Cape Fear Botanical Garden provides not only a beautiful natural oasis for relaxation; it also provides entertaining and educational events. This summer, visitors to the garden can experience a performance series called “Third Thursdays.” 

Every third Thursday of the month from March to September, the garden is filled with different types of education and entertainment. Events range in scope from piano concerts to sustainable workshopping. The varied offerings are entirely intentional. 

“Our Third Thursday series is a way for us to connect with a larger part of the community,” said Taryn Hughes, marketing manager at Cape Fear Botanical Garden. “We want to be able to attract different crowds, so each event is a whole new experience. We also want to give visitors the opportunity to walk the grounds after hours.”

The second Third Thursday features a piano player, but it is not a typical piano concert. “Our next Third Thursday is Piano Pizzazz on June 15. Our hours are extended to 9 p.m., and the programming will start at 6 p.m.,” Hughes said. “It is a family-friendly event, so feel free to bring children! 

“This will be different from a normal piano recital since Casey T. Cotton is not only a performer but also an entertainer. You’ll be able to enjoy music and laugh the night away. It’s the perfect combination. Beer and wine will be available from our cash bar and the food truck, R Burger, will be serving up their best.” 

Casey T. Cotton was born in St. Louis and raised in California. He began playing the piano when he was just 7 years old. Music was a hobby for him during his childhood and his military career. 

It remained a hobby until after he retired from the military and the defense contract business. Now, he focuses on his music career full time. As a professional pianist, singer and songwriter he travels and performs at venues and events across the country. In 2016, Cotton founded Blazin’ Keys Entertainment, which specializes in live dueling piano shows. 

In addition to the incredible entertainment, Third Thursdays also offer the opportunity to see the garden from a different perspective. Third Thursday events last from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. 

Under normal circumstances, the garden closes at 5 p.m., so attending one of these events showcases the evening beauty of the area. “We plan to have the event in our beautiful Orangery, but guests are more than welcome to walk around the garden and soak up nature in a different light,” Hughes said. 

The next installation of Third Thursday is Garden Folk on July 20. There will be folk music and the author of “Gardening in the South,” Mark Weathington. Participants can enjoy music amongst the flowers and chat with Weathington about his work. 

Third Thursday is specifically a summer series. Admission to Third Thursday is free with membership or paid admission to the garden. 

The last event will be held in September, but the Cape Fear Botanical Garden has events all year-round. Find out more about them at www.capefearbg.org. 

Photo: Casey T. Cotton will perform on June 15 for Cape Fear Botanical Garden's Piano Pizzazz night. 

Private and non-profit agencies that provide valuable services to the community are often referred to by local governments as “outside agencies.” 

They offer services that are aligned with city and county strategic plans but are not part of the government. Over time, these offices have become at least partially dependent on some government funding. Many of them also receive funds from the Cumberland County United Way. 

The annual budget process can be disappointing for the outsiders as city and county governing boards deal with revenue deficits and downturns in tax receipts. Cumberland County Manager Amy Cannon has proposed 15 percent cuts in current fiscal year appropriations for the 21 agencies receiving support from the county. 

Fayetteville’s Airborne & Special Operations Museum, which is owned by the U.S. Army but funded by a private foundation, received $200,000 from the county this year. The contribution would be reduced to $170,000 if county commissioners approve the community funding budget as submitted. Smaller offices, like the Contact telephone crisis hotline, would lose $1,000 of its $6,874 budget. The Cumberland County Veterans Council received $7,000 this year and would lose $1,050 next year. The Center for Economic Empowerment and Development, would lose $1,600 in the year ahead.

In all, county government provides nearly $789,000 to local agencies which would be cut by $117,500 in FY18. The City of Fayetteville is not proposing any budget cuts for the outsiders.

Cumberland Community Foundation is awarding nearly $180,000 in scholarships to local high school students. Ninety-three of the grants totaling $179,400 were selected by the Cumberland Community Foundation Scholarship Advisory Group. 

Most of the awards were based on financial need, academic excellence and citizenship. A few other scholarships were based on a special skill or area of interest, such as chemistry, fire science or elementary education.  

Foundation Board Member Gail Riddle said she got a lot out of reading the scholarship applications. “It has renewed my faith in our future,” Riddle said as the scholarships were announced. “To the parents, I want to thank you for raising your students to be the best that they can be,” she added. 

Cumberland Community Foundation was established in 1980 with a gift of $576,840 from Dr. Lucile Hutaff.  She had a vision of the community coming together to make life better. Today the Foundation is regarded as one of the most successful community foundations in the country. 

It is supported by thousands of people from all walks of life and varied charitable interests. “The Foundation manages over 500 individual charitable funds totaling over $76 million,” said Executive Director Mary Holmes. 

This year’s scholarships ranged from $500 to $10,000. The Dr. Lu, Sylvia and Daniel Kiang Scholarship for Chinese Students Fund awarded Yi Dong, Shuang Wu, Chung Lam Lau (renewal) and Yu Diyang Zhang (renewal) scholarships of $10,000 each. Wu will attend North Carolina State University. The others are attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 

Sixteen local students each received $3,000 Ella Smith Downing scholarships totaling $53,000. A 17th student was awarded a $5,000 scholarship from the same fund. 

Alexandra M. Thomas received a smaller but equally significant $500 scholarship from the Leonard G. McLeod Theatre Scholarship Fund. Le Feng also received a $500 award from the Robert N. Shuller SfL+a Architects Scholarship.

Cumberland Community Foundation also awards an additional $500,000 in scholarships annually through the Robert H. Short/Cumberland Community Foundation Scholars Program.  

For the last five years, these scholarships were reserved for Cumberland County high school graduates who elected to attend Fayetteville Technical Community College, Fayetteville State University or Methodist University. 

Selection was administered by the colleges with emphasis on filling the gaps in funding for each applicant student based on their unique financial needs. These awards ranged from $300 to $12,000 per year. In the last five years, the Robert H. Short Scholars Program has awarded $2,377,000 to the three local colleges.

Excerpts From an Epitaph by Mary Lynn Bryan on Behalf of Her Friend, Dr. Lucile Hutaff

Dr. Lucile West Hutaff, a Fayetteville native, graduated from Fayetteville High School in 1929. She attended Women’s College in Greensboro for two years and received her medical degree from the University of Rochester School of Medicine. 

Dr. Hutaff returned to Fayetteville in 1972 upon her retirement as a professor at Bowman-Gray Medical School in Winston-Salem. She started Cumberland Community Foundation in July 1980 with an unrestricted gift of over $575,000. Cumberland County will be forever grateful for the vision and dedication of Dr. Lucile Hutaff for her gift of the Cumberland Community Foundation, and for leading the way by example.

Fayetteville Competes With the Biggest and Ranks Among the Best

Governingmagazine has announced the top-ranking cities of its first-ever national survey framework of seven essential elements that define high-performance government and empower innovation. The survey found Fayetteville ranks among the biggest and best. 

The periodical is a division of e.Republic, the nation’s only media and research company focused exclusively on state and local government and education. Based on the results of its inaugural survey and analysis, the city of Phoenix, Arizona, was named the Top Performing City Overall. 

Cities across the country participated in the survey, which assessed capacity and competence in seven key areas. In recognition of their innovative and effective practices in city management and citizen service delivery, the top 10 performers overall aside from Phoenix are: El Paso, Texas; Fayetteville, North Carolina; Las Vegas, Nevada; Louisville, Kentucky; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Riverside, California; San Diego, California; San Jose, California and San Antonio, Texas. “People are increasingly looking to local government for solutions that address the nation’s biggest challenges,” said Steven Bosacker, an official with a subsidiary of Governing. 

“City leaders across the country are proving how dedicated they are to establishing high-performing administrations that respond to the needs of their communities,” he concluded.

Blackwell Responds to Tucker’s Decision Not to Seek Re-election

Since former Chief Assistant Court Clerk Cindy Blackwell announced her candidacy for Cumberland County Clerk of Superior Court, incumbent Clerk Kimberly Tucker has said she would not seek re-election. Judge Jim Ammons passed over Blackwell four years ago when he appointed Tucker to the top post. 

Announcing her candidacy last month, Blackwell said, “The clerk is not just an elected office. It’s a job with real work to be done, and the people deserve a clerk that wants to work. I will show up for work and make sure the citizens have an advocate for them in the courthouse.” The clerk was accused in a WRAL-TV Investigation of spending a lot of time at home and not going into the office regularly, an allegation Tucker denied. 

Another Accused Pedophile Jailed

Joe Caldwell Jr. will likely spend the next few months in jail as he awaits trial on numerous charges of sexually abusing children. 

His bond is set at $2.3 million. Caldwell, 34, was arrested by the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office Warrant Squad at an apartment in the Topeka Heights complex. “He is charged with 23 counts of sexual offenses against children,” said Captain Bobby Reyes, assistant chief of detectives with the Cumberland County Sheriff’s office. Reyes would not comment on how many children may have been involved. He said no further information could be disclosed because the investigation is on-going. 

All Gave Some; Some Gave All

Former Fayetteville City Councilman and longtime civic leader Don Talbot admonished the hundreds in attendance at this year’s Memorial Day ceremony to remember those who “wrote a blank check to the United States with a value up to and including
their life.”

Talbot almost single-handedly founded Fayetteville’s Freedom Memorial Park on Bragg Boulevard to honor veterans who gave their all in wars past and present. 

“This remains a day of appreciation for the men and women who have sacrificed for us,” Talbot said. Freedom Memorial Park is an anchor for what has become a local focal point of Fayetteville’s living association with the military. 

The Army’s Airborne and Special Operations Museum across the street and the North Carolina State Veterans Park also anchor the ceremonial corridor.

Fayetteville City Council has a unique opportunity to show how it governs in a sticky situation during a public hearing June 26.

That Monday night, the Council decides whether to rezone property from rural residential to limited commercial. It’s the kind of hearing the Council has decided on countless times. But this rezoning hearing is different.

For one, the property is not in the Fayetteville city limits ­— yet. Secondly, the people who are fighting the proposed rezoning are not city residents. They have not elected anyone to the governing body to represent their interests.

Here’s how that works. A couple of commercial developers from Florida and Charlotte want Fayetteville to rezone 16 acres outside the corporate limits so they can get city water and sewer. To get sewer, the developers voluntarily annex the property into the city. As of late, there’s no requirement to be annexed for water, but sewer is another matter.

But here’s the rub. This “high-end” retail store’s parking lot and an area designated as public space abut the backyards of homes on Windy Creek Way in Wendemere, a well-maintained subdivision whose front entrance borders the city limits.

Plus, the developer proposes to jam this “high-end” retail store right next to Stoney Point Elementary School. It’s where King, Stoney Point, Rockfish and Lakeview roads meet.

The developer also proposes to reopen a closed portion of King Road just before it reaches the intersection. The resulting fork on King Road would funnel traffic into the commercial property via a traffic circle. That could add to or alleviate the early morning logjam at the intersection.

On the surface, it looks like a ridiculous location to put a commercial retail store. I dread having to go that way on weekdays mornings, especially when school is in session.

The developers won’t say what kind of “high-end” retail store, but rumors abound that it’s a Publix or Trader Joe’s grocery store. There is no mention of what will go in the outlying parcels fronting Rockfish Road.

There’s a Harris Teeter across the street and a Food Lion on the other side of the high school football field, part of the campus that makes up Stoney Point Elementary and Jack Britt High School. There’s also a slew of open commercial property along Rockfish Road heading toward Camden Road.

Here’s another issue for the Council to chew on. Its own planning staff recommends not rezoning the property because the land use plan says it’s supposed to be for residential development. That usually means single-family houses. But the Rezoning Commission, made up of people appointed by City Council, voted 3-2 to recommend rezoning.

So, it’s the classic commercial development rights of a landowner versus residential neighborhood quality-of-life rights for an entire neighborhood the Council must decide on. The Council also must consider getting a PWC water-sewer customer and taxpaying commercial property.

Then there’s Shivani Kohut, a Wendemere resident. She galvanized the surrounding community to fight the rezoning. Last week, she and supporters packed a Stoney Point Recreation Center meeting room with residents from Wendemere and adjoining neighborhoods ­— some from within city limits — to plan a strategy to convince Council NOT to rezone the property.

I attended the meeting, where at times participants couldn’t wrap their minds around the issues that Council is allowed consider in its deliberation. Instead, emotions ventured toward the possibility of crime festering in the parking lot and designated public areas.

They should instead talk about quality-of-life issues: mosquitoes in a proposed retention pond next to the elementary school, flooding caused by more impervious pavement, parking lot lights illuminating people’s backyards and traffic congestion at an already congested intersection where gridlock happens often.

But calmer minds prevailed. Shivani and a cadre of supporters organized a public information campaign. It includes passing out a flyer asking area residents to sign a petition against the rezoning. 

The flyer also urges those affected to call or email Council members about their concerns and to donate money for a lawyer. Finally, the flyer urges people to show up at City Hall Monday, June 26, to fill the chamber. The group also published a Facebook page: Say NO To Commercial Greed.

I contacted all Council members via email and asked them if they had visited the site, if they had an idea of how they would vote, and if they had ever deliberated over a public hearing where Council action would affect non-city residents.

Only two responded. One — a person who I’ve always thought well of in the past — berated me for asking if he had an idea of how he would vote. Note, the question did not ask how they would vote; it asked if they had an idea of how they would vote. Perhaps the question could have been phrased better.

But as a constituent, I have the right to ask any question regarding an issue that affects me, and I have the right not to be chastised by someone elected to represent my interests.

Bill Crisp, whose district abuts the area, responded in his usual diplomatic manner. Crisp said he visited the site and does have an idea of how he will vote. He will keep his intentions close to the vest until he’s heard everything at the public hearing.

The silence from the others is interesting. 

Are you tired of hearing about Russians influencing the late great presidential election? Are the White House leaks making you wish for the return of Nixon’s plumbers to plug up the gusher of troubles flooding the lawn at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.? Let’s wander down memory lane this week to figure out what is causing all the commotion in Washington, D.C. 

Surprisingly enough, it is not the occupants of the White House who are causing our current troubles. At the risk of mimicking Sean Spicer and Kellyanne Conway, the current troubles are not Trump’s fault, or even the fault of the First Son-In-Law and Putin Pal, Jared Kushner. 

Come take a walk on the wild side of Greek Mythology. Ponder our old friend Pandora, who caused troubles to begin on Earth way back in the golden days of yesteryear. 

Once upon a time in Greek Mythology (which will soon have to be taught in schools again as a result of President Pence mandating the teaching of Christianity), there were only men. Women had not arrived. In the beginning, men were immortal and made of gold. They hung out on Mount Olympus partying down with the gods. But after a while, things started to go south. The men turned into silver but were no longer immortal. The men left Olympus and did all sorts of cool things that resulted in them becoming the Greek heroes of mythology. Nothing gold can stay, so that age ended, too. Men were condemned to work and suffer to support themselves in the age in which we now find ourselves. 

Prometheus , who was a man, comes along and plays a trick on the gods by doing some fancy butchering of an ox. This results in the gods getting lousy cuts of meat and men getting prime rib. 

Zeus, king of the gods, is not amused. He takes fire away from men so they can’t barbecue the steaks they stole from the gods. Prometheus, being a tricky dude, steals the fire back from the gods. He gives fire to men so the barbecuing, lying and beer drinking can resume. 

This really hacks off Zeus. He chains Prometheus to a rock and sends an eagle to eat Prometheus’s liver each day. This is a very unpleasant experience for Prometheus. His liver grows back each night. The eagle returns for some Grecian Liver Puddin’ every day. Eventually, Hercules frees Prometheus from his role as a buffet dinner. The eagle has to go on food stamps.

You would not like Zeus when he is angry. Now. Zeus is angry at all men. So what does Zeus do? What will cause the men misery? Easy. Zeus makes a woman. He takes a hank of hair and a piece of bone and makes a walkin’ talkin’ honeycomb named Pandora. Pandora is absolutely beautiful, being the first woman and all. Compared to lumpy Greek men, she faced a pretty low bar for beauty. 

Pandora shows up at the door of Epimetheus, who is the brother of Prometheus. Epi was warned by Prometheus not to accept any gifts from Zeus, but Epi is smitten with Pandora’s beauty. Like Nancy Sinatra once sang, Epi and Pandora get married in a fever, hotter than a pepper sprout. As a wedding present, Zeus gives Pandora a real pretty box but tells her not to open it. 

You try telling a woman she can’t open a present and see what happens. Just as Zeus planned, Pandora can’t resist opening the box. Zeus had packed the box with all sorts of evil stuff — poverty, misery, type 2 diabetes, depression, smoker’s cough, death and Dook fans. When she opens the box, all the evil escapes into the air to infest mankind forevermore. The only thing left in the box after she belatedly slams it shut is hope. Realizing that it is too late to get the troubles back into the box, Pandora opens it again and lets hope out into the world. Hope flutters out of the box and shows
up when things are at their worst. 

As Emily Dickinson once wrote, “Hope is the thing with feathers.” Emily may have been thinking of Pandora when she wrote that. Or Emily may have just been hungry and was wishing and hoping for Colonel Sanders to invent his delicious Kentucky Fried Chicken with its eleven secret herbs and spices. We shall never know for sure.

Don’t blame Trump for the problems in D.C. Don’t blame it on the Bossa Nova either. It is more historically accurate to blame Pandora for the troubles you see on the “Nightly News” or read on the Fake News on the internet. Just be glad she let hope out. 

Really?

The president of the United States called the FBI director “crazy, a real nut job?”

A comedian posted images of herself holding what appears to be the president’s bloody,
severed head.

A motorist jabbed her pointed middle finger in my direction.

Really?

What is happening to our country?

Americans are clearly concerned about increasing incivility in our society, describing it in words ranging from “rudeness” to “pathological.” 

A quick peek at the Amazon book section finds nine pages of books addressing this emerging behavior in our country with titles including “Mastering Civility: A Manifesto for the Workplace,” “Choosing Civility: The 25 Rules of Considerate Conduct,” “Civility in the Digital Age: How Companies and People Can Triumph Over Haters,” “Trolls, Bullies and Other Jerks,” perhaps most relevantly, and “Civility: Manners, Morals and the Etiquette
of Democracy.” 

I vacillate between thinking of our current vile and toxic atmosphere as the decline of basic civility or the rise of bullying, but it is probably both. The good news is that Americans are aware of and worried about it. A study last year by The Associated Press and NORC at the University of Chicago found that we do believe our society is less civil than it was 30 years ago, particularly in politics.

 Here are some key findings:

• Two-thirds of us think last year’s political campaigns were even more rude than the what has become the norm in rudeness.

• A full fourth of us admit to using the F-word at least once a day.

• Most of us agree that remarks or jokes about race, gender and sexuality should not be made in public. We are more tolerant of such remarks uttered in private.

• A full 80 percent of us say political leaders should be held to higher standards of behavior than the rest of us.

We can only hope.

-------

As the mother of two young adults with that mysterious Y chromosome — i.e., men — I am sensitive to the adage, “A son is a son until he takes a wife, but a daughter is a daughter all her life.” 

I recently stumbled across a Huffington Post piece by Marlene Kern Fischer, “Six Things You Should Know About Having Grown Sons,” which will likely interest other mothers of boys and maybe the boys themselves. 

1. He won’t communicate more. Probably true, but he still loves you. You will always be Mom.

2. He will still make a mess. Definitely true.

3. He will still enjoy games that involve balls. Ditto.

4. He will still be cuddly. True. Somewhere deep in his DNA he remembers your hugs, your snuggles as you read books together and your comfort when he was sad or hurt. He is in some ways just a large little boy.

5. You will be able to count on him.
Definitely true for what really matters, although he will still forget to make beds and take out
the garbage.

6. He will bring home someone else for you to love! Yes! I am very blessed.

-------

I know. I said I would not, but I have one more tattoo encounter to share.

At a recent lunch on a lovely covered patio, I noticed that several, maybe most, of the servers were wearing black bands on their arms, some at the wrist and some higher up the forearm.

Were they protesting something? Did they have wrist or elbow troubles? Did the bands help stabilize heavy trays laden with food?

So I asked our server, a handsome young man named Jason, whose arm appears in this photo.

It was none of the above. The bands are required by restaurant management to cover up — you guessed it! — tattoos!

Who knew?

No one cares more about the health and welfare of Cumberland County residents than Cumberland County Commissioner Jeannette Council. Yet, as the county’s liaison to the Health Department, she and the board of directors were unaware of the alleged charges that the Health Department failed to notify patients of their cancer screening results. 

Really? 

And says who? 

For weeks, I have been receiving unsolicited and concerning reports that this entire brouhaha is ill-founded and based on sloppy and irresponsible “Fake News” reporting by our local daily newspaper and non-local area TV station, WNCN. 

This entire situation was born out of allegations from three “anonymous” sources. That’s right, anonymous. The newspaper referred to them as nurses. If we don’t know who they are, how do we know their
credentials? 

I doubt they are all nurses. How could something this vitally important go unnoticed by a competent Health Department staff, professional management and a conscientious board of directors? This situation reeks of ulterior motives and sinister underlying personal agendas of disgruntled former Health Department employees.

This could be easily debunked by the slightest bit of investigative reporting by our daily newspaper. That’s not happening.

All we can do now is hope that County Attorney Rick Moorfield’s thorough and objective investigation into this matter will exonerate the innocent and send a strong message to those individuals who think they can use Cumberland County departments, resources and assets for their own personal vendettas or advancement. 

Shame on them and shame on The Fayetteville Observer for participating in and fostering such “bovine droppings” while supporting and endorsing WNCN’’s sloppy, unprofessional and irresponsible reporting. 

The Cumberland County community deserves better than this. Many county residents are dismayed and disappointed at this unsubstantiated sniper attack on our Health Department. Anyone who has experienced the leadership and the dedicated and talented staff knows the truth. 

The many advancements, achievements and accomplishments of Director Buck Wilson over the past several years speak to the high-quality care and commitment he and his staff have for the community and its citizens. It just doesn’t make any sense. 

I implore that Cumberland County use all its resources to get to the truth. Thomas Jefferson once said, “All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for men of good conscience to do nothing.”  It is this newspaper’s hope that county leadership will not sit on the sidelines and watch this situation unfold, but that it will get involved and demand the truth. 

Will Rogers said, “I only know just what I read in the (news)papers.” Few people know the rest of that famous quote, which is where the real meaning lies: “...and that is an alibi for my ignorance.” We need not allow a few malcontents and faulty/irresponsible “Fake News” media sources to define our community or quality of life. 

I hope you agree. Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

As the 2016/2017 season comes to an end, Gilbert Theater celebrates the best of this year at the 5th annual 2017 Pryer Awards on Friday, June 9 from 6-9 p.m. at the new Taste of West Africa building. Named for the Gilbert Theater Founder, Lynne Pryer, the awards are a way to celebrate the season and get feedback from the audience.

“The Pryer Awards is a way for us to honor the work that has taken place onstage in the previous season,” said Matthew Overturf, artistic director of the Gilbert Theater. “Audiences have the opportunity for each show to vote for their favorite actors, actresses, director, costume design and so forth.” 

Overturf added that throughout the entire season the audience is asked to pick up a ballot in the lobby to vote for their favorites. The votes are tallied and the nominees are announced. Then, on the evening of June 9, the winners of each category are announced.     

“This is our biggest fundraiser of the year,” said Overturf. “We will have door prizes, heavy hors d’oeuvres and drinks.” The event will feature good food, an open bar and a silent auction. There will be special entertainment from the students in the Gilbert’s educational Glee Program and the cast of “The Secret Garden.”

“The Secret Garden,” a musical, was a huge success. The show is about a young girl whose parents die of cholera in India. She is sent to live with her maternal uncle, Archibald Craven, who she has never met. 

While there, she befriends a lot of the help in the house and discovers a garden that was the garden of her uncle’s late wife. The girl helps bring the garden back to life, and the spirits of her ancestors come in and out to help her.

“The show ends with this wonderful reconciliation and the family comes back together after this period of grief,” said Overturf.  

The Pryer Award silent auction will feature items such as a men’s grooming package, a package from the Cape Fear Botanical Garden that includes a Pavilion rental, a Martini package that includes a bottle of vodka, a women’s beauty salon day package and more.       

“Come out and join us for a fun night of entertainment, food, drinks and honoring the work that has taken place on our stage,” said Overturf.      

Tickets cost $40. The Taste of West Africa is located at 107 Person Street. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (910) 678-7186 or visit www.gilberttheater.com. 

A New Season at Gilbert Theater                                                                    

Theater has the ability and the potential to change the world. For its upcoming season, Gilbert Theater introduces a lineup that will captivate and entertain the audience as well as provoke them to think.   

“We are very excited about our upcoming 2017-2018 season,” said Overturf. “This is my first full season as artistic director, and I just started on February 1.” Overturf added that he is excited about being able to choose this season and he is a firm believer that a season should reflect the theater and the time. 

The first show of the season is “Evil Dead: The Musical.” It will run Sept. 22- Oct. 8. 

“It is a very campy adult show and it is based on the film by Sam Raimi,” said Overturf. “It is a bloody, gory and raunchy kind of horror.” 

The next show of the season is “It’s a Wonderful Life.” “This one is a very popular show based on the film of the same name,” said Overturf. “It is a wonderful show for the holiday season and people tend to come out in droves to see it.” Overturf added that he thinks that the show is becoming a Fayetteville staple. The show will run from Nov. 24 - Dec. 4 and Dec. 15-17. There is a student matinee on Nov. 27 and Dec. 4 at 10 a.m.  

“Venus in Fur” is next on the list. It will run Feb. 2 –17. “(The show) explores the dynamic between the actor and director and the dynamic between a dominant and submissive,” said Overturf. “It is a very sexual and erotic show that deals with how we look at people in relationships and how the power dynamics can shift.” Overturf added that this show is really great for couples.    

“Antigone” runs April 6–April 22. “This is a Greek classic by Sophocles that is about a woman who has to make a very difficult decision to follow her faith and what is right, or to follow the law, and how that dynamic affects her and her family overall,” said Overturf. “This show is very poignant for our time with the things that have been going on in the world.”               

The final show of the season is “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” which begins June 1 and runs through June 10. “It is about a family coming back together for the patriarch’s birthday,” said Overturf. “There is some greed and one of the children, Brick, is struggling with what he wants his life to look like.” 

Overturf added that Brick’s wife, Maggie, wants to have a child and they are supposed to be the heirs to the family fortune but because they don’t have children it is a bit in question. Brick’s brother is trying to hone in on the family fortune. Greed, secrets and family strife rise up in this classic Southern play.                         

For more information and ticket information, call (910) 678-7186. 

Cape Fear Regional Theatre’s production of “Caroline, or Change” is a beautiful, necessary and visceral work of art. I cried three times. And I will probably pay to see it again. 

“Caroline” was not the show I expected it to be. Neither was its protagonist. After interviewing Director Bryan Conger and lead actress Joy Ducree Gregory two weeks ago, I knew a few things. I knew the washing machine, dryer, radio, moon and bus are all played by people. I knew it’s a show deeply rooted in memory and imagination. I knew Caroline is a sad character. And I knew the story is all about change.

But I didn’t know the washing machine would feel like a wise, kind aunt. I didn’t know the dryer would emanate both sensuality and fear. I didn’t know the moon would feel so disconnected from and yet sympathetic to the humans below.

 The way these imaginary characters sing, riding in and out of Jeanine Tesori’s score, creates an atmosphere of authentic human experience that’s better than realism. In the hot, damp basement where Caroline spends her days doing laundry as a maid, the audience is given a window into the way Caroline thinks and feels about and remembers her past — a window Caroline can no longer offer to real people. 

When she sings in that basement and is joined by the washer’s song, the radio’s song and the moon’s, it’s like seeing bright colors painted right next to each other — distinct and yet blending in the mind’s eye to create something real, fresh and relatable.

I also didn’t know a sad, angry and hopeless protagonist could be so compelling and inspiring. 

I don’t think we see enough characters like Caroline onstage. She was so very real. Ducree Gregory does an incredible job. The show is worth attending on the basis of her final song alone. The maturity, dignity and responsibility with which Ducree Gregory brings Caroline to life as a three-dimensional and complex woman who yes, is sad, is powerful.

The entire cast is phenomenal. Their onstage chemistry was a bit slow to start, but once they found their groove, I didn’t care; I was just there with them, completely absorbed in their world. 

Kesimy Martinez stood out as Caroline’s oldest daughter, Emmy. Martinez has a unique presence — an understated confidence and spunk, and an expressive voice with impressive control. Christian Lattimore and Henry Gregory IV are delightful and completely unaffected in their acting as Caroline’s two younger sons, Jackie and Joe. Michael Bertino is endearingly awkward and boyish as the son of the Jewish family Caroline
works for.

The last thing I did not know, going into this show, is that the change this story is really about is a kind I’d never seen onstage before. The story is set in Louisiana, 1963; the number of political and social changes going on outside of Caroline are numerous, and those are addressed. Then there’s pocket change; I won’t say more than that this kind of change is important to the story, and to one particular relationship. Lastly, there’s this other kind of change: “That’s how Caroline will change — that’s how Caroline will rearrange herself.” Caroline sings out these words in the show’s most beautiful and heartbreaking moment. To understand this last kind of change, you have to see the show. It’s more than worth it.

CFRT invites the public to attend a pre-show conversation focused on the civil rights movement May 18 from 6:30-7:15 p.m., facilitated by Reverend Cureton Johnson. This event was made possible because CFRT received the prestigious NEA “Art Works” Grant for “Caroline, or Change.”

The show runs through May 28. Tickets cost $15-$25 and can be purchased by visiting www.cfrt.org or calling (910) 323- 4233.

Unique Nash

Seventy-First • Softball • Freshman

Nash put together a 3.65 grade point average while playing for the Falcon softball team this season.

Zachery Bagley

Gray’s Creek • Baseball • Senior

Bagley had a 5.0 grade point average as a member of the Bears’ baseball team this spring.

Familiar faces will be filling a couple of coaching positions at Cumberland County high schools next year.

Cape Fear has named former Fayetteville State mens’ basketball coach Alphonza Kee as its boys’ basketball coach while South View has picked veteran assistant coach Phil Dean as its new softball coach.

Kee replaces Robert Strong, who left Cape Fear to become head coach at Bethlehem Christian Academy in Georgia. At this writing, Kee’s hiring was still awaiting final approval of the Cumberland County Board of Education.

“I’m excited I’ve got somebody coming with such high character and passion for teaching young men,’’ said Cape Fear principal Lee Spruill. “He’s not just a coach, he’s also an educator.’’

Kee said he wants to lay a foundation of hard work, character and discipline. “We want... to try to get a feeder system started and start teaching from the ground up,’’ he said.

Kee spent seven years at Fayetteville State and was 91-105 overall and 47-70 in the CIAA. His first head coaching job was at Max Abbott Middle School where he won a championship.

Dean will be moving into his first head coaching job after a long career at South View that included coaching both football and softball.

“I’m excited to have my first head coaching position at my alma mater,’’ the 1979 South View graduate said. “I look forward to building on the excellence that has been established before.’’

He started with the softball team under the late Eddie Dees in 1999, then continued when Kellie Aldridge took over the program. He got out of softball coaching from 2009-14, then returned to help Aldridge coach the current class of seniors.

Aldridge recently announced she is leaving South View for family reasons and will join the staff at Gray’s Creek High School where she will assist with coaching the softball team.

• Because of space limitations, this week’s scheduled spring football preview of Pine Forest was held. It will appear in next week’s edition of Up &
Coming Weekly.

Photo: Cape Fear has named former Fayetteville State mens’ basketball coach Alphonza Kee as its boys’ basketball coach. 

Terry Sanford boys’ tennis coach Gene Autry is still getting over the sting of a 5-4 loss to Matthews Weddington High School in this year’s state 3-A dual team tennis finals.

But one thing that’s making it easier is checking the Bulldog tennis roster as he plans for next season.

“We have only one senior that starts,’’ he said. “That’s Richie King in the six hole.’’

King worked with brothers Henry and Nathan Lieberman to provide Terry Sanford the four wins the Bulldogs scored in the championship match with Weddington. Even with his exit, Terry Sanford will return all the starters at the first five singles positions.

“The Liebermans will only get better with their extensive schedule of summer tournaments,’’ Autry said. 

Another dedicated player is Alex Kasari at third court. Autry said Kasari also is committed to off-season work. He’s also got confidence in the players at the remaining two spots, Andrew Zahran and Dev Sashidar.

The only question left is who will play No. 6 next year. Right now a pair of players who will be seniors next season, Josh Blackman and Michael Hicks, are the leading candidates. Hicks is part of one of the richest bloodlines in Terry Sanford tennis history. 

His mother, Margit Monaco Hicks, teamed with her sister Lisa Monaco Wheless to win the N.C. High School Athletic Association girls’ doubles championship four years in a row back in the 1970s.

When Denzel Wallace took over as softball coach at Fayetteville Christian this season, he thought chances for a state title were solid even though the defending 2-A N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association champ Freedom Christian was in the same town.

“I thought with some hard work, we’d be able to be there at the end,’’ he said. Wallace proved right as Fayetteville Christian met Freedom in the double elimination finals of this year’s state tournament and came away with the victory and a 16-3 record.

Fayetteville was led by sophomore pitcher Morgan Hatchell, who was named the NCISAA 2-A softball player of the year.

“Throughout the season she was steady,’’ Wallace said. “She pitched every game for us and always kept low numbers.’’

Wallace said Hatchell averaged about two earned runs per game. “We knew what we were getting out of her and we knew she would compete to the very end.

“Everybody believed in her ability the whole year to get us there.’’

Looking ahead to the 2018 season, Wallace is optimistic about chances for a repeat.

“Our whole group was young,’’ he said of this year’s team. “We had a couple of seventh graders and an eighth grader starting. I think having the same coach and same group of players, we’ll be able to get a head start on the things we need to.’’ 

Joining Hatchell on the NCISAA 2-A All-State team from Fayetteville Christian were Destiny Smith and Olivia Nieto.

Chosen from Freedom Christian were Makenzie Mason, Haley Nelson, Miranda McKoy, Kendal McCauley and Molly Montgomery. Also selected was Aubrey Griffin of Village Christian.

Photo: Richie King, senior at Terry Sanford, tennis player

Jade Jordan of Pine Forest High School recently wrapped up her outstanding track career for the Trojans in style.

At this year’s N.C. High School Athletic Association 4-A championship meet at North Carolina A&T in Greensboro, Jordan won her second consecutive state title in the long jump with a leap of 19 feet, 6.5 inches.

Counting her previous indoor long jump championship, that’s three state titles. She was also a freshman national champion in the long jump. Add to that the fact Jordan was a dual performer in the spring for Pine Forest, running track while being a star player on the Trojan soccer team, and her feat becomes even more impressive.

Terry Wickham, track coach at Pine Forest, said Jordan ranks among the top three track athletes he’s ever coached at the school.

“Lincoln Carr won six state titles in the long jump and triple jump,’’ he said. “Ryan Davis won three titles in the shot put.’’

Wickham said if Jordan had competed in track alone she possibly could have added state titles in events like the 300 hurdles and the triple jump, but her demanding athletic schedule wouldn’t allow her time to do the sport-specific training in those other events.

“She works extremely hard and has the passion to compete,’’ Wickham said.

Jordan wasn’t the only Fayetteville and Cumberland County athlete to fare well in this year’s track championships. In the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association 1-A/2-A meet, athletes from Fayetteville Christian and Fayetteville Academy had big performances.

• Fayetteville Christian’s Nashya Pagan was a double winner for the Warriors. She took the 100 and 200-meter dashes with times of 12.47 and 25.93.

• Fayetteville Christian also had a trio of winning relay teams. The girls triumphed in the 4x100 and 4x200 while the boys’ won the 4x400.

• The 4x400 boys’ team of Eli Sutton, Brennan Gantt and twins Jaylen and Jamarii Green broke the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association state record with a time of 3:30.87.

• Pagan, Chiara Waddy-Arce, Aeryon Davis and O’Mauri Robinson won both the 4x200 and the 4x100. Their times were 1:48.16 and 51.79,
respectively.

• Also participating in the 1-A/2-A meet was Fayetteville Academy’s Morgan Dorsey. Dorsey triumphed in the 800 meter run for the Eagles with a time of 2:20.72.

On June 29, 1956, President Dwight Eisenhower signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, making medians part of the American highway landscape. The bill created a 41,000-mile “National System of Interstate and Defense Highways” that would, according to Eisenhower, eliminate unsafe roads, inefficient routes, traffic jams and all the other things that got in the way of “speedy, safe transcontinental travel.” 

Today, you only have to drive a few miles to know that Fayetteville is taking road medians to a new level. These medians are still under construction, which means these areas are dangerous to everyone — particularly motorcyclists.  

Road construction demands orange cones, barrels, debris and drivers making sudden stops. I was on Bragg Boulevard the other day and within seconds, a cone was out into the lane. A police car was there attending an accident, because someone rear-ended the car in front of them while making a left-hand turn. Combine all of this with large machines kicking up asphalt, and you’ve got a recipe for a motorcycle danger zone.   

As good motorcyclists, we have to pay attention to our surroundings. We know we have a limited time to react when an event happens. As riders, we have one goal in order to stay safe: maintain the space around us. 

In order get that space, we must be ready to be able to stop and stop suddenly. It is important to note that many modern motorcycles have Anti-lock Brake System. Based on information from wheel speed sensors, the ABS unit adjusts the pressure of the brake fluid in order to keep traction and avoid fall downs (e.g. maintain deceleration). On bikes without ABS, riders must use their skills to provide balance between the front and back brakes. 

How long does it take to stop? Reaction times depend on two major factors: the bike and the rider. 

It takes an alert, experienced rider a little less than a second to process the situation. To be a little more precise, it takes about 0.7 seconds with good brakes, good tires, a smooth surface and a dry road to maximize your braking distance. This is assuming that the motorcyclist has their hands over the front brake and the foot in the ready position to press down on the rear brake. For a less experienced motorcyclist, it can take from 1.0 to 1.5 seconds to react — if they react at all. 

Let’s say it takes 1.25 seconds before you react to danger. Going 40 mph, it can take 74 feet just to react. At 40 mph, under good conditions, it can take another 2.15 seconds to go from 40 mph to a stop. That is a traveling distance of 62 feet to stop. This is a total of 136 feet for a total of 3.75 seconds to come to a stop. 

In normal traffic, we are taught to stay at least two seconds behind the vehicle in front of you. This means you have a 1.75 second gap, and you will hit whatever it is that you are trying to avoid. 

If you can’t avoid crashing, what do you do? Some suggest standing up and leaping in hopes hope you can fly over the obstacle. Others say to lay the bike down and slide towards the obstacle. Either way, you still have to contend with speed, force and the impact of the ground, and then possibly the obstacle. 

Somewhere, your body will have to absorb the impact. The best thing to do is to avoid this situation all together, but if you are going to crash, you still have time lay on the brakes and let technology continue to slow you down. It is better to hit at something 5 mph than 25 mph. 

If you have been reading my articles for any time, you know I am a big believer in riding with the proper riding gear: DOT full face helmet, eye protection, motorcycle jacket, motorcycle pants, boots and gloves. If you do hit, you will thank me for the reminder. 

Stay safe and keep the rubber down. If there is a topic that you would like to discuss you can contact me at motorcycle4fun@aol.com. RIDE SAFE!

Envy isn't always a bad thing. My father died when I was just 22 years old. Our first child was just a

year old, and though we have a picture or two of them together, he can't say he ever knew him. The man my son and our two other children grew up calling Grandpa was Bill Harris.

Bill was a welder. He worked at a company in Wichita, Kansas, that built rides for carnivals and amusement parks. We could be at a village festival in Germany, a theme park in California or a carnival in North Carolina, and Bill could point out a ride and tell you more about it than the operators. 

He would readily admit that he was just one part of the process, but that never put a damper on his pride in the work the team collectively accomplished. That's what I envied about him: his ability to give credit where it was due; his knack for letting others be admired.

Before he passed away, I flew out to Wichita to spend a week with him learning the art of wood turning. He was an amazing craftsman, and our family has plenty of items in and around our homes to attest to his penchant for quality.

I think about Bill a lot. As time passes, my memories are filled with his pride in workmanship, and I wonder how many of us take the opportunity to appreciate seeing others enjoy what we do for a living, or as a hobby, for that matter. It's easy to clock in, do the work and go home at the end of the day, never seeing yourself as an important part of the bigger picture, but we all are. Regardless of your position in your job — whether as the CEO of a large firm, the person who cleans the floors in a school building, or the one who makes lunches as a stay-at-home mom or dad — you are part of a bigger picture. And every part matters.

I’m reminded of where it says in the Bible, “...for the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,’ that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,’ that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell?”

So whatever it is you do, do it well. You can flourish and be full of joy in knowing you are part of something bigger. With Bill, there have been hundreds of thousands of people who entered and safely exited amusement rides and never knew whom to thank for how much they enjoyed themselves. 

And just like Bill, there are people counting on you to do a great job today, and whether it's today or twenty years from now, many of them will never know your name, but they'll be thankful nonetheless.

Photo: Dan DeBruler, Dorothy DeBruler, Jolene Harris and Bill Harris

This summer Sweet Tea Shakespeare brings drama to the 1897 Poe House. June begins with a rendition of “Othello.”  It runs June 1-4, 11 and 15-18. 

“This production sticks strongly to Shakespeare’s original text, but I would not call it a ‘classical’ production,” said Director Dennis Henry. “The approach to the play is one that is accessible and entertaining. The costumes are Victorian and the actors are modern, so the play feels new. There will be moments of audience interaction and Sweet Tea always creates a fun atmosphere around the play,” he added. 

“Othello” is one of Shakespeare’s most popular works. It is a tragedy about Othello, a Moorish Venetian general, and his wife Desdemona. 

Though written in 1603, the story deals with themes and issues that persist today. “One of the first things I noticed when reading ‘Othello’ with these actors is how modern this play feels,” Henry said. 

“Many tragedies deal with kings and queens and issues of the government, but ‘Othello’ is personal. The action starts right away in this play and the issues being dealt with are jealousy, thirst for power, racism, illicit affairs and revenge. These are very personal issues that we deal with today and the characters are just like us,” Henry said. 

The beautiful 1897 Poe House and garden have a unique and inviting atmosphere perfect for storytelling. This venue allows for the company’s minimalistic style, but it can also add a layer of difficulty for the cast. 

“Outdoor venues are always a challenge since they are factors you can’t control,” Henry said. “How bad is the traffic noise? What will the wind be like each day? This is a good challenge, though, because the audience experience is so much fun in an outdoor setting, especially one as beautiful as the Poe House garden. Actors who are well-prepared will be able to deal with whatever may come up.” 

Another aspect unique to Sweet Tea Shakespeare performances is how they carefully design every aspect of the performance experience. Audience members are engaged and entertained from the moment that they step foot into the venue. 

“Sweet Tea has a very exciting approach where they seek to make the entire experience of attending the play exciting,” Henry said. “There is so much music and the actors chat with the audience. It is much more fun than just sitting in an auditorium reading the ads in the program. As a director, that makes it even more important to make sure the play is well-done, because I don’t want the play to get lost in all the other activity. With this cast, I am confident that won’t be the case!” 

Sweet Tea’s second show of the summer, “The Dark Lady of the Sonnets,” runs June 8-10. This show is a break from what Sweet Tea Shakespeare usually brings to the stage, as The Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company will be a collaborator. This is a professional touring Shakespeare Company from Michigan that partners with Sweet Tea for this performance. This group is known for their audience interaction, which builds an intimate relationship between audience members and performers.  

“The Dark Lady of the Sonnets” is written by George Bernard Shaw. The story revolves around Shakespeare’s relationships with the inspiration for his plays and poetry: Queen Elizabeth I and the Dark Lady. The Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company interweaves some of Shakespeare’s sonnets and live music into the performance for a unique exploration of Shakespeare and his work.  

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.sweetteashakespeare.com.  

Most people can remember a specific interest that burned in their childhood hearts and led to like-minded friends, a secret club and glorious endeavors of creation. For the founding members of Foxshire Films, each person remembers one passion very clearly: love of motion pictures.

Foxshire Films currently consists of four of its founding members — Samuel Heble, Brendan Alspach and brothers Nicholas and Gage Long — and recent recruit Kathryn Holden.

“We want to challenge ourselves and the community around us to go forward artistically and just do it; pursue your dreams,” said Alspach. Heble agreed, adding, “I want our films to give glory to God in a way that’s truthful and destroys Christian art culture. We want to preach the gospel through messages that are really raw and in unique ways, straight from our hearts.”

On December 12, 2015, Heble, the Long brothers and others who are no longer with the group met up at Coffee Scene to talk about film. At that meeting, everyone was full of restless energy and ready to turn their love for film into commitment and action. “It was very organic in a surprising way. … We got together and it was so collaborative that (the group’s formation) kind of just happened on its own,” Gage said. “The lack of things happening pushed us to commit,” added Nick.

That’s not to say it was a picture-perfect start. They were working with a small amount of basic film equipment and an essentially non-existent budget. Their communication and organizational skills needed much improvement. 

But they committed. They met every Wednesday for two to five hours. They spent time outside of that weekly meeting doing individual tasks like writing short film scripts, storyboarding or scouting film locations.

And as they continued to meet, they just started doing it: making films, trying on roles and skills and getting their hands dirty. Their first production was “John Johnson” in January 2016, a one-and-a-half minute film that was shot in one day, in one room, with one actor — that actor being founding member Nick.

Since then, they’ve made five more short films. Their most recent release, “One Night…,” is an 11-and-a-half minute comedy-suspense with five actors and an original score composed by Greensboro musician Andrew Beach and performed by music students at UNC Greensboro, with atmospheric lighting aided by a homemade fog machine. Another one of those five films, “Through the Treeline,” was accepted into Fayetteville’s Indigo Moon Film Festival in October 2016.

This year, Foxshire showed its films and spoke at two public events, FTCC’s Off the Record: Artist Series night, and SKD’s Cultural Arts Festival. They plan to continue their forward momentum, aiming to build a growing network of film-lovers and dream-chasers in Fayetteville.

Last summer, Foxshire made its first big effort to reach out to the community with a project titled The Fox Gathering. For this five-month project, Foxshire put out an open call to those interested in any aspect of filmmaking, like screenwriting, directing, acting or sound. The goal was not to create perfect products, but to give people a chance to jump into the filmmaking process and learn together regardless of skill level. A total of 33 people participated, and the result was three short films. Collin Tubbs, Fox Gathering participant, said, “(It) was really open to whoever was interested and invested in it. …It was like a breath of fresh air.”

The resounding theme of my interview with Foxshire was, “Just do it.” So take note, dreamers. Go forth and do. Email foxshirefilms@gmail.com to connect with the group, and follow their progress by liking their Facebook page. Watch three of their films at vimeo.com/foxshirefilms and watch their Fox Gathering films at vimeo.com/thefoxgathering.

Photo: Foxshire Films members Nick Long, Kathryn Holden, Gage Long, Brendan Alspach and Samuel Heble

“The Diary of Anne Frank” runs at the Gilbert Theater from May 26 to June 4. Many people are familiar with the story. The diary records the experiences of the 13-year-old Anne Frank and her family who hid from Nazis in the Netherlands. 

The book captures the daily experiences the family lived during the two years they spent trapped in an attic. At times it is difficult to read and the ending is jarring, but this story offers an invaluable glimpse into the human experience of some of the darkest times in human history from the eyes of a hopeful young girl. 

Despite the heavy premise of this work, it is not all about death and destruction and it most certainly is not a relic of the past. World War II is over, but many of the problems the Frank family grappled with are still very relevant today. The story is tightly focused on a single family in a small period of time, but they deal with universally relevant human themes. “Everyone should see this play.... It is still relevant to today’s climate, politically and socially. It’s about love and hope,” Director Brian Adam Kline explained. 

Taking a book and adapting it to the stage can be very difficult, but live productions can make stories much more personal and real. Seeing a person act out emotions and situations adds a layer of immediacy that printed words can fail to capture. 

Transforming “The Diary of Anne Frank” into a live production is particularly difficult, in part because of the delicate historical nature of the show. “As a director, I have tried to approach this play with great attention to detail.  It was so important to me to do this right. This play is not just an adaption of the diary but also a historical memorial to Anne, her family, her housemates and the victims of the Holocaust. This production has always been for them,” Kline said. 

The amount of time and effort that everyone at the Gilbert Theater has put into creating a respectful and accurate production of The Diary of Anne Frank is astounding. “I spent a year of research on the diary, the history, the people and the environment,” said Kline. “I contacted the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam and they were so vital in my exploration of this world. I had to get it as close as I could. We used photographs to match the colors of the house, costuming and hair. With the long task of preproduction, finding the best actors and crew, production challenges seemed to be smoother,” Kline added.

The biggest challenge the production has faced is in spacing. The Gilbert Theater is smaller than the Anne Frank House, but creative use of space has allowed the cast and crew to maintain the integrity of the story and the history. 

Perhaps the smaller space will enhance the audience’s feelings of personal involvement and help the production’s themes hit home. Tickets can be purchased at www.gilberttheater.com. 

When the afterglow of spring is long gone, daylilies spread rainbows of color through the summer garden. From late spring to frost they are the stars, but they are not temperamental stars. They are hardworking, strong-growing contributors and the easiest to grow of all decorative perennials for Sandhills gardens. 

One of the best ways to get to know daylilies is to visit the local American Hemerocallis Society accredited show. The event will be Saturday, June 3, on the top floor of Berns Student Center at Methodist University. 

Since daylilies come in just about every color except true blue and in heights from a foot tall to over five feet tall, a gardener can find a cultivar for any place in the garden that gets five to six hours of sunlight. 

They thrive in hot summers, so they are a good choice for our Sandhills landscapes. They tolerate some drought but fare better and produce more blooms if they get at least an inch of water a week. 

Most daylily flowers are round with fairly wide petals. There are also spidery flowers with narrow petals and sepals; unusual forms with petals and/or sepals that twist, fold, or curl; and doubles that can look somewhat like a peony or like one flower sitting inside another one. 

Flower sizes range from just over an inch to over 15 inches for some of the spiders. There are more than 80,000 registered daylilies in an incredible array of color, form and size — something for every niche in the garden.

For best performance of your daylilies, prepare a bed with good soil that has organic material incorporated for good drainage. A soil test can give guidance about what type of fertilizer to use and how to amend the soil for proper pH and nutrients. 

Daylilies are usually sold bare-root with leaves cut back to reduce transpiration, or loss of water vapor.  A good way to plant is to soak the roots (daylilies don’t have bulbs) for a few hours and then put the plants in the ground in the late afternoon. Do not soak for more than a day.

Dig a hole, mound the dirt up in the center of the hole and place the plant so that the crown (where root and leaves meet) is no more than an inch below the soil with the roots reaching down into the soil. Fill the hole with the soil you dug out. Water the plants well and cover the soil with about two inches of mulch or compost. This will give the plant several hours to acclimate before the heat of the next day.

To learn more about daylilies, join a local club and the American Hemerocallis Society. Visit local growers to see plants that grow well in your area. 

Sandhills Daylily Club meets on the fourth Thursday of the month from February through October.  The usual meeting place is Friendship Baptist Church, 3232 Davis St., Hope Mills; but we do occasionally meet at other venues. We start at 6 p.m. with a potluck meal and the speaker starts about 7 p.m. Visitors are welcome. 

To enter flowers in the June 3 show and win awards, the flowers must be on the registration table by 10 a.m. The show will be open to the public from 2 until 4 p.m. Starting at 10 a.m. there will be short presentations on topics like hybridizing daylilies, planting and care of daylilies, herbal recipes, air layering, and companion plants. Plants for sale will be available at 12:00 p.m.  To learn more about daylilies, visit www.daylilies.org.

Gun violence is a serious issue that affects families and the communities they live in. One of the ways the Fayetteville Police Department battles this is by connecting with the community with fun events that allow people to get to know each other — and police officers. 

Outdoor movies are one way to do this. Fayetteville Police Department’s Operation Ceasefire presents “Family Movie Night” on Friday, June 2 at Rivers of Living Water Church of God. The church is providing a hot dog meal at 7:30 p.m.  and the movie will begin at 8:30 p.m. 

“This is our 10th anniversary of Ceasefire Movie Night and what we do is take our movie nights out into the city and the county,” said Lisa Jayne, Operation Ceasefire program coordinator. 

“If we notice there is a spike in gun activity and crime in that area, we will look to go into that area during the calendar year and people also request for us to come to their location.” Jayne added that the purpose is for kids to come out and do a gun pledge. 

They also offer free gun locks to parents and show a PSA before each of their movies about gun and gang violence. Parents are given pamphlets about warning signs that may indicate their child may be in a gang and who to call if they have that concern.   

The event will feature a kiddie train, a fire safety house, health screenings by Cape Fear Valley, health and wellness resources, a rock wall, a bounce house, K-9 demo, the fire truck, police vehicles, games, popcorn, drinks and officers on site to answer any questions participants may have.                 

This is part of the Ceasefire approach to combating gun and gang crime through suppression, intervention and prevention. “This is one of our community outreach prevention measures,” said Jayne. “We have our EKG program, which is educating kids about gun violence in the Cumberland County Schools System that we teach to all seventh graders and just finished up a third year with that.” 

Jayne added that they have taught over 20,000 students the program and since they initiated the program, violent crime for that age group has gone down by 3 percent. 

“We look forward to meeting new faces and having the community come out and enjoy the evening,” said Jayne.       

Admission is free. Bring a chair or blanket to enjoy a free movie under the stars. In the case of inclement weather the movie will be held inside. The church is located at 1764 Bingham Drive. For more information call Lisa Jayne at (910) 433-1017.  

“(It’s) sad, but if someone wants to shoot their way in and start firing off shots they could. This could happen anywhere and unfortunately has,” said Kim Robertson, principal of Elizabeth Cashwell Elementary School on Legion Road. 

She was responding to a question about how her school would react to an active shooter on campus.  Robertson said all aspects of her building layout and student/staff contact information is cataloged in a computer. 

Principals and the police can access that information at any time. Thirteen real-time cameras are installed at Elizabeth Cashwell School and are monitored at the safety office. 

“We have to have a plan for such an occasion, and we share it with the safety office and staff,” Robertson said. Her school has a crisis response team equipped with walkie talkies. “Almost daily I have an issue that requires a response, but nothing like a serious threat of danger,” she said. 

“In the event of an active shooter, principals follow our crisis management procedures, which include our lockdown procedures,” added Associate Superintendent Tim Kinlaw. Policy requiring sheltering in place should such an instance occur is set by the Cumberland County Board of Education. 

State law doesn’t address active shooter scenarios. There is a statute that deals with the importance of fire drills: “It shall be the duty of the principal to conduct a fire drill during the first week after the opening of school and thereafter at least one fire drill each school month, in each building in his charge, where children are assembled. 

“Fire drills shall include all pupils and school employees, and the use of various ways of egress to simulate evacuation of said buildings under various conditions, and such other regulations as shall be prescribed for fire safety by the Commissioner of Insurance, the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the State Board of Education. A copy of such regulations shall be kept posted on the bulletin board in each building.” 

“Monthly fire drills are required with a report sent to the Safety Office each month,” Robertson confirmed. “Our principals follow Board policy regarding fire drills. We have not received any reports from the County or City Fire Marshals stating that fire drills have not been conducted according to state fire code requirements,” added Kinlaw.

“Tornado drills are also required when notification comes that we are to do one,” said Robertson. During a tornado outbreak across the south in April 2011, Benjamin Martin Elementary School at 430 N. Reilly Road, in Fayetteville, was so badly damaged that classes couldn’t be held there for the rest of the school year. Fortunately, the tornado touched down on a Saturday. 

Robertson said local principals are reminded near the end of a school month if drills haven’t been performed and documented. “The fire marshal conducts random checks to see school reports annually,” she added.                      

Photo: Kim Robertson, principal of Elizabeth Cashwell Elementary School