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  • 01HealthDeptCoverPublic health departments are essential to healthy communities. Unlike primary care providers, which assess and treat individuals, health departments focus on improving the health of an entire population. 

    To do this, health departments analyze the unique health needs of their community; create policies that address and advocate for those needs; and implement and evaluate health programs. They also provide a variety of health services.

    On the Cumberland County Public Health Department website, the organization lists the following qualities as central to its mission of improving the county’s health: innovation, collaboration, integrity, diversity and quality.

    INNOVATION

    The CC Health Dept. is funded by federal, state and county tax money. This funding enables the department to provide services in 23 distinct areas, such as clinics, disease control, environmental health, health education, immunization, health in jails and schools, maternity care and more.

    For innovative projects beyond this funding, the department must apply for grants — and it does. Recent grants include:

    • 2015: $3,000 for a diabetes education program 

    • 2016: $2,000 to improve children’s dental services

    • 2016: $500,000 for a family planning and teen pregnancy prevention program

    •2016: $1,500,000 for a four-county initiative (Cumberland, Hoke, Montgomery and Richmond) for maternal child health 

    • 2017: $9,000 to hold a Food and Drug Administration food safety forum, print food code books and provide staff training for the NC Food Safety Defense Task Force

    Dr. Jeanette Council said the department’s Food Safety Forum, held May 23, was open to industry regulators and the public. Council is a member of the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners and is on the Board of Health.

    The forum, she explained, provided information on how to properly handle, prepare and sell seafood. The forum is an example of the kind of perceptive problem-solving our health department regularly initiates. The department saw a unique source of illness in our community and proactively addressed it.

    COLLABORATION 

    Innovation is, in Health Dept. Director Buck Wilson’s eyes, often directly tied to collaboration. He has served as director since July 2009 and leads by example, serving in cross-organizational leadership at local, statewide and national levels.

    Wilson is Chair of the NC Healthy Start Foundation, which aims to “(eliminate) preventable infant death and illness in North Carolina.” Both previous governor Pat McCrory (in 2013) and current Gov. Roy Cooper (in 2017) appointed Wilson to the NC Child Fatality Task Force, a legislative study commission that helps create laws to keep children safe from abuse and neglect. Wilson currently co-chairs that task force. 

    In 2014 he was invited to serve on The NC Center for Public Health Quality Advisory Board. The center, according to a press release, “provides quality improvement training and technical assistance programs to public health organizations nationally.” 

    Recently, the Health Dept.’s maternity clinic collaborated with Duke University on the three-year “Baby Steps” study. The study, initiated in 2014, examined the effects a supportive text-messaging program could have on helping pregnant women quit smoking. Results of the study are currently being processed at Duke and will be released soon.

    Council said the Health Dept. and Board of Health also led the charge in requesting that all county properties become smoke-free. 

    Collaboration doesn’t just happen cross-organizationally. The Health Dept. holds a management meeting the second and fourth Friday of each month, comprised of a senior leadership team and 23 middle managers. “We do a roundtable where we talk about the work that’s being done in each of the (areas),” Wilson said. “It’s my favorite part of every meeting. I always feel so proud.”

    Wilson said the team deals with many unforeseen challenges. “Our team has a way of putting everything else aside and coming together to put the public health first,” he said. “We’ve had situations where there was a potential outbreak of a communicable disease.” Council said the team recently stopped potential Hepatitis A. and salmonella outbreaks at two different restaurants. She added that during Hurricane Matthew the Health Dept. worked in the Emergency Operations Center and all the shelters. “They are an essential part of our Emergency Management Team,” she said.   

    INTEGRITY

    “I don’t really have a hobby,” Wilson said. “My hobby is trying to do for people and help people. It sounds cliché, but I really, really like to make things better and help in some way. I don’t golf, fish or hunt. (But) when I’m helping pass a law on state level that will save the lives of children, when I’m part of a team effort that’s helping to make things better … it’s a great thing.”

    Wilson explained that in many ways the Health Dept. is a safety net for people who can’t get care or services elsewhere. “There are things we do that are people’s last resort,” he said. “If people are getting primary care or cancer screenings here, they may not be able to get it anywhere else.” The Health Dept. is also the sole provider of the world travel vaccine (essential in this military-centric city) and restaurant and public pool inspections. 

    In January of this year, the department offered free flu shots to uninsured children from six months to 18 years old. Individuals with insurance were able to receive a flu shot at no out-of-pocket cost if they had Medicare, Medicaid, North Carolina Health Choice or Blue Cross Blue Shield.

    DIVERSITY

    The value the Health Dept. places on diversity can easily be seen in the wide array of services it provides. “I am fortunate, and Cumberland County is fortunate,” Wilson said. “We have (a) tremendous staff that work(s) really hard. … We have lots of different disciplines that all have a passion for helping people. We have a leadership team that truly cares about trying to do what’s best for our community. And we have a Board of Health that’s very supportive of the work we do.”

    QUALITY

    In 2013, Buck Wilson was named NC Health Director of the Year by the NC Association of Local Health Directors. Two years later, he was elected president of the association, following 13 years with that organization and service as secretary, treasurer and vice president. He has continued to serve in a past president role due to the current president being unable to serve. 

    Wilson is not alone in his dedication. In 2012, Daniel Ortiz, the Health Dept.’s public health environmental supervisor, was appointed to serve on the Well Contractors Certification Commission. In this position, Ortiz helps to ensure clean, safe water is provided to communities statewide. Public health nurses Lynetta Allen-Geddie, Connie Owensby and Corliss Parson have served the community for over 25 years. 

    The Health Dept.’s Quality Improvement Team regularly conducts events and studies with the aim of increasing organizational effectiveness and efficiency. A recent example includes the Kaizen Event last March, which reviewed the department’s newly-implemented central registration. The QI team solved a staffing coverage issue identified during the morning peak time for central registration. The team also changed the waiting line layout to improve overall visibility for staff and patients, improving customer service. 

    Cumberland County, as Wilson said, is very lucky. “This is the community I live in; I want my community to be better,” he said. “This is the state I live in; I want my state to be better.” 

  • 17EvelyndAriasEvelynd Arias

    Seventy-First • Soccer • Junior

    Arias, who was captain of the Falcon soccer team last season, had a grade point average of 4.05.

    18emily vanhoozer

    Emily VanHoozer

    Gray’s Creek • Soccer • Senior

    VanHoozer recently celebrated her graduation after compiling a 4.66 grade point average.

  • 16Hope

    Barnes Smith and Reese Walker, seventh-grade classmates at Max Abbott Middle School, have known each other since kindergarten. When Smith learned his longtime friend had been diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer called Ewings Sarcoma, he wanted to do more than just send her get well wishes.

    “He came to me and asked if they could do something for Reese,’’ said Max Abbott principal Carla Crenshaw.

    Beyond being friends, Walker and Smith are also athletes, Walker playing volleyball and Smith baseball at Max Abbott. So, the idea of Runs for Reese was born.

    “It was a sponsorship for every run they scored,’’ Crenshaw said. “It really motivated our kids, and they ended up winning the conference championship this year. They dedicated that to her as well.’’

    The Runs for Reese campaign raised over $600 which was presented to Walker’s family to help offset the expense of her treatment.

    In addition to raising the money, Smith also wears a special green bracelet as a tribute to Walker and her fight against cancer.

    “We can’t wear them when we play,’’ Smith said. “I wanted to do something for her. I knew the medical expense for the treatment was really high. So I wanted to do something to help her and her family.

    “The treatments are intense. I just wanted her to get through it, and with us behind her, I felt like she can do it.’’

    Crenshaw thinks it’s likely if Walker is still undergoing treatment when school resumes in the fall, her eighth-grade classmates will continue to try and help her. “We’ve talked about a couple of different things,’’ Crenshaw said. “She is a big part of their class.”

    Westover High School will need to do a quick turnaround to replace head football coach Stephen Roberson. Roberson, who guided the Wolverines to a share of the Cape Fear Valley 3-A Conference title last fall, is leaving to become head coach at C.A. Johnson High School in South Carolina. 

    Roberson takes over a program that was 1-9 last season and hasn’t fielded a winning team since 2009.

    Westover will be starting summer workouts soon and needs a head coach in place as quickly as possible to maintain continuity.

    Photo: Barnes Smith

  • 15CapeFear

    Just two days after they fell to North Davidson in two straight games for the N.C. High School Athletic Association 4-A softball championship, Cape Fear’s players and coaches Jeff McPhail and Mack Page returned to Doris Howard Field at Cape Fear to pack things up for the season.

    It was the second straight year Cape Fear lost in the finals, again failing to hit in a series-opening loss, then having to dig itself out of too deep a hole after dropping the first game.

    McPhail made no excuses and didn’t spend time discussing what might have been. Instead, he talked about the season ahead and what Cape Fear can do to remain one of the best softball teams in North Carolina. 

    One thing the Colts have no control over is how strong their conference opponents are. Next year the Colts will be in the 4-A/3-A Patriot Conference. Two teams in that new league, E.E. Smith and Terry Sanford, were winless this season. Westover, Douglas Byrd and Pine Forest combined for 13 wins.

    The only teams in the new league with winning 2017 records, aside from Cape Fear, will be South View and Gray’s Creek.

    McPhail said Cape Fear has tried to schedule tougher nonconference foes like it did this year with Marlboro Academy and Whiteville, but added they’ve not been able to work out games with some of the better teams in the state.

    “We’re going to try to sit down and look at some other schools, see if they want to come down or us go up there,’’ he said. “The last two or three years we tried, and their schedules were booked.’’

    Beyond scheduling concerns, McPhail loses four talented seniors in Haley Cashwell, Bri Bryant, Kaitlyn Knuckles and Kayla Molivas, all starters. 

    “Next year we’ll be kind of young on the varsity,’’ he said. “I feel the next two or three years we’ve got some good players coming up. And we’ve got our pitching back.’’

    Mackenzie Peters and Katie Murphy both saw action in the state playoffs and will return in the circle for the Colts.

    Among the biggest graduation losses is Cashwell, who earned All-American status during her four-year career and leaves with five N.C. High School Athletic Association fast-pitch softball state records.

    Cashwell plans to play more travel softball this summer as she prepares to enroll at Wingate.

    “I’m thankful I got to spend time with my best friends,’’ she said of her years at Cape Fear.

    Cashwell expects to play middle infield at Wingate, which was 25-25 overall and 10-10 in the South Atlantic Conference this season, losing eight of its last 10 games.

    “I’m going to better myself as much as I can, keep practicing and get better at everything,’’ she said.

    Photo: Haley Cashwell graduates this year. She earned All-American status during her four-year softball career at Cape Fear and leaves with five N.C. High School Athletic Association fast-pitch softball state records.

  • 14Byrd bryheem

    There are still more questions than answers as Mike Paroli tries to restore the Douglas Byrd football program to the glory years it enjoyed under him and his father Bob Paroli during most of the 1990s.

    But during this year’s spring practice, the younger Paroli focused on finding a quarterback and continuing to build on a successful year in the weight room as the Eagles seek to improve on a 0-11 record last year.

    “Our strength has increased, and our attendance has been good,’’ said Mike Paroli. “We still need a situation where a good number of jayvees are coming to the varsity. That hasn’t happened the last two years.’’

    Despite not having the kind of overall numbers he’d like, Paroli aims to play two-platoon football as much as possible this season. “We had a couple of games we were up in the fourth quarter and didn’t win,’’ Paroli said. “Others were close at halftime, and things got away quickly for us in the second half.

    “We’re trying to find 22 kids so at some point we can win a game in the second half.’’

    Paroli is also looking for a quarterback. The top contenders are Kamahree Futrell and John Carroll. Carroll played wide receiver and running back last season. Futrell started on the junior varsity and was promoted during the season.

    “John took a physical pounding but never got hurt and never fumbled,’’ Paroli said. “We want to get to the point where we feel we can hand it off or give it or toss it or they can run it.’’

    Bryheem Swanson will be a senior defensive back for Byrd this season. Like his coach, he feels discipline and mental strength are keys for the Eagles to prevent games from slipping away at the end like they did last season.

    “Last year we had a lot of close games,’’ he said. “When the second half rolled around we couldn’t finish.’’

    Swanson thinks the Eagles have weeded out players who didn’t want to commit to the program fully. “Now we’ve got people willing to work hard and stay in the weight room every day,’’ he said.

    Swanson feels spring practice has gone well for the Eagles and hopes it translates into a better season this fall.

    “We didn’t put up a lot of points because teams were bigger and stronger than us,’’ he said. “We’ll put the offense to the test and try to score more points than we did last year.’’

    Photo: Bryheem Swanson will be a senior defensive back for Byrd this season.

  • 13Tori Harper Album Cover

    Christian 107.3 loves new artists. We love beefing up our playlists, keeping them as fresh as possible — adding new music weekly, peppering in independent artists, all while playing the hits you know and love. 

    Nestled among well-known artists is recently-debuted 17-year-old Tori Harper, based in Nashville,Tennessee. 

    This singer/songwriter is exceptionally wise for such a young mind, as evident in her premier single, “After Dark.” Her hauntingly sweet voice is matched with passion and vigor, pouring out wisdom beyond her years as she lovingly offers comfort and hope to a friend in need in this new tune. 

    In September of last year, Tori’s friend confided in her that his family discovered his sister was dealing with a severe eating disorder. Tori couldn’t believe it. This girl she knew was so joyful and beautiful. How could someone who seemed so happy be living under such a heavy weight?

     Then it hit her. Her friend’s pain was her pain. Tori had also been through dark times over the past couple of years, searching for acceptance and love. She had made some bad choices and found herself very hurt and in deep pain from rejection. 

    “I just felt alone, like no one saw me — but, especially, I felt like God didn’t see me,” she said. “I knew He existed, and I believed He was working in other people’s lives. I just felt like I’d come to this place where He didn’t want to have anything to do with my life.” 

    That night, Tori got out her journal and poured out her heart for her friend. She considered how we all wear masks, hiding the pain that’s right beneath the surface. Tori’s journal entry became the lyrics to “After Dark,” where she compared what God said is true to the lies her friend believed about herself. 

    Tori heard recently that her generation is one of the most stressed, anxiety-ridden, addicted generations ever seen. She believes when lies and dark places cloud God’s truth, we must speak the word of God over our lives and declare who He says we are — that He has created us uniquely in His image, and can help others to see the same in themselves. 

    Tori wrote “After Dark” to remind her friend and herself that “There is life after sadness/There is hope after madness/There is joy after a broken heart/ and there’s light after the dark.”

    Want to hear this song? Give us a call at (910) 764-1073 and make your request, or submit it online at Christian107.com. 

  • 12FTCC

    Fayetteville Technical Community College is an industry leader in awarding college credit for prior learning experiences including military training. 

    With over 200 military career evaluations and 250+ programs of study, FTCC offers members of the U.S. Armed Forces and veterans the opportunity to pursue a higher education degree while utilizing the training they completed as part of their military career. FTCC recognizes the fact that service members train hard to achieve and maintain a standard of excellence and that their efforts deserve recognition in the civilian world. Awarding college credit for military training also serves our veterans as they make the transition from active duty to civilian life. FTCC places these students on the “fast track” to earning a degree and being prepared for a competitive work environment. 

    Whether advancing within the military or transitioning to the civilian workforce, military students and veterans will find that FTCC is committed to their success. As the leader in Credit for Prior Learning, FTCC specializes in translating military training to college-level learning and credit. 

    FTCC’s most popular and most flexible degree is the Associate in General Education, which allows students to capitalize on credits earned through military training and transfer with ease to one of FTCC’s partner institutions for an advanced degree. 

    The Associate’s in General Education degree consists of 64 total semester hours, 48 of which may be applied from other colleges and institutions as well as from military training. To earn an AGE degree at FTCC, students must take a minimum of 16 semester hours at our institution, either online or in person. Often, military students and veterans pursuing an AGE only need to complete the general education courses such as English, math and social science to complete the degree. 

    FTCC awards credit for military training based on recommendations provided by the American Council on Education, a major coordinating body for the nation’s colleges and universities. The institution specializes in the assessment of nontraditional learning experiences. 

    In cooperation with the U.S. military, a team of expert evaluators employed by the American Council on Education conducts extensive research regarding military training and recommends credit for specific college-level courses based on the results of their findings. The evaluators at FTCC then review these recommendations and equate the ACE’s recommended courses to FTCC courses. The results of these coordinated efforts are encouraging for military students and help to ensure success in their careers and beyond. 

    On a case-by-case basis, FTCC evaluators also evaluate credits for additional training from military schools and other learning opportunities which may not have been evaluated by ACE. These credits must be approved by curriculum subject-matter-experts. This practice ensures the integrity of FTCC programs and provides the reassurance that FTCC is serving students with the highest standards.

    Students who wish to have their military training converted to college credit can submit the Joint Services Transcript to FTCC by logging in at https://jst.doded.mil and following the prompts for submitting an official transcript. Email johnsontr@faytechcc.edu or call (910) 678-0166 for more information. Students can sign up now for fall clases. 

  • 10WingFlingThe Vision Resource Center is set to host its Second Annual “Out of Sight” Wing Fling Fundraiser and Cook-off, with 10 times more chicken wings than before. 

    The VRC, as a United Way agency in association with the Department of Social Services, provides practical skills education and advocacy for the blind and visually impaired in
    Cumberland County.

    On June 24, the center will fill Festival Park with food trucks, live music and activities from 3-8 p.m. as 10 teams compete for the best chicken wings
    in town. 

    Each team will receive 1,000 wings to impress the judges and wing-tasting participants. All farm-fresh chicken wings will be brought, as a donation, on a chilled 18-wheeler.

    “Mountaire Farms stepped up, and they are rocking it out and giving us 10,000 chicken wings for this,” said Alicia Cope, Wing Fling co-chair and VRC board member. “They are a huge sponsor and supporter of us.”  

    Admission is $5 with an additional $5 cost to be a wing taster. Due to the limited number of chicken wings, only 1,000 wing-tasting tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. 

    As an added level of blind competition, tasters will have the option to be blindfolded while tasting. 

    “This is going to be fun. If you want to truly taste it blind … you can put on the blindfolds and do that, as well,” Cope said. “We’ll have those available. They’re not required.”

    Teams will be competing to win the “Judge’s Choice” or “People’s Choice” awards. A $500 prize follows both awards. 

    The judges include Judge Tiffany Whitfield; Sheriff Ennis Wright; Joey “Porky” Newcomb, a Cape Beard member; AnneMarie Ziegler, ARRAY Magazine Publisher; and Al Florez, CFO of the Walker-Florez Consulting Group. 

    J.P. Riddle Stadium housed the 2016 Wing Fling. This year, Cope said, there’s excitement around the more central location of Festival Park. 

    Alicia Spease attended the cook-off last year with her family, including her 2-year-old son. She said the whole family enjoyed it even though the team they voted for wasn’t victorious. She said she plans to attend again this year.  

    “I do plan on going,” Spease said. “It’s on the day I get back from vacation, and I’ll be dragging my family.” 

    There will be many activities for the community, Cope said. Systel is sponsoring a $40 VIP tent, which will have access to shade, seating, drinks, a private bathroom and catered food. 

    Other activities include a kid zone with inflatables; an EyeQ zone where you can learn about the blind and visually impaired community and participate in a blindfolded obstacle course; a volunteer informational table; and a raffle where you can enter to win an Amazon Echo, two CrossFit 910 memberships and a signed Carolina Panthers football. Additionally, expect to hear music or spoken word from The Guy Unger Band, That Nation, LeJuane Bowens, DJ “Q” and Autumn Nicholas. The Black Daggers will also put on a parachute show.

    All profits will be used to support the Vision Resource Center, according to its website. “We’re a well-kept secret in Cumberland County, even though we’ve been in existence for 80 years,” Cope said. “But it’s a little part of the population that people don’t see, and they don’t see them because vision loss isolates. And so we’re trying to get them back out to be seen and to be part of our community.” 

    Terri Thomas, VRC executive director, said the center’s largest costs are for transportation and independent living skills educators. 

    Thomas said they plan outings outside the VRC walls, but some people care more about in-home support. 

    Independent living skills lessons, often the most expensive type of support, are “a way to reach those who may not be social butterflies,” Thomas said.

    You can buy tickets at the door to support the VRC or in advance at outofsightwingfling.com. 

  • 09satw

    The Givens Performing Arts Center presents “Strike at the Wind” Friday, June 23, and Saturday, June 24, at the Givens Performing Arts Center at UNC Pembroke. Showtime for both days is 7:30 p.m.  

    “This is a legendary performance that has been performed at Pembroke since 1976,” said James Bass, executive director of Givens Performing Arts Center. “It was an outdoor amphitheater drama that went away in 1996 and came back in 1999.” 

    Bass added that ultimately, Givens has had some ups and downs and the last performance of the play was in 2007. So the performance has been dormant for about 10 years. This year the play will be performed on a stage instead of outdoors.        

    The return of the performance is a joint effort between The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina and The University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Recently the University of North Carolina at Pembroke and the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina acquired the rights to the play for three years. “Strike at the Wind” is a story about Henry Berry Lowry, who was considered to be the local Robin Hood that stole from the rich and gave back to the poor. 

    This dates back into the late 1800s toward the end of the Civil War. “The play is kind of a local legend around here, and for years everybody attended to see it,” said Bass. “It is one of those things that has been a part of Lumbee Homecoming and every year many people were committed to it and would come to see it over and over again.” 

    Bass added that the Givens director of theater, Dr. Jonathan Drahos, will direct the performance.

    In the Depression and in the 1920s, many farmers in Robeson County suffered financial damage. A number of them went to Washington, D.C. to petition for help. “One of the things that came about was the government gave the Lumbee people money to produce a historical pageant,” said Bass. “This was a venue for them to share their heritage and the history of the Lumbee Indians.”

    Bass added that there were a lot of people who believed the Lumbee Indians were descendants of Sir Walter Raleigh’s Lost Colony. This has been disputed since then. 

    In 1968, a Historical Drama Association was put together in Robeson County to present a drama or historical pageant about the history of the people. 

    In 1976 “Strike at the Wind” debuted. It was highly successful and the first summer 18,000 people attended the performance. For years, the play was performed every summer.                  

    “There is a lot of excitement about the play, and this is something that has been embraced by the community here,” said Bass. “We look forward to a huge turnout for the performance.”               

    Ticket cost is $25 in advance and $30 at the door. For more information, call (910) 521-6361. 

  • 08NewChief

    City Manager Doug Hewett hopes to name Fayetteville’s eighth Chief of Police at the June 26 City Council meeting. Hewett whittled a field of more than 30 candidates to succeed retired Chief Harold Medlock to six and then to three finalists. They are Interim Fayetteville Police Chief Anthony Kelly; Clayton County, Georgia Deputy Chief Gina Hawkins; and Greensboro Deputy Police Chief James Hinson Jr. 

    “We have conducted a very thorough search process to identify the best person to be our next police chief in Fayetteville, and I believe the three finalists we have selected are all highly qualified and capable of leading our police department,” Hewett said. 

    Kelly, who has served as Fayetteville’s interim chief since October 2016, is a Fayetteville native. Former Chief Medlock appointed Kelly as Assistant Chief of Police. Kelly grew up off Strickland Bridge Road in 71st Township. He is a 22-year veteran of the department and holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from Fayetteville State University. He graduated from the West Point Leadership Program at Methodist University and the FBI National Academy. 

    Hawkins supervises the Field Operations and Support Services Commands of the Clayton County, Georgia, Police Department. Hewett described her as a multifaceted criminal justice professional with 28 years of experience. Hawkins reports directly to the Police Chief and assists in planning, organizing, directing and overseeing all operations of the Police Department. She earned a Bachelor of Science Degree at Georgia State University and a Master’s Degree from Johns Hopkins University. She too is a graduate of the FBI National Academy. 

    Hinson serves as the Greensboro Police Department’s Patrol Bureau Commander, having joined Greensboro PD in 1991. He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from North Carolina A&T University and a Master’s from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He is a graduate of the Senior Management Institute for Police at Boston University.

    “These candidates have been put through the wringer,” said Hewett of the evaluation process. They withstood numerous interviews plus a rigorous assessment center as recently as last month. The FPD’s annual budget is $52 million in support of 433 sworn officers and approximately 180 civilian employees. It serves a city of 210,000 residents and a geographic area of 148 square miles, larger than the cities of Durham, Greensboro and Winston-Salem. Fayetteville is the sixth largest city in North Carolina.

    Hewett decided to launch a national search for a successor to Medlock three months ago, and retained a firm specializing in law enforcement career development in February.

    Photo, from left to right: Interim Fayetteville Police Chief Anthony Kelly; Clayton County, Georgia Deputy Chief Gina Hawkins; and Greensboro Deputy Police Chief James Hinson Jr.

  • 07FireDept

    At the suggestion of City Councilman Chalmers McDougald, the City of Fayetteville is asking the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to examine the fire department’s hiring practices. City Manager Doug Hewett told City Council he has asked the Raleigh office of the EEOC to look into concerns that the department has been unable to attract, recruit and hire minority firefighters. 

    McDougald took the lead among African-American council members in determining why only a few of the city’s 300 firefighters are black or another minority. “If there’s something we can do better, we will do it,” Hewett told Council during a work session that attracted several dozen minority residents.

    This is the first time the EEOC has been asked to intervene in city minority hiring practices since a similar examination of the police department was undertaken 20 years ago. Little has changed in the diversity of either public safety department in the two decades since. 

    Of the city’s 433 police officers, only 80, or 19 percent, are black, according to Acting Chief Anthony Kelley. There are fewer than a dozen African-American members of the fire department. Ironically, the chiefs of both departments are black. 

    Hewett received City Council’s permission to make an exception in state law allowing him to release personnel information that is normally kept private. In the most recent hiring process, 693 applications were received. Four hundred sixteen were white males. One hundred thirty were African-American men. For the convenience of applicants, they were told to schedule themselves to take the initial written exam. 

    Only 70 of the black applicants made appointments, according to information provided by Fire Chief Ben Major. Of that number, 53 showed up to take the test; 27 of them passed the exam and qualified for the physical exam. 

    In response to questions from Council members, Chief Major said the written test is fair and measures math and reading comprehension at a 10th-grade level. About the same percentage of white applicants took the initial test; 141 of the 416 applicants passed the written test. But a significantly larger number of white applicants advanced to take the
    PT test.  

    Speaking on the lack of diversity, “We know we are nowhere where we want to be,” Major said. Mayor Pro Tem Mitch Colvin wanted to know when he could expect to see some results of EEOC findings designed to increase minority participation. Hewett said if the EEOC declines to do a review, the city will hire a consultant specializing in the field to do a similar probe. 

    For his part, Councilman McDougald said he was glad the city would seek an independent review. “That means we are taking constructive action on our own to make this right,” McDougald said. He said he decided to back off from his initial determination to take the administration to task. 

    He’s one of two church pastors on Council. All four black members of council, including Bill Crisp and Larry Wright, made comments during the hour-long meeting.                        

  • 06NewsDigest

    Hundreds of New Jobs Possible Locally

    Fayetteville is being considered by a well-known direct-to-consumer distribution firm as the location for a large distribution center to handle internet orders. The un-named e-commerce center would hire hundreds of full-time and permanent part-time workers. “They would also need hundreds of additional full- and part-time seasonal workers each year,” said Robert Van Geons, CEO of the Fayetteville/Cumberland Economic Development Corporation. 

    The building would be fully air-conditioned and use modern material handling technology. A variety of shifts and work schedules would be offered, providing employees with a flexible work environment. “We are asking that everyone who might be interested in employment with this company complete an online survey,” Van Geons said. The survey is available at www.fayettevilleworks.com. The company will pay competitive wages if Fayetteville is selected. 

    Racial Gerrymandering Struck Down

    Years of court battles resulting from Republican redistricting of the state legislature in 2011 came to an end this month when The U.S. Supreme Court upheld a lower court finding that 28 of North Carolina’s statehouse and Senate districts were illegally gerrymandered based on the race of their voters. 

    In August 2016, a panel of three federal judges found the districts in question were unconstitutional racial gerrymanders. State lawmakers appealed the decision in late 2016. While upholding the lower court’s ruling, the Supreme Court was critical of the way it came to its decision to require new district maps and special elections. 

    The high court said it’s up to the lower court to decide on new elections. Cumberland County Senate District 19, held by Republican Wesley Meredith, will likely be changed. Cumberland County House Districts 42 and 43, held by Democrats, will likely be changed. House districts represented by Elmer Floyd and Marvin Lucas will be redrawn, and will likely affect District 41, held by Democrat Billy Richardson, and District 45, held by Republican John Szoka.

    Fayetteville Fire Department Promotions

    Fayetteville Fire Chief Ben Major has filled two command staff vacancies created by the recent retirement of Assistant Fire Chiefs Richard Bradshaw and Nixon Spell. 

    Moisbiell Alvarez has been promoted to Assistant Chief of Logistics and Strategic Planning. Ronnie Willet is Assistant Chief of Training and Professional
    Development. 

    Alvarez is a native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and joined the Fayetteville Fire Department in 1995 following a career in the U.S. Coast Guard. He is an alumnus of Western Carolina University where he received a bachelor’s degree in Disaster and Emergency Management. Alvarez is studying to complete his Masters’ Degree. Chief Willet is a 19-year veteran of the Fayetteville Fire Department. He holds an Associate Degree from Fayetteville Technical Community College and a Bachelor of Science Degree from Fayetteville State University. Willet earned an MBA in Public Administration from American Military University. He has been active in nearly every phase of fire service administration.

    Tyson Announces Candidacy for Fayetteville City Council District 5 Open Seat

    Henry C. Tyson, a local businessman and Fayetteville native, announced his candidacy to seek the open District 5 Seat on Fayetteville City Council Wednesday. Tyson will appear on ballots for the primary election, scheduled for October 10, with municipal general elections scheduled for November 7. 

    “Fayetteville is the city that has given me and my family immense opportunity, and it is a place with unlimited potential that is rapidly growing,” Tyson said. “After careful thought, prayer and discussion with family and friends, I’ve decided I want to play a bigger role in addressing the challenges Fayetteville faces, and securing a better future for our city.”

    “I want to thank our current Fayetteville City Councilman for District 5, Mr. Bobby Hurst for his service to the community and the citizens of Fayetteville.”

    Tyson, a lifelong Fayetteville resident, graduated from Campbell University in 2006 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Government.

    He was named in July, 2016 by Mayor Nat Robertson and the Fayetteville City Council to serve on the city’s joint sign ordinance review task force, which successfully revised the city’s sign ordinances for the first time in 19 years. He is also a member of the Fayetteville Kiwanis Club and the city’s Historic Resources Commission, which helps guide the architectural character of Historic Downtown Fayetteville.

    Tyson currently serves as a commercial real estate broker and co-owner of Tyson Commercial Properties in downtown Fayetteville.

    More Storm Relief for Local Homeowners

    Local government and two nonprofit agencies have been awarded state community development grants to assist homeowners in their recovery from Hurricane Matthew. Cumberland County and City of Fayetteville Community Development Departments each received $150,000 from the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency. Also receiving $150,000 each were Fayetteville Area Habitat for Humanity and the N.C. Conference, United Methodist Church. 

    Rep. John Szoka (R-Cumberland) presented the checks. The money will help with the rehabilitation of owner-occupied homes. In December, the General Assembly appropriated $20 million to the Housing Trust Fund as part of the Disaster Recovery Act of 2016. Homeowners receive the assistance as interest-free, forgivable loans up to a maximum of $40,000, depending on the scope of work necessary.

    Public Health Award Winner

    Cumberland County Health Department educator Phyllis McLymore received the 2017 Caressa White Education and Program Development Award at the annual Red Ribbon Community Service Awards ceremony in Durham. 

    The Caressa White award recognizes individuals who educate the community on HIV/AIDS awareness. The Red Ribbon Community Service Awards recognize work by people committed to helping those in the HIV/AIDS community in North Carolina. 

    McLymore plans, organizes, implements and evaluates education programs for the prevention of HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections in Cumberland County. She has served as chairperson of the Cumberland County HIV Task Force Executive Board and has been recognized for her efforts
    to serve high-risk populations including the homeless.        

  • 05legally speaking

    President Trump has released his budget plan for the Veteran Affairs. While it does propose a significant overall budget increase, there are quite a few changes individual veterans need to be aware of. One significant change will affect veterans currently receiving benefits under the Individual Unemployability Program.  

    The IUP is part of the Veterans Affairs’s disability compensation program. It allows certain veterans to be compensated at a 100 percent disability rate, even if their Veterans Affairs disability rating is lower than 100 percent. 

    To qualify for this program, a veteran must have a disability rating of at least 60 percent or a combined rating of at least 70 percent. These disabilities must prevent the veteran from obtaining full-time work above the poverty level. Once a veteran enrolls in this program, they are compensated by
    the Veterans Affairs at 100 percent disability. 

    Under the new Veterans Affairs budget, this program will no longer exist. This means approximately 225,000 veterans who currently use the program will need to transition to either Social Security benefits or find another way to compensate for this loss of income. 

    The policy argument behind the transition is that by doing this, the Veterans Affairs will save $20 million in Fiscal Year 2018 and the harm to veterans is minor given that veterans can apply for Social Security benefits. The practicalities of this transition, however, are a different story. 

    While veterans can apply for Social Security benefits, it is unlikely that all veterans enrolled in the unemployability program will actually qualify for Social Security. The qualifications for the programs are very different, with the Veterans Affairs program having less stringent qualifications. 

    The good news is that for totally disabled veterans, the average success rate of a Social Security claim is higher than the general population. 

    The issue will be the gap between what the Veterans Affairs program rated 100 percent and what Social Security will consider rated disability. The truth is, we won’t know the reality of this impact until we see whether these veterans are actually getting Social Security. 

    If you are a veteran currently receiving benefits under the IUP, seek out a veterans law or disability lawyer to help you file a claim. Your Veterans Affairs benefits may be on a
    short timeline.

  • God called you into ministry. You need preparation to follow that call. For some, that preparation requires biblical and theological preparation. For others, preparation involves leadership skills. 

    Many Christians have the idea that all they need is Bible study. Besides, the Holy Spirit will give me everything I need to do the work of ministry. Right? Yes and no. It is true that the Holy Spirit will lead and guide you in ministry. But that truth does not mean you should not prepare! 

    Everyone God calls into ministry should be involved in regular Bible study. This fact is a given. But a question must be asked: How do I properly study the Bible? This is where a Bible college or seminary plays an important role.

    What is a Bible college?

    Bible colleges are undergraduate programs that have a unique focus on the Bible and a biblical worldview to their general education studies. In other words, you can get an Associate degree or bachelor’s degree at a Bible college.

    While you can often major in nursing, criminal justice, etc., the major focus of most Bible colleges is studying the Bible, doctrine, and professional skills needed in ministry. Courses include Old Testament Survey, New Testament Survey, Doctrine, Life of Christ, Greek, Hebrew and basic general education courses.

    Bible colleges serve an important role in higher education. Obviously, you get the foundational teachings in Bible, doctrine and ministry. But you also study grammar, history and philosophy from a biblical worldview. 

    Many students will attend a Bible college for their first two years (associate degree) to get a biblical foundation before transferring to a university that trains them in a field, such as engineering, medicine or biology. The advantage is that a Bible college is often significantly more affordable than a state university or private college.

    What is a seminary?

    Bible colleges and seminaries are similar yet different. They both focus on Bible, Christian ministry and doctrine. However, Bible colleges are designed as undergraduate programs (associate, bachelor’s) whereas seminaries are graduate level (master’s, doctoral).

    The other major difference is that seminaries normally focus more on leadership roles within ministry, like pastors, worship leaders and missionaries. Some students attend seminary before moving into a doctoral program to teach in biblical higher education.

    What’s the Difference Between Bible College and Seminary?

    Bible colleges require a high school diploma (or equivalent) for entry. Seminaries require a bachelor’s degree. Therefore, some students attend Bible college to go on to pursue greater studies at the seminary.When this happens, they often get credit for courses already taken.

    If you believe God has called you into ministry, then attending a Bible college and/or seminary is an important part of your preparation. While you could attend one and not the other, you may find a greater depth by attending both.

    Much of that decision depends on what is required for the job or ministry you are pursuing. To be a pastor in your denomination, does it require a degree? If so, what kind? Are you preparing for ordination and need a better foundation?

    The difference between Bible college and seminary may be summarized in one word: purpose. What’s the purpose behind your education?

    Why Should I Attend a Bible College?

    It’s been said that the foundation is key to everything. Consider a house. If the foundation is strong, the house is strong. But a weak foundation leads to issues all throughout the house. Attending Bible college is like building a solid educational foundation.

    At Carolina College of Biblical Studies, our mission is to disciple Christ-followers, through biblical higher education, for a lifetime of effective servant leadership. If we can help you reach your ministry goals, let us know.

    To learn more about Bible colleges, download our “9 Answers to Your Questions About Biblical Education” from our website at www.ccbs.edu.

  • 04FireAcademy

    While doing research for a recent column titled “Racial Diversity in the Fayetteville Fire Department: The Rest of the Story,” I gained a far more detailed understanding of the Cumberland County Schools Fire Academy. What follows is some of that detailed understanding, coupled with my profound respect and appreciation for this effort.

    The Academy is conducted at E.E. Smith High School but is open to students from high schools throughout the county. A line from the Academy Handbook’s welcome letter states the program vision with clarity: “The goal is to help our students in preparing for post-secondary education which will lead to a career in the Fire Service and produce competitive employees for the 21st-century global job market.” 

    Under “Mission,” in part, the handbook states: “The curriculum in this course of study introduces students to varied careers in the Fire Service, assists students in identifying their interests and aptitudes, and provides them with the knowledge and skills necessary for post-secondary education leading to jobs in these careers.”

    Starting in ninth grade, students spend a half-day, five days a week, engaged in course work, field trips and hands-on training that very substantially move them toward satisfying requirements for a career in firefighting. Those students who complete the first three years of the four-year program are eligible to study in a Fire Science program at Fayetteville Technical Community College during their senior year of high school and earn college credits along with additional necessary certifications required for employment in firefighting. 

    This path can lead to an associate degree from FTCC, followed by a baccalaureate degree through Fayetteville State University. All of this is made possible through a unique partnership between FTCC, FSU, Western Carolina University, The City of Fayetteville Fire Department, Cumberland County Fire Department, Fort Bragg and E.E. Smith
    High School. 

    Patricia Strahan, Director of the Cumberland County Schools Fire Academy, is a veteran of over 30 years in the Fire Service. When talking about the academy, she explained the academics and related requirements but moved with passion to another point of emphasis. She talked about leading students to see the importance of helping others and then knowing the satisfaction, the joy, which comes with helping others. 

    This is an endeavor that addresses the whole person. The “whole person” approach is reflected in having a dress code, requiring parental involvement and employing rules that are stated and enforced. Students in 10th through 12th grades are required to complete a minimum of 50 community service hours per year. There is an Advisory Board made up of educators, representatives of partner organizations, fire service professionals, Academy participants and a parent. 

    Those are some of the key details of the Academy. I find it to be a program of immense worth that provides a tremendous opportunity for students to enter and excel in a profession (firefighting) that is critical to our society. Yes, I was encouraged by the details. But I was even more encouraged and hopeful after spending time with several of the students in this program. Following is some of what I experienced that prompted this encouragement and hopefulness regarding young people and the future of
    our country.

    My first interaction with students from the academy came when I went to the Fayetteville Fire Department’s Fire Training Center on Radar Road. A group of students was learning how to exit a building through a window when fire conditions dictate such an escape. 

    I watched as these young people received instructions and, to a person, resolutely prepared to execute the maneuver that day … not at some point in the future. That same day, I talked with four young men about their reasons for being in the academy. 

    They were Ethan Bolger, Daiyvon Harvey, Elijah Beyer and Daniel Stedman. 

    A friend of Ethan’s who knew Ethan wanted to be a firefighter told him the academy would help him achieve that dream. Daiyvon always wanted to be a firefighter and was attracted by a desire to help others. Elijah will be a third-generation firefighter. Daniel said his father is a firefighter who loves what he does. Without Daniel feeling pressured, his father’s love of his profession inspired Daniel. 

    Like others in the program, commitment to and love of what they have chosen as a life work shine in these young men. Daiyvon closed our discussion by explaining that some students don’t have good family situations, but those in the academy are like a wonderful family. He said, “We have one another’s back.”

    On another day, I visited the Academy space at E.E. Smith and talked with a larger group of students. I heard much of the same excitement, a sense of having found their place, a level of commitment and pure desire for achievement that is rare in our time. 

    The conversation turned to the question of why there are so few women firefighters. Along with others, Celia Casiano and Yakira Sexton talked passionately about the importance of a right attitude for taking on and succeeding at what is difficult in life. I was amazed by the civility and thoughtfulness demonstrated in that discussion. 

    This is only an overview of what was, for me, a tremendously encouraging and hope-inspiring experience. These young people have great promise and, if they can navigate the destructive forces of our world, will help us find our way to being a far better nation and world. 

    Photo: The Academy is conducted at E.E. Smith High School but is open to students from high schools throughout the county.

  • 03MargI recently read Nashville writer Ann Patchett’s latest novel, “Commonwealth,” an elegantly rendered tale of two Greatest Generation couples whose marriages explode in midcentury suburban California. 

    The story chronicles the fallout that rains down upon the six baby boomer children shared by the four parents. It was a confusing read at the beginning with so many characters to sort out, but by the final page I knew them well and fondly, and I hated to see them go.

    At the very end of “Commonwealth,” one of the daughters, by then in her 50s, speculates about their lives. What if the parents had not divorced? What if the newly recoupled pair had not moved to Virginia? What if one of the Baby Boomers had not died as a teenager in front of the other five Boomers? 

    What if she had figured out what to do with her life instead of hiding out in Europe? What if…? What if..? What if…?

    I suspect we all have our own “what ifs.” 

    What if we had not married the person we did? 

    Maybe we would have had children, but they would not have been the same children. The ones we had in reality would not have existed. 

    What if we never married?

    So many in our community have come from other places. But what if we never left our home community and lived out our days in the same place we were born? 

    What if we never saw much of our own nation, much less any others? Conversely, what if we traveled the world but never really found a spot to
    call home?

    What if we had gone to a different college, a small one instead of a large university or vice versa? What if we attended one in a different part of the country or abroad? How would those early experiences have changed the way we lived our adult lives or would they have changed that at all?

    What if we had not gone to college? Would our lives have been appreciably better or worse or about the same?

    We all have successes and failures, joys and sadness — even traumas, in our lives. How did they affect us? Did we welcome the good times with humility and grace, and did we weather the bad times or did they flatten us? What made us the way we are today, for better or for worse?

    We have all allowed family and friends to fall from our lives for one reason or another, sometimes simply time and distance. What if we renewed those ties that once meant something to us? Is that desirable or even possible after we have gone our separate ways for so long?

    Each of us has our own “what ifs,” and ours may not be the same at all. We all control parts of our lives with our decisions, and parts of our lives are determined by events that happen around and to us. 

    I had always planned to work in a big city, either New York or Washington D.C., early in my career, but the illness and subsequent death of my mother brought me back to Fayetteville when I was 25. It was the right thing for me to do, but that particular “what if” has always haunted me.

    Truth be told, every decision we make to embrace one part of life and let go of another is both the opening and closing of different doors. Some of those can be reversed, but some cannot. 

    Our lives are rarely the result of one single decision — or in some cases no decision at all — but almost always the accumulation of thousands of small choices and some large ones coupled with forces and events beyond our control.

    I have told the Precious Jewels that no decision is a decision. If you do not take action one way or another, the decision becomes just to coast along. I have told them that decision-making does close some doors, but it opens others, and it is the only way to move forward in life.

    And, I have quoted Eleanor Roosevelt and told them that fear cannot stop you from living. “You must do the thing you think you cannot do,” she counseled, and she was right.

    I doubt I will ever live, much less work, in New York or Washington D.C. But, thankfully, I can and do visit both. And, like Ann Patchett’s collection of fictional baby boomer adults, I still wonder — “What if?”

  • 01PubPenI am encouraged by our young people today. I know we don’t hear much about the good things they do. In fact, we hear way too much about the negative things attributed to them. 

    But look around. Here in Fayetteville there is a rising tide of inspiring young men and women willing to face the challenges, responsibilities and leadership opportunities that adulthood has promised. 

    What young people need most now is willing mentors and much encouragement. Recently, I addressed a group of Fayetteville’s Young Professionals at their monthly professional development luncheon. I’ll admit, I’m not usually the nervous type when it comes to public speaking, but this group made me quiver. They would be looking at me as if I were their father — or even worse, their grandfather. 

    I panicked. It was sheer desperation that drove me to Rocket Fizz Soda Pop and Candy Shop (a fun retro candy and novelty store). 

    Once there, I consulted with owner Ann Sims. Being sympathetic to my cause, she readily assembled a rare assortment of retro candies that were older than I am: Necco Wafers, Mary Janes, Sugar Babies, Goo Goo Bars and more. It was a confectionery “blast from the past.” 

    I used the candy to make a point with this impressive group of young professionals. I asked them what they thought a successful and rewarding career would have in common with these popular candies that have survived five decades. 

    They were stumped! The answer is simple: Good things last! 

    I assured them that they, and they alone, are the architects of their future successes, and like the basket filled with candy, “good things last.” The message was received well. These young people get it! 

    Expect their involvement in future business, civic and governmental issues affecting their lives and the Fayetteville community. Don’t think for one moment these young people are disengaged. 

    They have vision and goals. They want the good life. They want clean and safe communities, and most of all they want to see real leadership in action — leadership that demonstrates vision and produces measurable and tangible results. 

    Young people are not impressed with terms like “revenue neutral” when taxes and fees continue to increase, the unemployment rate hovers at 6 percent and our county population is dwindling. 

    Here’s a warning to the old guard of our city and county: Don’t think you are going to shore up your old-school political ranks by using naive, enthusiastic young professionals. These upstarts have independent thoughts, dreams and aspirations of their own. More importantly, they have no political baggage and a determination to make a difference. How refreshing!

    Keep your eyes on this aggressive and talented group of young people. Like all good things, they’ll be around for a long time. 

    Photo: Learn more about Fayetteville Young Professionals by visiting www.fayyp.org.

  • 01COVEROn June 23, The Ellington-White Community Development Corporation opens a new exhibit featuring one of Fayetteville’s most established artists. The “Resemblance: New Works by Soni Martin” exhibit opens with an artist talk and reception from 5-9 p.m. 

    With a comprehensive body of work to her name, Martin could have brought in a sampling of her works that she’s created over the years, but she didn’t. “Instead of a retrospective, where I would fill the gallery with past works, I set a personal goal of creating new work for the exhibit,” said Martin. “From setting that goal, many unexpected challenges occurred.” 

    In creating an entirely new body of work for the show, Martin wanted to do something fresh and different. Something that would stretch her as an artist. Something that would engage viewers. She’s known for her sculpture and encaustics, but after a year of experimenting and self-discovery, this show promises something different. 

    Martin said she decided to undertake a new body of work for several reasons. “For me, my approach to two-dimensional works had become predictable since I had been predominately working in the encaustic medium for the last eight years. It has been become somewhat like a formula that I knew well. I wanted to investigate new materials and methods to express ideas I was becoming preoccupied with,” Martin said. 

    She added that “There was a disconnect between sculpture and two-dimensional imaging-making that I have wanted to resolve for a long time. For me as an artist, there is always a new kind of synthesis that is taking place in my response to culture and materials that I would like to investigate and express.”

    Once she started the process, Martin found the journey to be as unpredictable and delightful as the outcome, but challenging as well. “Little did I know when I started how convoluted the process would become during this past year and what I would come to understand about myself as an artist, ways of working, and obstacles to the creative process. Little did I know how each of my reasons were complicated, each in their own way,” she said.

    Her biggest challenge was that she was going in too many directions at once. In the beginning of this process, Martin spent time researching new materials she thought would be perfect for the direction she wanted to go with her work. 

    Then she set about getting to know these new materials, only to find out much was not even applicable. “I had the problem of going in too many directions — I simply had too many ideas I wanted to try and most of those were a disaster. So, there came a time when I realized I had to put limitations on myself and make concrete decisions about the direction of the work,” said Martin. “I knew I wanted to continue to mix abstraction with representationalism. Color is important to me, so I made the decision to focus on practicing a more luminous color palette instead of strong contrast and pure hue. This in itself involved research and practice making color swatches. I have always preferred to integrate the still life and the landscape into my work, but I also wanted to focus on how I could explore nature in a way that it be similar to a metaphoric still life.”

    Yet another influence on Martin’s work is her fascination with the idea of obscurity as content. “This one focus had the most impact on the new work in ways that feel I was able to bridge sculpture and two-dimensional works for this exhibit,” she said. “In the final analysis, the exhibit will open and what I will have come to understand is that it’s really the beginning. For an artist, it doesn’t get any better than that.”

    The exhibit runs through Aug. 5 at the Ellington-White Gallery, 113 Gillespie Street. Find out more at www.ellington-white.com.

  • 16Arana BlakeArana Blake

    Massey Hill Classical School Soccer Sophomore

    Blake attends Massey Hill but plays soccer for Seventy-First. A team captain for the Falcons, she had a grade point average of 4.25.

     

     

     

     

    17Devyn AdamsDevyn Adams

    Gray’s Creek Cross country and wrestling

    Sophomore

    Adams compiled a 4.25 grade point average while competing in two sports for the Bears.

  • 15DonationsCumberland County high school football games will return to 7:30 p.m. kickoffs beginning this fall.

    The matter was recently reviewed by the county’s senior high school principals and football coaches, and the overwhelming consensus was to drop the 7 p.m. kickoffs for a return to 7:30 p.m.

    Vernon Aldridge, student activities director for the county, said there were a number of reasons the change
    was made. 

    Parents of athletes complained it was difficult to make away games and even home games on time when they got off work at 5:30 and 6 p.m. Concession stand volunteers also found it difficult to get in place and get set up in time.

    The coaches also said they felt rushed in preparing teams for games on Friday with the earlier kickoff.

    Cole Humphrey’s Legacy

    The Cole Humphrey Endowment continues to reap financial benefits for the Cape Fear High School athletic program. The fund, established in memory of the standout Cape Fear athlete, who died in a 2013 automobile accident, recently gave $2,000 to the Colts’ athletic program.

    Larry Ellis, Humphrey’s grandfather, said the family has been reasonably pleased with the success of the fund but is hopeful that it can do even better.

    “You’d like to see it grow as fast as it can so the payout could be higher,’’ he said.

    Ellis said he expects this year’s annual Cole Humphrey run to generate another $5,000 to the endowment after all expenses are taken care of.

    The concern is to keep the fund in the eyes of the community. “Cole’s class graduated in 2014,’’ Ellis said. “The 2017 class graduating this year were freshmen when Cole was a junior.

    “Every time a year goes by, the proximity of kids and their families (to Cole’s memory) gets stretched more. We’ve got to do a good job to make sure we keep it in front of everybody.’’

    Ellis said Humphrey’s family has discussed with Cape Fear Principal Lee Spruill and athletic director Matt McLean plans for promoting the fund at a football game this year.

    “Your child may not have gone to school with Cole, but they will benefit because of the proceeds that help the athletic program,’’ he said.

    Photo: (Left to right) Jana Humphrey, McCrae Humphrey, Wendell Smith, Jake Thomas, Larry Ellis, Ann Ellis. Smith and Thomas coach baseball and softball respectively at Cape Fear. They are receiving a check from the Cole Humphrey Endowment. 

  • 14David LovetteGoing 2-9 and failing to qualify for the state football playoffs isn’t part of the Gray’s Creek tradition.

    “We’ve got a lot of room for improvement,’’ said Bears’ head coach David Lovette as his team went through this year’s spring conditioning sessions. “We didn’t have a typical Gray’s Creek season last year. We want to get back to where we were in the past.’’

    Lovette doesn’t make excuses for what went wrong, but if he did he’d certainly be able to point to one area that was beyond his and the team’s control. The first two weeks of the 2016 season the Bears lost five offensive linemen. Four of them didn’t return for the remainder of the season.

    “We couldn’t move the football,’’ he said.

    But there is reason for optimism this year. The Bears’ junior varsity team was 8-2 last season, and some solid prospects from that team will be joining varsity this year.

    “We’ve gotten stronger and have another year of maturity,’’ Lovette said. “We’re going to try and show some of those things on the football field.’’

    One big change for the Bears this year will be a new quarterback as Nathan Scott moves up from being a backup wide receiver and junior varsity quarterback to take over on varsity.

    “I want to come up as a leader,’’ Scott said. “I don’t want to be the guy everybody doesn’t want to come to. I want to be the first guy people come to.’’

    He saw action in one game as quarterback last year against Westover and doesn’t feel he acquitted himself well.

    “I’m working on losing weight,’’ said Scott, who considers himself more of a passer than a runner. “I’ve gotten stronger, but I’m getting faster to fit into this run-oriented offense.’’

    Lovette was pleased with the early turnout for the Gray’s Creek practice sessions. “Everybody is out here that’s supposed to be here,’’ he said. “We’ve got about 60 or 70 kids, and that’s pretty good for us.

    “We’re excited about it.’’

     

    Photo:David Lovette, head coach of the Bears

  • 13Trojans ElijahErasing bad memories and finding a new quarterback were the main points of concern for Pine Forest during the recent spring football conditioning period.

    Elijah Robinson, who will be a senior offensive lineman for the Trojans this fall, best put things into perspective. “We want to put all the bad seasons behind and keep moving forward,’’ he said. “We are growing as a team, and we want people to see that. We’ve got to start fresh and get right this year.’’

    The Trojans got off to a strong start in 2016 but limped home with a 7-5 record that included a first-round state 4-A playoff loss to West Johnston.

    Finding a quarterback will be a critical part of making any major improvement happen. Head coach Bill Sochovka is looking at two main candidates for the job, Lavonte Carter and D.J. Jones.

    But there’s something else he’s got to develop that may be even harder, and that’s leadership. “We lost a good core of seniors that had good leadership qualities,’’ he said. But as the Trojans assembled for their first spring practice, Sochovka was glad to see everyone he was expecting to be out was on the field and ready to start five minutes ahead of time.

    Aside from the quarterback position, the other major concern for the Trojans is the secondary, where graduation took everything, and Pine Forest will be starting from scratch.

    Elsewhere, things are looking up. “We have a good core in the offensive, and defensive lines and even our skill positions were young,’’ Sochovka said.

    There’s good news and bad news at running back, where the Trojans will be seeking some new faces. The good news is the Trojans should have some speed at the position, but the bad news is most of those players missed spring workouts because they were still involved in the state track competition.

    “We slowed our offense down last year,’’ Sochovka said. “We want to be a faster tempo.’’

    Sochovka said another focus of the Pine Forest spring would be getting the team in actual playing shape. “There’s nothing like actual football practice to get you in condition,’’ he said.

    Sochovka said he prefers the option to have the full squad out for conditioning versus working with just 21 players a day for a number of reasons. He likes players who play multiple sports, so going with the later spring practice allows more of them to be able to take part.

    “I think it gets everybody focused,’’ he said. “It puts a taste of football in their mouth, and for kids who worked hard in the weight room it shows it’s paying off.’’

    Robinson said he hopes the Trojans become more of a family this season. “The more we come together as a team, the better the season is going to come out,’’ he said.

    Photo: Elijah Robinson will be a senior offensive lineman for the Trojans this fall. 

  • 12CinemaPirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales

    Sequels are a tough business. Despite being constantly fed into the marketplace, it’s rare that they live up to the success and capture the magic of the original film on which they are based. 

    In the case of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, the sequels have been fun. Or at least, that had been the case (for the most part) until now. The new film “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” lacks the fun and can’t sustain the promise of the earlier films in the franchise.

    The general plot in “Dead Men Tell No Tales” is of the search for the Trident of Poseidon. This legendary artifact bestows total control over the seas to its possessor. Henry Turner (Brenton Thwaites) is looking for this artifact to help his father, who is trapped in a watery grave. Henry enlists the assistance of the illustrious Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp).

    Jack is being hunted by the vicious Captain Salazar (Javier Bardem) in Salazar’s quest to eliminate all the pirates from the seas. This leads our heroes Henry, Jack and Carina Smyth (Kaya Scodelario) ­­— who is under investigation for being a witch — on a high-seas adventure. Can the trio work with others to find the Trident or will they get lost at sea?

    “Lost at sea” is a good phrase for describing this film. From the opening scene, we are led on a meandering journey that should elicit joy. Instead, I felt like I was watching a franchise that had left its better days behind it. The original film, and some of the subsequent sequels, showcased a whimsical Jack Sparrow character who was fun. Instead, Depp’s portrayal here felt forced and borderline painful.

    Action sequences were swift and engaging, but lacked the punch needed to be special. At times, I felt some of the fights were about a more violent and shocking exhibition rather than the choreographed mayhem of the previous films.

    Much of the story felt forgettable, though I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention there is some plunder in a scene after the credits conclude. 

    While some scenes were definitely fun to watch on the big screen, I just couldn’t shake the feeling of a well drained of all its water. If the filmmakers intend to go any further with this franchise, the element of fun needs to be restored. Until then, I’m thinking more and more, a pirate’s life may not be for me.

    Paul’s Grade: C-

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