transport people to appointments at the health fair clinic. “Individuals will set up appointments to
meet with the doctor so the van can pick them up and take them to the appointment,” Fielder said. “The festival is so well-attended that sometimes it is difficult to get a parking space, so this is a way to relieve it.”     

After the health fair there will be entertainment and educational activities from 12 to 7 p.m. Activities include storytellers from the North Carolina Association of Black Storytellers; children’s art projects and children’s books; games; small giveaways; Tony McMillan’s Old School Band; Tokay Rockers; dancers; drummers; children’s performances; jewelry and food vendors; Stewardship Classical Car Club; Chrome Knights Motorcycle Group; E. E. Smith and FSU bands; E. E. Smith’s Smith 16; and a few politicians who will speak to the community.

“The NAACP will be there to sign up voters,” Fielder said.  “There will be ethnic food vendors and the famous collard green sandwich that every-body likes.”

The event is free and open to the public. Donations are appreciated.  For more information, call (910) 485-8035 or email umojagroupfay@gmail.com.

Each year, more than 600 communities nationwide participate in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s to help fund the Alzheimer’s Association’s mission to advance Alzheimer’s care, support and research across the world. On Sept. 9, the Walk to End Alzheimer’s – Fayetteville, NC, takes place at J.P. Riddle Stadium (home of the SwampDogs).

“Registration is from 9-10 a.m.,” Alzheimer’s Association Special Events Manager Jennifer Briand said. “Several things will be going on during that time: our sponsors will have tables set up for walkers to visit; we will have a clown; a magician; a bounce house; princesses and super heroes; and a local radio station broadcasting from the event.”

The Promise Garden Ceremony begins at 10 a.m., followed by the walk around the stadium. The walk is about a mile long. “It is not a race,” said Fayetteville Walk to End Alzheimer’s Planning Committee Chairperson and Regional Sponsor Julie Russo. “It is about coming together. We want everyone to be able to participate, so we keep it short. In the past, we have had people with Alzheimer’s walk with us and  caregivers and people in wheelchairs.” Russo added that it is free to participate and everyone is welcome.

The Promise Garden Ceremony preceeding the walk is a vital, heartfelt part of the morning. It brings together all the participants who commit to fulfilling their promise to remember, to honor, to care — and to fight Alzheimer’s disease. Using colored flowers, the ceremony also symbolizes and honors the four ways people are touched by the disease and the many reasons people come together to participate in the event. Blue flowers represent someone with Alzheimer’s or dementia. Purple flowers are for someone who has lost a loved one to Alzheimer’s. Yellow represents someone who is currently caring for or supporting someone with Alzheimer’s. Orange is for everyone who supports the cause and vision of a world without Alzheimer’s.

Virtual walkers are invited to participate as well. “You will still be given your own participant center to spread awareness and ask for donations; however, in the registration process you are letting people know you will not physically be there,” Briand said.

She added that she loves the way this event brings families and companies together in the fight against Alzheimer’s. “It gives people the opportunity to make a difference and support each other through this devastating disease,” she said. “It lets people know they aren’t alone.”

So often, people suffer in silence and face unnecessary isolation during an already stressful time. It doesn’t have to be that way. While there is nothing like the camaraderie of an annual gathering to share an experience or fight for a cause, the Alzheimer’s Association supports caregivers, families and patients all year long.

“I wish people were aware of the plethora of resources the association provides to help people,” Braind said. For example, there is a 24/7 help line dedicated to answering simple questions about support groups and resources in communities across the United States. There are also licensed care consultants with master’s-level training able to provide care plans for families. The Alzheimer’s Association’s website, www.alz.org, provides a community resource finder, blogs, clinical trials and more. “In addition, I wish people knew that Alzheimer’s disease does not only affect older individuals, but symptoms may start in your 30s, 40s and 50s, and entire families are impacted,” Briand said.

Briand noted that the association helps caregivers by providing free resources such as communication strategies and information on behaviors associated with Alzheimer’s. The association provides the 24/7 help line. The consultants at the help line also provide specifics to the local chapters for follow-up and face-to-face meetings. “We train volunteers to become support group facilitators and host support groups once a month across Eastern North Carolina,” she said. “Finally, we are partnering with Transitions Guiding Lights on the Caregivers Summit in Chapel Hill on Aug. 22.”

Another way people can help is to support the Alzheimer’s Association by spreading awareness. Engage on social media during June, which is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month. Sign up for Alzheimer’s Impact Movement, which is the association’s 501c-4 dedicated to advocacy. Ask your employer to host a lunch and learn to educate co-workers on the basics of Alzheimer’s disease.

Visit act.alz.org or call (919) 803-8285, ext. 8344 to register for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s – Fayetteville, NC.

Strolling through Downtown Fayetteville on any given day is an idyllic experience. Bricked sidewalks. The iconic clock tower. Numerous restaurants and venues. It’s a place that toes the impossible line between trendy and nostalgic. It knows its roots — but downtown can turn into the epicenter of cultural activity on a dime.

4th Friday is a monthly celebration downtown that showcases different events and exhibits to the public. Somewhere between a block party and a walking adventure tour, 4th Friday aims to bring a little fun and history to your day. On this 4th Friday, Aug. 25, there are several events taking place:

Your first pit stop is Cape Fear Studios, located at 148 Maxwell St. The gallery will continue its “Adornments” exhibition from 6 to 9 p.m. All things sparkly and beautiful by North Carolina jewelers Jennie Keatts, Annie Williams, Maggie Joynt and Amy Brandenburg will be on display.

Cumberland County Headquarters Library at 300 Maiden Ln. presents The Parsons. This acoustic band has been together for almost 30 years. Complete with songs, stories and light refreshments, the event runs from 7 to 9 p.m.

“Open Letters” is another exhibition happening on 4th Friday. Located at the Ellington-White Gallery, 113 Gillespie St., the show features paintings and drawings by Dwight Smith. Smith is a professor of visual arts at Fayetteville State University. The reception is from 5 to 9 p.m. on Friday with an artist talk Saturday, Aug. 26, from 2 to 3 p.m.

For some local history, head over to the Fayetteville Area Transportation Museum at 325 Franklin St. One of the museum’s exhibits celebrates the 150th Anniversary of FSU. According to the museum’s website, “(Initially) named the Howard School, it would fill a deep-rooted desire for AfricanAmericans to achieve an education, and it would become a model institution of learning for North Carolina during Reconstruction.”

The transportation museum also features an educational exhibit, “Market House History,” as an addition to its permanent exhibit “A View from the Square.” Both exhibits will be open from 6 to 10 p.m. during 4th Friday.

Another museum is hosting 4th Friday activities, although for a smaller and shorter audience. The Fascinate-U Children’s Museum at 116 Green St. will have a fun bookmark-making session. Free play at the museum’s various role-playing stations will also be open from 7 to 9 p.m.

Lastly, the Arts Council plans to open its new exhibition “Fuel for the Fire” at the Arts Center on 4th Friday. A jury determined which artists’ work appears in the show. Those chosen have utilized wood and paper material in two-dimensional and sculptural forms.

According to Leslie Pearson, a member of the Arts Council board of trustees and chair of the Exhibitions Committee, artists were selected based on how they were able to incorporate as well as transcend the raw materials’ functions.

“Perhaps (the artist uses) the materials as commentary on ecology or other social concerns,” Pearson said. “Perhaps the artist chooses to push the material in a nonfunctional way that makes the viewer reconsider its purpose.”

“Fuel for the Fire” opens Aug. 25 from 7 to 9 p.m.

All 4th Friday exhibitions and events are free to the public. For more information, call (910) 222-3382.

Gina Hawkins did not have the ambition of being a police chief. “I’ve been a worker bee as a police officer for nearly 29 years,” she said. She applied for the chief’s job in Fayetteville after being tipped off that the post was available by Durham Chief C.J. Davis, who’s only been on the job a few months.

Hawkins and Davis know each other well. They served together for 18 years in the Atlanta Police Department. Hawkins, 49, most recently was Deputy Chief of the Clayton County, Georgia, P.D.

During an interview, as she unpacked her uniform in her secondfloor corner office at police headquarters, Hawkins said she expects she’ll be in uniform 95 percent of the time. It will sport four stars.

Hawkins admires the work former Chief Harold Medlock did to modernize the department and is excited to make her own contribution. “We have our own culture and history, and my job is to make the department even better,” she said.

Hawkins said she will depend on her command staff to acquaint her with the Fayetteville community. She and Assistant Chief Anthony Kelly became acquainted in 2013 when both attended the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia. She’s spoken at length with Kelly, who served as interim chief for eight months following Medlock’s retirement last year.

Hawkins is well-aware, she said, of the Fayetteville Police Department’s stellar reputation. She regards recruiting and retaining African-American officers as a significant challenge. “I’ve got a few ideas,” she said. One of those ideas is for the department’s recruiters to develop relationships with local high schools. She wants to encourage seniors to consider a law enforcement career while they’re still in school.

Hawkins also wants the department to do a better job of going after young soldiers who leave the service at Fort Bragg. “Every one of us should be recruiting day to day,” said the chief. “We can train the young people, but we need to be more aware of how we can ask them, ‘What are you doing?’ Join us and be a cop.”

As for the local crime rate, Hawkins shared the concern that murders and aggravated assaults have been on the rise nationwide. “We don’t know why,” she added.

As for prevention, the chief plans to adopt Medlock’s practice of dissecting assault case files to gain a better understanding of why they happen. She said the hope is to head off homicides that could grow out of aggravated assaults by talking with the families of victims and  perpetrators.

Her oldest daughter, Italia, is 26 and just completed a four-year enlistment in the Navy and hopes to return to college. Sixteen-year-old Trinity is still in high school and decided to stay in Georgia for now.

PHOTO: Police Chief Gina Hawkins

Fayetteville’s city administration has tried and failed to improve employee diversity in the Police and Fire Departments for the last 20 years.

Councilman Chalmers McDougald took Fire Chief Ben Major to task for lack of progress at a City Council meeting last week. McDougald’s demeanor was in contrast to a meeting a month ago when he said he deliberately bit his tongue after learning that City Manager Doug Hewett pledged to make some changes.

McDougald publicly scolded the fire chief while, for the most part, Hewett stayed silent. At one point, Major glared at McDougald with both hands on his hips. “No one is more committed to hiring minorities than I am,” Major said. “Words are cheap,” McDougald replied. Both men are black. Fewer than a dozen of Fayetteville’s 300 firefighters are black. Of the City’s 433 police officers, only 80 of them, or 19 percent, are black, according to Assistant Police Chief Anthony Kelly.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission turned down the City in its request for assistance. EEOC officials pointed out that the agency responds to bias complaints, but does not offer advice to avoid complaints. Consequently, Hewett sent out a formal request for qualifications to firms interested in consulting with the City on its efforts to improve police and fire employ- ee diversity.

The most recent fire department hiring process received 693 applications. Four hundred and sixteen were from white males; 130 from black men. Only 70 of the blacks made appointments for testing, according to information provided by Chief Major. Of that number, 53 showed up to take the test. Twenty-seven of them passed and qualified for the physical exam. McDougald has been consistently critical of the hiring process and says more enlightened methods should be used to find and recruit minorities.

Major told Council that he has been talking to fire departments across North Carolina and the nation only to find that minority recruiting is a universal problem among fire departments. Councilman Bill Crisp suggested that the City expand its fire academy at E.E. Smith High School. The fire service intern program was founded 12 years ago by retired Fire Chief Benny Nichols. But his dream of a fullfledged academy in conjunction with Fayetteville State University fizzled.

Nichols’s dreams were big: Fire Station 14 was built on Langdon Street property owned by FSU. It was designed as a teaching facility and community center with classrooms and dormitories for a “real life” curriculum developed though a partnership between the City of Fayetteville and the schools. It houses two fire engines and personnel.

A 2010 FSU student recruiting paper said that its award-winning online bachelor’s degree completion program in Fire Science would provide students an opportunity to build on their fire science training and earn associate degrees from FTCC and advance to a B.S. Degree in Fire Science at FSU. The statement concluded, “Both of these components of the Fire Science Degree program came from the imagination and persistence of Chief Nichols of the Fayetteville Fire Department.” Ultimately, though, there just wasn’t enough student interest.

Currently, the curriculum is only available online, and the facilities at Fire Station 14 never were fully utilized. The space has since been converted into fire department  headquarters.

The Cumberland County Veterans Court is seeking veterans to serve as mentors for individuals going through the program. Mentors are integral to the success of the program for veterans who are alleged to have committed misdemeanors and nonviolent felonies. “They tend to open up and relate to other veterans,” said Cumberland County Assistant District Attorney Baxter Worth Paschal III.

Paschal said many of the veterans in the program have suffered from addiction. Program participants take part in counseling, drug testing and community service. Topics such as mental health, substance abuse, housing, employment, education and health care are discussed in community meetings. Veterans who complete the yearlong program may have criminal charges expunged from their records. The first veterans court was created in New York in 2008. Cumberland County’s program began in November 2014 under the tutelage of District Court Judge Lou Olivera. Information is available by phone from the district attorney’s office at (910) 475-3010. 

PWC to the Rescue

When the power went out on the Outer Banks this summer, it was no easy task getting the electricity back on. Power was lost July 27 when a contractor working on the Bonner Bridge accidentally severed the only transmission line providing electricity to Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands.

The Cape Hatteras Electric Cooperative and the Tideland Electric Membership Corp. serve about 9,000 customers in the Outer Banks. The co-ops had been working on two fronts: attempting to splice the severed below-ground transmission line while also building an overhead line to see which one could be completed first. “We abandoned the underground fix at this point,” said Laura Ertle, the co-ops’ representative. “Water continued to seep into the trench, making the environment unsuitable for repairs.”

When they turned attention to the overhead transmission line, they needed 8,000 feet of electrical conductor. “A call went out to public power utilities with transmission lines, and PWC was able to provide the material they needed to build the line,” said Fayetteville Public Works Commission Spokeswoman Carolyn Justice Hinson. The utility contractor building the transmission line picked the cable up in Fayetteville and worked around the clock to get the power restored Aug. 3. “PWC is proud that we could help our neighbors,” Hinson added.

Cumberland County Bureaucracy Continues to Grow

Cumberland County government’s senior management team now consists of five executives. County Manager Amy Cannon hired Duane Holder as her fourth assistant manager. He’ll be in charge of community support services. Holder has been the Deputy County Manager and chief financial officer for Pitt County since 2012. His first day here is Sept. 11.

Holder earned a Master of Public Administration degree from East Carolina University and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree from Mount Olive College.

“Duane Holder brings vast experience in county administration, finance and human services, especially the area of mental health, and we are delighted that he will be joining the Cumberland County leadership team,” Cannon said.

Several weeks ago, Cannon promoted county information officer Sally Shutt to assistant manager for strategic management and governmental affairs. The other assistant managers are Melissa Cardinali and Tracey Jackson.

Hay Street Sidewalk Finally Opened

A couple years ago, the City of Fayetteville closed the Hay Street sidewalk in front of the former Prince Charles Hotel. The building was and is in disrepair, and chunks of the facade of the eight-story building were falling to the street. Rather than fixing the problem, the City simply closed the sidewalk, forcing pedestrians into  the street.

Now that efforts are underway by the Durhambased PCH Holdings to renovate the old hotel, the firm decided the first thing it should do is reopen the sidewalk. Project Manager Jordan Jones confirmed that the company fenced off the walkway to protect pedestrians from construction as it gets underway. The firm created a two-sided fenced-in sidewalk with a cover. It will remain in place until building renovations are completed.

Cumberland Alerts Activated

The Cumberland County Emergency Services Department has launched “Cumberland Alerts,” a countywide emergency notification system. Residents are urged to sign up for the alert system. Businesses, organizations and institutions are also encouraged to subscribe.

Visit www.co.cumberland.nc.us/alerts to create an account. Users can then select the communication methods they prefer, such as email, text or phone call and enter their addresses. Several addresses may be entered. The information provided is protected and will not be used for any other purpose.

Cumberland Alerts replaces the existing emergency notification system. “Signing up for Cumberland Alerts is the first step in preparing for emergency situations... so (residents) can be in the know when an emergency happens,” said Emergency Services Director Randy Beeman.

The new system can deliver more than 2.1 million messages per hour, or 35,000 per minute, which allows Emergency Services to ensure communication with residents when it’s most important.

Domestic Violence Awareness month is October, but the sea of purple could almost make you forget it was only the end of July. On Sunday afternoon Fleet Feet Runner’s Spot hosted a 5K fun run/walk to promote Domestic Violence Awareness. I don’t know how many in all came out, but we had a 100 event T-shirts, and we ran out well before the end of the line checked-in. Sorry to the runners that didn’t get a shirt, but I know that wasn’t your motivation for coming anyway.

The Jordan Soccer Complex was the starting point for the runners, and the route was along the beautiful Cape Fear River Trail. I was amazed at the variety of people that showed up to participate. There were as many men as there were women. There were hard-core runners, others out for a brisk walk, young people, seniors and families. One young mom with a double baby-stroller came all the way from Wilmington. She mentioned the kids would sleep the two-hour ride home. I wondered how she’d be once they arrived. The kids would be refreshed and ready to make the most of the evening before bedtime, but her — probably not so much.

I also wondered what caused all of these people from different walks of life and stages of life to be there. Were there victims in the crowd? Probably so considering, statistically, in the U.S. a woman is beaten every nine seconds. As I had that sobering thought, in that instant, my heart hurt for the victims I was likely surrounded by, and then just as quickly my heart leapt realizing I was also likely surrounded by survivors, their supporters and advocates.

Aside from my speculation as to why some were present, there were others there with a clear purpose and message. The Fayetteville chapter of NOW, the National Organization for Women, set up a table and shared information. NOW combines the power of grass-roots activism with national lobbying and not by coincidence one of their official priorities is ending violence against women.  The Care Center Family Violence Program was also represented.

The Care Center is a service of Cumberland County DSS Adult Services Division. The Care Center works to eliminate domestic violence by providing services to women, men and children involved in these situations. These services include a safe house, providing legal information, counseling and education to name a few. In case someone reading this needs to know, their Crisis line is (910) 6772532 and is available 24 hours a day.

I was there for both personal and professional reasons. Personally, I think every woman should be aware and prepared to help a sister or her family when in crisis. Professionally, I was there to talk about the role of the Clerk of Court in assisting victims of domestic violence. The Clerk’s office is the portal for domestic violence victims to access the court to obtain a protective order. I’m running for Clerk of Court in 2018 and if elected, improving services provided by the Clerk’s Domestic Violence office will be a priority. Let me be clear, I’m not talking about the staff; they are wonderful. I’m talking about the process. We can and should employ technology to allow victims to apply for protective orders from a safe remote location rather than going to the courthouse where their victimizer may very well be waiting. We can all image the worst-case scenario, but more often subtle acts of intimidation occur during the walk from the parking lot to the courthouse doors, discouraging victims from seeking the help they desperately need. Through technology, victims can meet with a judge from a safe place away from the courthouse. Additionally, protective orders should be electronically transmitted to law enforcement for service on the perpetrator, a much safer and faster process than victims walking a piece of paper across an open courtyard.

The 5K run/walk was a fun event for a serious matter. Thanks again to the organizers. Thanks also to all that came out, to all that help victims find a safe place, and those that work to stop domestic violence.

My name is Quancidine Hinson-Gribble and this is why I am running for Mayor for the City of Fayetteville, North Carolina.

After many situations during Hurricane Matthew, I realized that something had gone terribly wrong in the leadership for the City of Fayetteville. Simply put, our citizens deserve more. I am going to lead by example and that is putting the power back into the hands of the people who have elected me. Starting with Transparency.

We need more than talk, we need action. I have never stopped helping people and creating the means to help people, starting with “Operation Skyfall,” where people with felonies can get a pardon from the Governor of North Carolina so they can vote. The time is now as there are deadlines for registering to vote after you get pardoned.

I am also concerned about the many business opportunities that are coming to the City of Fayetteville,  that being “sub-contracted” out before people even know the opportunity exists. We have to be prepared for the opportunities with that being said we have to certified and licensed to be able to take advantage of these opportunities. One way that the citizens of Fayetteville, N.C. cane move forward under my watch is by constantly letting them know about Fayetteville, N.C. has to offer starting right here by getting a trade at FTCC. These three trades are what we need right now, carpenters, electricians and plumbers. These gaps can be closed up, and it is up to our leadership to let the citizens of Fayetteville, N.C. know about it.

Many of our veterans are homeless because of lack of resources. This is an issue that can easy be solved. Eradicating homelessness overall is going to take our community. There is an African Proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child.” We have a wealth of knowledge, programs and opportunities that have not been explored yet. 

We have to ask ourselves the question are we all going in the same direction as far as prosperity is concerned or is it reserved for only a few? By me running for mayor will at least open your eyes to the possibilities. You have to empower yourself and by doing that we are empowering the City of Fayetteville, N.C.

This is the rundown folks, we need employment opportunities, we need people with certifications and licenses for business opportunities, we need to reduce crime through education for our youth, we need to support our own businesses by having the bids made available to all people. If there is something that we need to do in the City of Fayetteville, N.C., then I am willing to listen. My door will always be open.

Who’s the role model? Those of you who know, or have gotten to know me, understand that I have a strong belief in being a leading example for not only my family, but also for the community, and my workplace. I moved to North Carolina 24 years ago after I joined the U.S. Army to serve my time in The All-American city. Although you can’t tell by looking at me, I came from an era of tough times. I know what it’s like to go without when it comes to basic needs. Growing up on the tough streets of Dayton, Ohio, I learned to fend for myself and others. There’s more to me than being the sheriff candidate.

Just walking to school, I’d see drug dealers, prostitution, gangs. I’d see the hustlers and bustlers. My sister said she knew that if a fight broke out, I was either in it or watching it in the alley.

My mom died when I was 17, and I had no father except for my grandpa. My grandparents took me in and raised me in a Christian environment, which prevented me from getting lost in the system. They taught me that material things don’t make a person. They provided a strong family structure that helped me to become empathetic toward others and their situations. For example — single moms. I have a special place in my heart toward single moms.

I watched my mom everyday do what she had to do without my father until she died. We depended on food stamps until I was in middle school, and I know how to respect the value of a dollar. My difficult past helped me to become the man I am today.

Children tug on my heart strings, also. As a kid being bussed from one side of town to the other
for school, I learned about diversity. We never had school in the same building every year like you do. One year I’d go to a school and the next year I’d go to another. Those kids, each coming from different backgrounds, soon learned that I was the “defender against the bullies.” Hence, the root of why I entered law enforcement.

I always wanted to be that shield. I saw friends in high school get shot or become addicted. Ya see, gangs start when there’s no family structure. Who’s the role model? A child yearning for a father figure or guidance seeks that family structure in another area, and most of the time it’s through gangs. Gangs are a family of their own. They look after each other. And when you have the drug dealer coming in a nice car with money and jewelry, it’s enticing to that kid who’s struggling. That’s the role model those kids notice. Poverty and crime are a bad mix, and they always go hand in hand.

I want those kids to notice a different, positive role model. I believe there’s a humble heart in everyone, but you just have to find it. As a leader, I’ve always gone by the three L’s—listen, lead and learn. I put that into work and home. My wife of 17 years and three children (two boys and one girl) make my world a better place and help me to better understand how blessed I am. I sincerely give credit to my wife as being my biggest supporter and my best friend. God really brought her into my life.

I worked hard to become who I am today. After my military stint, I decided to stay in North Carolina and currently reside in Cumberland County. With over 3,500 hours in military, law enforcement and overseas police training, I am a versatile leader who understands every situation is different. So, who’s the role model? I plan to be that role model.

PHOTO: Carlton Sallie

Rayconda residents have to pay to fix their dam, and many of them are not happy about it. That’s because across town, the City is paying $1.9 million to fix  another dam.

Both dams breached, along with several others in Fayetteville, when last October Hurricane Matthew hurled 18 inches of rain onto Fayetteville in a short time span.

The dam in question is under a portion of Siple Avenue, which takes you into the heart of Rayconda. It became a public road when the City annexed the neighborhood in 2004. It was — until recently — the only way in and out of the subdivision. When the dam breached, the road became too dangerous for vehicles to cross. For a while, people living on the far side of the dam had to walk in and out of their neighborhood.

Jump ahead nine months and we’re back in the midst of hurricane season. The City in July held a series of meetings with people who live around breached dams. Among them: VanStory Hills, Arran Lake, Devonwood, and Rayconda neighborhoods.

VanStory Hills’s Mirror Lake Drive washed out during the storm. And the dam over which Mirror Lake Drive runs also breached. But a decision by the City back in 2002 to maintain the dam is the difference between the City paying full amount for repair and the City fronting the money  for repair.

Here’s how it works. The Federal Emergency Management Administration is the federal paymaster for local disaster recovery projects. It decides what and who is eligible for their money.

In the case of breached dams, FEMA only reimburses the City for City-maintained dams. And there have to be maintenance records as proof. The City rescued Mirror Lake Dam in 2002 when the state threatened to breach the structure. Apparently it did not measure up to state dam  standards.

City maintenance puts it in a different category … a category that lets the City pay $1.9 million to repair and improve the dam under Mirror Lake Drive.

It doesn’t matter that both dams have a public road over it. In fact, the Rayconda dam has water and sewer lines going through the dam. The City and FEMA still considered it privately-owned. Out of 55 dams in Fayetteville, the City maintains six, the Fayetteville Public Works Commission maintains four, and the remaining 45 dams are considered private property.

And there’s no public money to fix private dams, City Manager Doug Hewett told Rayconda and Arran Lakes residents attending the meetings. That’s according to City Council policy and state law.

But City Council did come up with a way to pay for dam repairs. It’s the special assessment. The City pays for upfront costs of repairing the dam and then charges lake area property owners a monthly fee. Taxpayers can pay back the upfront money over a 10-year period at maybe an 8 percent interest rate.

They figure out who pays by figuring out who benefits from having a lake. Just because you live near a lake doesn’t necessarily mean you have a propertyenhancing view or that water from your property drains into the lake.

And the dam the City rebuilds won’t create what Hewett referred to as an amenity lake. Instead, it will be a functional stormwater holding facility (their words) where the City can raise or lower the water level depending on the weather.

Rayconda’s and Arran Lake’s homeowner’s associations have until the end of August to let the City know if their neighborhoods are interested in the deal.

After that, the City decides who benefits from having a lake in their neighborhood. Those who benefit fill out another petition. To participate in the special assessment requires a super majority or 60 percent of the benefitting property owners agreeing to the deal.

It will keep the property values up of those homes now adjoining a drained lake, but who is going to buy a house with a 10-year, 8 percent lien on the property?

Rev. Richard Wagner, a Rayconda resident, noted, “Before annexation, Rayconda had a deal with the state and county to repair the dam. When the City annexed us, that all went away, and we’ve been struggling for years to get it fixed.”

In the meantime, until the dam is fixed, the neighborhood will have a swamp.

My first clue that Southern funeral customs differ from those elsewhere came years ago when someone near and dear — I no longer remember who — left us. Family and friends gathered. Casseroles, cakes, fried chicken and deviled eggs, all on dishes with the owners’s names written in Sharpie ink and taped to the bottom, arrived by the dozen, and everyone went for his or her adult beverage of choice.

Fred, the then-new hubby of a close cousin and a native Belgian, was scandalized. Why, he wailed, were we all camped out at the home of the deceased and chatting with his family? “These people need their privacy to grieve!” he cried.

Fred’s opinion notwithstanding, Tar Heels born and bred and Southerners from elsewhere say farewell to our loved ones and the ones we did not love at all just like Frank Sinatra — we do it our way. We can have as many weddings as we want, but we all get only one funeral and associated gatherings, and some of them are truly memorable.

Let’s continue with food, which begins arriving the moment word gets out about a family’s loss. So important is this custom that I have friends who keep casseroles frozen for this very purpose. My personal favorite in this area is a turkey breast, which can be yanked from the freezer in short order and roasted without many other ingredients. Thawing takes time, though, so I am rarely the first person at the door.

The bible of funeral food is the hilarious “Being Dead is No Excuse: The Official Southern Ladies Guide to Hosting the Perfect Funeral.” This is a laughout-loud account by Gayden Metcalfe of our funeral customs complete with analysis of who brings the best funeral food — Baptists, Methodists or Episcopalians. It offers recipes for funeral staples, including tomato aspic, coconut cake and pickled shrimp. The best friends of the lady of the house run the funeral kitchen, keep lists of who brought what on which dish and make sure “the family” is sated not only during their immediate bereavement but for  weeks afterward.

Once it is clear that no one, not counting the deceased, is going to starve, it’s time to plan the funeral. Religious traditions vary, but there are a few general rules. In direct contrast to Fred’s call for privacy, in the South it is generally OK to attend funerals of people you might have known only slightly. After all, families appreciate a good crowd and consider it a mark of the dearly departed’s standing in the community. Southern decorum seems to demand a euphemism — passed away — for what has occurred, although I prefer the factual “died.”

Thoughtful Southerners plan our own funerals, sparing our loved ones the ordeal of figuring out what we would have liked. This includes who might speak, scriptures to be read, hymns to be sung, what flowers in what vases, who sits where, limousines or not and other matters deemed critical to a proper send-off. I have even heard of one woman who froze casseroles for her own funeral, apparently believing that no one could make them better than she could.

When it’s time for the service, other motorists will pull off the road in deference to the deceased and the grieving family as the funeral cavalcade passes, a custom people from elsewhere consider a traffic hazard. Sometimes friends and family members share memories during the service, but this custom makes me nervous because sometimes they share too much — the good, the bad and the truly ugly. In my view, such memories are best talked about at home with a beverage and a plate of fried chicken. A great deal of talking also risks cringe-worthy comments like “Pearl was a real pearl,” which I heard at a Charlotte funeral years ago and which convinced me that less is more when it comes to speaking publicly about  the deceased.

Then there are the flowers. Some families like them big and bold, some more restrained, but whatever they are, they should be real, not artificial and certainly not plastic. Also on my no-no list are “theme” funerals, which I learned about from Southern Living magazine. It seems that some families have taken to memorializing the departed by highlighting his or her favorite pastime — camouflage caskets for hunters, fishermen buried in their boats, sports fans memorialized by team colors. Yikes!

Over the nearly half-century of his marriage, Fred has come around to the Southern way of saying goodbye, a sort of “bon voyage for a life well-lived” — or not. I think he agrees that funerals bring out the best in Southerners, our reverence for family and friends and a deeply felt caring for the needs of others. The time for grieving in private will come to all of us, but in the immediate aftermath of a death there is nothing like the distraction of the loving comfort of those who know us well. Coming next week: Southern Obituaries Greatest Hits.

Oh, America. What are we doing? The news coming out of Charlottesville, Virginia, this weekend was heartbreaking. One dead and 19 injured. Fistfights. Screaming matches. Hatred. Violence. Why?

This past May, the Charlottesville City Council voted to sell a statue of Robert E. Lee. A judge issued an injunction preventing the city from moving it for six months. In another vote, the city also chose to rename Lee and Jackson parks.

People showed up to protest while others showed up to protest the protests. It was not a peaceable assembly. Not even close. Lesson learned: Trying to adapt American history to align with 21st-century political correctness will always be an irresponsible and explosive undertaking with catastrophic consequences.

There is no outrunning our past, and with all the critical issues facing our nation, this is what we keep coming back to? Apparently, moving forward is not something we’ve figured out, either. There is so much work to do, so many issues to be resolved and so many ways we could come together as a nation to move our country forward in a positive way. In an American way.

According to pewresearch.org, the most recent (2015) Program for International Student Assessment, one of the largest cross-national tests, placed the U.S. at 38th out of 71 countries in math and 24th in science. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development placed us 30th in math and 19th in science.

America used to lead the world academically. In a competitive worldwide job market, this does not bode well for the future of our youth as they enter the workforce.

At the end of fiscal year 2017, our nation’s debt is estimated to be $20.4 trillion. That is the how much the U.S. will owe its creditors on Sept. 30. This number doesn’t include state or local debt. Individually, we aren’t much better. Check out these statistics based on data from the U.S. Census bureau and the Federal Reserve:

• Average American household debt: $5,700. Average for balance-carrying households: $16,048.

• Total outstanding U.S. consumer  debt: $3.4 trillion. Total revolving debt:  $929 billion.

• More than 38 percent of all households carry some sort of credit card debt.

• Households with the lowest net worth (zero or negative) hold an average of $10,308 in credit card debt.

• The Northeast and west coast hold the highest average credit card debt — both averaging over $8,000.

Add to these statistics the fact that Americans owe more than $1.4 trillion in student loan debt (across 44 million borrowers), and our financial outlook is grim.

Then there is health care. Why, as one of the richest and most technologically advanced countries in the world, are we still trying to figure out how to provide high-quality, affordable health care to all our citizens? Add to this list food deserts (areas where it is difficult to buy affordable, fresh, healthy food), which the USDA says “have become a big problem because while food deserts are often short on whole food providers, especially fresh fruits and vegetables, instead, they are heavy on local quickie marts that provide a wealth of processed, sugar- and fat-laden foods that are known contributors to our nation’s obesity epidemic.”

Add America’s opioid epidemic and the affected families. Add the immigration crisis we face. And all this is within  our borders.

Put all these things together and the sheer total number of our country’s  misplaced priorities will have your  head spinning.

Our leaders in Washington aren’t helping. Case in point: Mitch McConnell, the U.S. Senate Majority Leader from Kentucky. Recently, McConnell and President Donald Trump clashed over critical remarks McConnel made at a local Rotary Club concerning the ill-fated health care bill. McConnell said the president had “excessive expectations” on how things are accomplished in Washington, D.C.

In other words, career politicians like McConnell, who has been in Congress since 1984, have lost all sense of urgency, priority and loyalty to the president, their party and the American people. All they care about is looking out for themselves, and McConnell is typical of the self-serving bureaucrats that make up Congress on both sides of the aisle.

Until the American people say, “enough is enough,” we can only expect more of the same. You don’t have to be of any specific political persuasion to want America to be great again. It is great. We need to keep it that way.

Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

Terry Sanford’s Karl Molnar said soccer coaches always worry this time of year how ready their teams are for the season.

Molnar is giving some of the better ones even more reason to worry as he’s put together the first Battle for the Bell soccer tournament at Terry Sanford Aug. 15-19.

The three-day tournament will feature some of the top programs in Cumberland County and the Cape Fear region and possibly provide a rare encounter between Terry Sanford and Fayetteville Academy.

“Thanks to this tournament, everybody’s first game is sooner than it would have been, and it gets competitive real quick’’ Molnar said. “There are some top-level teams in this  tournament.’’

The field includes county powerhouses Terry Sanford and Pine Forest, along with the Academy. Traditionally strong region entries are Southern Lee, Pinecrest and Lee County.

Molnar rates Lee County, with a number of veterans back, the  early favorite.

Regardless of who’s favored and who isn’t, Pine Forest coach Isaac Rancour said the tournament is great for soccer and a great chance to play some teams that his Trojans don’t usually see.

The tournament will also benefit Miller’s Crew, a charity named after Molnar’s son and established by him and his wife Kim. Its purpose is to raise money to provide vocational training, materials and equipment to help disabled people learn job schools and eventually become employed.

There is a donations page at gofundme.com called Miller’s Crew Classroom Crash for those who would like to contribute.

“We’re working together to achieve a goal, not only for soccer but to help out the community,’’ Rancour said. “I think that’s a great concept it’s all planned around.’’

Fayetteville Academy coach Andrew McCarthy agreed with Rancour and said the Eagles are honored to be part of the event.

“I hope the community comes out to watch some great games,’’ McCarthy said. “The tournament most importantly helps a great charity.’’ Molnar said tickets to each day’s play at the tournament will be $7.

The expanded version of the Cumberland County Football Jamboree begins a two-day run Wednesday and continues Thursday with Cape Fear and South View High Schools hosting the event.

Vernon Aldridge, student activities director of Cumberland County Schools, has been working overtime the past few months, expanding the field for the jamboree and contacting sponsors to seek financial support and donations of various services to make the jamboree a bigger event for the fans and  competing teams.

“I’ve been really happy with the way the business community has supported the jamboree,’’ he said. “Next year, I’d like to amp it up a little more and get to a point where we’re giving a $500 scholarship to each participating school.’’

This year’s jamboree will include all 10 Cumberland County Schools as usual, joined by an assortment of Cape Fear region teams including East Columbus, Overhills, Triton, Union Pines, Hoke County and Lee County.

Eight teams from outside the region, headed by traditional 4-A power Richmond Senior coached by former Terry Sanford and Cape Fear head coach Bryan Till, will also be taking part.

Tickets are $8 each night and can be purchased in advance at  ncprepsports.net. Aldridge said fans who buy tickets prior to the jamboree can enter through the pass gate at each location and won’t have to wait in line to buy a ticket.

A total of 18 businesses have either provided money or services to the jamboree this year, Aldridge said. One addition was a small meal for each player and coach consisting of a hot dog, chips and bottled water for them to have following their scrimmage.

Aside from the larger field of teams and two days of play, the biggest change for the jamboree is a return to local high school fields after a few years at Fayetteville State.

Fayetteville State did a good job hosting the event, Aldridge said, but the principals, athletic directors and coaches voted unanimously to return the jamboree to a high school campus in order to keep more of the gate receipts with the schools.

“All of the money will be used to offset athletic expenses at the middle and high schools,’’ Aldridge said of the jamboree ticket sales. “We use this money to help offset large purchases and send our coaches to the clinic in the summer and to provide training courses for coaches and  athletic directors.’’ 

Cumberland County Football Jamboree 2017 Schedule

Tickets: $8 both days. 

• WEDNESDAY at Cape Fear

6:30 p.m. – East Columbus vs. Farmville Central; Pfafftown Reagan vs. Overhills

7:30 p.m. – Triton vs. E.E. Smith; Union Pines vs. Douglas Byrd

8:30 p.m. – Richmond Senior vs. Cape Fear; West Johnston vs. Terry Sanford

• THURSDAY at South View

6:30 p.m. – Hoke County vs. Gray’s Creek; East Montgomery vs. Westover

7:30 p.m. – Northern Nash vs. Pine Forest; Eastern Wayne vs. Jack Britt

8:30 p.m. – Lee County vs. South View; Southeast Raleigh vs. Seventy-First

PHOTO: Vernon Aldridge, Cumberland County Schools Student activities director.

 2016 record: 7-5   |    Coach: Bill Sochovka

Top returners: Malik Daniels, 5-10, 290, Jr., DT; Tyrquie Williams, 5-11, 210, Jr., LB; Luis Rivera, 5-11, 225, Jr., DL; T.J. McKinnon, 6-2, 185, Sr., LB/DE; Dominic Roberto, 5-11, 210, Jr., LB; Lavonte Carter, 5-10, 180, Sr., WR/QB/RB; Jikeese Hernandez, 5-10, 280, Sr., OT; Fred Potts, 5-10, 250, Sr., OL; Rowdell Robinson, 5-11, 170, Sr., WR; Deon Buchanan, 5-11, 240, Jr., OL.

Top newcomers: Jordan Ferguson, 5-10, 165, Sr., DB; Isaiah Potts, 6-2, 250, Fr., DL; Ethan Ward, 5-9, 170, So., RB; Jamal Hill, 6-2, 250, So, DL.

Team strengths: Skill positions on the offensive side as well as returning offensive line. On defense, it’s the defensive line.

Team concerns: Inexperience in the secondary. Replacing two linebackers. Filling the quarterback spot as veteran Julian Hill recovers from a  knee injury.

Coach’s comment: The key to our success will be relying on talent in our returning offensive players and the quick maturity of our secondary (players).

PHOTO: Top Returner Lavonte Carter