Cape Fear Regional Theatre invites the public to its 15th annual Blues-N-Brews festival on June 3 for a fun-filled Saturday evening at Festival Park. “(This) is going to be hands-down the best way to kick off your summer,” said CFRT Development Director Liz Thompson. “It checks all the boxes for a great time — cold beer, hot blues music, great food, awesome people and it’s all for a good cause!” Blues-N-Brews is CFRT’s big fundraising event each year. 

Three talented groups provide the “Blues” for the event. Mark McKinney & Co. play from 5-6:30 p.m., Tullie Brae from 6:45-8:15p.m., and Elliot and the Untouchables from 8:30-10p.m. 

Mark McKinney & Co. is an acoustic trio of three local musicians based out of Pembroke. Tullie Brae is a multi-instrumentalist  with roots in gospel music. She was a huge hit when she played at Brews-N-Brews two years ago and returns as a part of her current tour. Elliot and the Untouchables specialize in jump and jump-influenced blues, a style of music that combines elements of swing and blues. The band is hugely popular in the southeastern U.S. and last played at this event in 2008.

The “Brews” come from over 40 brewers, including every local brewer our area offers. One $35 ticket gets you a 3-ounce taste-testing glass, which you can use to taste as many of the more than 100 beers available as you want. These include craft beers, ciders and everything in between. 

For the first time, a small selection of the most popular beers will be available for purchase in full-sized quantities, for those who find what they like and want to stick to that. For non-beer lovers, Lu Mil Vineyard will have wine and wine slushies available for purchase. 

There will also be an abundance of dining options to browse through. Thompson said she’s particularly excited for this element. “I love a good food truck, and we’ve got some of the best coming,” she said. “There will be something for everyone — burgers, ribs, BBQ, shrimp, nachos, chicken and waffles, sweets and more.” 

Blues-N-Brews has grown since its inception 15 years ago and plans to maintain its momentum. Thompson said Festival Park has a maximum capacity of 10,000 people, and this year they’re at 3,000 registered to attend. Eventually, she said, CFRT would love to see the whole park filled. But the growth for this event has not only been in numbers. Quality is also increasing each year, as CFRT continues to prove itself to be a treasure our city needs. 

This year, CFRT won the Fayetteville’s Tourism & Development Authority grant. This enabled staff to expand marketing efforts to include the entire region, not just Cumberland County. CFRT also built a new partnership with Beasley radio station, and partnered with the popular new downtown store Pressed – A Creative Space to design this year’s T-shirts. 

This pattern of reaching out and making local connections to the benefit of everyone demonstrates the spirit CFRT carries. “We have 22 people who are part of making this event happen,” said Thompson. “Many of them are just community members who wanted to get involved. SarahMarie (Stewart) was a volunteer last year and was the food vendor chair. This year she’s the co-chair for the whole event!” For those interested in volunteering day-of for two to four-hour shifts, email bnbvolunteers@cfrt.org. 

Gates open at 4 p.m. for those who purchase a $75 VIP ticket. Tullie Brae will treat VIP guests to an extra concert in the VIP tent from 4-5 p.m., where guests can also enjoy local beer and food donated by Mash House Brewing Company. Regular tickets cost $35 each, include the unlimited taste-testing glass and free music, and grant admission at 5 p.m. Tickets for $15 are available for those who want to come in and enjoy the night without drinking. To learn more and purchase tickets, visit www.cfrt.org/BluesNBrews.

The Fayetteville Police Department is back up to full strength. Ten cadets just graduated from the Basic Law Enforcement Training class, pinned on their badges and were issued side arms. Until the graduation, the official count for the department was 427 sworn officers out of 433 authorized positions. Many officials focus on the racial composition of Fayetteville’s public safety services. Interim Police Chief Anthony Kelly is not one of them. Nor is City Manager Doug Hewett. Of those 427 sworn officers, only 80 of them are African-American.

“We’re looking at it in the wrong way,” declared Kelly. “We’ve been trying to recruit a community into a profession that has not been introduced to it as a viable career opportunity,” he said. Kelly added that he never interacted with the police as a youngster. “We almost will have to advance to another generation to start changing the mindset of young people.” Kelly was a recruiter for three years with the police department.

There’s a lot of work to be done among those who believe the FPD should better represent the community it serves. Fayetteville has one of the largest populations of African-Americans in North Carolina, yet the police department’s black composition is 19 percent of the whole. Of approximately 270 uniformed, patrol officers there are only five black sergeants in supervisory positions. Kelly isn’t alarmed about the numbers. “White supervisors could have an advantage in the black community. When I responded in the black community, I caught more flak from the people than elsewhere.” Kelly said in his experience white sergeants get more respect. When asked what that says about policing, he responded, “what does that say about black people … the community I live in must change the way it looks at things.”

Officials note that many African-American officers with career promotional opportunities in mind receive terrific training and experience in Fayetteville and then move on to other departments. Typically, municipal fire departments have even worse records of hiring and retaining blacks. Kelly was quick to recall that “being a fireman never crossed my mind when I was young.” He says most young black men and women never interact with firefighters. It’s a foreign career field to them.

City Councilman Chalmers McDougald doesn’t see it that way. He said it’s a matter of the city aggressively recruiting African Americans. He puts the responsibility on the city administration, especially the Office of Human Resources. HR is a core function of business and government. An HR department of an organization oversees various aspects of employment, such as compliance with labor law and employment standards, employee benefits as well as recruitment and dismissal. “HR is supposed to know the law,” said McDougald. “You have to have balance in the employee applicant pool,” he added We emailed City Manager Hewett with some questions about the hiring disparities and then spoke with him in person. “I’ve not reviewed this information and as such, can’t comment at this time,” he said. “That’s a big part of the problem,” Councilman McDougald declared. “I think they’ve tried to hide what they’re not doing, but anything that’s hidden can be dug up.” He concluded. Bi-racial employment issues in the fire department will be discussed by city council in June.

The City of Fayetteville can’t say when the Tokay Senior Fitness Center operated by the Fayetteville-Cumberland Parks & Recreation Department will re-open. The specialty center sustained extensive smoke damage during an electrical fire. It’s been closed since March 27. City spokesman Nathan Walls told Up & Coming Weekly that “there are too many variables to predict a reopening date.” The popular older adult fitness center has work out equipment including treadmills, stationary bikes, elliptical machines and Nautilus equipment. Seniors use the facility for physical rehabilitation and regular fitness regimens often as prescribed by physicians. Group exercise classes are also offered. Those classes are temporarily being held at the Smith Recreation Center, 1520 Slater Avenue. The exercise equipment room at the Smith Center is open for senior citizen patrons at 7 a.m. Monday-Friday.

Talk About a Major Motoring Inconvenience…
Local motorists accustomed to travelling Bragg Boulevard in an approach to downtown Fayetteville are trying to get used to a long detour. Drivers traveling toward downtown on Bragg Boulevard (N.C. 24) should be aware that a roadway closure between West Rowan Street and the Rowan Street bridge is in effect through June 15. DOT is detouring traffic to allow for the installation of a sewer line. The detour is marked, suggesting that inbound motorists turn left onto the Martin Luther King Jr. Freeway, to Ramsey Street. Then take a right to downtown. There are alternate routes as well. Inbound downtown drivers may want to use Fort Bragg Road, or they can turn right onto the MLK Jr. Freeway over to Hay Street and on into downtown.

Blackwell Seeks Superior Court Clerk’s Office
Cindy Blackwell, a former Chief Assistant Clerk of Cumberland County Superior Court, announces she will seek the Democratic nomination for the Clerk’s position. “The Clerk of Court serves an important role for our citizens and our court system,” she said in making her announcement. “Every day thousands of citizens access our courts, whether it’s to pay a seat-belt ticket, make a child-support payment or to execute a departed loved-one’s estate,” she added. Blackwell left the office in early 2014 when Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Jim Ammons passed over Blackwell and appointed District Court Judge Kim Tucker to succeed retired Clerk Linda Priest. Blackwell then accepted a position with the North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts in Raleigh. “I have the background, the experience and understanding to serve you,” Blackwell said in news release announcing her candidacy.

Gander Mountain in Fayetteville Likely to Stay Open
Gander Mountain, a chain of hunting and outdoor stores, is not shutting down after being bought in a bankruptcy sale, according to the new owner, Marcus Lemonis of Camping World. He said reports that all the stores are closing are untrue and that at least 70 Gander Mountain locations will remain open. In North Carolina, Gander Mountain stores in Fayetteville and Winston-Salem will stay open. The others, including Raleigh, are still up in the air. Camping World has until Oct. 6 to determine which Gander Mountain locations it would like to keep. Lemonis is best known as host of CNBC’s reality series “The Profit.”

Lawyers for the Man Convicted of Killing Shaniya Davis Want a New Trial
Mario McNeill’s claim that he is entitled to a new trial for raping and murdering 5-year-old Shaniya Davis in 2009 “is bogus.” That’s the opinion of North Carolina Assistant Attorney General Anne M. Middleton. In oral arguments for a new trial before the North Carolina Supreme Court, Middleton recounted that McNeill told his attorneys, Allen Rogers and Coy Brewer, that he wanted to provide police information helpful to them. In so doing, she said, McNeill waived his attorney-client privilege. Brewer and Rogers then told authorities where they could find Shaniya Davis’s body, hoping the death penalty would be taken off the table. District Attorney Billy West offered McNeill a chance to plead guilty to avoid the death sentence, Middleton said, but he chose not to accept it. He went to trial in 2013 and was subsequently convicted and sentenced to death. Shaniya’s mother had sold her to McNeill in repayment of a $200 drug debt. Appellate lawyer Andrew DeSimone told the court that Rogers and Brewer were obliged to keep the information McNeill provided them by their client secret. The justices will review the oral arguments and written briefs, and decide whether McNeill should get a new trial.

Crisis Intervention Resources
Residents wishing to apply for Crisis Intervention Fund assistance should go to the Salvation Army Community Center at 220 E. Russell Street. The Salvation Army Center at 1047 Southern Ave. is temporarily closed because of recent flooding. The program is administered by the Cumberland County Department of Social Services for individuals and families experiencing a heating or cooling-related crisis. The CIP program is in effect until all funds are exhausted, or June 30. Money is paid directly to utility providers on behalf of approved applicants. Applications are accepted Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Detailed information is available from the Salvation Army at 910-483-8119.

As a citizen of Fayetteville, it is a frustrating and disappointing experience watching the negotiation process that intends to determine how future sales tax receipts will be divided among Cumberland County, Fayetteville and other municipalities in the county. I suggest residents of Fayetteville get informed and thoughtfully watch this process. Closely investigating what is happening guarantees an eye-opening moment that will, hopefully, result in Fayetteville citizens speaking up and demanding fairness.

Given that annexations reduce the amount of sales tax distributed to the county and municipalities, a 2003 agreement was reached that called for Fayetteville and towns to reimburse the county, or one another, half the sales tax distribution gained because of annexations. The initial agreement was for 10 years but was extended in 2013 for three more years. It was extended again in 2016 for three additional years with the understanding that in January 2017, the county and municipalities would commence negotiations regarding division of sales tax receipts. Those negotiations started on April 12 in a meeting where the county and municipalities were represented.

The distribution can be done one of two ways. One is as it is currently done, by per capita distribution, where the total of the county-wide population (in incorporated and unincorporated areas) and the populations of each municipality are used to calculate a proportional per capita distribution. The other is ad valorem distribution, where the sum of ad valorem (property) taxes levied by the county and each municipality, in the immediately preceding fiscal year, are used to calculate a proportional share of sales tax proceeds.

The crux of the matter is that the county and municipalities, except for Fayetteville, are in agreement to extend the current arrangement until 2023. Mayor Nat Robertson has been quoted in several reports as saying the city was giving up $2.1 million when the agreement was first reached. The city is now losing $6.7 million. Among other places, this statement was reported in an article titled, “Cumberland County, Fayetteville and town leaders debate sale tax funds” by Steve DeVane. In the end, Fayetteville is facing payouts that have no limit. The question for all involved, especially for residents of Fayetteville, is whether this is fair to those who live in and financially support the city.

I live in Fayetteville, and my answer is that the sales tax distribution arrangement in place, and being pushed for extension by the county and other municipalities, is horrendously unfair to residents of Fayetteville. What follows are some considerations that lead me to this conclusion.

As mentioned above, the annual amount paid is steadily increasing. Without doubt, these increasing payment amounts result from improved sales tax collections. Therein is a major point of unfairness. The bulk of sales tax receipts is generated in Fayetteville. Following is what I wrote during February 2016 in a column titled, “Cumberland County’s Sales Tax Distribution Squabble: An Example of What’s Wrong in America:”

Fayetteville’s Mayor, Nat Robertson, and City Manager, Ted Voorhees, led an information meeting on 13 January 2016 that was open to the public. One slide in the prepared presentation read: “Taxable sales within Fayetteville accounted for 82.6 percent of the county-wide total sales for FY2009 (the last year for which data is available). Under the state distribution methods, for FY2015 Fayetteville could only receive approximately 25 percent to 36 percent of the sales tax distributions.” It would appear reasonable that this be a point for consideration in determining fair distribution.

Given that the normal state distribution method yields a relatively low sales tax return for Fayetteville while a substantial portion of those taxes are generated in the city, it seems unfair that we suffer further under the modified distribution procedure. This unfair condition is compounded by allowing the amount transferred to the county and other municipalities to increase without limit.

The primary reason for increased sales tax revenue that is being distributed to the county and municipalities other than Fayetteville requires attention. I contend it is, by and far, due to actions undertaken by the City of Fayetteville. In 2004, Fayetteville annexed areas of Cumberland County that added some 43,000 residents to the City. The “Big Bang” annexation was a tense time in our city and county, but it took us above the 200,000 population level that major businesses desire before considering locating in a city. After attaining that population level, national companies that I never expected to choose Fayetteville started arriving.
Further, the city has taken, and is taking, other actions that feed the economic growth of this area. Fayetteville took the lead in winning a Hope VI grant that allowed for demolition of public housing in the Old Wilmington Road area that did not provide the appearance that contributes to attracting businesses. More importantly, citizens were living in less than adequate housing. The result was beautiful units that provide better than adequate housing and enhances that portion of the city.

There is a promising effort underway to build a North Carolina Civil War History Center in Fayetteville. The city stepped up to financially support that project. It will be another asset that produces economic growth. The new transportation center located downtown is beautiful, functional and rivals similar facilities anywhere.

The recently passed $35 million Parks and Recreation bond issue will bring much-needed recreation facilities to the city. On the heels of this step came the decision to build a baseball stadium downtown. It will be home to Fayetteville’s minor league team.

On Sunday, April 30, after church my wife and I sat in the shade on Hay Street and enjoyed jazz by three different groups. This was part of the annual Dogwood Festival attended this year by some 275,000 over the weekend. It could happen in a superbly accommodating space because the city built Festival Park, and, over time, transformed the downtown from a “party central” to a beautiful area that is inviting and simply a very pleasant place to spend time. As I sat there on Hay Street enjoying the afternoon, three thoughts hit me: I am starting to feel good, again, about Fayetteville; in the future, the Dogwood Festival will likely expand to the baseball stadium; all those festival vendors collect and deposit sales tax.

What has been presented - and more - shows Fayetteville to be, among the county and other municipalities, the economic engine of this area. To see this as fact, one only has to compare Fayetteville economic expansion actions with those of Cumberland County. What has the county done to spur economic growth? On Hope VI, county commissioners had to be pushed for a minimal investment; given the county’s track record, City Council made Fayetteville’s financial support of the North Carolina Civil War History Center contingent on the county matching that contribution. The bottom line question is: what of consequence is the County doing, or done, to attract jobs, have people spend money in the area and simply make this a great place to live? I think not much.

County leaders argue that they have mandated services that must be provided and sales tax revenue is needed to help meet those requirements. I drive by the county’s Health Department several times a week. What I see is a huge sign flashing all kinds of free stuff…” free mammograms, free condoms, free smoking cessation classes.” I suggest the county do a thorough review of what is mandated and challenge some mandates. They might also take actions that lessen or negate the need for those mandated services.

Fayetteville is transferring sales tax revenue, in increasing amounts, to other entities with no limit in place or insight; generating the bulk of sales tax revenue and is the economic engine of the county. I encourage citizens of

Fayetteville to follow this sales tax distribution issue very closely and insist on fairness. This is not a matter that should be left for elected officials to resolve without thoughtful stand-taking by those of us out here feeding these government tills with hard-earned dollars. I hold that extending the current agreement is absolutely unfair to the citizens of Fayetteville.

David Phillips and Ricky Lopes have been friends for years. So, when Ricky’s 21-year-old son, Justin, died unexpectedly the in the summer of 2104, Phillips wanted to do something to honor Justin. The youngest of three, Justin loved cooking with his mom and was enrolled at the University of South Carolina. He planned to pursue a career in accounting. Andrea Phillips, David’s wife described his family as close-knit. “Justin’s death came out of nowhere and was unexpected,” said Andrea. “He was very involved in the community. He played soccer and baseball. He was in the key club and the National Honor Society. His family attends Lafayette Baptist Church, and he was very involved there as well.”

As a fellow athlete, David, a runner, spent some time talking with his wife, Andrea, about what they could do to make a difference. The result was the Derby Run 5k. This year marks the second annual Derby Run. It takes place May 20 at Terry Sanford High School, Justin’s alma mater.

“Our family has always been very close. We loved Justin so much and continue to miss him everyday. We are incredibly grateful that friends and family are coming together to raise money to benefit children within the community in his memory. Justin loved sports and loved to compete, so the Derby Run is an event we feel certain he would enjoy, ” said the Lopes Family (Donna and Ricky Lopes, Rebecca Lopes Aul and Emily Lopes Townsend).

The course runs through scenic Haymount, including the Fayetteville Technical Community College campus, and finishes at Terry Sanford High School. “It’s easy, fun and flat!” said Andrea. “The entire event is a lot of fun. It is a party feeling. Last year we had a lot of friends of the family participate. There was a lot of reminiscing and hugging. We had about 200 runners. We would be thrilled if we had 300 this year.”

She added that there will be a local radio station at Terry Sanford, and attendees are invited to wear their best Derby hat and/or costume. There will be prizes for various categories. Each runner will receive a commemorative T-shirt and a bag. T-shirts are also available for purchase. Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash.
In celebrating Justin’s life, it made sense to turn the run into something that would help others. Last year, the Derby Run benefited St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. This year, the family decided to keep it local and is giving the proceeds from the race to the Child Advocacy Center in Fayetteville, Cy’s World Foundation, and the Justin Richard Lopes Memorial Scholarship of Cumberland Community Foundation. Andrea added that they are also accepting gently worn athletic shoes for Water Step, a charitable organization for healthy drinking water in needed areas of the world.

The child Advocacy Center works with partners in the community, including law enforcement and medical practitioners to offer children a safe place that supports the prevention, investigation and prosecution of child abuse. CAC not only offers a safe place to interview children, it also offers prevention education for parents, professionals and agencies in our community. During FY 2016, our center served 773 children and their families and, by our coordinating efforts, saved the community more than $500,000.

Founded in 201 in honor of Edgar Clyde Garber IV, who died at the age of 17, Cy’s World Foundation seeks to promote a love of the outdoors. The goal of the organization is to offer grants that focus on teaching, introducing, and compelling youth to enjoy outdoors safely, with conservation of natural resources and sustainable practices to insure these activities are here for others to enjoy for many generations. Cy’s World has partnered with YMCA’s Camp thunderbird, Cumberland County’s Ducks Unlimited, Hunter’s Helping Kids and First Tee of the Triad, Winston-Salem on various events aimed at getting kids up and moving.

The Justin Richard Lopes Memorial Scholarship of Cumberland Community Foundation supports Cumberland County high school students who will attend the University of South Carolina.
Water Step is a nonprofit organization that provides safe water to communities in developing countries. Based on simple tools and effective training, organization trains people how to use safe water solutions: water purification, health education and well repair, empowering communities to take care of their own water needs for years.

To register for the Derby Run, go to active.com and type Derby Run into the search bar. Registration is $25. Late registration opens at 7 a.m. at Terry Sanford on May 20. The race starts at 8 a.m. Find out more at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1651810641752739.

It took the best athletic year in school history to make it happen, but Cape Fear High School is finally the owner of the Maxwell and Wells Fargo Cups.
The Maxwell is for the best overall athletic program in Cumberland County while the Wells Fargo is for the best program in the Mid-South 4-A Conference.
Both are based on points presented for order of finish in official conference sports.

Cape Fear narrowly edged perennial cup winner Jack Britt 102-101 in the final tally. The Colts had a strong spring led by a co-championship in baseball and outright titles in softball and boys’ tennis. The softball team has been nationally-ranked most of this season, getting as high as No. 3 in the country in the USA Today poll.
Highlights earlier in the year were an unbeaten regular season in football and the school’s first conference title, and Cape Fear’s first boys’ Holiday Classic basketball championship.
Some of Cape Fear’s top athletes will quickly tell you attitudes around the school and community have changed toward the school’s sports program.

Softball star Haley Cashwell said knowing you have the tools and qualities to make athletics successful makes it more fun. She doesn’t think
the tradition will die out when this year’s seniors depart.

“More people know about it and how successful we are becoming,’’ she said. “People want to carry on. They don’t want it to die.’’
A.J. Baldwin was a standout in basketball and football. He gives a lot of credit to Cape Fear principal Lee Spruill who frequently uses the phrase, “Colt pride never stops.”
“Mr. Spruill is giving us school spirit,’’ he said. “It puts a smile on everybody’s face. Plus we’ve got support from the community and coaches telling us to work hard.’’
Jackson Parker, a baseball and football player, said school pride is on the rise. “At all our games, you see the stands filled up,’’ he said. “More people get involved, more people take it seriously. That’s been a big part of the success.’’

Football standout Justice Galloway-Velazquez agrees with Parker that community is a huge part of the school’s success. “The community got behind us and stuck with us,’’ he said.
“We had personal relationships with them. The teachers started believing in us.

“Everywhere I go now it’s all about Cape Fear. You see guys that don’t even go to our school wearing Cape Fear stuff. I tell them it’s all about our fans in the community.’’
Galloway-Velazquez returns for his senior year this fall and he’s aware of what it will take to keep Cape Fear on top.

“We’ve got to stay strong in the classroom,’’ he said. “If the coaches stay on us, we should have another fun time of it.’’

South View High School was recently honored by the N.C. High School Athletic Association with the Commissioner’s Cup at the organization’s annual meeting in Chapel Hill. But South View principal Brian Edkins got an even bigger prize when he went to the Tiger prom later the same week.
Attending the prom was South View student Lea Jordan, who graduated early in January but learned less than a month later she was suffering from leukemia. She’s been in and out of the hospital at Duke since then getting treatments.
Before she left, Jordan vowed to attend her prom in May. Edkins said if they had to, they’d carry her across the stage. They didn’t. Jordan made it under her own steam.
What made her appearance special was Jordan was one of the recipients this year of a donation made possible by South View’s Kicking for Cancer soccer fundraiser. It was an idea started nearly 20 years ago by Edkins when he was the school’s soccer coach as a tribute to his dad, who was a victim of cancer.
The charity event, conducted in the soccer preseason each year, has raised close to $100,000 in its history. It is why South View was one of eight schools in the state to receive this year’s Commissioner’s Cup, which is presented to member schools of the NCHSAA for charitable
or other outreach programs to their
local communities.
Initially, all money from Kicking for Cancer was given to the American Cancer Society.
In recent years, donations have also been given to individuals battling the disease.
This year, Jordan became the first South View student to receive a gift of $500 to help with her struggle with cancer.
Edkins said the goal of Kicking for Cancer becomes clearer when you start to put actual faces on the people the money goes to. “When I saw her there she was absolutely glowing,’’ he said. “It made me so happy. You get to see where your hard work is going to.’’
Jordan said the week of prom she didn’t have to undergo a chemotherapy treatment, so her energy level was good. She found a dress in Durham the Tuesday before prom and got out of the hospital the next day.
“It meant a lot,’’ Jordan said. “My last day of classes (at South View) was Jan. 27. I was thrown into a world of being in and out of the hospital and don’t get to see people my age and my friends
that much.
“To be able to see them and spend time with them made me feel like a normal teenager.’’
The chemotherapy has caused Jordan to lose her hair, but she said she never considered wearing a wig to the prom. “It’s me and who I am now,’’ she said. “It’s something I had to deal with. It’s not something I’m ashamed of.’’

South View High School was recently honored by the N.C. High School Athletic Association with the Commissioner’s Cup at the organization’s annual meeting in Chapel Hill. But South View principal Brian Edkins got an even bigger prize when he went to the Tiger prom later the same week.
Attending the prom was South View student Lea Jordan, who graduated early in January but learned less than a month later she was suffering from leukemia. She’s been in and out of the hospital at Duke since then getting treatments.
Before she left, Jordan vowed to attend her prom in May. Edkins said if they had to, they’d carry her across the stage. They didn’t. Jordan made it under her own steam.
What made her appearance special was Jordan was one of the recipients this year of a donation made possible by South View’s Kicking for Cancer soccer fundraiser. It was an idea started nearly 20 years ago by Edkins when he was the school’s soccer coach as a tribute to his dad, who was a victim of cancer.
The charity event, conducted in the soccer preseason each year, has raised close to $100,000 in its history. It is why South View was one of eight schools in the state to receive this year’s Commissioner’s Cup, which is presented to member schools of the NCHSAA for charitable
or other outreach programs to their
local communities.
Initially, all money from Kicking for Cancer was given to the American Cancer Society.
In recent years, donations have also been given to individuals battling the disease.
This year, Jordan became the first South View student to receive a gift of $500 to help with her struggle with cancer.
Edkins said the goal of Kicking for Cancer becomes clearer when you start to put actual faces on the people the money goes to. “When I saw her there she was absolutely glowing,’’ he said. “It made me so happy. You get to see where your hard work is going to.’’
Jordan said the week of prom she didn’t have to undergo a chemotherapy treatment, so her energy level was good. She found a dress in Durham the Tuesday before prom and got out of the hospital the next day.
“It meant a lot,’’ Jordan said. “My last day of classes (at South View) was Jan. 27. I was thrown into a world of being in and out of the hospital and don’t get to see people my age and my friends
that much.
“To be able to see them and spend time with them made me feel like a normal teenager.’’
The chemotherapy has caused Jordan to lose her hair, but she said she never considered wearing a wig to the prom. “It’s me and who I am now,’’ she said. “It’s something I had to deal with. It’s not something I’m ashamed of.’’

Before he retired, longtime N.C. High School Athletic Association Executive Director Charlie Adams dreamed of an exhibit hall adjacent to the association’s offices where displays of memorabilia from great high school teams, coaches and athletes could be housed for the public to come view.

That was one dream Adams wasn’t able to accomplish, but it doesn’t mean the various sports items he collected aren’t on display today.

When the NCHSAA remodeled its offices a few years ago, plans were included for display cases and shelves around the building to show off some of the wide assortment of items that have been donated over the years. Now visitors to the offices can see a shirt worn by longtime South View softball coach Eddie Dees, or a cap that adorned the head of Cape Fear softball coaching legend Doris Howard.

Que Tucker, the current commissioner of the NCHSAA, said when the building remodel took place, they wanted a way to try and keep at least part of Adams’ 

dream alive. “We added shelving in the building and more wall space where we could hang jerseys,’’ she said.

The main problem is that Adams and the NCHSAA staff did such a great job getting things donated, there is no room to display all of it at one time.

That’s where Pepper Hines of the current NCHSAA staff and retired associate commissioner Carolyn Shannonhouse come in.

The memorabilia currently not on display is kept in storage. Hines and Shannonhouse are responsible for rotating items on a regular basis, so different things are on display at different times.

In addition to the collection of helmets, jerseys and various kinds of balls, there are also a host of pictures of great coaches and athletes from throughout the NCHSAA’s history.

With the continuing advance of technology, Tucker hopes for a day when the NCHSAA can display all of its memorabilia like some museums do, with touch screens that would allow visitors to punch in the name of a great coach or athlete, then see that person’s picture with a biography of his or her accomplishments.

Aaron Beavers
Gray’s Creek • Tennis • Junior
As a member of the Bears’ tennis team, Beavers compiled a grade point average
of 4.33

Anna Suggs
Terry Sanford • Softball • Sophomore
Suggs, who is part of the Global Studies program at Terry Sanford, has a grade point average of 4.33. She is active in numerous clubs at Terry Sanford, as well as youth activities at Snyder Memorial Baptist Church.

Payton Short

Seventy-First • Softball • Sophomore

Short has compiled a 4.17 grade point average for the Falcons.

Sidney Gronowski

Cape Fear • Softball •Junior

Through May 2, Gronowski was batting .418 for the state playoff-bound Cape Fear softball team. She has a grade point average of 3.95 and is a member of the Student Government Association at Cape Fear.

CHAPEL HILL – As expected, the N.C. High School Athletic Association pared down its state playoff field in response to a major change in the classification of its schools. The action was taken at last week’s spring meeting of the NCHSAA Board of Directors.

Beginning this fall, 20 percent of the association’s schools will be in the 4-A class and another 20 percent in 1-A. Both 3-A and 2-A will have 30 percent each.

Since there are fewer teams in the top and bottom classes, it made sense to reduce the number of teams in the playoffs. There will now be 48 each in 4-A and 1-A, with 64 each in 3-A and 2-A.

In football, the NCHSAA will still split classes and offer eight state titles. The new playoff numbers are for baseball, basketball, football, soccer, softball
and volleyball.

One controversial point was that MaxPreps state rankings will be used to seed the teams on a one-year experiment. Some members of the NCHSAA Board of Directors, including Patty Evers of East Bladen, oppose that idea.

“I’m not for a ranking system in high school,’’ Evers said. “How do you know who’s good and who’s not? You just don’t know and who’s going to do all
that research?”

Que Tucker, commissioner of the NCHSAA, said the board got a lot of input from athletic directors at their recent conference in Wilmington, along with recommendations from an ad hoc committee on the playoffs. “I think what the board did was good and we’ll see how it works,’’ she said.

One important issue the board took no action on was the future of home school athletes playing for NCHSAA member schools. It has been a hot topic in other states and Evers said the NCHSAA knows the subject is coming to North Carolina. “We are ready to move forward with it,’’ she said. “There are still some things going on with the legislature we don’t
know about.’’

Tucker said the NCHSAA doesn’t want to have a knee jerk reaction to the issue and just blindly put a policy in place. “We’ll continue to monitor it and what our strategies will be as we move forward,’’ she said.

Other news from the meeting:

• Dual team wrestling, the last sport to still hold its state championship in a high school gym, will be moved to a neutral championship site.

• The NCHSAA will look into developing a separate championship for
girls’ wrestling.

• Accepting money or an illegal award will cause an NCHSAA athlete to lose eligibility for the semester it was accepted and the semester to follow.

• Cheerleading coaches and tennis coaches, girls and boys, must attend the annual rules clinic for their sport.

• Cumberland County will get
its own officials’ association
for lacrosse.

• The NCHSAA can require host schools for the playoffs to get a venue suitable to the expected crowd that is of sufficient quality.

• In-season dead periods were cut from six to three weeks. The May dead period was eliminated for girls’ sports and for boys at schools without football. A 10-day dead period was added at the end of the school year.

• Guidelines were set to have mandatory breaks during a game when wet bulb thermometer readings are at 90 or above.

Jack Britt baseball coach Dr. Christopher Dague teaches history at the school, so it was only appropriate that his Buccaneer team make a little of it this season.

For the first time since Britt opened its doors in 2000, Jack Britt owns a piece of a conference baseball title. The Bucs split regular-season honors with perennial Mid-South 4-A Conference power Cape Fear and are ready to begin competition in this week’s state 4-A baseball playoffs.

Dague said he began talking with his players before the season started about the need to exceed expectations this season. “This is the hardest-working team I’ve had,’’ he said. “It’s been incredible to watch them work.’’

He said the squad was so committed they were unhappy when he gave them time off, like the Saturday after their big conference win over Cape Fear.

“They get along well with each other,’’ Dague said, “but winning cures a lot of that too.’’

So does senior leadership, and Dague said he was blessed with that this season. 

Two of those seniors are Zachary Knapp and Gavin Wheeler. Knapp has 67 strikeouts in 37.1 innings through April 29 and a .350 batting average with 20 RBIs.

Wheeler is hitting .375 with eight RBIs.

Knapp said making history means a lot to this year’s Britt team. “You’ve earned something special,’’ he said. “I feel we have no egos on the team. Everyone gets along pretty well. The main goal of all the players is to win.’’

Knapp has successfully battled back from knee surgery twice but is still waiting for colleges to show interest in him. “If I go out and give my all, the scouts will come,’’ he said.

Wheeler agreed with Knapp that egos are not a problem on this Britt team and that the focus hasn’t been on personal glory. “You hear some guys on other teams worried about numbers and how they are doing,’’ Wheeler said. “To win the conference championship is more important.

“That’s what we’ve been after, W’s, not our numbers.’’

Britt hit a bump in the road at the end of the regular season, losing a pitching duel against Cape Fear star Gavin Williams, then getting battered by Cape Fear Valley 3-A Conference regular-season champion Terry Sanford.

Dague said the team’s mantra all season is that at 3:45 p.m., the start of practice, whatever happened the previous day is history.

He’s optimistic about this year’s playoff chances. “Last year we beat Southern Alamance, who was a No. 8 seed,’’ he said. “We had a 14-12 record. We’re 15-7 now (before the Mid-South tournament).

“If we execute what we know how to do, we’ll be fine,” Dague added.

There were questions at the start of the season for both the Cape Fear baseball and softball teams.

For baseball, they came from an early season knee injury to star pitcher Gavin Williams. For softball, it was the graduation of star pitcher Aubrey Reep and no experience waiting in the wings to replace her.

To say both questions have been answered is an understatement. Williams returned to the mound on his surgically repaired knee in April and has been mowing down the competition. Cape Fear’s softball team rallied around young pitcher MacKenzie Peters by mounting the best offense the Colts have seen during their recent run of state 4-A playoff success.

The result is baseball shared the Mid-South 4-A title with Jack Britt, and softball took a 20-0 record into the Mid-South tournament. Both teams are optimistic and poised to begin pursuit of N.C. High School Athletic Association titles as state playoffs in both sports open this week.

After a scrimmage with Midway in February, Cape Fear baseball coach Wendell Smith was shocked to find Williams collapsed on the ground near the team bus.

“He had said something to me about his knee locking up in P.E., but I didn’t think much about it,’’ Smith said. The diagnosis was a torn meniscus in his Williams’ left knee. He underwent surgery on March 1st, but the prognosis was good, and after 30 days of rehabbing he returned to play.

“I thought it would affect my pitching, but it hasn’t done any of that,’’ Williams said. That could be because he’s been getting up as early as 5:30 a.m. to do strength work focusing on his legs and back.

“What the doctor told him to do after the operation he did to strengthen it,’’ Smith said. “That’s self-discipline.’’

Williams began drawing attention with his improved velocity last summer. This spring he’s been tracked by more radar guns at his games than a speeding car on Interstate 95.

Entering last week’s Mid-South tournament, Smith was 3-0 with 48 strikeouts in 23.2 innings. He had yet to allow an earned run this season.

“I changed my mechanics from last year,’’ he said, “where I stood on the mound, release point, balance point, stuff like that.’’

Smith said the Colts don’t have to rely solely on Williams in the playoffs. “Our philosophy is if we’ve got good enough pitching and throw strikes, we’ve got a chance to win,’’ he said. “We can find a way to score runs.’’

Runs have been a big feature of this year’s Cape Fear softball team, and Bri Bryant is one of the reasons. Through May 1st she leads Cumberland County both in batting and RBIs with a .667 average and 47 runs driven in.

“This year she’s been totally a power hitter,’’ said Cape Fear co-coach Jeff McPhail. “She stepped up her game, bat-wise.’’

Bryant said that was her goal in the offseason. “My past three years I felt I tried too hard,’’ she said. “I tried to see it and hit it wherever the pitch is pitched.’’

She praised Peters for stepping in at pitcher as a 13-year-old with no varsity experience. “We’ve tried to have her back, pitching and defense-wise,’’ Bryant said. “A lot of people didn’t see us being in the position we’re in. We’ve tried to blow everybody’s mind.’’McPhail hopes the team got some good experience for the playoffs when Cape Fear added games late this year with strong opponents Marlboro Academy and Whiteville.

“When you get to the playoffs you’ve got to have luck on your side,’’ he said. “We’re hitting the ball better than we have in the last two or three years, and that’s going to be our key.’’

I thought Hollywood had promised all roles related to being criminal in Boston to Ben Affleck, in perpetuity. It just doesn’t seem right to watch all the wacky shenanigans taking place in “Free Fire” (90 minutes) without his Southie accent classing up the joint. The only real information I had about the plot was that it involved an incredible amount of bullets. And, since it was directed by Ben Wheatley (one weird dude) and written by Amy Jump (a super awesome lady), I knew the odds were on it being incredibly bizarre somehow.

The odds were right. Most of the film takes place in an abandoned umbrella factory, and everybody gets shot hilariously, writhes around the floor, swears a lot, does some illegal drugs and (with the lone exception of Brie Larson) has the most fabulously manly facial hair this side of a ZZ Top music video. In fact, up until this film, I always thought Armie Hammer looked like a big cartoon baby. Now, after seeing his Grizzly Man beard, I understand that he is very attractive. Never shave again, Armie Hammer!

The plot is fairly straightforward. Vernon (Sharlto Copley) is meeting two Irish Republican Army guys, Chris (Cillian Murphey) and Frank (Michael Smiley), to sell them many powerful guns. Apparently, this also involves various representatives and intermediaries such as Ord (Hammer), Justine (Larson), Harry (Jack Reynor), Martin (Babou Ceesay), Stevo (Sam Riley) and Bernie (Enzo Cilenti). I am not an expert in arms dealing, but that seems like a pretty long list of dramatis personae for a secret, illegal weapons deal with a terrorist group. I hope the cast gets cut down to a more manageable shortlist before I get confused about which guys are fighting which other guys, or which is supposed to be Justine’s love interest.

Vernon brings the wrong guns, but Chris and Frank maintain their calm and do the deal anyway. Chris does that jerk power play where he asks Vernon a question, then begins firing his new toy loudly and repeatedly to drown out Vernon’s response. This happens at least three times. Since Vernon is clearly odious, I find that less troublesome than I otherwise would. A briefcase of cash changes hands and everyone lives happily ever after.

Except. When the IRA guys load the guns into the nondescript van, Harry realizes that Stevo was the guy who messed with his cousin the night before, and things go south. It starts out pretty hilarious, with Harry demanding satisfaction for his cousin, and Frank trying to figure out how extensive a beating will fit the bill. It escalates pretty quickly until everyone has been shot at least twice. Hilariously, there are still so many people screaming and writhing on the floor at this point. I did lose track of what guys were allies and which guys were shooting at each other. Wheatley and Jump do not make it easy to figure out, either. At random intervals, it seems like Vernon and Ord are either still buddies or planning to put a bullet in each other. Ditto with Vernon and Justine, and several other pairs that keep kissing and making up, right before shooting each other again. It is a masterpiece.    

Overall, I got a serious Tarantino vibe from the whole thing. The wildly incongruous, yet perfectly on-the-nose soundtrack probably contributed, as did the snappy dialogue and the fact that most of the movie is one long shootout. I think it is fair to say I quite enjoyed it. In fact, if you have a day off and some cool friends, I encourage you to check out the rest of the Amy Jump/Ben Wheatley catalog. Except “A Field in England;” that one was too arty even
for me. 

Food, fantasy, fiction and politics are my favorite topics. If you read my column regularly, you know these preferences and will not be surprised that the books I recommend for reading in May deal with these themes.

First of all, “The Carolina Table: North Carolina Writers on Food” edited by Randall Kenan, collects some of the best writing by North Carolina authors about their favorite foods and eating experiences. Lee Smith, Daniel Wallace, Marianne Gingher, Jill McCorkle, Jaki Shelton Green, Wayne Caldwell, Marcie Cohen Ferris, Michael McFee and Zelda Lockhart are some of the contributors. My favorite is Kenan himself. He opens his essay with a memory of food Duplin County neighbors brought to his family’s house when his great uncle died.

“People showing up heavy-laden with food to the homes of the recently deceased. Hams, fried chicken, oven-baked barbecue chicken, pork chops smothered in gravy, dirty rice, Spanish rice, potato salad galore, slaw, sweet potato casseroles, candied yams, hushpuppies, cornbread, soup, chopped pork barbecue, collard greens, pound cake, chocolate cake, coconut cake, pineapple cake, red velvet cake, sweet potato pie and lemon meringue pie.”

Jaki Shelton Green writes about a meal she fixed for a man she was “kicking to the curb. It seemed best to leave a taste of me on his lips. Fillet of beef in puff pastry and Madeira cream sauce. Caramelized shallots, carrots, and mushrooms. Roasted lemon garlic artichokes. Grand Marnier cheesecake.”

My fiction theme is represented by “The Education of Dixie Dupree,” the debut novel of Benson’s Donna Everhart. The main character, 11-year-old Dixie, is an accomplished liar. Her mother’s abuse of Dixie, her father’s abuse of her mother, and her uncle’s sexual abuse of Dixie, explain why she tells lies. Dixie’s determined struggle to overcome these challenges anchors her coming of age story.

As the book opens, Dixie’s father has suddenly gone away and her mother is about to fall over the edge. Food and money are running out. Dixie and her teenage brother are in despair. Then, out of the blue, their mother’s brother, Uncle Ray, appears just in time to rescue them. But with his help comes trouble, worse than anything the family has known. What Uncle Ray brings is a dark and disturbing but completely compelling story of sexual abuse and the devastation it can bring to the lives of families and young people.

Hillsborough’s John Claude Bemis, a musician and former elementary school teacher, writes for young readers. He engages them with imaginative magical fantasy. His latest, “Out of Abaton: The Wooden Prince,” takes the classic puppet-turning-into-real-boy story of Pinocchio into a wild adventure. 

Master Geppetto is a brilliant inventor on the run, being hunted down as a traitor to the emperor. Pinocchio is more than a marionette. He is an “automa,” a wooden mechanical servant that obeys, without question, the commands of its owner. Like the classic Pinocchio, this automa may be turning into a human. This book is wonderfully complicated and so very stimulating, even for this adult reader.

Now for the politics. Some North Carolinians still talk about the 1972 election when Jesse Helms won the U.S. Senate seat he was to keep for 30 years and thereby transform North Carolina politics. 

Others remember how that election interrupted the upward trajectory of one of North Carolina’s most promising and most interesting political figures, Nick Galifianakis. Thanks to his neighbor and retired UNC-Chapel Hill history professor John Semonche, we have a full life story of this son of Greek immigrants who made his hard-to-spell last name a North Carolina classic. Semonche’s book, “Pick Nick: The Political Odyssey of Nick Galifianakis from Immigrant Son to Congressman,” introduces modern North Carolinians to one of our state’s most interesting political figures.

It is the aspiration of professionals and paraprofessionals in the field of Speech-Language Pathology to positively influence the most powerful tool offered to mankind, communication. In the words of the late Maya Angelou, “Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with deeper meaning.” 

Fayetteville Technical Community College embraced this concept and established its Speech-Language Pathology Assistant program in 1997. FTCC is proud to be one of two schools in North Carolina that continues to offer this type of program. 

A speech-language pathology assistant is a person who assists a licensed speech-language pathologist in a variety of areas, including conducting screenings, implementing therapy in the areas of receptive and expressive language, articulation, fluency, augmentative and alternative communication and oral motor skills. They also prepare materials for therapy, schedule patients for therapy and maintain files and equipment, to say the least. Students who complete the two-year competitive health program graduate with an Associate in Applied Science in Speech-Language Pathology Assisting.

When asked what sets this program apart from other health programs, a few students shared the following comments: 

“Our program is one that is designed to impact a person’s way of life — which is communication.”

“We as humans rely on communication as our driving tool for conveying detailed descriptions of our innermost thoughts and emotions.” 

“The SLPA Program works to help give those who are hampered by speech and language difficulties the chance to improve if not overcome those obstacles. It allows them the chance to gain self-confidence and stand tall when they have something to say.” 

“The SLPA Program is well put together, and the professors genuinely care about the future of their students.” 

“This program has made me feel very confident in my ability to emerge in the workforce upon graduation, and it has inspired me to further my educational journey, as well…” 

“The adviser goes above and beyond to make sure you’re educationally, professionally and clinically prepared for the program and what’s to come afterward.”

Speech-language pathology assistants are currently in high demand with career opportunities in school systems and private agencies. If you’re ready for the challenge and ready to embark on a great journey in the field of health care, we invite you to join us at FTCC. Registration is currently underway for summer classes and fall classes. FTCC not only offers a high-quality education at an affordable price, it offers opportunities to grow through leadership and community involvement with many clubs and organizations available for students. FTCC also recently completed its first year of opening up new athletics opportunities for students in the areas of basketball and golf. Your opportunities for personal growth through a great education and positive relationships are plentiful at FTCC. 

For more information on Fayetteville Technical Community College’s Speech-Language Pathology Assistant Program, call (910) 678-8492 or email gaineyc@faytechcc.edu.

The Crown Coliseum presents a Mother’s Day Soul Jam featuring the Stylistics on Saturday, May 13 at 7 p.m. Stylistics member Airrion Love and I had a conversation about the Soul Jam, their greatest hits and new projects.

What should the audience expect to see at this Mother’s Day Soul Jam performance? 

We don’t feature other people’s material and our portion of the show is going to be all of our hits that people have come to love over the years.     

What is your favorite Stylistics song?

You know it’s funny because each year it is a different one. My favorite is “Payback Is A Dog.” It was not as big of a hit like “Betcha By Golly Wow” and “You Make Me Feel Brand New,” but it is a popular song. 

What messages do you convey in your songs?

All of our songs are about being in and out of love. The message may change depending on the song we sing. “People Make The World Go Round” is a song that was about what was going on at that particular time. Everybody that knows our music would say it relates to love. 

When were you first inspired to do music?

Coming up I wanted to be a singer, and I was singing at the age of six. I was part of a few groups. When I got older, I was interested in computer programming, and that is what I was gearing things for. I was working at a bank in Philadelphia in the computer department and I took a leave of absence from my job to take a chance and make music with the group, and it turned out to be a great decision. 

Some bands and groups break up over a period of time. What is the key to keeping a musical group together and continuing to make beautiful music for decades?

If I knew that answer, I would bottle it and sell it. One of the things that has helped us maintain our position is that we were given great material. Those songs were so good. In the 70s we were a part of what was going on along with the other 70s group. But now we have maintained it and people have loved our group through the years. 

Are there any future projects for
the group?  

We have a couple of things in the fire, but it is too soon to comment on. We have a meeting next week in regards to doing some background for some people. We have a finished product that we are trying to work out a record deal for. 

Treat mom to a pre-show dinner buffet at the Crown Theatre from 5–7 p.m. Dinner includes tossed garden salad, smothered chicken in gravy, grilled Tilapia with yellow curry sauce, red beans and rice, seasonal mixed vegetables, biscuits and cornbread, seasonal fruit cobbler, freshly brewed coffee, iced tea, water and one glass of red or white wine. The dinner is $25. 

Ticket prices for the concert are $45, $60, $75 and $90.  For more information, visit www.capefeartix.com. 

Fayetteville After 5 is a longstanding tradition: a time to shake off the cares of the week and enjoy a night of music in the great outdoors. This month, start Mother’s Day weekend with a free concert in Festival Park. Bring your friends, your family, your mom and spend an evening relaxing and making memories together. Come dance on the promenade and relax. Make memories, enjoy the music and enjoy an evening with the ones you love.

The Tams kick off the Fayetteville After 5 season, which also features 120 Minutes June 9; On the Border: The Ultimate Eagles Tribute Band July 14; and country music artist Kasey Tyndall August 11.

The Tams have been entertaining crowds since the 1960s. Their 1968 hit “Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy” is a fan favorite. Other hits include “You Lied to Your Daddy,” “Hey Girl,” “I’ve Been Hurt” and “It’s Better to Have Loved a Little.” The group has been named Beach Band of the Decade at the Beach Music Awards and Outstanding Black Musical Group by the Atlanta Black History Awards. The Tams were inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 1992.

The season’s second concert is set for June 9. Local musicians open the show, but around 6:30 or 7 p.m., fans can look forward to music by 120 Minutes, a 90’s alternative/pop/rock tribute band. This Triangle-area band hits all the high points of the 90’s, playing music by some of the decade’s biggest acts, including Nirvana, Gin Blossoms, Third Eye Blind, Britney Spears, The Spice Girls, Veruca Salt, Pearl Jam, Weezer, TLC, Duncan Sheik, Backstreet Boys, Aqua, Faith Hill, Santana feat. Rob Thomas Spacehog, The Cranberries, Better Than Ezra and Smashing Pumpkins.

On June 14, a local favorite,  On The Border — The Ultimate Eagles Tribute Band, takes the stage bringing all the best of the Eagles to the Sandhills. Known for their authentic Eagles sound, come take it easy with “Hotel California,” “One of These Nights,” “Seven Bridges Road,” “Witchy Woman” and “Best of My Love.” These are just a few of the tunes attendees can look forward to.

 On August 11, Kasey Tindall brings a taste of country to Fayetteville. An Eastern Carolina native, Tindall’s  songs include “Everything is Texas” and”Who I Ain’t,” which both speak to her Southern roots.

The gates open at 5 p.m. and the music will start at either 6:30 or 7 p.m. Coming early is the best way to get a great seat and to relax a little in the park before the fun begins. Concerts last until 10:30 or 11 p.m. No outside food or beverage is allowed, but there will be food and beverages for sale. The event is presented in partnership with R.A. Jefferies. Audience members are encouraged to bring chairs or blankets to relax on the grass. 

In the musical “Caroline, or Change,” opening at Cape Fear Regional Theatre this weekend, the washing machine, dryer, radio, moon and bus are all played by people. 

“I think that immediately (establishes) that this is not realism,” said Director Bryan Conger. “This play is all about change. I think change begins in the imaginations of people. They imagine what is beyond them or what could be … and that’s how a movement starts.” He said the idea of imagination, memory and emotion being the catalyst for concrete change informed his approach to the whole show. 

Joy Ducree Gregory, who plays Caroline, agreed. Gregory said it’s Caroline’s memories and feelings projected onto inanimate objects that allow her as an actress to portray someone who might otherwise seem one-dimensionally sad. “I don’t think she’s emotionally available enough to tell (other people) about herself, but she is emotionally available enough to have conversations with these inanimate objects, which all sort of represent a piece of her,” added Conger.

There are, however, other human characters in this story, like Caroline’s 8-year-old boy, her daughter who is coming into adulthood and the middle-class Jewish family she works for as a maid. Tension between Caroline and the Jewish family rises after a small amount of money goes missing. This serves as the impetus for the play’s exploration of the political through the personal, set in 1963 Louisiana. 

Look forward to Jeanine Tesori’s visceral score played by a live orchestra that, according to CFRT’s mailer, blends blues, gospel and traditional Jewish melodies. In most musicals, spoken dialogue carries a good amount of the story with songs arriving at strategically emotional moments. Conger said this dynamic is reversed in “Caroline.” Gregory said she’s heard this score performed by other casts and she’s blown away by the talent in this production, saying Conger did a perfect job casting each role. “I don’t believe I’ve ever before been part of a show where every rehearsal I get chills just from listening to the music,” said Gregory. “This is the most challenging role, vocally, that I’ve ever (undertaken) … I’ve never had to dig so deep emotionally to sing a song.” 

Gregory said the issues “Caroline” explores continue to resonate because they are still relevant in today’s America. “In this story, you have issues with race, issues with culture, with the disparities between those that have and those that don’t have — how those with privilege view the world and view money, versus those that don’t,” she said. “When you take that storyline and you look at where we are in 2017 … I think yes, we’ve come a long way, but … it’s clear that this is a time where we have to look at where we are. And the same conversations that will happen as a result of this play, those are the same conversations we need to be having in America.”

CFRT invites the public to attend free pre-show conversations May 17 and 18, from 6:30-7:15 p.m. On May 17, Nick Glazier, executive director of the North Carolina Justice Center, will facilitate a conversation about poverty and economic disparity in America. On May 18, Reverend Cureton Johnson will facilitate a talk about the civil rights movement. Pre-show conversations are made possible due to CFRT’s receiving the prestigious NEA “Art Works” Grant for “Caroline, or Change.”

“Caroline” opens for preview nights May 11-12, with official opening night Saturday, May 13 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $15-$25 and can be purchased by visiting www.cfrt.org or calling (910) 323- 4233.

It may be a first for City of Fayetteville budget writers: Of nearly $200 million in next fiscal year’s operating budget plan, there’s only a $3,000 difference between this fiscal year’s budget and the proposed FY18 plan. The property tax rate will have to be adjusted to compensate for a loss of revenue brought about by a decline in property values. City Manager Doug Hewett told Fayetteville City Council members the tax rate must be increased to 52.66 cents per hundred dollars of property valuation from 49.95 cents to achieve revenue neutrality. That means the tax for those whose property values went down because of revaluation will not go up.

Hewett briefed Council members in small groups encouraging them to ask questions while preparing them for virtually no growth in spending in the coming fiscal year, except for a small pay raise for the city’s 1,500 employees. Hewett said police and fire pay plans would include scheduled increases. The manager is proposing small increases in environmental service and stormwater fees but no tax increase. 

Hewett describes his plan as a hold-the-line budget brought about by the countywide decline in residential property values. Some members were disappointed that the Fayetteville Area System of Transit’s proposal to launch limited Sunday bus service is being put on hold. 

The manager plans to realign some departments of the government. In response to questions from some Council members on tight operations, Hewett said making progress is a matter of capacity and resources. Environmental services (trash collection) plus street maintenance and stormwater management would become a division of the Engineering and Infrastructure Department. The Permitting and Inspections Department would be consolidated into the Planning and Code Enforcement Department. “The objective is to achieve improved efficiency,” said Hewett. 

And an aging workforce is taking its toll. Senior managers and experienced professionals are approaching retirement, Hewett noted. Deputy City Manager Kristoff Bauer said some older workers can’t always perform some of their duties as they once could. He hopes to encourage high school graduates to study the trades at Fayetteville Technical Community College. 

Bauer has been talking with FTCC officials about attracting young people into vocational fields such as plumbing and mechanical engineering. “These trades provide a good wage,” Bauer said. He added that permitting inspectors are needed in these areas to improve the city’s ability to meet the needs of the business community promptly.

Hewett said he hopes to find other ways of stabilizing the city’s workforce. Turnover in the police department has been significantly reduced thanks in part to an improved pay plan. But Hewett noted that recruiting and employee retention in other departments such as environmental services, transit and information technology continue to be a challenge. Hewett could not say what the current turnover rates are. City Council and the administration will spend the next few weeks refining the FY18 budget plan, which must be adopted by July 1. 

Fayetteville City Council is drawing ever closer to turning dirt on a Downtown minor league baseball stadium. “Aug. 19 is the tentative date for actual construction to begin,” said Baseball Stadium Committee Chairman Mitch Colvin. The committee gets another update on exhaustive design and budget work in June. Last week, the committee heard from architect Mike Sabatini of Populous, a global architecture firm hired by the city to design the $33 million stadium, which at this point is way over budget. 

Sabatini told the committee the ballpark will be a downsized version of Spirit Communications Park in Columbia, South Carolina, which opened in 2016. Like the Columbia park, the Fayetteville stadium will serve as a 365-day-per-year multi-use sports and entertainment venue. It will be the home of Fayetteville’s Advanced Single-A minor league affiliate ofthe Houston Astros. But it’s being designed also for concerts, soccer, football and a host of other activities. It will seat up to 5,000 spectators for sporting events and thousands more for open-air concerts. The stadium itself will feature a 360-degree concourse, an exclusive 100-seat elevated grand stand, club seating in right field, unique left-center field rocking chair seating and an open-air party deck. It will also feature a grassy berm for blanket viewing in center field. 

“We’re a bit behind and need to get back on schedule,” Deputy City Manager Kristoff Bauer told the committee. Barton Malow Company of Southfield, Michigan, is the general contractor. It’s a respected firm that provides construction services throughout North America. “We need to move to the next level of design,” said Barton Malow’s Roslyn Henderson. 

She said that will include reducing an early construction estimate of $39 million. “A close scrutiny of options pulled $5 million out, leaving $34.7 million,” she told the committee.
“We feel confident as a team that we’ll get to the $33 million budget.” 

When asked by Mayor Nat Robertson why the local stadium will cost more than the larger Columbia ballpark, Henderson said, “It’s only 20 percent smaller and we’re at the tail end of a down economy heading into a booming economy.”

It’s been a year now since the city began what then had been a three-year research project headed initially by former Deputy City Manager Rochelle Small-Toney. With Small-Toney’s departure last fall, Bauer has taken the reins. He called last week’s update a “feedback stage in the process.” 

Council learned the final design and budget data should take eight to 10 weeks. Because members of Council and city administrators will be on vacation in July, the stadium committee agreed to meet again on June 19 for another update. 

Committee member Kirk deViere suggested the group had gotten to the point that the full Council should be engaged from now on. Colvin and Robertson said the smaller working group has made rapid progress possible, and that other Council members are welcome to attend the meetings.

Plans for New Fayetteville Harris Teeter Store Suspended

Up & Coming Weekly has learned Harris Teeter will not be opening a third Cumberland County grocery store, at least not now. The planned 78,000-square-foot super-sized grocery was to have been built on an undeveloped tract on Ramsey Street between Shawcroft Road and Kings Creek Drive. 

“Harris Teeter quarterly reports were down and they decided not to go through with the project,” said City Councilwoman Kathy Jensen, who represents North Fayetteville. Just last week, the grocery chain opened a new store in suburban Baltimore, MD. 

Harris Teeter of Matthews, NC, has over 230 stores in seven states and the District of Columbia. It operates a store on Raeford Road and another in Hope Mills. “I am disappointed but not surprised that between city and state building codes the Harris Teeter project wouldn’t work,” said Mayor Nat Robertson. Company officials did not respond to Up & Coming Weekly’s inquiry.

Bridge or Culvert for Shawcroft Road?

In a week or so, the City of Fayetteville will decide whether to permanently repair Shawcroft Road in Kings Grant with a new culvert or a bridge. It will depend on the findings of a new study by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality. The roadway gave way during Hurricane Matthew six months ago and crushed a culvert that carried a stream beneath the roadway. A temporary fix has re-opened the road and the City hopes to make permanent repairs starting next month. 

“The problem is twofold,” said City Infrastructure Director Rob Stone. A dam that created the lake is considered high hazard by DEQ. And, owners of Kings Grant Golf Course claim a new culvert would create a “pinch point” in the stream that would restrict water flow to the lake, which is its source of course irrigation. Thus, they favor a bridge over the Shawcroft Road stream.

Fayetteville Ranks High for Business Startups

Fayetteville is among the top cities in North Carolina to start a business, reports WalletHub.com. Fayetteville was the only Tar Heel city to lead in a statistical category, sharing the top spot for longest average workweek. The big North Carolina winner is Charlotte, which ranks No. 3 in the nation. Durham and Raleigh were also among the best big cities for business. They ranked 14 and 16 respectively. WalletHub’s report was issued this month. Winston-Salem ranked 17, Fayetteville 36 and Greensboro 56. “WalletHub’s analysts compared startup opportunities that exist in the 150 most populated U.S. cities,” the authors explained. Ranking highest in the country is Oklahoma City followed by Salt Lake City. Cities were evaluated on a variety of economic statistics, government data and weighting by WalletHub’s own evaluation team. 

Sports Emphasized in Fayetteville

The city needs at least 50 acres for its planned multipurpose athletic complex approved by voters as part of last year’s successful recreation bond referendum. City Council has authorized the administration to negotiate a possible $4 million purchase price for 65 acres in the military business park off Sante Fe Drive and Bragg Boulevard. 

No money for land acquisition was included in the bond issue. Fifteen sports fields are planned for the complex with construction slated to begin in 2020. The business park is the preferred choice of the Council’s Parks Bond Committee. “The sports travel industry is a $9 billion business,” said Councilman Jim Arp. “This site is a crown jewel,” he added. City Council is not impressed with parcels off Fields Road in East Fayetteville or the Shaw Heights area near Fort Bragg. 

Fort Bragg Officer Killed in Iraq

An infantry platoon leader with Fort Bragg’s 82nd Airborne Division is one of the latest casualties in the global war on terrorism. First Lt. Weston Lee, 25, was killed by an improvised explosive device outside  Mosul, Iraq, military officials said. Lee, of Bluffton, Georgia, was assigned to 1st Battalion, 325th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team. 

He joined the Army two years ago and deployed to Iraq in December 2016, officials said. In a Facebook post, Col. Pat Work, commander of the 2nd Brigade, praised Lee as “exactly the type of leader that our paratroopers deserve.” He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart and Meritorious Service Medal, the Army said. Lee’s death marks the sixth combat fatality in Iraq since the United States launched military operations against ISIS in August 2014. There are more U.S. forces in Iraq now than at any time since the 2011 U.S. withdrawal, as Iraqi forces and the U.S.-led coalition work to push ISIS out of Mosul.

Drunk Driving Continues to Decline Locally

Once again, a local “Driving While Impaired” checkpoint resulted in arrests of far fewer drunk drivers than might have been expected. Of 49 citations issued at the checkpoint along Hoke Loop Road in western Fayetteville, only five motorists were cited for driving while intoxicated. 

The results of a DWI roadblock several months ago yielded similar results. A police news release stated that “the goal of the checkpoint is to … reduce the number of impaired drivers on the roadway.” 

The campaign entitled “Be Smarter Than That” promotes easy access to safe transportation options for people who plan to drink alcoholic beverages. It proposes using designated drivers, downloading ride apps like Uber and using public transportation options like taxis. A Fayetteville Police report of roadblock outcomes cited 19 drivers with revoked or no driver’s licenses, nine registration violations, five DWI arrests and two each of misdemeanor drug violations, seat belt violations and inspection violations. Police said nine other varied citations were given out.

The Sandhills Family Heritage Association started as a personal quest. The founder, Ammie Jenkins, was interested in her own family’s story. She researched how her family progressed from slavery to landownership. As part of her discovery process she interviewed many community elders, and they shared their stories and experiences with her. Through these interviews, Jenkins uncovered incredible themes of strength and resilience as well as critical community issues. 

This inspired her to create the SFHA to address social, economic, environmental and cultural issues that negatively impact rural communities. The programs promote ideas like self-sufficiency, land ownership, preserving cultural heritage and education — all while uniting the African-American community members in the Sandhills region. In that spirit, each year SFHA hosts the Sandhills Sankofa Festival. This year, the festival is set for May 20.

 Sankofa means “go back and get that which we have lost or forgotten.” The festival is sponsored by both the SFHA and the Spring Lake Recreation Department. Since its founding in 2002, the festival has provided a space annually for the celebration and appreciation of rural African-American culture and heritage.
This is a family-friendly event that features performing arts, educational exhibits, food and entertainment. 

 The live entertainment at the festival represents the diversity and immense creativity within African-American culture. The headline act is Johnny White and The Elite Band. The group has performed all over the United States and is widely recognized for their powerful vocals and soulful performances. 

Puncho, an artist who specializes in blues, will also perform during the festival. The group Shea-Ra Nichi will perform a powerful and educational rendition of African dance and drumming. Mitch Capel will also make an appearance as Gran’ Daddy Junebug, demonstrating the captivating art of storytelling. 

 In addition to live performances, there will be artists who work in many different forms of media that represent different aspects of African-American culture throughout history. There will be demonstrations of African dancing, drumming, storytelling, fabric art, culinary arts and visual arts. There will also be a variety of vendors, many of which are local small businesses and organizations. This festival is an opportunity to experience, appreciate and share African-American culture in the Sandhills. 

There are several other SFHA programs that are active year-round. They fall under five categories that create the acronym HOPE: history and heritage preservation; outreach and community education; protection of land and natural services; and economic development. 

Within each category there are several specific ways in which SFHA touches the community. Examples are oral history interviews, the Sandhills Farmers Market accepting EBT Food Stamps, information about sustainable farming practices and vending opportunities at the farmer’s market. These are just a few examples of how SFHA is working to directly touch the lives of African-American community members. These resources and connections improve the immediate quality of life and future for recipients. Furthermore, when individuals succeed, the entire community grows and benefits. 

Admission to the Sankofa Festival is free. It takes place May 20 from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. It will be held at the Edward Mendoza Municipal Park, which is located at 1770 Little River Rd., in Spring Lake. 

For more information, visit: http://sandhillsfamilyheritage.weebly.com/sankofa-festival.html. 

Okay folks, open your wallets. Local government is about to get a little more expensive this year.

County Manager Amy Canon last week gave her elected board dire news: The County is $27 million in the hole. And, finding money to shave that deficit doesn’t look promising. Here’s why.

First, the property revaluation didn’t produce the money County bureaucrats hoped for. In fact, property values took a nose dive since the last revaluation in 2009. I say most because I’m one of the few whose property actually went up a couple of grand.

Lower property values means less property tax for county coffers. The County will have to up the tax rate by about four and a half cents to break even. They call that revenue neutral. That means the current county tax rate of 74 cents per $100 valuation could jump to 78.4 cents per $100 valuation. It’s been at 74 cents for the past five years.

There’s also talk of another 3.9 cents on top of the 4.4-cent increase to get the County past the break-even point. The extra 3.9 cents would pay for a pay raise and health care insurance increases, repair county-owned buildings and keep jailed inmates healthy.

Let’s do the math. Your property tax on a $100,000 home will jump from $740 to $823, an $83 hike.
If you have anything above a starter home, the chances of having a $100,000 house now-a-days is slim. So, if you have a $200,000 house, your bill comes to $1,646. Then there are the cars, motorcycles, boats and the trailers to haul the toys. Each with its own tax-assessed price tag. 

The Fayetteville City Council at this writing hasn’t reviewed its budget proposal. But remember, with property values down and a lot on their fiscal plate, the City Council also needs money to get out of the hole.  

The County is in a bind. The North Carolina General Assembly created Cumberland County. And it’s that body of lawmakers who through the years compiled a list of what counties have to do to be counties. Among those duties is to pay for programs the state deems necessary. Counties struggling to pay for those programs call them unfunded mandates.

The list includes: sheriff’s departments and jails, medical examiners, courts, building code enforcement, public schools, social services, mental health, public health, board of elections, tax offices, child support and money for keeping FTCC buildings and facilities maintained.

Canon’s proposed options are to cut back on services the County is not required to provide. As usual, closing a popular service like the library is among them. So is not filling unfilled jobs and eliminating real people from the payroll. Also, in this country we treat animals as disposable items, so cutting services at the animal shelter makes sense.

And while Fayetteville — the sixth largest city in the state —  is the shopping mecca of southeast North Carolina, the resulting sales tax yield is meager compared to the other cities.

Finally, the City of Fayetteville wants to renegotiate its agreement with the County on how they share sales tax proceeds. Currently, the city returns a part of the sales tax the County lost when Fayetteville annexed 42,000 people into the city back in 2005.

According to Mayor Nat Robertson, the payback deal last year cost the city about $7 million.  The mayor wants to keep more of it. He wants a reset of the agreed-upon formula.

Folks, the money pie is getting smaller. Our city and county-elected leaders will be competing for more of what they believe is their fair share. They may even want to make the pie bigger by having you pay for it.

More than ever, we need city and county-elected officials get out of their silos. We need them to cooperate for the benefit of all citizens.