The Fayetteville - Cumberland County Parks and Recreation presents Christmas in the Park again this year at Arnette Park from 6 – 9 p.m. daily Dec. 4 – 20.  

Christmas in the Park is a walk-through light show.  Guests pay the per vehicle entry fee, park and then  take a stroll through the half-mile paved walking trail while enjoying the sights and sounds of the Christmas season.  

During their visit, guests can enjoy entertainment provided by local artists, crafts, marshmallow roasting at a fire pit, train rides on the Christmas Express and holiday movies on the outdoor movie screen.  Santa will be available for pictures.

Admission is $10 per family vehicle, $30 for a commercial vehicle and $75 for buses. Only cash will be accepted. Marshmallows, crafts and train rides cost $1 extra.  Pictures with Santa are $5.

Only service animals are allowed at the park during Christmas in the Park.

In its sixth year, Christmas in the Park continues to grow said Erica Brady, Special Events Coordinator for Fayetteville - Cumberland County Parks and Recreation. 

“Not only has this event grown in participation, but each year we add more lights and displays to make it new and exciting for all visitors,” Brady said via e-mail.

More than 16,000 guests attended last year.

Return visitors will see additions in this year’s show, Brady said.

“We have added a lot of new displays that will easily be recognizable for anyone who has attended in the past as well as expanding our center Christmas tree display.”

Besides the festive lights, the family-friendly event offers other activities to keep visitors of all ages entertained.

“We have a wide variety of local performers,” Brady said.  “They include school groups, churches and participants from our recreation center programs.”

A Christmas themed crafts station offers simple crafts that can be done by a child with the help of an adult.  

“We provide the necessary supplies and the craft can be completed on site or taken home to make,” Brady said.

The outdoor movie screen will show a variety of licensed movies: How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Twas the Night Before Christmas, Frosty’s Winter Wonderland, Smurf’s Christmas Carol.

To make the most of the experience, Brady recommends dressing for the weather and be prepared to walk.  The event is set up so visitors can spend as little or as long as they like in the park.  

“Do everything at your own pace and enjoy the experience,” Brady said.

Arnette Park is home to 100 acres adjacent to the Cape Fear River with a combination of developed facilities and wooded areas.  It is located at 2165 Wilmington Highway, Exit 100 off Highway 87. 

During questionable weather conditions, guests are encouraged to call the inclement weather line at 306-7325 before they visit.  A recorded message will say if the park is open that evening. For more information call 433-1547 or visit http://www.fcpr.us/special_events.aspx.

Ho, ho, ho!  It’s Christmas time at the Poe House. The Museum of the Cape Fear has a myriad of events and exhibits planned for the holiday season. If you have ever wondered what Christmas was like in Fayetteville during the Victorian era, be sure to visit the Poe House. The decorations are historically accurate and offer a insight into the way local families lived and celebrated Christmas in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Take a tour and learn about the customs and traditions of the time.

“By Thanksgiving, we  have the Poe House decorated for Christmas so people who go downtown and enjoy Dickens’ holiday can come and see the Poe House,” said Leisa Greathouse, curator of education at Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex. “The decorations will be up until Jan. 10 which is after the Epiphany Christian Observation.” 

The 1897 Poe House was home to the Poe family which consisted of Edgar Poe, his wife and eight children. Poe was an affluent businessman who was born in Fayetteville and owned and operated a brick factory. He had two brick yards. “He delved into other things such as building materials and hired potters to make jugs and bowls and it became known as Poe Pottery,” said Greathouse. “It makes it sound like he was a potter but he wasn’t.” Greathouse added that Poe and his wife, Josephine, had eight children that they reared in the house, which were six girls and a set of twin boys. Mrs. Poe’s job was like most women of her socioeconomic class, which was to stay home and be a good wife, mother and provide a good home for her family.  

“We talk about early technology in the Poe House like the first indoor plumbing that they would have gotten here in Fayetteville,” said Greathouse. “Also electricity was one of those inventions that made our life much simpler … that they were witnessing for the first time back then.”        

The museum has an exhibit called “Stagville: Black and White.” It is a black and white photographic exhibit of Stagville State Historic Site which is located in Durham.  “At the time of the Civil War it was the largest slaveholding plantation in North Carolina,” said Greathouse.  “The plantation owner, Paul Cameron, was the richest man in North Carolina at the time.” Greathouse added that these are photos of what remains of the slave cabins, big house, the great barn and the grounds.  Brenda Scott met descendants of the slaves that lived on the property and photographed them and conducted historic interviews.    

The events are free and open to the public. For more information call 486-1330. 

Sometimes the best way to honor someone you’ve loved and lost is with a celebration. At least that is what Roberta Humphries chooses to do. She lost her son Ryan Patrick Kishbaugh to Hodgkin’s Lymphoma when he was 18. And every year since,  she invites the public to commemorate Ryan and rejoice in all that is fun and good and true about living a healthy life. She does this by putting on a 5K run — Ryan’s Reindeer Run. This run is about more than pounding out some steps in the name of a good cause. It is about having fun, cherishing loved ones and making memories. This year, Ryan’s Reindeer Run falls on Dec. 19.  

For Humphries it just makes sense to have a road race in honor of Ryan. He loved running and learning and volunteering. In his short life, Ryan worked hard to be the best person he knew how to be and to make the world a better place. He wrote a book called Run Because You Can: My Personal Race with Cancer. It chronicles his experience during his 15-month fight. 

The race is a lot of fun and gets bigger and better every year with more than 1,000 runners registering for the event. Not only does this race celebrate Ryan’s life, the proceeds go to the Ryan P. Kishbaugh Memorial Foundation to help others. The foundation has donated more than $131,000 to local nonprofits since2013.

“This is such a rewarding event because the money from the race goes to other nonprofits that provide services to children and people with cancer. It all goes back into the community,” said Humphries. “I do make a donation to Duke Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant Center and Support Program so families who have needs while their child receives a transplant can have those needs met. We always give to Make a Wish Foundation to help provide a trip for a terminally ill child from Cumberland County. The Friends of the Cancer Center, the Child Advocacy Center, Better Health, the Care Clinic and other organizations also receive funds. It is nice to be able to give back as much as we do. It is very rewarding to help others.”

Humphries noted that the reason the Ryan P. Kishbaugh Foundation can be so generous is that once expenses are covered, every bit goes to charitable organizations. There is also a small amount that is saved to pay for the next year’s race.

 “Nobody makes money on the run,” said Humphries. “None of the volunteers gets paid and I don’t take a salary or anything like that.”

This is a family friendly 5K and Humphries does her best every year to make it fun for everyone. Santa will be on hand for anyone who wants to take pictures with him. 

“We also hope to have an antique car or fire engine there for pictures, too,” said Humphries. “We have contests for the best decorated strollers, we have holiday sweater contests. It really is a fun, family-friendly get together.”

It takes about six months to put the race together, and just when everyone else is getting ready to celebrate Thanksgiving things kick into high gear. They stay at a frantic pace until race day is over. But it is worth it. 

“When it all comes together and I see everyone take off at the start, it is a big relief for me,” said Humphries. “And then when it all comes together and you see everyone having fun it is the best feeling.”

Registration includes both single and team categories. Prizes are awarded to the top overall male and female finishers in the under 13, 13-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69 and 70 and over categories. Participants younger than 13, receive a finisher’s award. Prizes also go to the first three pet finishers and their owners, the three fastest family finishers, the best costumed runners and the three fastest strollers and runners and the best decorated strollers.

Team trophies are given to the school, club or organization with the largest number of participants. A team must have a minimum of 10 participants to qualify as a team. Groups must register by Dec. 18.

Those who register as part of a family are not eligible for individual prizes but can compete for family prizes. A family entry must have between three and six runners who are part of the same family.

While dogs are welcome, they must be on a leash at all times and owners are responsible for cleaning up after their dogs. Walkers, noncompetitive runners with dogs and/or strollers should start in the back of the group.

Registration for individuals is $30; individuals under 13 is $20; family entries are $90 and include four T-shirts, two additional family members can register for $20 each.

This year is the 10th anniversary; with that in mind, there are some changes to the medals. 

“I used to design and make the medals myself,” said Humphries. “The race is too big for me to do that now, so the medals are made for us. This year’s has the Ryan’s Reindeer Run logo on it and notes that it is the 10th anniversary. We are giving them out to the first 700 registrants.”

The race starts and ends at the Medical Arts Building in downtown Fayetteville at the corner of Robeson and Hay Streets. It’s a nice course but requires some effort — that is by design. 

“Because life is challenging,” said Humphries.

To register for the race, or to find out more about Ryan’s Reindeer Run, visit www.ryansreindeerrun.com.

While most people look forward to the annual Christmas pageant at their local church, Cumberland County residents look forward to the worst Christmas pageant, which in reality is really The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.

Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the Cape Fear Regional Theatre proudly brought the BCPE to its stage again this year, but, they have added a little twist. 

On Monday, Dec. 21, a special performance of the show will take folks back 25 years to the very first BCPE, as an alumni cast performs in the anniversary show.

This bit of fun and mischief is taking place under the direction of Bo Thorp and many of the actors who have made the play — and the theatre — such a success over the past 25 years. The cast is full of the Christmas spirit and ready to put on a great show, all to benefit the children’s programs at the theatre. 

One Fayetteville family that will have a big impact on the show is the Beaver family. Twenty-five years ago, Laura Beaver and Jenny Beaver deViere made their stage debuts in the BCPE. Laura was the first Fayetteville resident to bring to life the mischevous, yet loveable, Gladys, while Jenny was the sweet Beth, who was one of the first to understand that the rowdy Herdmans were not ruining the show, but rather making it better. In the alumni play, their dad, Jerry Beaver, will play the role of Rev. Hopkins. It truly is a family affair.

Several other family pairings are also on tap. KenGriggs and his daughter, Laura, are also jumping into the fun. Laura will play the goody two shoes, Alice, while Ken will be the oldest Herdman Ralph.

Nicki Hart, a long-time CFRT performer, will reprise her role as Mrs. Slocum, while her daughter, Ava, will play Naomi. Hart’s son javin will play a shepherd.

The mother/son duo of Nannette and Tommy Walsh will also join the cast. Nannette will play Mrs. Clark and Tommy will play LeRoy Herdman.

Up & Coming Weekly’s Bill Bowman is also getting into the act, as he plays the role of Ollie Herdman.

Many other CFRT and BCPE alum are also performing, which will leave the audience in stitches, but also in awe of the talented performers who have called the CFRT home. 

Tickets for the event are $5; you must make reserversations. Plan on making them early, because this show is sure to be a hot commodity. At the show, donations will be taken to benefit the theatre’s children’s programs.

The curtain rises at 7 p.m. This is one show you won’t want to miss! For more information, visit the website at www.cfrt.org.

The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects the right of law abiding citizens to bear arms. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled people may possess handguns for self-defense in their homes. But just this month the high court refused to hear a Second Amendment challenge to a local ordinance that banned semiautomatic assault weapons and large-capacity magazines.

While federal law governs the sale and possession of some weapons, handgun regulations for the most part are regulated by the states. Unlike most southern states, North Carolina takes a firm stance toward gun laws, which are perhaps the strictest in the southeastern United States.

The most significant difference between North Carolina and its neighbors is what some say should be a national requirement. North Carolina requires permits for purchasing handguns.  Applications for permits to buy pistols are made at the local sheriff’s office, which then conducts background checks. North Carolina firearms laws are outlined in a publication by the State Department of Justice updated just this month.

Permits will not be issued to drug addicts, former convicts, persons who are mentally incompetent or under a restraining order. Military veterans will be denied permits if they cannot verify that they were honorably discharged. If the sheriff’s office is satisfied with its findings, a permit is issued. 

The state legislature recently considered changing gun laws because of some ambiguity in local applications for purchase permits. Sheriffs in each of the state’s 100 counties have some discretionary powers, so there are slight variations in the procedures. Some sheriffs require witnesses to vouch for an individual’s character, while others may require longer waiting periods. 

North Carolina gun possession laws are unique because they vary based on county. Registration of handguns is not required by state law, but can be found in some counties such as Durham. Cumberland County does not require gun registration. Concealed possession of any firearm is unlawful except on one’s own property, or if the individual has a concealed carry gun permit. 

Like the permit to purchase, a license to carry a concealed weapon is administered by the local sheriff. Basic requirements for a concealed carry permit under state include: residence in the state for at least 30 days, 21 years of age, successful completion of an approved firearms and safety training course, the completion of a shooting test, mental competence, a background check and a physical exam. The application itself will include a full set of fingerprints, a statement under oath and a fee of $100.

Openly carrying firearms also varies based on town and jurisdiction. “Open carry” refers to displaying firearms in public. State policy regards it as legal, but towns like Cary and Chapel Hill have adopted ordinances that restrict it depending on the size of the weapon. There’s also a state law that grew out of the 1968 Federal Omnibus Crime Control Act. It applies to folks who “go around armed to the terror of the public” like carrying a shotgun on courthouse grounds.

Gun shows are very popular in the state, and it’s nearly impossible to regulate such a popular industry. Gun shows create an opportunity for anyone to buy a gun without a background check. 

“That alone creates an underlying problem of people who are not lawfully allowed to have a firearm, to include some violent criminals,” says Earl Woodham, spokesman for the Charlotte office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Fayetteville/Cumberland County government relationships may get worse before they get better, according to Fayetteville Mayor Nat Robertson, who has said improving relationships has been a major goal of his since taking office in 2013, although his stance on the future distribution of local sales tax proceeds could further strain relationships. Robertson wants to change the method by which local governments have been dividing millions of dollars in revenue over the last 12 years.

“County commissioners are proposing that the current arrangement be extended for another 10 years,” says Chairman Marshall Faircloth. Commissioners and governing boards of the nine local municipalities have agreed to continuing the existing distribution formula — except the City of Fayetteville. Some city council members want to stop sharing sales tax money in areas annexed by the city over the last 20 years. 

The city and county agreed in 2003 to split sales tax revenue taken in annexed areas 50/50, if the county continued to use a territorial population calculation method. They’ve done that ever since, but the agreement expires next year and the county has given the city until January 31 to sign off on an extension. Thus far, Robertson has resisted. He wants the county to agree to a five-year plan under which the city would phase out the agreement so Fayetteville would retain all sales tax revenues. 

“It’s the city’s money under the law,” he says. 

The eight smaller towns would also be affected by whatever decision commissioners make. And legally, the ball’s in their court.

The old saying that “with every loss there’s a gain” and vice versa, comes into play. If the current agreement is not extended, County Manager Amy Cannon estimates the county would lose nearly $8 million in the coming fiscal year. The City of Fayetteville would gain just under $6 million. 

Commissioners have an ace up their sleeve, Faircloth noted. State law gives county government the upper hand. The county government have the sole authority to change the method by which sales tax receipts are divided. They could decide to impose what’s known as an ad valorem or tax district formula. The various taxing authorities would receive sales tax proceeds in accordance with their districts. Commissioners tax the entire county, including Fayetteville. Using that method, the county would gain $6 million while Fayetteville would lose nearly $5 million. 

 “We will start discussing what we’ll do,” Faircloth said, if the city hasn’t reached an agreement by January 31. The county has until April 30 to decide which way to go. Turf aside “This is a community issue,” Cannon says. “This agreement directly impacts all residents regardless of where they reside within the county.”

If You See Something

Fayetteville Police are asking residents to report any suspicious activity to 911 immediately, as part of the Department of Homeland Security’s “If You See Something, Say Something” campaign. The department says it has not received notification of any local threats, but in light of recent events across the country and around the world, police ask citizens to be vigilant.

We can all help keep our communities safe by paying attention to our surroundings and reporting suspicious activity to local law enforcement. In cities, on farms and in the suburbs, we share everyday moments with our neighbors, colleagues, families and friends. It’s easy to take for granted the routine moments in our every day — going to work or school, the grocery store or the gas station.   

“Informed, alert communities play a critical role in keeping our nation safe,” said Police Lt. David McLaurin. “If You See Something, Say Something” engages the public in protecting our homeland through awareness, building, partnerships and other outreach. To report suspicious activity, contact your local law enforcement agency. Describe specifically what you observed, including who or what you saw, when you saw it and where it occurred. 

Suspicious activity is any observed behavior that could indicate terrorism or terrorism-related crime. This might include:

• Unusual items or situations: A vehicle is parked in an odd location, a package/luggage left unattended, a window/door is open that is usually closed. 

• Eliciting information: A person asks questions at a level beyond curiosity about a building’s purpose, operations, security procedures and/or personnel, shift changes, etc. 

• Observation/surveillance: Someone seen paying unusual attention to facilities or buildings beyond a casual or professional interest. This includes extended loitering without explanation. 

Factors such as race, ethnicity or religious affiliation should not be
considered suspicious. 

Cape Fear River Park

One of the items many folks are unfamiliar with on the proposed March Parks & Recreation Bond referendum is a Cape Fear River Park. It’s a $6.3 million-dollar proposal with no exact plan. The city says the goal is to make the riverfront a special place for Fayetteville. The park could include an aquarium but it is not likely to be part of the bond issue

There apparently are half a dozen conceptual ideas for developing a park somewhere on the river, near the Person Street bridge. One of the ideas is to develop it off Dunn Road, north of Person Street. Developers point out an upper middle class residential neighborhood has been built nearby. Naysayers contend the older area of East Fayetteville would not be a natural attraction for locals or visitors. 

South King Street is another area with potential. It runs parallel to the river, south of Person Street and is home to several manufacturing plants including Union Corrugating Company. It has grown since its inception in 1946 to become a large manufacturing and distribution center of metal roofing and siding products. A railroad spur is nearby. Some city officials say it would be difficult at best to incorporate a large park into the area.

The Fayetteville City Council may get recommendations by late spring, according to City Planning Director Scott Shuford. But that would be after the election is held. So, specific recommendations won’t be known when residents are asked to vote on it. Mayor Nat Robertson and Councilman Mitch Colvin contend the vote ought to be put off until November…that it’s premature to hold the referendum in March.  

The above-the-fold headline screamed from the front page of Raleigh’s News and Observer: “Wake County School System Seeing Fewer New Students
Than Expected.”

In Wake County’s case, this means about 1,000 fewer new students than the system had anticipated for the last two school years. It is not that new school-aged people are not arriving in the Raleigh area. It is that their parents have far more educational choices for their children than they once did, and many of them are opting for charters and independent schools, both secular and faith-based. Home schooling is growing as well, and combined, these options added more students than did the giant Wake County Public School System, now North Carolina’s largest with more than 157,000 students. Just more than 80 percent of school-aged children now attend traditional Wake County public schools. That is by far the majority, but still less than it once was.

While Wake County’s changes are the most dramatic because of its size and the number and diversity of it non-system options, it is not alone. Other school systems, including Cumberland County’s, are experiencing lower growth projections, in part because parents are opting for non-system educations for their children. Parental options have grown since the North Carolina General Assembly raised the cap on charter schools, a less regulated, but still publicly funded education. The legislature also established a publicly funded voucher program for certain students to attend non-public programs.

You might be thinking, so what? 

So what if parents take their children out of traditional public schools and put them in charter or independent schools? And, so what if parents decide to home school, often at significant sacrifice to themselves? All conscientious parents want quality educations for their children. The differences come in how best to deliver that education, and decisions about what to do with which students are complicated and highly personal. We are talking, after all, about what is dearest to our hearts, the futures our children.

Full disclosure here. The Dickson Precious Jewels attended both traditional public and independent schools throughout their K-12 years and into college and graduate schools. Homeschooling was never on the table.

Americans decided during the 19th century that public education is a worthy endeavor, that it makes for a stronger and more productive society. Public education became more inclusive over time, expanding to take in both boys and girls from all backgrounds, religions and cultures. It also became more comprehensive, expanding from reading, writing and arithmetic up to 8th grade or so to the comprehensive high school curricula we have today.

Somewhere along the line, some Americans, including many North Carolinians, decided our public schools are failing at least some children and that there should be other options. It is hard to argue with that notion, both because it is so deeply personal and because all institutions fail in some ways. It is also complex because what constitutes failure in one person’s view is success for another.

What keeps your columnist awake at night is in part the state of our public schools but is it also the state and cohesiveness of us, we Americans.

Ours is and always has been, a diverse culture. Except for those of us descended from Native Americans, we all came here from somewhere else, bringing with us different experiences, languages, religions and cultures. Over time, these differences fade, of course, but the one, uniquely American experience most of us have shared is public education. As other common experiences like compulsory military service have fallen away this one has become more important.

The American school experience, be it in a rural or urban setting, has been a glue that binds us all together. We all recognize the stellar elementary school teacher who inspires young children to want to learn, the kindly high school coach who teaches not only sports but instills character, the music teacher who dresses us in construction paper costumes and puts on a holiday choral performance. We all know the class genius, the class clown and the class bully. Students have had, and are having, these experiences in North Carolina and California and everywhere in between. They are almost universal and provide a common bond we share and understand.

I can think of no other experience in American culture that provides such a connection in the midst of our great and growing diversity.

Nothing in life is static, and certainly not education as human knowledge expands every moment. My concern for students and communities in North Carolina as educational options expand is that we remember and value what public education continues to provide beyond book learning. I want us to both embrace our many educational options and to cherish and nurture the glue of common experience that ties us together.

A diverse nation without some glue is simply unimaginable.

The above-the-fold headline screamed from the front page of Raleigh’s News and Observer: “Wake County School System Seeing Fewer New Students
Than Expected.”

In Wake County’s case, this means about 1,000 fewer new students than the system had anticipated for the last two school years. It is not that new school-aged people are not arriving in the Raleigh area. It is that their parents have far more educational choices for their children than they once did, and many of them are opting for charters and independent schools, both secular and faith-based. Home schooling is growing as well, and combined, these options added more students than did the giant Wake County Public School System, now North Carolina’s largest with more than 157,000 students. Just more than 80 percent of school-aged children now attend traditional Wake County public schools. That is by far the majority, but still less than it once was.

While Wake County’s changes are the most dramatic because of its size and the number and diversity of it non-system options, it is not alone. Other school systems, including Cumberland County’s, are experiencing lower growth projections, in part because parents are opting for non-system educations for their children. Parental options have grown since the North Carolina General Assembly raised the cap on charter schools, a less regulated, but still publicly funded education. The legislature also established a publicly funded voucher program for certain students to attend non-public programs.

You might be thinking, so what? 

So what if parents take their children out of traditional public schools and put them in charter or independent schools? And, so what if parents decide to home school, often at significant sacrifice to themselves? All conscientious parents want quality educations for their children. The differences come in how best to deliver that education, and decisions about what to do with which students are complicated and highly personal. We are talking, after all, about what is dearest to our hearts, the futures our children.

Full disclosure here. The Dickson Precious Jewels attended both traditional public and independent schools throughout their K-12 years and into college and graduate schools. Homeschooling was never on the table.

Americans decided during the 19th century that public education is a worthy endeavor, that it makes for a stronger and more productive society. Public education became more inclusive over time, expanding to take in both boys and girls from all backgrounds, religions and cultures. It also became more comprehensive, expanding from reading, writing and arithmetic up to 8th grade or so to the comprehensive high school curricula we have today.

Somewhere along the line, some Americans, including many North Carolinians, decided our public schools are failing at least some children and that there should be other options. It is hard to argue with that notion, both because it is so deeply personal and because all institutions fail in some ways. It is also complex because what constitutes failure in one person’s view is success for another.

What keeps your columnist awake at night is in part the state of our public schools but is it also the state and cohesiveness of us, we Americans.

Ours is and always has been, a diverse culture. Except for those of us descended from Native Americans, we all came here from somewhere else, bringing with us different experiences, languages, religions and cultures. Over time, these differences fade, of course, but the one, uniquely American experience most of us have shared is public education. As other common experiences like compulsory military service have fallen away this one has become more important.

The American school experience, be it in a rural or urban setting, has been a glue that binds us all together. We all recognize the stellar elementary school teacher who inspires young children to want to learn, the kindly high school coach who teaches not only sports but instills character, the music teacher who dresses us in construction paper costumes and puts on a holiday choral performance. We all know the class genius, the class clown and the class bully. Students have had, and are having, these experiences in North Carolina and California and everywhere in between. They are almost universal and provide a common bond we share and understand.

I can think of no other experience in American culture that provides such a connection in the midst of our great and growing diversity.

Nothing in life is static, and certainly not education as human knowledge expands every moment. My concern for students and communities in North Carolina as educational options expand is that we remember and value what public education continues to provide beyond book learning. I want us to both embrace our many educational options and to cherish and nurture the glue of common experience that ties us together.

A diverse nation without some glue is simply unimaginable.

This past Monday  Fayetteville Mayor Nat Robertson and the City Council bestowed on our newspaper one of the greatest honors to date. They recognized Up & Coming Weekly with an official proclamation observing our 20th anniversary and the achievements,  contributions and impact Up & Coming Weekly has had on the Fayetteville/Fort Bragg community. 

Surrounded by friends, staff and family, I must admit it was overwhelming. Two decades. Believe me, no company  succeeds without a steadfast mission and a passionate, loyal, dedicated and hardworking staff that consistently produces  a quality and relevant product. I am extremely grateful to have all of these components at my disposal.But, truth be known, our undaunted success comes from focusing on, promoting, accentuating and illuminating the quality of life we experience here in Fayetteville. I’m talking about the news, views, art and entertainment and everything else that affects our residents and defines the quality of life in our community. We have stayed true to our mission  by supporting and investing in Cumberland County education, healthcare, the cultural arts and local businesses and organizations that also want to elevate our community to the outside world. 

As daily newspapers continue to decline in readership and relevance, community newspapers like Up & Coming Weeklycontinue to grow and prosper.  Actually, we are an effective local print media essential for advertising, marketing and branding local businesses and services. We are Fayetteville, Fort Bragg and Cumberland County’s first social media. Really!  “Nothing to do in Fayetteville,” really? 

We will put our weekly newspaper up against any smartphone, iPad, computer or electronic social media out there for the latest and greatest information on what is going on in this community. This is what we do. 

So, on behalf of  our staff, contributing writers, advertisers and community partners, all of whom contribute to our newspaper to define our personality, I say, thank you. 

Thank you for allowing us to be not only an integral part of the community, but also for allowing us to grow and prosper doing what we love... promoting and showcasing the Fayetteville community.  

Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

For many, the holiday season just isn’t complete without a performance of Peter Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker ballet. There is still time. The North Carolina State Ballet, under the direction of Fayetteville’s own Charlotte Blume, will perform this holiday classic at the Crown Dec. 12 and 13.

The cast consists of 60 dancers as well as guest artists. This marks the 39th consecutive year that the North Carolina State Ballet has performed The Nutcracker in Fayetteville. The performers start preparing for this production in late summer. The standards set by the Charlotte Blume School of Dance are rigorous and that reflects in the performance. While things stay busy at the studio year-round, this is an especially busy time of year and one that the dancers look forward to with great anticipation. “There is always an exciting cast for The Nutcracker. We have four guest artists this year as well as a sterling local cast that have been doing this for several years,” said Blume. “That makes it an especially exciting program.”

The classic story remains unchanged, however, two new backdrops will grace the stage, bringing an updated look to this favorite. Local artist Cindy Slappey and her former student Caroline Geiger designed the backdrop for Act II. Featuring the Land of Sweets and the Castle of the Sugar Plum Fairy, the backdrop brings a fresh perspective to the performance. Jennifer O’Kelly of O’Kelly Designs created the Act I backdrop. A graduate of the North Carolina School of the Arts, O’Kelly’s backdrops have been featured in the North Carolina Shakespeare Festival, Public Broadcasting Service’s “Great Performances” and the Toronto International Ballet. 

The Nutcracker is set in the 1800s. A young girl named Clara receives an enchanted Nutcracker from Herr Drosslemeyer, her godfather. As she drifts off to sleep snuggling the nutcracker, Clara’s adventures are just beginning. She faces the Mouse King and his army. The brave nutcracker conquers the Mouse King in a duel. 

Now, transformed into a prince, the nutcracker and Clara meet the Snow King and Queen. Amid the falling snow and dancing snowflakes, Clara and the nutcracker prince are off to their next adventure.

Act II takes them to the Crystal Palace, which is filled with dancing insects and butterflies. Here, the Sugar Plum Fairy listens to their adventures and hosts a festival for her guests. The Sugar Plum Fairy joins in a waltz with her court of flowers. Clara and the prince are delighted and impressed. As the event winds down, the Sugar Plum Fairy and Uncle Drosselmeyer grant Clara a Christmas wish and transform her into a beautiful woman so she can dance in the arms of the prince. Then Clara awakes. It is Christmas morning and the nutcracker is nestled safe in her arms.

Guest artists perform the roles of Sugar Plum Fairy and Cavalier. On Dec. 6, Alicia Fabry took the role of Sugar Plum Fairy. Fabry grew up in France and studied at the English National Ballet School in London. This is Fabry’s sixth season dancing with the North Carolina State Ballet. Marcelo Martinez was her Cavalier. Martinez hails from Paraguay and is returning for his second season with the North Carolina State Ballet. Previously, he trained at companhia Jovem do Teatro Mumicipal do Rio de Janerio and the Washington Ballet.

Fabry returns as the Sugar Plum Fairy for the Dec. 12 and 13 performances and Adam Shiffer plays Cavalier. Shiffer is from Budapest, Hungary and graduated from the Hungarian Dance Academy. He has toured and performed in Hungary, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Austria, Czech Republic, Italy and France. This is his second appearance with the North Carolina State Ballet.

Daniel Moore performs Drosselmeyer. “Little Clara” is alternated by Emily Rogers and Katherine Sullivan. “Clara Grown Up” is danced by Tiffany Alexander with Daniel Rivera as the “Nutcracker Prince”. The “Pas de Duex” highlights Act I and takes “Clara” and the “Prince” to the “Land of Snow” and then to the “Land of Sweets.”

The role of the “Snow Queen” is alternated by Deprecia Simpson and Sarah Middleton. The “Jewel” in “Waltz of the Flowers” is danced by April Glasper or Deprecia Simpson. The Arabian Dancer in “Coffee” is danced by Andrea Flores. 

When Russian composer Peter Tchaikovsky debuted this work at the Mayinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1892, it was not well received. Even though he was commissioned by Marius Petipa, a well-known and much-loved choreographer, to compose a score adapted to E.T.A. Hoffman’s “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King,” the critics and the audience were not impressed. Despite their work together on the classic ballet Sleeping Beauty, Czar Alexander III seemed to be the only fan of The Nutcracker.

Other artists saw the potential though, and in 1944, The Nutcracker opened at the San Francisco Ballet. Later, choreographer George Balanchine tweaked a few of the characters for the 1954 production when it premiered at the New York City Ballet. It was a smashing hit and claimed its place in America’s heart as a holiday tradition.

The Nutcracker is on stage at the Crown Theatre Dec. 12-13. Performances begin at 3 p.m. All performances are directed by Charlotte Blume. General admission is $20; military rates are $18 and children’s tickets cost $7. Tickets are available at the Crown Complex Box Office, Capefeartix.com and by calling 888.257.6208. Find out more at http://crowncomplexnc.com.

Fayetteville is a town steeped in tradition, especially during the holidays. From festivals to decorated outdoor spaces to shows and concerts, there is no shortage of things to do and ways to celebrate. The Cumberland Oratorio Singers has a special place in the community, especially during the Christmas season. The Hallelujah Chorus – Messiah Sing brings a sense of celebration and worship that, for many, is reserved for this special time of year. On Saturday, Dec. 12, join the Cumberland Oratorio Singers at Berean Baptist Church for this year’s rendition of the Christmas classic.

Dr. Michael Martin is the director of this choral group. This is an event that he looks forward to each year. “The concert will open with five pieces of the December season, and then we will perform the first part of Messiah, along with ‘Hallelujah!’ from the second part,” he said. “For the people who want to be entertained and not sing along, there is much to enjoy, along with four professional soloists: Anne Rogers and Brenda Vandervort (both from Fayetteville), Melvin Ezzel from Wilmington and Joshua Conyers, from Winston-Salem.” 

The public often joins the performance of the “Hallelujah Chorus.” To do so, the person must have their own copy of Messiah, and have it in a black cover or folder. Walk-ons the night of the performance can still participate. People who walk-in wanting to sing sit in a designated area. That way, they do not end up standing in front of people who wish to simply watch and listen, Martin noted.

With so many activities to choose from, this event stands out for Martin as an important part of what makes Fayetteville such a great community. “I don’t know about you, but the idea of community needs to be preserved. Fayetteville, for as large as it is, actually feels more like a small town settled in a very big area. Our choir is Fayetteville’s community chorus and we want to preserve that as a basic premise of our mission,” he said. “We also want to preserve that basic aspect of this event: the concert/community sing. However, this event is not unique to Fayetteville. It happens all over the country! Our version of this event is much less formal than other organizations. In some of those events, people arrive in period dress to sing the piece. We do not, so I guess that we are a bit more casual about it. It’s fun and is a standard event throughout America.”

Even so, like everything else about this city, it is the eclectic mix of people that show up for the event that make it special. “I really enjoy getting to meet the soloists and work with an orchestra. Don’t get me wrong, I feel like I have the best seat in the house at every one of our concerts, but in this case, we probably utilize more people from every walk of life that want to be in the mix of our event. From professional singer/performer, to the new singer/performer, we have it all. I guess I will channel my Forrest Gump and refer to the box of chocolates; I never know what I’m going to get. But that’s part of the fun,” said Martin.

The performance starts at 7:30 p.m. Berean Baptist Church is located at 517 Glensford Dr. in Fayetteville. Find out more at www.singwithcos.org

Are you tired of your current career? Is getting up and going to work every day getting old? Is the daily grind grinding your dreams of pay without working into sawdust? Wouldn’t it be great to get paid for drinking white wine, working one night a week attending art shows and pontificating about what someone else has poured their heart and soul into? Sounds too good to be true? Au contraire, mon frere. There is a job that allows you to do all these things and get paid for it. Consider becoming an art critic. Right now, you are probably asking yourself, “How can I be an art critic?” Let us reverse that question, how can you not become an art critic? The hours are great, you get to torture struggling artists with critical reviews, and you get to wear a beret.

 To be an art critic you just need to master certain phrases. You don’t have to make sense. Frankly, it helps your professional standing if you write gibberish. You just have to sound classy. Remember to hold your pinkies up while you are banging away at the old word processor. There are certain stock phrases in the Acme Art Criticism for Dummies book that will guarantee to make you sound knowledgeable even if you don’t know anything about art. 

For example, let us use Acme’s art criticism phrases to review Donald Trump’s hair as if his hair was a painting in an art gallery. Shall we begin? The afterimage of the Donald’s hair reflects the collective struggle of follicles yearning to breathe free and the communal failure of comb-overs throughout the collective Zeitgeist. (For extra credit, throw in the word Zeitgeist as often as possible.) His hair reflects his positions on illegal immigration that are devastating in their simplicity resulting in an objective removed from reality into an oeuvre of a visual mediation on the need for a really big wall on the Mexican border.

 Consider the impermanent durational aspect of the Donald’s coif being caught in the wind. This danger necessitates the wearing of a red hat to keep his strands from unstranding. It reminds us of the imperfect evidence of man’s duality of baldness and hattedness. The visceral connection between his hair and his supporters illuminates the solid and foundational levels of simplistic political answers to complex political problems. The amount of actual hair on the Donald’s head raises the dialectic between the presence and absence of hairness. The ephemeral nature of hair, here today and gone tomorrow, is fraught with the eternal indexical reference between light and shadow, reason and imagination. As George Costanza would say, Donald’s hair is not a toupee if his supporters believe it is real. 

The other Republican candidates privately question the Paleolithic versus industrial nature of the Donald’s hair. Their criticisms are fraught with a mimetic sense of anguish as the Donald pulls away from them in the polls on his way to the presidential nomination. The mutual, albeit transient, dislike of all things Donald by his current Republican opponents will integrate and redistribute into a fusion of support for Donald once he is the nominee against the Hillary. 

The ontology of subjectivity of whether the Donald’s hair is real or not has produced a carnal bond between the Donald and his quotidian supporters across the political spectrum. They have cleaved to the Donald’s hair as a barnacle is umbilically linked to the bottom of a fishing boat. Trumpites will not be separated from the icon of the Donald’s hair that has entrapped them in a crisp iconicity which ignores any wild nonfactual statement that the Donald makes about anything. On the Democratic side, the same liberation from the need for truth from statements made by Hillary resonates and transforms her supporters. Truth like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. Neither Donald’s hair nor Hillary’s email server matter a whit to their supporters. 

See how easy it is to write art reviews? Use the Acme Art Word Salad generator. Soon you will be swilling down white wine, chomping shrimp and be well on your way to becoming a famous art critic. 

And why not? President Barack Obama says: “ISIS is no credible threat.” 

Hmmmmm! 

Should he (or we) be concerned that under his watch the massacre in San Bernardino, California, by radical Muslims Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik is being heralded as the most horrific attack on our nation since 9/11? More mystifying is that members of the Democratic party continue to be silently submissive in support of this madness. 

Democrats are smart and sensible people, yet no one bothers to question their party’s ideology or raise even the slightest objections to issues and doctrines mandated by extreme liberal leadership. I think these political lemmings are heading for a cliff where disastrous outcomes are inevitable. Yet nobody speaks. 

Surely, there must be some Democrats that believe allowing 10,000 Syrian refugees into America is not a prudent idea. And, surely there are gun-toting Democrats that believe tighter gun controls will not curb violence or curtail terrorist activities. And surely, there are Democrats out there that don’t agree that curbing global warming is our nation’s number one priority and the best weapon to fight terrorism. 

Why are these people not speaking up? Even as I write this piece, President Obama still stands on his pretention that ISIS is contained, terrorism is not a problem in America and there is no such thing as radical Islam. The problems our nation now faces are not those of a Democratic or Republican party. It’s an overall leadership deficit. 

We must contend with a selfish, self-centered, egotistical and narcissistic government that is losing touch with the American people and losing sight of American ideals. This being said, rest assured that when things get bad enough, the real patriots, the authentic heroes, the real Americans will come forth and we will again lead from the front and the world will follow.

Thank you for reading 

Up & Coming Weekly.

Fayetteville’s Public Works Commission is spending $55 Million over three years to upgrade its electric and water meters. Two companies have been contracted by PWC to change out decades old technology with digital equipment. According to PWC Communications and Community Relations Director Carolyn Justice-Hinson 182,000 residential, commercial and industrial meters are being replaced. The project began a year ago and will take another two years to complete, she said.

Most people won’t notice much of a change in electric meters. It’s the guts of each device that has the new electronics. The new water meters have completely new innards, but users rarely see them because they’re buried just beneath the surface. Pretty soon there will not be any more meter readers. Meter readers used to walk house-to-house. But in the last 15 years, meter readers have driven through neighborhoods using transmitters to record electricity and water usage. With the new technology, utility usage information will be transmitted by remote control to PWC’s main office.

Customers will be able to read their own meters online anytime they like, says Justice-Hinson. In the past, information was collected monthly and bills were sent out. Justice-Hinson says customers now can analyze their utility usage just as they do cell phone time, text and data consumption. During the holidays, residents will be able to keep tabs on their water and power use at times when they normally would use less. It would also allow customers to monitor air conditioning use during the summer. PWC’s web portal will be interactive by 2016, says Justice-Hinson.

The Public Works Commission is using its new Navigate software platform to manage all the data flowing from 73,000 residential meters, plus those of business and industrial customers. Individual utility customers are being notified of the retrofits by the installation contractors as the jobs are completed. PWC rate payers have been paying for the upgrades for a couple of years, and increases in electric and water bills will continue to reflect the expense of updating the meters over the next several years.

The changeover has not resulted in layoffs of meter readers, 

PWC says. Officials say a slight workforce reduction has been gained through attrition and personnel transfers. 

A $35 million Fayetteville Parks & Recreation bond referendum may not be a done deal, according to City Council members. As City Councilman Chalmers McDougald puts it, “It’s a project evolution.” Others agree that the proposed bond vote needs tweaking as to total cost, projects to be included and the locations where improvements will be made. For his part McDougald hopes things will be added to the referendum, like an indoor pool and additional splash pads.

Mayor Nat Robertson notes council initially agreed to seven splash pads to be built around the city. But in its most recent vote, four of them had been removed. Two city pools were reduced to one. The other is included in a 15-year loan and not all council members are happy about that. Members who responded to Up & Coming Weekly’s inquiry said even though they all agreed on the revised project list, some concede they were distracted by cost issues rather than projects themselves.

Councilman Mitch Colvin agrees with Mayor Robertson that the referendum should be put off until next November. The March 15 ballot will be too crowded, Colvin says, noting that a statewide $2 billion bond referendum will also be on the ballot. But most members are firm in their stance to hold the referendum in March. 

Colvin is among a majority which would like to see a river park aquarium removed from the project list. Council member Bill Crisp agrees. “I am not at all sure how the aquarium found its way into the proposed referendum,” said Crisp. Robertson also questions how a project list agreed to in October “was morphed” into a new listing on Nov. 23. Councilman Bobby Hurst favors the revision, and as far as he is concerned, “council has finalized this package of prospects.” 

As for what happens if and when voters approve the bond issue, Council Member Ted Mohn points out that the administration has to provide accurate projections of operational costs. Several members have asked the city manager’s office for some numbers. Mohn notes the last time council had any idea of ongoing operating costs was 2012 and they were 2010 figures. Council has been assured that operating expenses should not be a major concern on upcoming budgets.

Hurst and Colvin point out that a newly adopted schedule of user fees for non-taxpaying residents as well as fees for some of the facilities should offset any minor increase in expenses. Council hopes people will turn out in large numbers for a public hearing in council chambers the night of Dec. 14.

Police departments nationwide are spending millions to outfit officers with cameras and archive the videos. It’s the latest clash between the people’s right to know and government authority. The public should not believe police transparency will necessarily be the end result. If it were up to Fayetteville Police Chief Harold Medlock, all police videos would be made available for public viewing, but it’s not his call. In North Carolina, videos are considered confidential elements of crime scene investigations, according to Fayetteville City Attorney Karen McDonald. Only city council can authorize the public release of videos, and routinely it has not. 

Greenville, S.C., Police Chief Ken Miller who also served as chief of the Greensboro P.D., notes body camera issues vary from state to state. “Policies, training and resources also vary,” Miller said. “We worked through a litany of privacy, legal, retention, training and financial concerns to ensure we met community expectations.” That’s what Medlock is going through now. He’s holding a series of community forums this month personally telling residents of his plans. Medlock says camera policy will be an ongoing matter as citizens provide their input. 

The White House, through its Task Force on 21st Century Policing created a year ago, suggested new restrictions on camera use despite President Barack Obama’s belief that the videos would improve transparency in policing. Medlock recently testified before the Task Force. It warned that releasing videos showing use of force, “even when lawful and appropriate,” can undermine trust in police, and that images showing minors and graphic events raise concerns. The task force said public records laws need updating to protect the privacy of all people in these recordings, not just police officers.

The Fayetteville Police Department’s fleet of patrol cruisers has been equipped with in-car cameras for more than four years. By the end of the month, officers will begin wearing body cameras, says Medlock. Fayetteville Police chose Taser Axon to provide the body worn cameras using $1.2 million in grants and savings to equip 325 patrol officers. The biggest part of the funding is a $530,000 federal grant. Fayetteville’s Police Department is the only law enforcement agency in North Carolina to receive the body cam competitive grant, said the chief. A few officers have been testing cameras over the last two years. 

Each personal video system is in two parts, the camera and a battery operated storage unit about the size of a deck of cards. 

According to Axon, the camera itself can be mounted to eyeglasses. Or it can be worn on an officer’s uniform collar. It’s attached with a wire to the controller that is clipped to a belt. When police officers double press the EVENT button to start recording, a video buffer allows the camera to keep a recording of events 30 seconds prior to hitting the ON button.

As part of the contract with the city, Axon will twice replace all body cameras with newer technology. The first upgrade will come after two and a half years, with a second upgrade after five years. Medlock cautions that officers can’t record every situation which they encounter because video storage is expensive. Medlock asked his audiences this month for their thoughts on when and under what circumstances cops should turn on their cameras. He explained that camera contents are automatically uploaded to the cloud as officers return to police headquarters at the end of each ten-hour shift.

Chief Medlock tells Up & Coming Weekly that eventually body-worn cameras will completely replace police car dash cameras resulting in significant savings. In-car camera systems cost $6 thousand each.cameras are $600 each. 

Plays, parades and musicals abound in the Fayetteville area during the holiday season. There is something festive for everyone to enjoy. If you are looking for something out of the norm to complement your traditional pageant and light show, take the Polar Bear Plunge at Smith Lake Dec. 12.

The event, hosted by Fort Bragg’s Morale Welfare and Recreation Division, started four years ago as entertainment for soldiers before the usual mass exodus to their home states during the holiday block leave period. 

“There’s no other event like it in the Fayetteville area,” said Sabina Bryant, the Chief of Outdoor Recreation for Fort Bragg’s MWR. With the success of the first year, MWR added the plunge to the annual calendar. The event is open to the public and it keeps growing.

“It evolved from 80 people to more than 300,” Bryant said. “Last year about 350 participated.”

After a sing-along to get things started, a countdown prepares participants. 

“We line people up for a mass plunge,” Bryant said. “The average water temperature is 63-67 degrees, it depends on the weather leading up to the event. It’s not actually freezing, but still kind of nippy.”

Participants stay in the lake as long as they can stand it, Bryant said, “typically, not more than five minutes in the water.” Lifeguards will be on-site to monitor safe practices.

Bryant said there will be heat blankets and heated tents on-site to warm up participants.

Returning plungers will see an addition to the event this year.

“This year we will have ‘the iceberg’ in the water if people want to challenge themselves,” Bryant said.

‘The iceberg’ is a giant inflatable floating in the lake.

“Participants can plunge in and swim the 150 feet out to the iceberg, climb it and jump back in the water and swim to shore,” Bryant said.

She said she sees a lot of repeat participants. 

“The big thing is to team up and dress alike in costumes,” Bryant said.

For those not quite ready to plunge into 60-degree water in the middle of December, family-friendly activities like marshmallow roasting over fire rings, music, hay wagon rides and games are definite crowd pleasers.

The Highland Games have log throws, the Polar Bear Plunge will have a Christmas tree launch, Bryant said. Also, Santa and Mrs. Claus, Frosty, Rudolph and the Grinch will be on hand to entertain.

“It is a family event,” she said. “We get participants from children to seniors. Those under 18 need consent of a parent or guardian. We do not recommend anyone younger than five to actually plunge.”

The Polar Bear Plunge takes place at 12 p.m. Dec. 12 at Smith Lake Recreation Area and is open to the public. Participants can register online, in person at Smith Lake or on the day of the event. Pre-registration continues until Dec. 9 with a fee of $10. Same day registration costs $15 and begins at 10 a.m. Dec. 12. Spectators are welcome, free of charge. All registered plungers will receive an “I Survived the Smith Lake Polar Bear Plunge” long-sleeved T-shirt. Costumes are encouraged. Concessions will be available for purchase.

For more information or to register, visit http://bragg.armymwr.com/us/bragg/ft-bragg-events/polar-bear-plunge/?eID=325601 or call 396-5979.

Plays, parades and musicals abound in the Fayetteville area during the holiday season. There is something festive for everyone to enjoy. If you are looking for something out of the norm to complement your traditional pageant and light show, take the Polar Bear Plunge at Smith Lake Dec. 12.

The event, hosted by Fort Bragg’s Morale Welfare and Recreation Division, started four years ago as entertainment for soldiers before the usual mass exodus to their home states during the holiday block leave period. 

“There’s no other event like it in the Fayetteville area,” said Sabina Bryant, the Chief of Outdoor Recreation for Fort Bragg’s MWR. With the success of the first year, MWR added the plunge to the annual calendar. The event is open to the public and it keeps growing.

“It evolved from 80 people to more than 300,” Bryant said. “Last year about 350 participated.”

After a sing-along to get things started, a countdown prepares participants. 

“We line people up for a mass plunge,” Bryant said. “The average water temperature is 63-67 degrees, it depends on the weather leading up to the event. It’s not actually freezing, but still kind of nippy.”

Participants stay in the lake as long as they can stand it, Bryant said, “typically, not more than five minutes in the water.” Lifeguards will be on-site to monitor safe practices.

Bryant said there will be heat blankets and heated tents on-site to warm up participants.

Returning plungers will see an addition to the event this year.

“This year we will have ‘the iceberg’ in the water if people want to challenge themselves,” Bryant said.

‘The iceberg’ is a giant inflatable floating in the lake.

“Participants can plunge in and swim the 150 feet out to the iceberg, climb it and jump back in the water and swim to shore,” Bryant said.

She said she sees a lot of repeat participants. 

“The big thing is to team up and dress alike in costumes,” Bryant said.

For those not quite ready to plunge into 60-degree water in the middle of December, family-friendly activities like marshmallow roasting over fire rings, music, hay wagon rides and games are definite crowd pleasers.

The Highland Games have log throws, the Polar Bear Plunge will have a Christmas tree launch, Bryant said. Also, Santa and Mrs. Claus, Frosty, Rudolph and the Grinch will be on hand to entertain.

“It is a family event,” she said. “We get participants from children to seniors. Those under 18 need consent of a parent or guardian. We do not recommend anyone younger than five to actually plunge.”

The Polar Bear Plunge takes place at 12 p.m. Dec. 12 at Smith Lake Recreation Area and is open to the public. Participants can register online, in person at Smith Lake or on the day of the event. Pre-registration continues until Dec. 9 with a fee of $10. Same day registration costs $15 and begins at 10 a.m. Dec. 12. Spectators are welcome, free of charge. All registered plungers will receive an “I Survived the Smith Lake Polar Bear Plunge” long-sleeved T-shirt. Costumes are encouraged. Concessions will be available for purchase.

For more information or to register, visit http://bragg.armymwr.com/us/bragg/ft-bragg-events/polar-bear-plunge/?eID=325601 or call 396-5979.

WedMD.com says Alzheimer’s is the most common type of the dozen or so forms of dementia. It’s a brain condition that causes problems with thinking and memory. Although most types of dementia get worse over time, there are drugs that can help with behavior changes and other symptoms. Statistically, six in ten people with dementia will wander, often from rest homes and other facilities where they live. A person with Alzheimer’s may not remember his or her name or address, and can become disoriented, even in familiar places. Wandering among people with dementia is dangerous, but there are strategies and services to help prevent it.

Establishments for the elderly and disabled usually make regular checks on their patients. Unfortunately, exit doors must be kept unlocked from the inside because they are fire exits. Many cases of lost persons are reported locally each year and many more probably go unreported. Recognizing that the problem is expected to grow as our population ages, the Alzheimer’s Family Organization offers a registry for patients who suffer from memory disorders and have a tendency to wander off. 

Project Lifesaver provides rapid response to save lives and reduce potential injury for adults and children who wander because of cognitive disorders. Seniors who are enrolled in Project Lifesaver are given personal transmitters that they wear. In addition to the location devices, Project Lifesaver works with public safety agencies to train them on the risks associated with wandering. Locally, the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office and the Pilot Club of Fayetteville have teamed up to help families locate wanderers. 

This past September the Pilot Club presented Sheriff Moose Butler with a check for $1,000 to help fund Project Lifesaver here. This program is supported exclusively with donations, said Sheriff’s Sgt. Sean Swain. Project Lifesaver makes electronic tracking bracelets available to those in need. The Sheriff’s Community Policing Unit is able to support the needs of as many as 15 people at a time who meet the qualifications. The tracking devices are loaned to those in need as they become available. 

The bracelets have tiny battery operated transmitters which emit tracking signals. They look like and are the size of a wristwatch. Then, when a caregiver notifies the sheriff’s office that a family member is missing, a specially trained search and rescue team is dispatched to the area where the wanderer was last seen. Rescue times have literally been reduced from hours and days, to just minutes. Team members have been trained to “know how to approach the wanderer, gain his trust and put the individual at ease for the trip home,” says Swain. Information is available at the sheriff’s office by calling 323-1500.

New Fire Station Delayed

The Fayetteville Fire Department hoped to open a temporary Fire Station in East Fayetteville this past October. An abandoned EMS station on Cedar Creek Road is being retrofitted as Fire Station 16. Initial bids came in well over the city’s $300,000 budget and were rejected. Now the facelift will happen in stages. Some of the interior has been renovated making it livable, said Deputy Fire Chief Mike Hill. But, the building is still without sleeping quarters for the firefighters. Instead of modifying the original ambulance bays to house the engine, they’re being converted into a dormitory, according to Hill. A standalone metal building will house the fire truck. That will save the city $70,000, Hill said. But now, it will be at least March before construction is completed. Until the sleeping quarters are built, the crew returns to Fire Station 1 overnight. Eventually, the city plans to build a permanent station in the area.

Red Light Cameras

Cumberland County Schools have taken in more than $118,000 in the first four months of Fayetteville’s red light camera enforcement program. North Carolina law requires that the proceeds of traffic citations be turned over the local schools. An update from American Traffic Solutions says 1,687 citations of 4,216 issued since July were paid in full. The schools receive $70 of each $100 fine. The balance goes to ATS. The company says the majority of red light running violations occur on Fridays. Cameras have captured an average of 30 violations per day. The intersection of Skibo and Morganton Roads has seen the highest number of red light runners.

Holly Jolly Christmas

It’s that time of year and holiday shopping requires awareness. Christmas shopping means crowded stores, traffic jams and frayed nerves. But it also means happiness, family, good times and reflection. Law enforcement authorities caution the public to be careful, not careless. Be alert to your surroundings. City police Lt. David McLaurin has some suggestions: Go shopping during the day when possible. If you must shop at night, go with a friend or family member. Use a debit or credit card instead of cash. Be aware of your surroundings. Conceal purchases in the trunk or undercover in your SUV. When returning to your vehicle, have your car keys in hand. If you have a remote key fob, push the panic alarm a time or two to scare off anyone who may be lurking nearby. And always keep your doors locked while driving. 

New Chamber Board

The Greater Fayetteville Chamber formally installed a new board of directors for the coming year. Brian Kent of K3 Enterprises is Chairman for 2016. “As a local business owner, I want to do my part to promote positive business advocacy for our City and County,” Kent said. Johnny Wilson will serve as Vice Chairman. Others named or reappointed to the 14-member board are Kitti Jo Finch, Darsweil Rogers, George Breece, Charles Allen IV, Charles Broadwell, Sandy Cookman, Jim Grafstrom, Ralph Huff, Pam Jackson, Jan Johnson, Katy Lollis and Kim Scruton. Rodney Anderson was recently named CEO and president of the Chamber. The organization says its vision is to build a prosperous and resilient community through business leadership.

White Flag Nights

Again this winter, Fayetteville’s Salvation Army and True Vine Ministries say they will open their shelters for individuals seeking to get out of the cold at night. White flags will be raised at the Salvation Army and throughout the city when overnight temperatures are expected to fall to 32 degrees or lower. People wishing to stay over during “White Flag” periods must have current warrant checks completed by the Sheriff’s Office. They should report to the shelter between 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The Salvation Army facility is located at 245 Alexander Street, downtown. True Vine Ministries operates two shelters, one on its campus at 5315 Morganton Road. A shelter for women is new this winter, at 913 Person Street. 

Last week’s news that Barbara Marshall had been escorted from Jubilee House by Cumberland County sheriff’s deputies left me feeling empty and saddened. Marshall founded the non-profit in 2007 to provide services to women military veterans, and she and her charity gained national attention four years later when hundreds of volunteers rebuilt a modest home into a spectacular one for the television program “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” Even First Lady Michelle Obama paid a visit and sang the nonprofit’s praises.

It has been a long, slow downhill slide ever since, one that I will not detail here. It has been clear almost from the beginning, though, that while Marshall had all good intentions, she simply was not equipped either financially or organizationally to carry them out. Her cause is noble, and while women veterans in our community and elsewhere do need a myriad of services, those needs are bigger and more pressing than Marshall’s charity, and probably many others, can address. Similarly, I find it heartbreaking to see veterans and their loved ones pleading on television for donations to build them homes, buy them prosthetic limbs, and provide for the basic needs of their families.

We, the American taxpayers and direct beneficiaries of the sacrifices made by our service men and women and their families, should be footing those bills with pride, gratitude and humility. Our veterans should be respected, cared for and honored. They are not charity cases.

President Bush the First advocated for what he called “faith-based initiatives” and blessed them as “a thousand points of light.” As best I understand his concept, it means that religious groups and organizations of all stripes, colors and theologies should step forward and do all sorts of good works for our fellow Americans so that government does not have to. It is a terrific notion, and in truth, it delineates what thousands of religious organizations have been doing for generations anyway, helping “the least of these” by quiet handouts to individuals and families via large scale and sustainable charitable programs. 

Two crucial issues affect faith-based and other private charitable initiatives. The first is responsibility. The Barbara Marshalls and other volunteers in communities throughout our nation do wonderful and often thankless work, and people are often better off for their services. But at the end of the day what many of them achieve are millions of needed and welcomed acts of kindness, not ongoing programs. Many of the recipients of such kindnesses still need various and regular social and healthcare services that require the efforts of paid staff to deliver and shoulder responsibility. Only a precious few very large faith-based and charitable organizations can even dream of providing such services. That is why when human services are required on a comprehensive and long-term level, they have traditionally been delivered by government, sometimes in partnership with other entities, and staffed by people whose primary interests and livelihoods lie in executing such service programs.

The second issue involves training and professional skills. No volunteers, however well-intentioned and dedicated, can provide for the social and healthcare needs of people who have long-standing problems with poverty, physical and mental health, addictions and other conditions and life situations which render them “among the least of these.” Here again, a compassionate society that decides to address such human problems in a collective manner has few options but to do so through programs paid for, delivered by, and responsible to the government at some level. We Americans began the decision to do that around the turn of the 20th century when the concept of social responsibility took root. Despite some failures and some excesses, we have continued reaching out to our fellow citizens in such ways through efforts underwritten by people all along our political spectrum.

President George H. W. Bush sang a lovely and morally right tune in encouraging volunteer efforts on behalf of our nation’s needs, and many can be and are addressed successfully by volunteer efforts. Think how many historic buildings and places have been preserved, how many museums conceived and brought to reality, how many important issues brought into the public spotlight by dedicated and focused volunteers. Think how many homes are repaired, how many bodies fed and warmed, how many hearts touched by the faith-based charity Operation Inasmuch in our own community. Think, too, how much each of us can accomplish if we bestir ourselves and do the right thing for the volunteer causes that interest us in our own community and beyond. 

But know as well that we as a nation long ago undertook a collective responsibility to and for each other, and that responsibility has become woven into the fabric of our social contract.

Not even President Bush has suggested we unravel it.

Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. Trees, lights, candles, music, stockings, gifts and sweet treats adorn households everywhere in anticipation of the holidays. 

Christmas continues to be an all-time favorite and the Woman’s Club of Fayetteville loves it, too, which is why the group hosts its annual Christmas Tour of Homes. This year, it falls on Sunday, Dec. 6 from 1 – 6 p.m.  

“This is something we have had for the last 15 years and it is our big fundraiser of the year,” said Elaine Kennebeck, president of the Woman’s Club. “We have to keep the historical buildings of Heritage Square maintained and preserved.” 

Kennebeck added that every year they have better attendance because people look forward to the home tours and they are the only ones doing something this large.    

The addresses of the seven homes on the tour are:  

• The Sandford House (circa 1797) and the Oval Ballroom (circa 1818) located at 225
Dick Street

 • Joshua and Adam Gray-Heim at 118 Hillside Ave.

 • Lynn Pryor and Bob Dees at 647 Brandts Lane

• Tim Edwards and Bill Jordan at 114 Hale Street

 • Stephanie and Mamo Meaza at 3004 Rathburn Court

 • Carol Ann and Lockett Tally at 2222 Bayview Drive
• Private Haymount Residence at 1414 Raeford Road

“The homes this year are fabulous and probably the nicest homes that we have ever had,” said Kennebeck. “It has gone from years ago asking people to show their homes and hoping they would follow through and now we already have four houses waiting for next year’s home tour.” 

Kennebeck added that people are calling the club wanting their home on the Christmas tour. The event has been very successful the last couple of years. She would like to raise $10,000 this year. 

The Woman’s Club of Fayetteville was organized in 1946. The organization is responsible for Fayetteville’s first public rest rooms, teachers’ first retirement plans and many other projects. 

“Our only mission is to preserve and maintain the historical homes of Heritage Square,” said Kennebeck. “We recently had a silent auction to help bring in funds.” 

The homes of Heritage Square are the Sandford House, the Oval Ballroom and the Baker-Haigh-Nimocks House. The Sandford House is the largest house and was rented in 1941 by the Woman’s Club from its owners. It was used as living quarters for single working women in the city. It was also used as a space for women’s organizations to meet. Soldiers would spend time at the Sandford House fellowshipping with the women and their friends. The house has an assembly room which is used as a meeting place for the Woman’s Club. 

“Many families have lived in the Sandford House and it has so much history,” said Kennebeck. “It used to be the Second Bank of the United States and a boarding house for young ladies coming into town to work at the court house or doctor’s offices.”  

The Oval Ballroom was donated to the Woman’s Club by Mrs. M. B. McLean and the main purpose of the building has become a photo-op for brides. It is furnished by pieces donated by the Colonial Dames. The unique structure is an elongated octagon on the outside and a perfect oval on the inside. It is registered on the National Register of Historic Places. 

“The Oval Ballroom used to be the dining room on the Halliday House,” said Kennebeck. “It was renovated about 12 years ago by the Colonial Dames.” 

The Woman’s Club owns the building but the Colonial Dames are responsible for the renovations and upkeep of the house. 

The Baker-Haigh-Nimocks House, an example of Georgian architecture, was built in 1804 and is believed to have been built by ship builders from the north who came down south in the winter to build homes. The house has a beautiful circular staircase that winds to the second story. 

“Nothing had been done to this house for years and years,” said Kennebeck. “When I became president, I took this on as a project for the club to raise enough funds to renovate that house.” 

Kennebeck added that they have basically rebuilt the entire outside of the house, which now boasts a new roof, new siding, painting and new front and back porches. The Woman’s Club would eventually like to lease the house to a law firm or a restaurant so they will have a monthly income from that property.         

The club’s main goal is to renovate the exterior of the Sandford House because it needs a lot of work. 

“We don’t get any money from the state or local government at all,” said Kennebeck. “We have a couple of small grants we get each year and the rest is dues and donations.” 

Tickets for the Christmas homes tour are $15 and can be purchased at The Pilgrim in Westwood Shopping Center, the Woman’s Club at Heritage Square, Bell’s Seed Store, City Center Gallery and Books, High Cotton Consignment, J. Co. Salon & Blo’ Dry Bar and the featured homes on the tour.  

 “We look forward to a huge turn out for our tour of homes this holiday season because this year is going to be absolutely fabulous,” said Kennebeck. 

For more information about the tour or other upcoming events, visit www.womansclubfay.org or call 705-7338. 

Fayetteville’s Botanical Garden will be transformed into a truly unique, local winter wonderland on Dec. 11 snow or no snow. Garden spokesperson Meg Suraci says this year’s “Holiday Lights in the Garden” will feature 300,000 lights to illuminate plants and trees. 

New this year is a synchronized show of lights and music shimmering over the Cypress Pond. Attractions and festivities include a mile-long stroll featuring brilliant light displays, photos with Santa, S’mores roasting over the fire pit, free crafts for children and holiday movies in the Orangery.

The Garden Gift Shop, brimming with wonderful holiday selections, is open each evening. Refreshments and beverages are available for purchase from Mrs. Claus’s Kitchen. There is also a beer and wine
cash bar. 

The Garden is partnering with three local non-profits this year. On select nights, guests donating the requested collection drive item will receive $3 off an adult ticket. You might want to plan your visit accordingly. Doors will open nightly at 5:30 p.m.

Dec. 11–15, Fort Bragg’s USO is the beneficiary. Take a bag of individually wrapped candies.

Dec. 16–20, Fayetteville’s Second Harvest Food Bank will benefit when you take a canned food item. 

Dec. 21–23,  The Child Advocacy Center is asking for school supplies or individual snack size bags of animal crackers. 

Admission is:

Botanical Garden Members: $5 

General Admission: $10

Military (with ID): $8

Seniors (65+): $9

Children (ages 6-12): $5

Children 5 and under: Free.

In 1989, a few local citizens believed that the community should have a botanical garden of its own. Bruce Williams, the late Martha Duell and Roger Mercer came together and established Friends of the Botanical Garden. The garden was conceived at Duell’s kitchen table and made public in Mercer’s newspaper gardening column. Dozens of committed supporters and volunteers joined the cause.

Through the perseverance of these founders, the Friends of the Botanical Garden were able to lease what was Pope Park off N. Eastern Boulevard, which was owned by the city. A lot of hard work and sacrifice by all involved followed.

Since then, the Cape Fear Botanical Garden has flourished. More than 25 years later, the garden encompasses 80 acres of pine and hardwood forest, and boasts meticulously preserved natural areas of the region’s indigenous plants, trees and wildlife. The cultivated garden areas showcase more than 2,000 varieties of ornamental plants, and include special daylily, camellia and hosta gardens. The River Walk, Heritage Garden, Children’s Garden and Butterfly Stroll provide unique educational experiences for young and old.

The multi-million dollar Wyatt Visitors Pavilion Complex opened in April 2011. Fayetteville Technical Community College’s Horticulture Center is located on the Garden’s campus, thanks primarily to the efforts of former longtime Cumberland County Sen. Tony Rand. 

Traumatic experiences come to all of us in this life, some deeply personal and some collective.  

When one of the Precious Jewels was 9-years-old, his arm was trapped under an overturned minivan in the most ordinary of circumstances, coming home in a car pool from his elementary school. His injuries were serious but not life threatening. His mother, however, was changed forever.  

I learned that our lives could change forever in a single second and that I must hold every moment dear.  

Parisians and the rest of us learned that lesson anew in last month’s deadly terrorists’ attacks on that city’s leisure venues. As difficult as it is to contemplate, experts are warning that we have entered a new age of terrorism and that there is likely more to come. Americans have been cautioned about international travel, and most of us are heeding that advice.

We are unsettled, on edge, even traumatized as we wait for the next unknown in this new world. Our own community with its long and deep military connections knows this reality well. Military men and women and the families who love them understand trauma in ways most Americans cannot.

New York Times columnist David Brooks ponders the violence of our current world as well, and he sees a more hopeful and brighter side than many of us do. Not a Pollyanna, Brooks has no illusions about what we are facing. Instead, he finds positive aspects of the traumatic experiences human beings endure.

We have developed many euphemisms for the phenomenon Brooks addresses in a recent column entitled “Tales of the Super Survivors.” Among them, “the glass half full,” “making lemonade out of lemons,” “looking on the sunny side,” and others our mothers and grandmothers spouted on a regular basis. The current language for this involves the word “resilience,” and there is academic research backing this concept. 

Brooks posits that the percentage of people who suffer post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD, is lower than many of us think and that there is an almost opposite experience as well called post-traumatic growth. Research at the Centers for Disease Control, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and elsewhere indicates that about three quarters of people who experience a violent or life-threatening event do not go on to develop a stress disorder, though many do report feeling changed in some way. Some say that while they would have preferred not to have had their traumatic experience, they found that their lives opened up more, their relationships improved and that they felt stronger and more satisfied than before
their experience.

Our United States military believes in resilience.  

Since 2008, Congress has poured millions of dollars into a resilience training program called Comprehensive Soldier Fitness, intended to address psychological health, particularly for Army personnel who experience combat deployments. Hard results are unknown at this point, but it does seem clear that trauma does not simply “make or break” a person. It seems more likely that the effects of experiencing trauma remain and that while some people do get stuck in and are shattered by its negative effects, many are able to grow from the experience and move forward in their lives. They have been forced to confront life’s most basic yet profound issues of safety, of their own talents, qualities and futures, of control, of what they can live with and what they cannot. At some level, they have accepted their traumatic experience and decided to keep going.

Researchers do not and may never know whether an optimistic outlook on life leads to resilience or whether resilience leads to an optimistic outlook, but they do know that post-traumatic growth occurs in many cultures and after situations ranging from combat, to natural disasters, to illnesses, and, now, to terrorist attacks.

Brooks writes that nations may well react to our new age of terrorism much the same way many people react to personal traumatic experiences. He finds it “interesting that this age of terrorism calls forth certain practical skills — the ability to tell stories, the ability to philosophize and define a meaning to your life. Just as individuals need moral stories if they are going to recover, so probably do nations.

The good news is there is no reason to be pessimistic during the war on terrorism. Individuals and societies are tough and resilient, and usually emerge from attacks better than before.”

Maybe it is true that what does not kill us makes us stronger.