In the still of night, you awaken suddenly with indigestion, but it’s been hours since you’ve eaten. Then a tightness crawls across your chest, and it’s hard to breathe. Thinking it will pass, you lie still, but after a few minutes, the pain worsens, and you dial 911

.Your teenage son bounces through the door and makes a bee-line for the fridge, hunger overpowering his internal caution to watch what he grabs in order to satisfy his growling stomach. Within minutes, he is flushed, is covered in hives, can’t breathe, and is extremely dizzy. You call 911 while searching for his Epinephrine pen because you know he only has minutes to live

.The family cookout is winding down, and everyone is packing up to head home. Grandma is still napping in her chair, but she looks uncomfortable, slumping somewhat to the side. You rush over to see what’s wrong, and the best response is jumbled as she drools from her crooked mouth and has a hard time swallowing. Immediately you reach for the phone and dial 911.

You’re driving home from work, and you hear a siren in the distance. Checking the rear view mirror, it’s an ambulance racing up the road behind you. Hopefully, you pull over so they can safely pass by, but do you ever wonder about the people inside? Those paramedics are attending to any one of the patients described above, any of whom could be you or your loved one. The situations constantly change, but the need to care for people in need is always present. Most people don’t realize the training required to become a paramedic, typically the most highly-trained medical professional who comes to your door or your motor vehicle collision in times of distress.

Initially, anyone who enters the field of Emergency Medical Services begins by attending and graduating from a 200-hour EMT-Basic course. Others soon come to realize that they have a sincere desire to serve the public and thus enroll in one of the best paramedic programs in the state through the Continuing Education Division at Fayetteville Technical Community College. Both the Basic EMT and Paramedic Courses are offered traditionally and online to include varying schedules during days, nights and weekends.

In the last ten years, the program has quadrupled in size due to the increasing demand for healthcare, longer life expectancy, and population growth in this area. The calling to paramedicine is not accomplished without challenges, as it encompasses 1,200+ hours of classroom, clinical and field internships, plus passing a North Carolina state and/or National Registry exam for certification. Many of our students remain in the field for years, while others move up in medicine to become physician’s assistants — and medical doctors, never forgetting or regretting their experiences as a paramedic.

Not every call is a true emergency. Not every paramedic resembles those on television. So when your emergency arises, be assured that a paramedic will answer your call for help and provide you with the best pre-hospital care possible.

To request information regarding FTCC’s Continuing Education Healthcare programs, please call (910) 678-8251 or visit http://www.faytechcc.edu/continuing_education/fireresc.aspx.

Photo: Anyone who enters the field of Emergency Medical Services begins by attending and graduating from a 200-hour EMT-Basic course.

NAACP and the Grievance Industry

No doubt about it, the grievance industry and its minions are alive and well in North Carolina and I can’t help but think they have better things to do.

The grievance industry is comprised of organizations and people who make their living convincing other people that they are severely unhappy, that they are being treated unfairly, are cheated or discriminated against or just that they deserve more and better. They seem to have an endless supply of issues when it comes to matters of discontent and resentment.

Last week the issue was education, next week it’s poverty and unemployment, the following week it may be minimum wage, abortion rights or the death penalty. You just never know with these folks.

However, last week, under the misguidance of Rev. William Barber, N.C. NAACP president, it was education.

Barber led a moral march in Raleigh where hundreds of followers weathered the cold, not knowing that their voices and efforts benefitted only Barber and served to prolong the longevity of an industry built entirely on creating diversion and discontent. Yes, Barber led the march in Raleigh on the pretense of supporting teachers and public education. In actuality, it was a protest against everything, assuring Barber a steady paycheck and justifying his station.

It’s truly amazing. Barber has people marching, protesting, shouting and chanting and it’s obvious they really don’t understand the issues. Honestly, it would be funny if it wasn’t so sad.

Last week, a Fayetteville Observer article written by Paul Woolverton revolved around a young Fayetteville State University student who is not a teacher, but is studying to become one. She joined Barber’s march protesting issues in an industry that she isn’t even a part of yet. What? I guess this represents grievance preplanning by taking an aggressive stance on perceived and inevitable cases of injustice and discontent. Makes you wonder why she wants to become a teacher in the first place.

Having never stepped foot in a classroom as a teacher, there she was shouting, marching and chanting on behalf of teachers, public education and equal rights. These grievance guys are really, really good when they can get people demonstrating and protesting against the very industry and careers they are pursuing.

And, protesting for equal rights? Really? Did I miss something here or are they reminiscing about issues of the ‘60s? Where did that come from?

At some point, someone needs to start asking questions about the real intentions of these egregious grievance promoters. Questions like: Why march on the state capitol if no one is there to see or hear your voice? Could it be that Barber and friends intentionally organized the demonstration on the weekend when no one was there so the rank and file wouldn’t notice that nobody really cared.

Another question to address is why the grievance promoters only stage a protest against the “system” when they don’t like how decisions affect their livelihoods? And, why is so little time and effort devoted to constructive, civilized conversation and negotiations with elected officials and community leaders rather than opting for one dimensional marches and protests?

Looking closely and examining the motives of these professional grief peddlers, it becomes obvious that the best interest of the citizens are seldom being served. The citizens are being used as pawns; assuring a healthy paycheck and prolonged meal ticket to the provocateurs.

So, back to basics. Our freedoms and governance at local, state and national levels are guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States. Freedoms are for “all the people.” I’ve always interpreted “all the people” to mean “all the people.” Our civic leaders and elected officials, regardless of political affiliation, are charged with the responsibility of enacting policies and laws that best reflect the will of “all the people.”

If we do not specifically like the laws that have been passed on our behalf, we have the right to voice our opinions and, of course, vote. Organized dissent, protests, marches and chants should be reserved for accentuating and expressing real heartfelt injustices and not for the profit of professional manipulators. This trivializes the process.

Rev. Barber’s actions in Raleigh, Al Sharpton’s behavior in Ferguson, Missouri, and most recently, Jesse Jackson who is currently in Chicago pontificating on the similarities of racial injustice and grown adults blatantly cheating the system.

These are definitely not role models for our youngsters. They are all examples of the grievous industry creating problems just to create the illusion of solving them. They solve nothing.

Finally, I want to point out the most looming hypocrisy of all. As Fayetteville community leaders rallied, especially the leaders in our African-American community, to rekindle and salvage the prospect of bringing the Sanderson Farms’ $95 million chicken processing plant and 1,000 jobs to Cumberland County, the grievance industry with the likes of Rev. Barber and his loyal union buddies are chastising and discrediting this company and like corporations.

Sanderson Farms would bring jobs paying nearly $12 an hour plus benefits to Cumberland County. No, it isn’t Google or a BMW factory, but in a community where the majority of jobs are in the service industry and pay at best minimum wage and at worst for those who wait tables, $2.85 and tips, it is a big boost. The professional complainers are saying workers are being oppressed and that $12 an hour is not a living wage. Really? I say having no jobs, no money and living under a bridge on the Cape Fear River is much more oppressive.

Rev. Barber is not a friend to the uninformed resident nor those special interest groups that bankroll his lifestyle and itinerary.

Believe me, Rev. Barber is no friend to Fayetteville, Cumberland County or its poor, unemployed, homeless or downtrodden citizens regardless of their race, gender or political affiliation.

Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

Photo: Top members of the grievance industry, Rev. Al Sharpton and Rev. Jesse Jackson live to create controversy... the more they stir it up, the more money goes in their pockets.

FireAntz team captain Derek Elliott is having another stellar season on the ice. Elliott, in his third professional season, has recorded 24 points on 10 goals and 14 assists through 35 games.

The Iowa native began skating at 3 years old and just two years later, his passion for hockey was born. Elliott’s love for sports developed at an early age, playing every sport his older brother Jamie played. Elliott has always looked up to his brother and his passion for sports.

Elliott’s passion for hockey led him to play for the Des Moines Buccaneers of the USHL from 2005 to 2008. He then went on to play at Mercyhurst College from 2008 to 2012.

Elliott began his professional career with the FireAntz in 2012 earning All Rookie Team Honors, leading the league in plus minus (+25), recording 42 points on 17 goals and 25 assists. That season was Elliott’s most memorable and best experience playing in Fayetteville.

In preparation for a night’s work on the ice, Elliott starts his day with a morning skate, followed by a pasta lunch and an afternoon nap. Upon arriving at the Crown a few hours prior to puck drop, he preps his sticks with some fresh tape and receives any needed treatment in the training room.

Elliott enjoys giving back to the Fayetteville community especially during the holidays, saying that “the Heart of Carolina food drive we do every year is my favorite.”

Whether he’s playing hockey, ping pong, golf or riding a bike or climbing, Elliott’s sweet feet, lightning-quick hand-eye coordination, endurance and calm demeanor combine for a lethal competitive edge over his opposition. Elliott, a very talented golfer, is eager to start his PGA apprenticeship and earn his teaching certificate for a career in the golf industry once his hockey career is in the books.

Elliott’s favorite golf course in Fayetteville is King’s Grant. In the off season he enjoys working at a golf course back home and riding bicycles, which take up most of his time in the summer.

Fast Facts About Derek Elliott

Roommate:Corey Toy

Favorite Restaurant in Fayetteville: Shogun

Favorite Sports Teams: Chicago Cubs and Blackhawks

Excels at:Taking long afternoon naps

Favorite Sports Teams:  Rudy

Photo: Derek Elliott, the FireAntz Team Captain has scored 24 points on 10 goals and 14 assists.

When it comes to unique entertainment, Better Health’s Evening at the Theateris hard to beat. This annual fundraiser supports Better Health and its mission to provide for the unmet healthcare needs of Cumberland County residents through assistance, referral and education; it does it through an evening of fun and laughter. Boasting an over-the-top 1970s Vegas theme, the event is Feb. 28 at Highland Country Club.

The evening would not be complete without a casino and a performance by none other than the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley or, in this case, Elvis tribute artist Wayne Euliss.

The evening begins with heavy hors d’oeuvres and drinks from 7-8 p.m.

“The casino is open then and there is lots to do,” said Better Health Executive Director Judy Klinck.

The show starts at 8 p.m. and runs until about 9:15 p.m. Long-time favorite Cassandra Vallery is the opening act with Elvis as the main show. Coffee and dessert will follow after the show and the casino will remain open until 10 p.m.

Upon their arrival at Highland Country Club, each ticketholder will receive a $10,000 voucher that they can cash in for chips to use in the casino.

“At the end of the night the person who has won the most in the casino will receive a prize,” said Klinck. “We have one prize — it is a gift basket of premium liquors donated by board members.

”Euliss, aka Elvis, grew up listening to the King, but he never really planned on becoming an entertainer.

“My mom was a big Elvis fan. She was in high school in the ‘50s and she had an influence on me,” said Euliss. “Growing up, I would hear his records and I did sing some as a teen. I would goof around at parties and do Elvis impersonations, but I never pursued a career. When I would imitate Elvis and goof around, people would tell me I sound a lot like him.”

It is quite a leap from goofing around and entertaining friends to becoming a professional tribute artist and for Euliss, it was a sweet gesture to his wife that changed things for him.

“About 10 years ago, on a whim, I decided to surprise my wife at her birthday party,” he recalled. “I rented a cheesy suit and sang her a song and did my best Elvis impersonation. After that our friends and then their friends started asking me to come to perform at their birthdays and it just grew from there.”

Now Euliss is featured in theatrical pieces, works at festivals and performs up and down the East Coast from New York to Florida.

“I stay pretty busy with it, but I have worked for UPS for 24 years. I have to limit myself to weekend performances,” he said. “I do take Valentine’s Day week off though. I am always really busy that week.”

As Euliss has prospered in his role as Elvis, he has committed to delivering the most authentic experience he can, right down to the flashy embroidered jumpsuits.

“I have them custom made by the company that bought all the original designs and patterns of Elvis’ suits,” he explained. “They are custom made and it is an exact replica of the suit Elvis wore.”

Like many performers, Elvis reinvented himself several times through the course of his career. Euliss, though, sticks with what works for him and focuses on the Las Vegas version of Elvis in the 1970s. Euliss’ three-piece band accompanies him during the performance.

“We do a full-blown live Vegas-style show like Elvis did in the ‘70s,” said Euliss. “I sing the hits like “Hound Dog,” “All Shook Up,” “Burning Love” and a lot of other hits from his three-decade career. If you have seen videos of him during that time, he gave out silk scarves to some of the ladies in the audience and I do that, too. I realize I am not Elvis but when you are trying to recreate the image on stage, this is part of it and it seems to work for the audience, too.”

For almost two decades, Better Health has entertained Fayetteville with its Evening at the Theater. The show supports a great cause and for many it has become a much anticipated tradition.

“We look forward to seeing a lot of the same people come back year after year and support our shows,” said Klinck. “I look forward to getting everyone checked in so I can watch the shows, too. They get better every year.”

There is also a raffle as part of the event. You do not have to be present to win. Tickets are $10 or three for $25 and can be purchased by calling Better Health. The top prizes are: A suede wine carrier, accessories and picnic set with three bottles of premium wine, valued at $300; a14K gold drop pearl necklace with diamond accents, valued at $250; and a Renaissance European Day Spa package: manicure, pedicure and massage, valued at $150.

Last year Better Health helped 350 people live a healthy life with diabetes and touched 1,080 kids and parents to prevent childhood obesity. The organization loaned medical equipment to 291 families, saving countless dollars and keeping serviceable items out of the landfill. Better Health provided assistance to 1,423 individuals for prescriptions, emergency dental extractions, medical supplies, vision exam and eyeglasses and gas vouchers to out of town medical appointments.

Tickets to Better Health’s 18th Annual Evening at the Theater’s Viva Fay Vegas are $75 per person and can be purchased by calling 483-7534. Better Health is a United Way Community Partner.

Photo: What happens in Vegas helps save lives in Fayetteville, as Vegas comes to town during the Better Health Evening at the Theater fundraiser at Highland Country Club.

The arts are part of what makes a community strong. In Fayetteville, the arts have taken center stage for a number of years, and nowhere is that more apparent than on 4th Friday in Downtown Fayetteville. On Feb. 27, the 4th Friday event will again entertain and inspire residents of the community.

For those new to the area, the monthly tradition is a fantastic way to experience downtown Fayetteville and all of the incredible art, stores and musicians the city has to offer. For those familiar with the tradition, 4th Friday is a fun and exciting treat each month. No matter if it is your first 4th Friday or your hundredth, the event always has something new to offer every month. This month’s 4th Friday theme is music.

At the Arts Council see the continuation of the exhibition Words and Pictures: Illustrated Works by Kadir Nelson from 7 to 9 p.m. Nelson is a well-known artist and author whose work focuses on African-American history.

For the children, Fascinate-U Children’s Museum is often the highlight of the evening. 4th Friday’sadmission into the museum is free and kids are invited to explore all of the interactive exhibits that the museum has to offer. There is also a free craft available for children to make and take home. Kids will have the opportunity to make and take home a congo/shaker/guiro instrument, which is in keeping with the music theme. Fascinate-U will be open from 7 -9 p.m., and is located at 116 Green St. For more information, call 829- 9171 or visit www.fascinate-u.com.

Cape Fear Studios and Gallery will also explore the interplay and similarities between visual arts and music. This month, the gallery is displaying beautiful music-themed visual art in many different mediums. And for a special treat on 4th Friday, the visual pieces are accompanied by live music created by various artists from 6-8:30 p.m. The interplay between visual and auditory works of art is sure to create a unique and deeply satisfying artistic experience. Admission is free and the gallery is located at 148 Maxwell St. For more information, call 433- 2986 or visit www.capefearstudios.com.

In the Pate Room of The Headquarters Library, located at 300 Maiden Lane, renowned storyteller Mitch Capel, also known as “Gran’Daddy JuneBug,” will perform a group of stories called “W’en Dey ‘Listed Colored Soldiers” honoring the unsung heroes of the civil war. The program is part of the Cumberland County Storytelling Festival, and is recommended for those 12 years and up due to the intense content. The stories were written by scholars such as Paul Laurence Dunbar and Dr. Rex Ellis, and they explore the sacrifices and hardships African-American soldiers endured but are all too often overlooked. The program will begin at 7 p.m. For more information, visit www.cumberland. lib.nc.us/ccplsite/ or call 483-7727.

City Center Gallery and Books is another hot spot for art and music at this month’s 4th Friday celebration. In the gallery a onewomen exhibit created by Edwina Clark is on display. Clark is an African-American woman whose artistic skill is well recognized in the community. Her favorite mediums to work in are watercolor and batik, but she often experiments in her work. Clark is also available to meet and discuss her work with those visiting the gallery. Accompanying her incredible visual art is the equally incredible a cappella group Vocal Culture. This evening of music and art will begin at 6 p.m. at 122 Hay St. For more information, visit www.citycentergallery.com or call 678-8899.

For more auditory art, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. belly dancers will perform in front of Sherefe located at 114 Gillespie St. At 123 Hay St., from 7 to 9 p.m., Alexis Howard will perform a huge repertoire of classic songs, jazz, and popular modern hits.

Area history is also on display at the Market House. This month’s rotating exhibit is called The History of Fayetteville State University. The exhibit is housed upstairs and is open from 6 - 10 p.m. The permanent exhibit A View from the Square: A History of Downtown Fayetteville is also on display.

Some women long for the day when they become a bride and ride off into the sunset to live happily ever after with their one true love. They dream for the day and imagine it in all its perfection — until the reality of making that perfect day match their dream hits them in the midst of a Bridezilla moment. There is no question that the preparation for a wedding can be a stressful event, but you can breathe easy. Help is on the way!

The 7th Annual Bridal Extravaganza at the Holiday Inn Bordeaux, sponsored by Up & Coming Weekly and Fayetteville Women’s View, is a unique one-stop location for all of your bridal needs. The event is on Sunday, Feb. 22, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom at the Holiday Inn Bordeaux.

“This is our seventh year and we are known for having the largest group of vendors,” said Heidi Politi, sales manager of The Holiday Inn Bordeaux. “We work for a whole year toward this event and it takes the whole team to support it.”

Politi added that it is an opportunity for brides and grooms from across the region to come and see the various vendors who can fulfill all of their needs. Also on hand is every bride’s best friend, event planners! Event planners who can ensure that everything is covered from the perfect cake to keeping the flower girl in line to ensuring the reception rocks will also participate in the expo.

“We have the largest facility (in the area) with 15 different event rooms and 33,000 square feet of meeting and event space,” said Politi. “It takes a lot to fill it and on any given day we could do four weddings.”

The event first began as The Holiday Inn marketing their meeting/event space, but over time, the event became a much anticipated annual event with brides calling frequently to make sure they didn’t miss the event.

“We’ve kept our ticket prices very low purposefully because we wanted to make sure that everyone gets a chance to come” said Politi. “It is a day of lots of door prizes. We probably have in excess of 60 door prizes.”

To register for the drawings, attendees will receive a flyer at the registration desk. As attendees visit the vendors, they will collect a signature from the vendor and when their card is complete, they can drop it in the basket for a chance to win one of the many great prizes.

What is the most dramatic moment at a wedding? That moment when the bride takes her first step into the room in her gorgeous gown and makes her walk down the aisle. To ensure that local brides have the ability to see the latest in wedding gowns, the expo is hosting three fashion shows, with one of the shows geared to mens formal wear. Of course, one show will feature top-of-the-line gowns and bridesmaid dresses.

In total there are 42 exhibit booths featuring everything from performers to bouquets and centerpieces, as well as tastings of cakes and appetizers. Of course, there will also be demonstrations of perfect bridal hair and makeup, as well as entertainment to make your reception unforgettable.

“We try to stay up with the latest trends— and there are a lot of them — that are announced on websites like WeddingWire.com and Pinterest,” said Politi. “They are the top websites for brides.”

All brides will receive complimentary gift bags.

“It’s a great day and it is always so exciting but it is an enormous amount of work,” said Politi.

Tickets are $3 in advance and $7 at the door. Exhibit booths are $300. For more information and to R.S.V.P., call 323-0111.

Photo: 7th Annual Bridal Expo at the Holiday Inn Bordeaux helps make your dream day a reality.

Liar! Liar! Pants on Fire

NBC’s Brian Williams is the latest casualty in what seems to be the incapability of the media (and our political and elected officials) to tell the basic truth. It concerns me that lying, cheating, telling half-truths and deception have reached an all-time high in new lows and is unfortunately becoming the new normal.

Who are we, our children and our children’s children going to trust in the future? See below: Historically, our track record is not good.

President Richard Nixon: “I’m not a crook.” (Whoops.)

President Bill Clinton: “I did not have sexual relations with that woman”. (Ok!Wink, wink.)

President George Bush: Weapons of MassDestruction.

Hillary Clinton (2008 Presidential Candidate) : (March speech referring to her heroism during a 1996 visit to Bosnia) “Landing under sniper fire. .ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles to get to our base.” Hillary was steady under fire? (Big Lie.)

Susan Rice: (former U.S. Ambassador to the UN) proclaimed “The attacks on Benghazi were a result of spontaneous demonstrations.” (Actually, this was not true x 5 times.)

President Barack Obama on ObamaCare: “If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor. If you like your healthcare plan, you’ll be able to keep yourhealthcare plan.” (Stated publically at least 36 times.)

Congress woman Nancy Pelosi: (former House Majority Leader on Obamacare): “What we are talking about is affordable, quality, accessible healthcare for all Americans. If you like what you have and you want to keep it, you have the choice to do that.” (Really? Again?)

Nationwide Media on the tragedy in Ferguson, Missouri: “Michael Brown was an 18-year old, 6’4, 280-pound ‘gentle giant’ who was shot in the back.” (Never true.)

County Commissioner Charles Evans (on why he voted against a publichearing for the Sanderson Farms Chicken Processing Plant): “The chamber is not doing their due diligence. We have been asking and requesting information from the Chamber of Commerce to provide to us.” Evans said the commissioners were emailed information and that “some statistics and other concerns of ours” were not provided. (Untrue, Evans had the answers to all his questions and concerns.)

Who will we be able to trust for the real truth?

Which brings us to our most recent disappointment, NBC’s disgraced anchor, Brian Williams. And, with my apologies to Hank Williams and his hit country classic “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” I will close with a song:

“Your lying heart
Has made us weep
Brian Williams
You’re a lying Creep

All those lies
You told as true
Your lying heart
Has told on you.

America trusted you
To tell the truth
You let us down
For a false salute.

It’s time for you
To take your place
With Hillary and friends
In the Hall of Disgrace.

Stolen Valor
That we deplore
You disrespected America
But hopefully-No More.

America deserves better. Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

The Fayetteville Area Transportation and Local History Museum presents a bus tour on Monday, Feb. 16, from 9 a.m. – noon that will highlight the life and contributions of a true Renaissance man, Dr. Ezekiel Smith.

“The tour is something that will happen after we open the panel exhibit at the museum that will open on February 3,” said Bruce Daws, director of the local history museum. “It will chronicle the life of Dr. Ezekiel Ezra Smith, better known as E. E. Smith, and his role as an educator, principal, Baptist minister, soldier, statesman and businessman.”

Dr. Ezekiel Smith was born the son of free blacks in Duplin County on a farm. He received no formal education due to the laws prohibiting blacks to receive an education, but he learned from his white playmates. After the Civil War, he attended a school in Wilmington and in 1869, he moved to Wayne County and attended a school equivalent to high school while becoming a teacher himself. He became the U.S. Ambassador to Liberia and President of Fayetteville State University. E. E. Smith High School is named in his honor. He was a man of many talents. He organized and operated the Carolina Enterprise, the first newspaper in the state for blacks. In 1883, he was selected to succeed Charles W. Chestnutt as the head of Fayetteville State Normal School which is now Fayetteville State University. He was the pastor of First Baptist Church in Fayetteville for six years.

The bus tour will start and end at the museum. The route entails traveling to various locations pertaining to Dr. Smith. “It will stop at the post that Dr. Smith occupied on Blount Street that is currently owned by the city of Fayetteville,” said Daws. “People will have the opportunity to go inside to get a view of it before any restoration takes place.” Daws added that participants will get to view the Orange Street School, Ashley Heights, Worth Street, Fayetteville State University, Brookside Cemetery and other locations.

“There has been a lot of searching around trying to compare 1914 and 1930 maps to current maps to try and find an address or location,” said James Greathouse, senior museum specialist. “It is interesting because we have some old writing talking about what the area looked like and I think we will be able to bring it alive.”

It takes a lot of hard work from historians to find out information about people who lived many years ago in the past. “This has been a great learning opportunity for the staff that will translate back into the community, “said Heidi Bleazey, museum specialist. “It is a huge collaboration between faculty, staff, the libraries at Fayetteville State University and Maiden Lane, the city of Fayetteville’s Community Development, Orange Street School Foundation and the Museum of the Cape Fear.” Bleazey added that the history of the area is what they do, but you feel like you are moving around uncovering and discovering something and that is exciting.

The cost of the bus tour is $3.00 per person payable on the morning of the tour. There are a limited number of seats for the bus tour and pre-registration is required. For more information call 433-1457.

Photo: Dr. Ezekiel Ezra Smith, better known as E. E. Smith. 

Over the years, the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra has made beautiful music in our community. On Feb. 12, that tradition will continue with Mostly Mozart.

Music has long been an integral part of our lives. It is entertaining, thought provoking and often provides a glimpse into our collective past. It also reflects truths about the human condition. Some composers are more able to provide this glimpse than others — and the truly great create music that is timeless. Mozart was one of them.

Mostly Mozart will provide the community with the opportunity to explore the powerful music of one of the world’s greatest composers.

Many concerts consist of the works of a mixture of composers. Mozart’s work often makes appearances in concerts of all manners, but generally nestled amongst other great composers. Concerts sometimes follow a typical theme, but it is less common to have a concert focused on a single composer.

“It isn’t always that typical, though it depends on the orchestra. Some orchestras will categorize concerts into themes, and sometimes those themes happen to be by one composer. For this concert we decided on a Mozart-themed concert, as he is one of the well-known composers of our society,” said Julia Atkins, the marketing manager for the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra.

Another exciting aspect of this performance is the location. Locations of concerts help to create certain atmospheres for both the audience and the performers.

“While we were thinking of what we could perform in St. John’s Episcopal Church, we figured the music of Mozart would fit extremely well for that setting. During Mozart’s time, he would perform his works in smaller, intimate settings, sometimes a church, sometimes in someone’s home as entertainment. So this fits well with what he used to do during his time, while also bringing in the more well-known classical music to this community,” explained Atkins.

It can be easy to be intimidated by classical music and incredible composers. It may seem too complicated or overwhelming. Odds are with Mozart, that you have probably heard it before, perhaps without even realizing it.

“We welcome anyone to our concerts, whether they are educated in the orchestral world or not. This one is especially a great concert to come to whether you are an avid classical music listener or not as it incorporates music that we have all heard at some point in our lives, whether it’s in a TV show, commercial, movie, on the radio, etc., so anyone new or experienced will be comfortable attending this concert,” explained Atkins. “If someone new would like to learn more about the performance, there are program notes listed on our website at www.fayettevillesymphony.org. There they can read the history of each piece being performed that evening. The best thing to get the most out of this performance is to just come out and make an evening of it!”

Though dominated by familiar Mozart works, the concert is not comprised completely of a single composer, Atkins explained.

“The Bizet Symphony in C is a similar feeling as Mozart’s Symphony in G,” continued Atkins. “By feeling I mean that it sets the same mood. The two Mozart pieces have a lighter, mellow, classical feeling, and Bizet’s Symphony in C brings in the same thing. It is why the concert is titled Mostly Mozart as the entire program isn’t all completely dominated by Mozart pieces.”

Mostly Mozart is at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 302 Green St. on Feb. 12, from 7:30 to 9 p.m. For more information call 910-433-4690 or visit www.fayettevillesymphony.org.

Photo: The FSO brings Mostly Mozart to St. John’s Episcopal Church.

February 13 opens this year’s duck season – Duck Derby season, that is. This is a season that is fun for everyone because it is about supporting the organizations in the community that give so much year round. And it all culminates with an event that is like no other in town — the Duck Derby.

On Sunday, April 26, the event organizers at Fayetteville Urban Ministry will drop the ducks into the creek at Festival Park for the big race. The corporate/business sponsored ducks (25-30 of them) race first, followed by the main duck race where 10,000-15,000 regular-sized rubber ducks compete to see who will win this year’s prizes. 

Unlike other fundraisers, The Duck Derby raises funds for several organizations. Last year, there were more than 70 teams registered as Duck Derby contestants. Last year’s teams included the Cumberland County Schools system, health-related organizations, arts organizations, educational foundations and more. Each one had the potential to benefit from this event. This year is shaping up to be a good one, too, with plenty of teams signing up to participate.

The Fayetteville Urban Ministry has set the wheels in motion, but the real magic happens when the duck adoptions begin. The public is invited to adopt a duck (or team of ducks) to compete in the Duck Derby. The top five winners receive prizes. This year there is a new prize category for the last place duck, too. Like always, the donors have been generous this year offering up a 22-foot travel camper from Camping World of Fayetteville for the Grand Prize.

“If winner is present, they will get $150 in cash, too,” said Executive Director of Fayetteville Urban Ministry Johnny Wilson.

The second place winner will get a 65-inch flat screen TV from Walmart Distribution Center. The third place prize is a set of tires with a value of up to $500, from Ed’s Tire. The fourth place winner will receive a full year membership to Renaissance European Day Spa. A $250 grocery gift card awaits the fifth place winner and the prize for last place is a tent and a jar of molasses from Camping World of Fayetteville.

In a new turn of events, this year, the Duck Derby is a sanctioned Dogwood Festival event and will take place during the Dogwood Festival, which Wilson sees as a benefit.

“There will be tons of live music, food, games and vendors for the entire weekend — April 24 -26 — at the Dogwood Festival,” said Wilson.

Around 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 26, the Duck Derby will round out the weekend festivities.

The Duck Derby is a fun, family-friendly event, but the weeks leading up to the event are important, too. The more ducks that get adopted, the bigger the impact on the community.

“This event is a fun way to adopt a duck and transform someone’s life through a duck race,” said Wilson. “With all proceeds combined, we have generated more than $225,000 to give right back to the community from the past four Duck Derby events.” 

So how does it work? It’s simple and only takes a click. Visit www.fayettevilleduckderby.com and click on the Adopt a Duck tab. Once there, choose the options that suit you. Adopt one duck (or many ducks) and choose the teams (nonprofit organizations) that you want to benefit from your adoption. As the event organizer, the Fayetteville Urban Ministry keeps a small portion to cover the costs of the event. The rest of the adoption fee will go to the team. Adoption papers are also available at the Fayetteville Urban Ministry at 701 Whitfield St. Sponsorships are also available.

People seeking a more hands-on approach are invited to volunteer at Fayetteville Urban Ministry, as well. Fayetteville Urban Ministry has four programs that serve all of Cumberland County clients that qualify.

Adult Literacy. Serves a population of adults that read at 5th grade level or below, GED preparation, cooking classes, financial literacy, English As a Second Language classes and job interviewing.

Emergency Assistance. Serves individuals and families that are in crisis. The program offers a food pantry, a clothing closet and some financial assistance if funds are available.

Find-A-Friend. Works with at-risk and court-involved youth after school. Workshops cover peer pressure, relationships within family, conflict resolution, saying no to drugs and more. Tutoring is offered along with one-on-one mentoring for selected youth.

Project Nehemiah. Is a home-repair program for elderly or low income homeowners clients that qualify.

“Through these four programs we will collectively serve more than 8,000-10,000 individuals and families at no cost to them,” said Wilson.

Between Feb. 13 and April 26, Quacky, the Duck Derby mascot, is available to attend local events.

“He gets booked fast and we allow him to show at least two hours for partners’ events,” said Wilson, adding that seeing Quacky out and around is one of his favorite things about the Duck Derby. “So much excitement! You see kids go crazy to high five or hug Quacky. Many folks are really blown away that for only $5 they can actually win some prizes. I cannot count how many times that folks say, ‘Well, even if I don’t win anything my donation goes to a great cause!’ And lastly, we get to see so many community impact organizations and supporters come together for a great initiative.”

Find out more about the Duck Derby and how you can help at www.fayettevilleduckderby.com. Find out more about Fayetteville Urban Ministry at http://www.fayurbmin.org.

Photo: Duck Season is open. Buy your duck now to help build a stronger community. 

Jumping into icy water, as crazy as it may seem, has been a tradition in many countries as either a health tradition or a celebration of the New Year. The Nordic countries, Finland in particular, are famous for this sauna culture. People sit in saunas in order to sweat out impurities and then jump into nearby freezing bodies of water to wash them away and close the pores. Now the tradition has taken on a new life as a sort of dare and fundraising challenge called the Polar Plunge. The event takes place on Feb. 21, at Addison Ridge apartment complex.

This Polar Plunge is more than the traditional dip in the pool and jump out. There is a bit more of a challenge. “There will be coins at the bottom of the pool. Each coin will have a number on it. The number will correspond to one of the many great prizes that have been donated to this event. Once a person has their coin they can compare it to the board that will have the number associated with the prize,” said Apartment Manager Heather Gonzalez.

Some of the prizes that have been donated so far are fitbits and a Kindle Fire.

This year, the Polar Plunge is sponsored by Addison Ridge, which is also providing the pool, and Disaster One. The event is to support the Wounded Warrior Project.

“There’s a $12 fee. All of it goes to wounded warriors,” said Gonzalez. “With the wounded warriors being an issue so close to home for so many and with Fort Bragg and the military right at our back door, this just seemed like a great charity to support because they give back to the military. Soldiers give so much to our town just by being here. They do so much and sacrifice so much. This is a fun way to celebrate and support them.”

The Wounded Warrior Program is dedicated to helping wounded veterans readjust and lead rewarding and productive lives. It does this through various projects that focus on four core ideas:

Mind. Interactive programs and retreats are designed to give people the tools they need to readjust and maintain happy healthy relationships.

Body. The project also focuses on the body by providing care and maximizing rehabilitation to encourage warriors to continue to live active healthy lifestyles.

Economic empowerment. The organization offers education programs, training and employment assistance to help create long-term financial stability.

Engagement.The Wounded Warrior Project also assists warriors by promoting engagement with their peer mentoring, Alumni program and more.

Proceeds from the Polar Bear plunge will assist the Wounded Warrior Project in continuing their valuable work with our nations heroes.

To participate in the Polar Plunge there is a $12 entry fee. You must be 18 years or older and there is a waiver. You can pay to jump yourself or nominate a friend.

There are also three levels for sponsors. The Baby Bear is a $100 donation and includes your logo on flyers, name on T-shirts, and nomination of two participants. The Mama Bear requires a $200 donation, and in addition to what is offered with the Baby Bear, it includes a booth at the event. The Papa Bear with a $300 donation builds on the Mama Bear with a link on the Addison Ridge website for three months.

The Polar Plunge is taking place Feb. 21 from 1 to 3p.m. at Addison Ridge located at 1000 Antietam Creek Dr. For more information, call 226-2444.

Photo: The Polar Bear plunge benefits the Wounded Warrior Project.

Keep It Local

Anyone in the local pageant business knows that the lovely and talented Jocelyn Naylor was our Miss Fayetteville in 2014. However, I can say confidently that few Fayetteville residents outside the franchised pageant organization that sponsors the Miss Fayetteville Pageant know of her.

There is a reason for that. Naylor is not from Cumberland County. She is, in fact, from Fuquay-Varina in Wake County. She was crowned last year by the 2013 Miss Fayetteville, Victoria Huggins, who hails from the city of Lumberton in neighboring Robeson County. Both these ladies are extremely talented, beautiful and deserving of their title, honors and scholarships. They are just not from Fayetteville.

On Jan. 24, during the 2015 Miss Fayetteville Pageant at Huff Concert Hall at Reeves Fine Arts Building on the campus of Methodist University, Naylor gave up her Miss Fayetteville title to another Lumberton native, the lovely, talented and beautiful, Comfort Johnson, a 23-year-old student attending UNC Pembroke. Comfort will represent Fayetteville and compete for the coveted Miss North Carolina title and hopefully, for the title of Miss America. This is many young women’s dream and we wish her the best.

The Miss America Scholarship Program has many merits and I applaud the amount of time, effort and dedication that goes into this endeavor by the contestants. What I have never understood is why this program and process on the local level seems to be so subdued and quiet in our community. I am not alone in this observation. As a media source, I have the same concerns as many others familiar with the organization. This is that the process being used to publicize the event and recruit contestants to participate is a flawed process. Flawed in its orchestration and perhaps unfair or at best, misrepresented. After all, what other reason could there be for allowing outside contestants to enter another city’s local event?

First, the program appears to be more selective in nature than inclusive. This limits participation and the number of contestants simply because they are not made aware of the opportunity. Second, the pageant itself is grossly understated and poorly marketed with little or no promotion or advertising. Matter of fact, the Miss Fayetteville Scholarship Pageant does not have a website and uses Facebook as its only source for information. Once there, you have no contact information, no “about us” information or information about the contest, requirements, scholarships or how to get involved with the process.

Third, advertising and promotion of the pageant itself is virtually nonexistent. The only publicity and awareness there was that a Miss Fayetteville Pageant was even taking place this year was posted online by The Fayetteville Observer... the night of the event. The newspaper updated its post for the next day and then featured the winners in the Saturday Extra supplement.

Finally, last, but not least, our Miss Fayetteville should be from Fayetteville. Believe me, people are baffled and confused by that. For an entire year Miss Fayetteville will travel around the region under the guise of being from Fayetteville but, in reality, she cannot be an effective Ambassador because she really doesn’t know anything about our community. And, that is what is unfortunate. These young women work extremely hard to compete for that title. Sure, beauty, poise and talent are important, but so are work ethic, character, dedication, commitment and matters of the heart. We see and experience these traits from the contestants who commit to participate locally. By not emphasizing this “local” qualification in the competition, the Miss Fayetteville Pageant franchise owners are doing a grand injustice to the contestants and the communities from which they hail. They rob local communities of true recognition and the sense of pride and accomplishment that comes from supporting one of their own.

Again, this is not about the contestants, it’s a commentary about the operation of an organization that chooses to operate in a way that diminishes their own goals and objectives.

Over the years, Fayetteville has had several wonderful “local” young women win the Miss Fayetteville title. All have represented our community with beauty, dignity and style. Now, I’m not a pageant person so I don’t keep up with such things, however, in the last decade we have had several “local” Miss Fayetteville’s. Kinsey Boarts, Tiffanie Wagner, Katie Elizabeth Mills and Brooke McLaurin come immediately to mind. These local, homegrown queens received much local support and encouragement from residents, friends, family and local businesses and organizations.

Everyone took great pride in watching them work in our community, show up at community events, donate countless hours supporting children and working with local charities. I never really saw or met any franchise pageant committee members reaching out in support of these young women on their quest for the Miss North Carolina title. My point is that when the contestants were local everyone took pride, ownership and had a vested interest in the success of the young girls. They represented the City of Fayetteville and we supported them. Brooke McLaurin, who actually went on to become Miss North Carolina, and Katie Mills were two of the most devoted and hardest workers for this community. Again, I never saw much outside support.

I guess I’ll conclude by saying this: The rules are the rules. However, if our city name is going to be invoked, the community should benefit from it and the contestants should benefit also. Miss Fayetteville should be from Fayetteville or Cumberland County not from Lumberton, Raeford, Wake County or Harnett County. On the same hand, our local talent should not be forced to compete in other communities. Crowning a Miss Fayetteville should be a “big deal” in Fayetteville each and every year. Not served up as a nonevent or afterthought that surprisingly shows up in the Saturday Extra the day after.

Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

Photo: If our city name is going to be invoked, the community should benefit from it and the contestants should benefit also. Miss Fayetteville should be from Fayetteville or Cumberland County not from Lumberton, Raeford, Wake County or Harnett County. 

Keep It Local

Anyone in the local pageant business knows that the lovely and talented Jocelyn Naylor was our Miss Fayetteville in 2014. However, I can say confidently that few Fayetteville residents outside the franchised pageant organization that sponsors the Miss Fayetteville Pageant know of her.

There is a reason for that. Naylor is not from Cumberland County. She is, in fact, from Fuquay-Varina in Wake County. She was crowned last year by the 2013 Miss Fayetteville, Victoria Huggins, who hails from the city of Lumberton in neighboring Robeson County. Both these ladies are extremely talented, beautiful and deserving of their title, honors and scholarships. They are just not from Fayetteville.

On Jan. 24, during the 2015 Miss Fayetteville Pageant at Huff Concert Hall at Reeves Fine Arts Building on the campus of Methodist University, Naylor gave up her Miss Fayetteville title to another Lumberton native, the lovely, talented and beautiful, Comfort Johnson, a 23-year-old student attending UNC Pembroke. Comfort will represent Fayetteville and compete for the coveted Miss North Carolina title and hopefully, for the title of Miss America. This is many young women’s dream and we wish her the best.

The Miss America Scholarship Program has many merits and I applaud the amount of time, effort and dedication that goes into this endeavor by the contestants. What I have never understood is why this program and process on the local level seems to be so subdued and quiet in our community. I am not alone in this observation. As a media source, I have the same concerns as many others familiar with the organization. This is that the process being used to publicize the event and recruit contestants to participate is a flawed process. Flawed in its orchestration and perhaps unfair or at best, misrepresented. After all, what other reason could there be for allowing outside contestants to enter another city’s local event?

First, the program appears to be more selective in nature than inclusive. This limits participation and the number of contestants simply because they are not made aware of the opportunity. Second, the pageant itself is grossly understated and poorly marketed with little or no promotion or advertising. Matter of fact, the Miss Fayetteville Scholarship Pageant does not have a website and uses Facebook as its only source for information. Once there, you have no contact information, no “about us” information or information about the contest, requirements, scholarships or how to get involved with the process.

Third, advertising and promotion of the pageant itself is virtually nonexistent. The only publicity and awareness there was that a Miss Fayetteville Pageant was even taking place this year was posted online by The Fayetteville Observer... the night of the event. The newspaper updated its post for the next day and then featured the winners in the Saturday Extra supplement.

Finally, last, but not least, our Miss Fayetteville should be from Fayetteville. Believe me, people are baffled and confused by that. For an entire year Miss Fayetteville will travel around the region under the guise of being from Fayetteville but, in reality, she cannot be an effective Ambassador because she really doesn’t know anything about our community. And, that is what is unfortunate. These young women work extremely hard to compete for that title. Sure, beauty, poise and talent are important, but so are work ethic, character, dedication, commitment and matters of the heart. We see and experience these traits from the contestants who commit to participate locally. By not emphasizing this “local” qualification in the competition, the Miss Fayetteville Pageant franchise owners are doing a grand injustice to the contestants and the communities from which they hail. They rob local communities of true recognition and the sense of pride and accomplishment that comes from supporting one of their own.

Again, this is not about the contestants, it’s a commentary about the operation of an organization that chooses to operate in a way that diminishes their own goals and objectives.

Over the years, Fayetteville has had several wonderful “local” young women win the Miss Fayetteville title. All have represented our community with beauty, dignity and style. Now, I’m not a pageant person so I don’t keep up with such things, however, in the last decade we have had several “local” Miss Fayetteville’s. Kinsey Boarts, Tiffanie Wagner, Katie Elizabeth Mills and Brooke McLaurin come immediately to mind. These local, homegrown queens received much local support and encouragement from residents, friends, family and local businesses and organizations.

Everyone took great pride in watching them work in our community, show up at community events, donate countless hours supporting children and working with local charities. I never really saw or met any franchise pageant committee members reaching out in support of these young women on their quest for the Miss North Carolina title. My point is that when the contestants were local everyone took pride, ownership and had a vested interest in the success of the young girls. They represented the City of Fayetteville and we supported them. Brooke McLaurin, who actually went on to become Miss North Carolina, and Katie Mills were two of the most devoted and hardest workers for this community. Again, I never saw much outside support.

I guess I’ll conclude by saying this: The rules are the rules. However, if our city name is going to be invoked, the community should benefit from it and the contestants should benefit also. Miss Fayetteville should be from Fayetteville or Cumberland County not from Lumberton, Raeford, Wake County or Harnett County. On the same hand, our local talent should not be forced to compete in other communities. Crowning a Miss Fayetteville should be a “big deal” in Fayetteville each and every year. Not served up as a nonevent or afterthought that surprisingly shows up in the Saturday Extra the day after.

Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

Photo: If our city name is going to be invoked, the community should benefit from it and the contestants should benefit also. Miss Fayetteville should be from Fayetteville or Cumberland County not from Lumberton, Raeford, Wake County or Harnett County. 

The FireAntz’s Jan Safar has been explosive on the ice this season, leading the league in scoring as a defenseman, recording two goals and 20 assists for 22 points through his first 30 games.

Safar, born in Prague, Czech Republic, is a passionate 27-yearold who immediately fell in love with the game of hockey at the young age of 7. His love for the game of hockey has only grown from the time his grandpa taught him to skate. Safar looks up to his grandpa for planting that seed, which then blossomed as his love for the game of hockey grew.

As a talented defenseman for the Antz, Safar has proven to be quite the team player as he leads the team in assists. Safar’s game day routine consists of waking up early, going for a light skate, followed by a pasta platter for lunch around 1p.m. and a good snooze.

He has enjoyed his time here in Fayetteville and says that Military Night was his best experience since coming to town.

“It was a great atmosphere,” he said. “The fans were great; really fun to play that game.”

Safar hopes that his love and passion for the game of hockey will assist him “to lead the FireAntz to win a championship in the future.”

In his spare time, Safar enjoys the finer things, a little bit of cooking, going for walks, watching movies and working out. He’s a huge fan of sushi and his favorite restaurant in Fayetteville is Shogun.

Safar’s hockey career has landed him far from home, which allows him little time to see his two younger sisters and the rest of his family. It’s a huge sacrifice that the average fan may not consider when attending games. Many of the FireAntz players share this common trait, which is what makes the bond of these teammates so unique — they’re a family.

In the off-season, Safar spends time with his girlfriend in Canada, training for hockey and teaching at hockey schools when he can.

Fast Facts About Jan Safar
Favorite Song:  Hideaway by Kiesza
Favorite Movie  Braveheart
Favorite Sports Teams:  Sparta Praha and Toronto Maple Leafs
Favorite Sports Aside From Hockey: Tennis and Skiing

Photo: Jan Safar, a native of the Czech Republic, is a talented defenseman, who leads the
FireAntz team in assists. 

Fans of shows like So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing With the Stars are in for a treat with the next show in the Community Concerts 2014-2015 season.

On Feb. 11, Dancing With the Pros Live: You Pick the Winner, comes to the Crown Theatre. The show features dance styles that include the Cha-Cha, Waltz, Tango, Swing, Freestyle, Samba and the Jitterbug, bringing the glamour and pizzazz of competitive dance right to the audience.

Some of the familiar faces in this show include Karina Smirnoff as head judge; guest star Edyta Sliwinska and competitor Chelsie Hightower from Dancing with the Stars; and host Alan Thicke, star of the hit TV show Growing Pains. Benji Schwimmer is set to compete and actor and dancer, Oscar Orosco holds a spot as one of the judges. Vocalists Joanna Pacitti, from American Idol Season 8, and Angel Taylor, from The Voice Season 2 will grace the stage, as well.

Smirnoff is excited to return to Fayetteville.

“I am so excited to return to Fayettville, I have been through there many times and have worked at a local studio,” said Smirnoff. “I love that we are coming to perform in a military town and I can’t wait for everyone to come out and enjoy the show.”

The remaining competitors on the tour are dance champions Artur Adamski, Paul Barris, Tess Buchatsky, Sasha Chernositov, Dmitry Demidov, Denys Drozdyuk, Arina Grishanina, Regina Maziarz, Antonina Skobina and Anastasia Trutneva.

For many viewers, shows like So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing With the Stars are as much about the love of dance as they are about voting for the competitors. The audience will have a say in the outcome of this show, too. Using electronic remotes, the audience can vote for their favorite dancers during the show.

“This show is very interactive. The flow of it is super fast and the audience gets to experience several champions performing in their own category,” said Smirnoff. “As I judge, I get to offer professional advice to the performers, which as a dancer myself I always valued, but it is the audience that decides the winners. When I get to talk to the audience I always suggest that they vote for the dancers that move them and with whom they connect. It has been really fun to see how differently the audiences vote from city to city.”

Community Concerts is half way through its 79th season. Scotty McCreery opened this year’s series in October and was followed by Sister Act in November and Trace Adkins in December. Dancing Pros Live: You Pick the Winner brings a fun twist to the season by making the audience a part of the show. Next in the lineup are The Australian Bee Gees on March 25. Smokey Robinson closes out the season on April 16.

True to its mission to bring the finest in top-notch entertainment to Fayetteville, Community Concerts seeks out and brings fun interesting shows to the community each year. The dedicated volunteers behind this organization truly understand the value of the arts and music and celebrate their love for all things musical on a local level throughout the year.

Each year, the organization offers a scholarship to a promising high school graduate. To date, 24 students have received scholarships from Community Concerts.

Community Concerts supports local musicians and local children throughout the year by providing opportunities for them to perform. Voices of the Heart and Linda Kinlaw’s School of Dance have shared the stage with showcase performers in the past as has local country singer Trae Edwards.

The Fayetteville Music Hall of Fame program, which was founded in 2008, honors musicians who have brought distinction to Fayetteville through their talents. The Music Hall of Fame inductions usually take place at one of the Community Concerts events in the spring.

Community Concerts provides free concert opportunities to groups ranging from children to deserving seniors. In recent seasons, these have included the Vision Resource Center, Urban Ministry, The Sunshine Center, members of local fire and police departments and many more.

Tickets for the Dancing With the Pros Live: You Pick the Winner are $50, $42 and $28. Groups of 10 or more can save $3 on tickets by calling Cena at 910.438.4123.

To find out more, visit www.community-concerts.com.

Photo: Dancing With the Pros Live: You Pick the Winner, a fun, interactive dance show, is on stage at the Crown on Feb. 11 as part of the annual Community Concerts subscription series.

Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire is an American classic. So it is only suiting that this brilliant play is brought to life in a theater that prides itself on presenting quality works:

The Gilbert Theater. The Gilbert Theater is set to open A Street Car Named Desire — its third play of the season — on Feb. 13. Following the smashing success of the season’s comedic opener, Nunsense, and a warm welcome for the traditional favorite A Christmas Carol, the Gilbert tells an intense tale with this classic.

Artistic Director Robyne Parrish sets the stage. “Blanche DuBois (Amanda Brooke Lerner), a fading, though attractive Southern Bell — a troubled woman trying to find her place in the world. Blanche arrives at the doorstep of her polar opposite sister, Stella (Staci Sabarsky) and brute of a man brother-in-law, Stanley (Chris Daftios),” explained Parrish. “Blanche is shocked by her sister’s low-class lifestyle of living and Stanley’s aggressive behavior. Blanche’s efforts to impose herself between them only enrages the animal inside Stanley. Mitch (Nathan Pearce), Stanley’s friend, himself alone in the world, sees Blanche as a beautiful and refined woman. Blanche’s secrets slowly catch up with her and the world she knows and lives in rapidly falls apart.”

Sabarsky is no stranger to the Gilbert stage. She played Maureen in Rent. This season she carries the role of Stella.

“What I love about Stella is how well-rounded and multi-dimensional she is,” said Sabarsky. “At times she is strong at others she is weak, but she is always interesting and integral to the storyline. It’s easy to say that this is Blanche’s story, but really it’s about the dynamic between the two sisters and Stella’s husband, Stanley. I always love delving into the relationships between the characters in a play and Williams’ characters are so rich and never boring. That’s one reason why I believe this piece of American theater is still so relevant today.”

A performing arts teacher by day, Sabarsky also directs. When it comes to acting though, it is all about making a connection.

“I love that theater, in particular, is a shared experience with the audience. For those few hours, we take a journey together. It’s magical … it’s never the same. And, for those few hours, you get to step into someone else’s skin and experience what their life is like,” she said. “Tennessee Williams is one of America’s best playwrights. He understands the dynamics of relationships and his work is still touching and relevant more than 60 years later.”

Sabarsky could not have said it better. In many ways, having a shared experience is what the Gilbert Theater is all about. Since its early days in Lynne Pryer’s (the founder of the theater) home, then moving from one location to another, people who make the Gilbert Theater the place the community so dearly loves have worked tirelessly to reach out to and train performers, playwrights and directors and engage and entertain the community.

“The Gilbert is a place to come and grow as an artist. We are a very inclusive, open community. One of our main goals of late is diversity. We create more opportunities for actors and other artists who have been historically underrepresented on and off the stage,” said Parrish. “And while we do welcome guest artists occasionally, for example the two New York City actors in Streetcar, we are very much a community-minded organization that showcases local talent. Ninety percent of our artists annually are made up of locals.”

Director Brian Adam Kline is eager to open the show.

“We have a brilliant cast and look forward to affording the opportunity for the community to experience Tennessee Williams live and in color. If you love any of the films you will love the play,” said Kline. “Travel back in time with us and experience this legendary piece of theatre.”

“We cannot tell you how excited we are to present this breathtaking story as our feature classic this season,” Parrish added.

The cast includes two Equity actors, Amanda Brooke Lerner as Blance and Chris Daftios as Stanley.

Other performer are:

Stella: Staci Sabarsky (Rent, Maureen)

Mitch: Nathan Pearce (Carol, Company)

Yudor Forbes, Deanna Robinson, James Merkle, Brandon Shane Bryan, Michael Carney, Kaley Morrison, Justin John, Maria Forte and Joanne Mason represent on stage as well.

In addition to stage performances, the theater hosts The Gilbert Repertory, a resident repertory company of a 12-14 actors who call the Gilbert Theatre their artistic home. Artists are admitted to the program by audition only and the repertory only accepts new members every two years.

The Repertory has its own show every season and members also direct and write.

Gilbert Glee is the Gilbert’s youth company. Through the Glee initiative, the Gilbert aims not only to entertain, but also to educate young people by engaging them with timeless literature through expressive theatre and music. Glee runs September through June and culminates in a performance in June 2014.

Parrish has big plans to connect with the community this coming year in new ways, as well.

“We plan to partner with Cumberland Peace to bring a staged reading of VESPA which deals with end-of-life challenges in April,” she said. “We will also partner with the Cape Fear Museum on the annual Poe House Halloween event in October. Our season is only halfway through and next season is going to be the best yet! A hint about our fall opener — it involves monsters.”

To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.gilberttheater.com or call 678-7186.

Photo: he cast of the A Street Car Named Desire, on stage at the Gilbert Theater, are deep in rehearsals as they prepare to bring an American classic to the stage.

Since the very first person rode the very first set of tracks, trains have been intriguing for children and adults. One way that this manifests is through television shows, particularly for children. A relatively new television show that brings the excitement of trains and valuable life lessons to kids across the world is Chuggington. Perhaps even more exciting is the opportunity for fans to experience the adventures of their favorite Chuggington characters live with Chuggington Live: The Great Rescue Adventure coming to the Crown Theatre on Feb. 13.

“This is a high-energy, multimedia show,” said Rori Nogee, who plays the character Lori in the show. “It’s interactive and fun. Kids love it. It’s a chance to see the latest Disney Jr. characters and the audience gets to be a part of the story.”

Chuggingtonis a popular animated children’s show that focuses on young trains called trainees. They strive to learn and to train in order to join the Chug Patrol. They are faced with challenges that teach them important life lessons like the value of friendship, hard work, determination, teamwork and courage. The show has been translated into 36 different languages and in the United States it is broadcasted through Disney and Disney Junior Channels.

“While the show typically appeals to young boys, I love that my role is that of a strong woman,” said Nogee. “It sets a good example for them and falls right in line with the other themes in the show like the value of hard work, determination and team work.”

Chuggington Live: The Great Rescue Adventure is a 75-minute, two act musical full of fun and excitement for fans of the friendly trains. In the show, the three trainees Koko, Wilson and Brewster are starting on their advanced training to become part of the Chug Patrol. However, Koko needs help after she gets into some trouble at the Rocky Ridge Mine. Wilson puts his new skills to use to help save his friend. The show focuses on the importance of courage and determination when facing large challenges. The trains share with the audience important life lessons.

The show is full of new songs and fan favorites from the TV series. The onstage trains are as mechanically marvelous as their real-life counterparts. They have working mouths, eyes and an interactive animate background. This is an incredible opportunity for new fans and old. For those who have experienced the show before, it is an exciting way to experience familiar characters. For new viewers, the adventure is an exciting show with great new friends.

Chuggington Live: The Great Rescue Adventure will be at the Crown Theater at 7 p.m. The theatre is located at 1960 Coliseum Dr. Ticket prices range from $20 to $45. Tickets are available through ticketmaster.com, The Crown Box Office or by calling 1-800-745-300. For more information, visit www.crowncomplexnc.com, http://lifeliketouring.com/chuggingtonlive or call 910-438-4100.

Photo: Chugginton Live: The Great Rescue Adventure is on stage at the Crown on Feb. 13.

The life insurance industry has the best IRS-approved retirement savings plan today — and most investors know nothing about it. This retirement savings vehicle is not a pre-tax qualified, 401(k)-type plan, a Roth IRA, an annuity or whole life insurance. It is the financial industry’s No. 1 secret — Indexed Universal Life (IUL).

The ugly truth is that the 401(k) is a lousy idea, a financial flop, a rotten repository for our retirement reserves. The solution: a new type of insurance. Retirement savings, it turns out, are exactly the type of asset for which we need insurance. Insurance protects against risks that can’t be predicted, for instance, when the market collapses and investors can’t afford to recover from it on their own.

People insure nearly every other aspect of their life: their health, their home, their vehicles. Why not protect a safe, comfortable retirement against the risks that can’t be predicted and that investors can’t afford to recover from on their own; and why not cut out the tax man in the process? These are all legal, and totally above board, established life insurance principles. It may sound too good to be true, but it’s just what life insurance is and does. Yet the general public — and even many financial advisors — have absolutely no idea that a tax-free, market-risk-free, gains-locked-in, congressionally-approved solution has been sitting right under their noses for 14 years. Let’s lay out the basic principles of Indexed Universal Life (IUL).

Indexed Universal Life’s basic principles:

1. The money grows tax deferred, access to it is tax free and it does not affect taxation of Social Security. This alone can save thousands of dollars in taxes.

2. It is guaranteed by contract never to lose money due to a market loss. IULs are not tied to the market but are linked to the market by a selected index and all gains (subject to a cap) are locked in.

3. Historical returns, based on actual illustrations from the top carriers going back to the late 1980s, are usually somewhere between 7-9 percent, mean actual interest rates of return.

4. The death benefit is paid out to the beneficiary — tax-free.

5. Many parents use the cash value in the IUL to fund college.

There are many more benefits to the IUL than those listed above.

It looks like odds are good that Indexed Universal Life may offer roughly two to three times the amount of benefits over conventional investments, depending on the actual index returns and the investor’s tax bracket. This is a result of protection of principal against market losses, the indexing and legally cutting out the tax man. This is what Einstein called one of the most powerful forces in the universe: compounding interest.

Sources: Read more: http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2012/02/22/legally-cutting-out-tax-man-in-retirement/#ixzz2eOvEEssz Gandel, Stephen (2009, October 9). Why It’s Time to Retire the 401(k). TIME. Retrieved from http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1929233,00.html.

Photo: It can be challenging to find effective ways to save for retirement.

Happy New Year from everyone at Fayetteville Technical Community College!

Even though it may seem early to begin thinking about fall, when it comes to college admissions, it is never too early to prepare. We at FTCC are currently accepting admissions applications for 2015 Fall Semester and encourage everyone to apply for financial aid as soon as 2014 income tax information is complete. Even though it may seem early, now is the perfect time to begin the fall admissions process.

The most important admissions advice I would like to offer: “DO NOT WAIT.” Visit our website www.faytechcc.edu and click on the “Get Started” link located on the home page. This links directly with the free College Foundation of North Carolina (CFNC) application used by FTCC and many colleges. Once the application is complete, two things happen: (1) an email is sent directly to the email address used in the application, and (2) we at FTCC mail a letter to the physical/mailing address used in the CFNC application.

The email outlines admissions steps and provides links to forms used for many purposes, such as to request a transcript from high school or other colleges, financial aid and the assessment and placement office. The email also provides a link to connect with an FTCC Admissions Counselor and to our Veteran’s Services and military websites, health counselor and the Spring Lake campus and Ft. Bragg Center.

The letter provides log-in and password setup information for student email and WebAdvisor accounts. All FTCC student applicants receive a student email account and a WebAdvisor account, even before they are registered for classes. The email and WebAdvisor accounts are important because FTCC supports “green” initiatives and communicates with students via student email after the first hard-copy letter is sent. FTCC’s WebAdvisor is an excellent tool for applicants and students in managing financial aid, registering for classes, contacting an advisor, viewing grades, requesting transcripts and setting up a payment plan (for students who pay tuition and other expenses out of pocket).

Even in today’s high-tech world, FTCC recognizes that face-to-face assistance remains important, and we are proud to offer this one-on-one, personal interaction. We encourage you to visit our beautiful campuses located in Fayetteville and Spring Lake and FTCC’s Fort Bragg Center located at the Bragg Training and Education Center. FTCC Student Services is currently located within the General Classroom Building (GCB) at 2817 Fort Bragg Road at the Fayetteville campus while building renovations are underway at the Tony Rand Student Center. Representatives are also available to assist at both the Spring Lake campus and Fort Bragg. I invite you to visit with us at the GCB for assistance with the CFNC application, to take the placement test, and to learn how to log in to your FTCC student email and WebAdvisor. Admissions representatives located at all three campus locations can assist with financial aid applications. And FTCC’s admissions counselors offer help with making career choices and registration for that very important first semester.

Please begin the Fall Semester 2015 admissions process today, and thank you for making Fayetteville Technical Community College your school of choice!

Photo: Now is the perfect time to apply to FTCC for fall admission.

Some artists take years to find the perfect medium, dabbling in this or that, chasing the latest artistic trend in seeking to feed their creative fire. That wasn’t the case for Charles Farrar. He knew when he was a little boy that wood had a special place in his heart; he carved his first piece when he was about 12.

His work has evolved significantly since he fashioned a 3-foot-long fire-breathing dragon from a piece of wood he found in his youth at Bugs Island Dam in Virginia. Now, his work graces galleries, studios and homes in the form of beautifully turned bowls and vases. Farrar’s work will be displayed at Cape Fear Studios main gallery through Feb. 23.

Woodturning is definitely not new. In fact, Farrar noted that while modern tools come with many bells and whistles, people have been turning wood for thousands of years.

“The tool that wood turners use to create is a tool given to the world by Egyptians in the 4th Dynasty during the time of the great pyramids. The tombs that had the vessels that contained the entrails of the pharaoh — we know they were fashioned using a lathe. That stands to reason because the Egyptians gave us the potter’s wheel, as well, in the 800 year period prior to that,” explained Farrar.

Until recently, it was considered more practical than artistic. Old wooden plates, bowls and utensils dating back hundreds of years are still being unearthed.

“We are still uncovering caches of wood vessels turned in the 1500s and 1600s in early America,” said Farrar. “We can date them and know they come from early Americans. It is a form of craft that only in the past 40-60 years has risen to be respected. There was a time if you were not turning a bowl or bucket or something else utilitarian, you were wasting your time.”

One look at Farrar’s work and it is clear that wood can indeed be art. Turned from found and reclaimed wood, Farrar’s pieces showcase the features that make each piece unique. Each piece of wood has its own story to tell. Maybe it is the interesting pattern in the grain that speaks to him, or the stunning markings left by a wood beetle that he chooses to highlight. Sometimes, it is even the story of where the wood came from that inspires him as he turns the wood and guides the lathe. Often, it is as much about the process as it is about the end product. And for many, there is magic in his methods. Farrar uses found wood and reclaimed wood for his work; he refuses to fell a tree for one of his projects when there is so much wood readily available.

“I was commissioned to do a piece for choreographer Debbie Allen. She was working on a production that celebrated the life of Harriet Tubman,” said Farrar. “They wanted a vessel that reflected, in its time on Earth, Harriet Tubman’s approximate age. I went to an old mill that had been in operation for more than 100 years that was going out of business and was able to get a 12x13 floor joist. I got within a couple of years of what we think was Harriet Tubman’s age. I made the vessel and got to present it to Debbie Allen. The vessel was hard as rock because it was more than 100 years old at the time and had been alive many years before it was used to make the floor of that mill. It was hard to work that wood, and at the time, not knowing so much and not having the tools I have today, it was a challenge. I learned from a playwright friend years later that she still has that vessel in her extensive art collection in her home.”

When Farrar’s church was ready to replace its organ that dated back to 1872, he was asked to use the wood from the organ’s pipes to make gifts for the choir members. He made cross pendants fashioned from the F sharp pipe.

“The trees that made that pipe may have started growing 100 years before the organ was even made. For that same wood to get a whole new life in those crosses … I love the idea of recycling and recycling again.”

Throughout Farrar’s life, his connection to wood never waned. He collected pieces at arts festivals and admired fine workmanship when he saw it. In the early ‘90s he went to an arts festival and bought a wood-turned bowl. He spent the following year admiring it. The next year, the same craftsman was at the festival again. Farrar wanted to buy another bowl, but more importantly, he wanted to know how this artist made such fine work.

“I’d spent 23 years of corporate life as a middle manager for Bell South — 23 years 8 months and 6 days, but who’s counting?” said Farrar. “When I asked that artist how he made his pieces, he said ‘Come up the mountain on Saturday and I will show you everything I know about woodturning.’ I did and he did and that artist — David Goins — became my mentor. Before I got home that weekend, I had purchased a lathe and a series of training tools. I spent about $800 out of the family budget without even talking about it with my wife.”

Since then, Farrar has demonstrated design and technique at the National Symposium of The American Association of Woodturners and many prestigious museums throughout the U.S.

His work will be on display through Feb 23 at Cape Fear Studios.

“I love that in Fayetteville there is this forward-thinking gallery. Wood is still not a medium that always gets the right showings,” said Farrar. “I am tickled that Cape Fear Studios is stepping out there and that they are doing it during Black History Month when the work is presented by an African-American and the tools that gave this art form to the world were made by black people.”

Find out more about Charles Farrar at www.charlesfarrar.com. Find out more about Cape Fear Studios at www.capefearstudios.com.

Photo: The intricate woodworking of Charles Farrar is on display at Cape Fear Studios through Feb. 23.

Elementary school is the gateway to learning. Reading, writing, math and science are the basic components to everything. But art is just as important. The study of the arts gives children the ability to dream. Art is not just painting or even music; it’s the embodiment of thinking. Through art a person has power to imagine, which is the idea that is not only embraced by The Capitol Encore Academy in Downtown Fayetteville, but which is played out through its curriculum.

Capitol Encore Academy is one of two charter schools in the community. Charter schools receive public funding, but operate under their own independent jurisdiction. A charter school may have alternative ways of teaching compared to a traditional public school.

Located in the building that once housed the Capitol Department Store, and more recently, Docks at the Capitol, the school pays homage to its heritage by maintaining its name.

The building has since been well renovated by adding a dance room as well as a theater. Classrooms and other designated rooms are now where arcade games used to be. The building can be utilized as a place of learning as well as a place for fun.

Capitol Encore Academy’s mission is to develop artists who inspire others with principles of design and artful thinking through the integration of academic excellence, virtuous character and disciplined artistry.

“Enrollment is going wonderfully. We are currently full in almost all grades, with openings only in 3rd and 4th. The kids are doing some amazing things. We have their art displayed on Hay Street in our windows as well as all over the school,” said Joe Salisbury, office manager of the academy.

The academy encourages its students to use their minds to focus on creativity by supporting a child’s hands-on learning in conjunction with artful thinking.

The academy will eventually be open to grades K-12 following its grade expansion plan. It is expected that most of the children will be from Fayetteville and some surrounding areas. The school is adding 6th grade next year.

“Businesses are now looking for Master’s of Fine Arts over MBAs as their utilization and understanding of computers is what is needed in an ever-changing technological world,” said Salisbury. “Also, being in a truly arts focused community helps as the students are involved in/exposed to a multitude of different arts and are able to take part in many functions,” said Salisbury.

The school also offers classes with its Encore Kids College program that includes dance, music, theater, movement arts, visual arts/poetry and martial arts. These classes offer additional learning opportunities for students to focus on their talents throughout the entire school year. Students will enjoy sharing their talents with one another and have one-on-one time with teachers.

“The biggest challenge is getting up and smoothly running. Luckily, we have an amazing educational service provider that helped get us started and gives us the resources needed to give the students a top-notch education. Also, the amount of parent support has been unbelievable,” he said.

“The reason charter schools succeed is, ultimately, not the administration, but the teachers who work diligently every day to create a learning environment for the school,” said Salisbury.

The academy will host Sweet Tea Shakespeare’s Sweet Words from Feb. 11-15.

Open enrollment for The Capitol Encore Academy starts on Feb. 2 and runs through March 13. Parents who would like to enroll are asked to fill out the online application. The academy is currently open to grades K-5. For more information about the school and requirements visit www.capitolencoreacademy.org.

Photo: The Capitol Encore Academy is one of two charter schools in Cumberland County. The Capitol focuses on the arts as the building blocks of education.

Wear Green for Progress and for Jobs

My head is spinning! I just returned from a 10-day road trip and I have spent the entire weekend catching up on the local news. PWC and chicken plants: “Oh my!” I know what you are thinking, why don’t I just Google “Fayetteville” when I’m on the road. Or, better yet, go online to the Fayetteville Observer’s website and check out what’s going on in my hometown. Well, I’ll tell you why. It depresses me.

I must admit, I suffer from depression when I go online to read our local newspaper knowing that I am actually seeing and reading exactly what everyone else in the world is seeing and reading about our community. Embarrassing! Try it yourself.

Believe me, it isn’t pretty. For all the wonderful things going on in our community, when you read about what’s making news in Fayetteville, we come off like a cross between the “Gang Who Couldn’t Shoot Straight” and the Three Stooges. This would be funny if it were not so sad.

Does anyone in a leadership position in Fayetteville or Cumberland County have any idea how we must look to the outside world?

I doubt if the people who are Googling Fayetteville are reading features and articles about our wonderful cultural arts programs, our compassionate and generous nonprofit organizations or our amazingly dedicated, talented teachers and school principals or our brave and dauntless military warriors. No, they are reading about grouchy city councilmen decrying “treachery” among us and others making silly suggestions like how we could possibly reduce the number of murders in our city by issuing city permits to better monitor these murderous neighborhood parties.

Sure, this makes perfect sense with plenty of logic like: now, the party host “doesn’t feel he has to police the situation by himself.” And, he “..may appreciate the beefed-up police presence.” Isn’t that reassuring. Are you kidding me?

It gets better. You can read about hired city staff dictating policy to our city council, who, unfortunately, don’t know any better than to not listen to them. Or, how about reading about a rogue city manager who thinks our public utility is a piggy bank and a city-appointed public utility commission that was forced to sue the city in order to do its job of protecting and properly serving its citizens.

Now, add to that the Sanderson Farm circus and clown parade led by County Commissioner Charles Evans, whose uninformed decisions have punished the very residents he vowed to love, honor, respect and serve. Now, after the damage is done, Evans is attempting a “do over” to get the incentive issue back on the county commissioners’ agenda for a joint public hearing on Feb. 2. This meeting will serve only to allow those local residents who would have benefited from Sanderson Farms $100 million dollar expansion into our community and the 1, 000 new jobs it would have brought, a final opportunity to have their voices heard.

So, I suggest you be at the Crown Coliseum on Monday, Feb. 2 and I very strongly suggest you take advantage of this opportunity to tell our leadership not only how you feel about the Sanderson Farms project, but how you feel about the way this entire situation has been handled. After all, these county commissioners, city councilmen and the Chamber of Commerce and the Economic Development Alliance all are supposed to be working for us — all 325,871 of us — and not just for a few dozen “red shirted” elite landowners.

Be there. Wear GREEN! That’s right. Green for progress! Green for jobs! Green for the unemployed! Green for the homeless! Green for new local money! And, green, for the color of Evans face when he finally realizes how badly he let his constituents down. Wear green for bad politics.

So, Monday will be our day, one way or the other. Please be there. Each speaker will have a maximum of three minutes to comment. Citizens who wish to address the board may register prior to the event by contacting the clerk to the Board of Commissioners at 910-678-7771 or 910-678-7772. They may also e-mail cwhite@co.cumberland.nc.us. Speakers may also sign-up in the lobby the night of the hearing. Doors open at 5 p.m.

I love this community. It is my community. I have been here for more than 40 years. Met my wife here, started my family here, raised our son here, built my business here. Believe me, you didn’t have to be born in Cumberland County to be from Cumberland County. So, if you sense that I’m a little put out, you are correct. We have a responsibility to secure a livable community for future generations, which includes jobs for everyone — even those low-skill jobs that still offer a living wage.

See you on Monday, Feb. 2 and thanks for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

Photo: Wear green this Monday to support progress in Fayetteville.

People may not be familiar with the name Kadir Nelson, but chances are they are familiar with his work. He worked as a concept artist for the movies Amistad and Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron. He has created artworks for Sports Illustrated, Coca Cola, The U.S. Postal Service, Major League Baseball and The U.S. House of Representatives to name a few.

In 2011, Nelson first displayed his work in Fayetteville in the exhibit We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball. The illustrations were from Nelson’s picture book of the same name that was published in 2008 by Disney/Hyperion. His current exhibit, Words and Pictures: Illustrated Works by Kadir Nelson is set to open at the Arts Council during 4th Friday festivities on Jan. 23.

Words and Pictures: Illustrated Works by Kadir Nelson is composed of illustrations by Nelson that have appeared in six books, four of which he authored. The books are: I Have a Dream(the illustrated version of Dr. Martin Luther King’s speech); HEART AND SOUL: The Story of America and African Americans; A Nation’s Hope (the story of boxing legend Joe Louis); Nelson Mandela; Baby Bear; and Coretta Scott).

Marketing Director of the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County Mary Kinney is excited about the message this exhibit sends.

“We knew when Kadir’s exhibit, We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball was here in 2011 that we wanted to feature his work again,” said Kinney. “Not only is he a wonderful artist, but his work really speaks to the tenacity of the human spirit. His works offer an opportunity for learning about history, about people, about life and change and overcoming adversity.”

There is additional programming throughout the month that ties in with this exhibit. Nelson will be in attendance at the opening of the exhibit. There will be a limited number of books featuring Nelson’s work available for purchase. He will sign books and give autographs.

On Jan. 31, don’t miss the reading and book signing by Carole Boston Weatherford. Weatherford is a professor at Fayetteville State University. She collaborated with Nelson on the book Moses. This work earned Nelson his first Caldecott Honor. The event is free to the public and runs from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m at the Arts Council.

A children’s workshop is scheduled for Feb. 14. The workshop features children’s book author and illustrator Cammeron Batanides. Children will view Nelson’s exhibit Words and Pictures: Illustrated Works by Kadir Nelson and read some of his books as well as Batanides’ book Meet Panda, which is about a dog who teaches lessons about love and acceptance. After reading about Panda, the children will write and illustrate a book of their own to take home. The workshop is free. Registration is required. There are two sessions. Children 5-9-years-old are scheduled from 10 a.m. until noon. From 1-3 p.m. 10-14-year-olds are welcome. The workshop takes place at the Arts Council. Call 323-1776 or email admin@theartscouncil.com to register.

While downtown, don’t miss some of the other 4th Friday events. Cape Fear Studios and Gallery is located at 148 Maxwell St. Within the unassuming brick building resides an artistic cornocopia of inspired and inspiring art. Works by member artists who a juried in are always on display. There are also rotating exhibits of artwork from guest artists. Coinciding with 4th Friday, Cape Fear Studios and Gallery debuts an exhibit in honor of Black History Month that focuses on the amazing wooden pieces created by Charles Farrar using his lathe. Farrar has a special love for working with found wood, and with the environment in mind, he does not harvest any living trees for his artwork. Woodcarving and turning have ancient roots in Africa. Sub-Saharan Africans were masters of carving and Egyptians were the first to master the lathe. This exhibit both honors the history of this craft and explores its modern beauty. For more information, visit www.capefearstudious.com or call 433-2986. The exhibit opens with a reception at 6 p.m. on Jan. 23 and runs through Feb. 23.

Fascinate-U is a hands-on museum that is dedicated to promoting education, growth and imagination in children. They have many exhibits that consist of miniature versions of common places found around town. Kids can explore these areas, role-play and learn about the world around them in a fun and safe way. On Jan. 23, from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. admission is free. Children will have the opportunity to creat a free snowman craft. The museum is located at 116 Green St. For more information, visitwww.fascinate-u.com or call 829-9171.

Visit The Fayetteville Area Transportation and Local History Museum to learn more about local history or check out downtown businesses that stay open late and offer everything from entertainment to shopping and eating discounts.

Find out more about 4th Friday at www.theartscouncil.com.

Photo: right; The Arts Council celebrates Black History Month with the exhibit Words and Pictures: Illustrated Works by Kadir Nelson.  set to open at the Arts Council at 4th Friday on Jan. 23.
Cover photo credit: Kadir Nelson.

Wynonna Judd is one of country’s brightest lights, and on Friday, Jan. 23, she will bring her unique sound to Fayetteville.

Judd was born Christina Claire Ciminella in Ashland, Ken. After living with her family in Los Angeles, she returned to Kentucky. She learned to play guitar and fell in love with the country music that her mother loved. The pair moved to Nashville in 1979 in hopes of pursuing a career in the music industry that they loved so dearly. Their skill, passion and talent was quickly noticed, and the mother/daughter duo The Judds was created.

Wynonna then branched off into her solo career in 1992. She has dabbled in other ventures since, but her primary focus is once again on music with her show Wynonna and Friends: Stories & Song”.

Wynonna has a unique and powerful voice. When she sings it is captivating. During her tour, she is joined on stage by a three-piece band. One member of her band is her husband, producer and drummer Cactus Moser, who is an award-winning artist himself. On this tour, Wynonna chose not to visit major arenas, but rather to play in smaller venues throughout the United States.The show is intended to be a small, intimate affair filled with passionate music and an exploration in the travels and journeys that Wynonna has experienced during her extraordinary life.

This show is unlike anything that Wynonna has done before. She is not only focusing on her music, but on her life experiences.

“I have shared the stage with some of the greatest singers and musicians in the world and I have recorded with artists from all genres of music,” she said via the Crown Complex. “It has been an amazing journey for me. I’m an ordinary woman that extraordinary things have happened to because I choose to continue to suit up and show up where I am called.

“I am more passionate now than I have ever been about my life, my gift, my faith, hopes and dreams, and I want so much to share my story and my songs with my fans,” she continued. “I have experienced so many personal and professional highs and lows on this journey, and having been on the road for 34 years now, I am so grateful for the wisdom and experience I have gained throughout all that has happened on and off stage. I’m looking forward to sharing my message with others, to celebrate this time in my life with the fans that have supported me all these years, as well as connect with new fans.”

This show is perfect for those who already love Wynonna and those who have yet to discover her. The music will be as exciting, powerful and enchanting as all her previous works. The stories bring an entire new level of understanding and beauty to her work. For those who already love her it is enlightening. For those who are new, it is enthralling.

Wynonna and Friends: Stories & Song is at the Crown Theatre on Jan. 23, at 8 p.m. Ticket prices vary from $30 to $65. Tickets are available at ticketmasters.com, by phone at 800-745-3000, and in person at the Crown Complex Box Office. The Crown Coliseum is located at 1960 Coliseum Dr. For more information, visit http://crowncomplexnc.com/events/wynonna-friends-stories-songs or call 910-438-4100.

Photo: Wynona Judd has been a bright light in country music for a number of years. On Friday, Jan. 23, she brings her unique sound to the Crown.

There’s nothing like music to warm the soul and set the mood for an evening of love and romance, which is why Headliners Live is taking Eargazm Volume 1, featuring Brian McKnight, Eric Benet and Tevin Campbell across the country.

The concept of the tour is to provide pure unadulterated musical ecstasy from beginning to end. The tour is hosted by comedian Kevin Simpson who will keep the show moving and keep the audience in stitches with his shoot-from-the-hip style of humor.

The entertainers will perform their greatest hits and other hits that inspired them to embark on their musical careers. The lineup includes solo as well as group performances and duets.

Brian McKnight is an accomplished singer, songwriter and instrumentalist. He has had 16 Grammy nominations and sold 20 million albums worldwide. The Buffalo, N.Y., native grew up in a family where music came naturally and he had a gospel upbringing in the church. Over time, McKnight explored other genres of music and began writing and learned how to play several musical instruments.

Eric Benet has released six studio albums and is known for his melodic love songs. Eric grew up in Milwaukee, Wis., and is the youngest of five musically talented siblings. Eric has also ventured into the role of actor and starred in his first lead role in the feature film Trinity Goodheart.

Tevin Campbell was a popular teen singer in the ‘90s who had great hits on his platinum albums T.E.V.I.N and I’m Ready. The Texas native’s roots began in the church at a very early age. Throughout his career, he earned five Grammy nominations and sold an estimated 3 million albums worldwide. Campbell has experienced the world of acting as well performing in the Broadway musical Hairspray.

Eargazm Vol. 1 was originally scheduled make a stop in Fayetteville on Saturday, Jan. 31, at 8:30 p.m. at the Crown Coliseum. The concert has been moved to Saturday, March 14, 2015 at 8:00 PM.

Tickets for the January 31, 2015 Eargazm Tour Volume 1 Tour will be honored for the rescheduled date of March 14, 2015. Tickets are $55, $65, $75 and $80. Groups of ten or more can save $7. For more information, call 438-4123.