Publisher’s Note: After reading Ms. Valentine’s editorial submission recently published in the Fayetteville Observer (Sunday, May 7), we invited her to again opine on this very important and relevant issue. – Bill Bowman

Hurricane Matthew’s flooding exposed a sordid fact that we’ve denied for years. Hog lagoons are still intimately entwined with the Cape Fear River, and our once-pristine river (once cleanest in the state) is now on the endangered list. Ironically, the answer may be a case of “back to the future.”

We’ve been looking for a solution to hog lagoons for nearly 17 years. It is obvious that lawsuits, hog farm buyouts and further state regulations are not the solution. So, what is?

In North Carolina, hog production is big business — to the tune of $1 billion. That’s a lot of influence, and it should not be underestimated. It is rumored that nearly 80 percent of the General Assembly receives political contributions from the pork industry. To be fair, the industry is doing its share to resolve the issue, having invested in research. It is also working to resolve the environmental issues company-owned and contract producers’ open air lagoons create.

In 2000, then-Attorney General Easley made a deal with Smithfield Foods. The result was a $65 million grant from the company that would be used to develop new technologies to deal with hog waste. 

N. C. State received $15 million with the understanding that the university would develop technologies that were less expensive than the current lagoon system and that Smithfield’s company-owned farms would begin using the technologies once they were fully developed.

One such innovation was a belt system that would separate solids and handle waste more easily. It also reduced odors. Another included an earthen digester to produce biogas. The projects came close to the cost criteria but were still pricier than the lagoon systems, so the projects did not go forward. 

In the meantime, a 10-year moratorium on building new hog farms gave Smithfield the opportunity to sell off company-owned farms. Now the company didn’t have to honor its commitment or endure the added expenses of installing any new technologies.

That left $50 million in grant money. The funds were supposed to be administered by the Attorney General’s office over a 25-year period. The monies were meant to be used as grants for projects that leveraged environmental improvements. The grants were to be competitive and would be for $1-2 million annually. The Attorney General would award them at his discretion.

Projects awarded under this program in 2016 for grant year 2017 by then-Attorney General Cooper included: $150,000 to the Nature Conservancy to buy 300 acres along the Black River; $425,000 to the N.C. Land Trust to buy 3,000 acres on the Waccamaw River; $37,000 to N.C. State to develop a fact sheet for farmers to reduce pollution along Millstone Creek and the Cape Fear River; and $250,000 to Ducks Unlimited to replace water control structures, remove debris and install pumps on the Pasquotauk and Tar-Pamlico River Basins.

These projects are worthy environmentally, but they don’t help family-owned hog farms in their efforts to find cost-efficient lagoon alternatives. They also don’t reduce odors coming from the barns, spray fields and lagoons.

Let’s stop pointing fingers. Let’s work together and support funding for collaborative partnerships that zero in on the core issue — solving the lagoon problem. The good news is that there are several people and organizations working on this problem, including entrepreneurial farmers, small agricultural businesses, universities (including Fayetteville State University) and nonprofits like Cape Fear River Assembly and River Watchers. Smithfield is working on the issue, too.The bad news is that none of them are working together. They are operating independently of one another.

Several of the technologies N.C. State worked on for well over a decade came close to meeting the environmental criteria. They could potentially meet the cost standards, too. Unfortunately, many of these technologies have been shelved or are being worked on in isolation, negating their potential.

We are running out of time. As the hog industry, much of which is Chinese-owned, relocates to drier climates out west, North Carolina family farmers are left wondering what the future holds for an industry that relies on hog lagoons located in flood plains.

Meanwhile, nonfarmers continue to dread the heavy rains that fill our sewers with sludge and bring flies and odors that send residents indoors.

The Cape Fear River is the natural central feature of this area. It is a major source of recreation and part of a huge number of identifying  names of businesses and organizations. It is an essential source of water for a major part of North Carolina called the Cape Fear River basin (including Fayetteville), and it should be essential in the development of the economy of the area as it was in the past. The Cape Fear River has recently been put on the list of endangered rivers!

There are numerous Cape Fear River associations and organizations, including the Cape Fear River Assembly, on whose board I serve, that are focused on the river or parts (upper, middle lower) of it. Other examples of organizations include the Cape Fear River partnership, the N.C. Wildlife Association and the River Keepers Alliance, to name only a few.

The CFRA is the largest and most comprehensive association and at one time had about $6 million in research funds and a membership of over 200 communities along the Cape Fear in addition to being the protector of all of the Cape Fear River sub basins. 

Lack of leadership and political banter led to waning interest in the river and the water itself. The CFRA’s intent is to serve all three of the Cape Fear regions, and it is in the process of being reinvigorated. 

Changes in water quality should get everyone’s attention because we face global concerns about water quantity and quality. The Cape Fear is not immune. We saw a net “interbasin transfer” (aka, loss) of water from the Cape Fear basin to the Neuse basin several years ago to support the growth of Wake County, and there is another (hopefully failed) attempt underway to take more. 

Growth and development in the Cape Fear basin are resulting in more water being extracted for that use, with less than all of it returned after treatment. But because of increased total use, more nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potentially toxic materials are also added back to the river. Discharge is currently regulated by nutrient concentration, not total quantity, as it should be, but this is gradually being changed. Until those changes are implemented, downstream the concentration of nutrients in the water will increase, and water quality will decrease.

It is common to finger-point at specific “residents” of the river basin such as agriculture, or other industries, as culprits. But the fact is, everyone is part of the problem and therefore must be part of the solution. 

Agriculture is the most common target as a source of water pollution. The agricultural industries have added many regulations and practice changes to help reduce impacts. Reports following Hurricane Matthew are the most recent cases, citing a small number of animal waste lagoons that overflowed. However, numerous waste treatment facilities in municipalities discharged far more sewage.

The Cape Fear River basin has an impressive number of water quality monitoring stations, and the data from them are readily available. The question is: How do we maintain quality in a river that is not going to get “bigger” (but will probably get smaller) and with more demand for water to support growth and development? Greater treatment costs mean higher water bills, and unfortunately, not all of the contaminants that can end up in water are easily or even possibly removed. So solutions include elimination of contaminants at their source.

It is important that we all take the value and privilege of both quantity and quality of water seriously in every aspect of our lives. It should never drop off the radar. Without adequate and safe water, we cannot survive.

In some parts of the world, access to adequate safe water is a cause for war. Let’s not make that the case in North Carolina.

Just when you think things can’t get any more fun around the White House, The Donald invites Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to visit the Oval Office to chew the fat and the curtains.  

President Rod is famous for killing his own citizens in his war on drugs. Rod promised to pardon himself and his police officers for murdering anyone accused or suspected of using or selling drugs. Nice guy, Rod.  

Continuing his charm offensive with the world’s dictators, The Donald just called North Korea’s Kook for Life, Kim Jong-un, a smart cookie and allowed that he would be honored to meet Kim. Kim is famous for his creative ways of killing people, particularly relatives who might pose a threat to his reign. 

Kim has terminated his uncle and a passel of high ranking North Korean military officials with an anti-aircraft gun. Like Munchkins and the Wicked Witch of the East, Kim wants his enemies undeniably and reliably dead, not only merely dead, but really, most sincerely dead. Better put plastic on all the White House furniture when Kim comes for dinner.  Blood stains are really hard to get out of
antique furniture.

 The Donald has been delivering more than his usual number of odd statements recently. He is causing concern that the elevator in the White House no longer goes all the way to the top floor.  Some people are sayin’ instead of draining the DC swamp, The Donald is working on a financial  plan prepared by his Wall Street buddies to make the United States a wholly owned joint venture subsidiary of Goldman Sachs and Rosneft, the Russian state-owned oil company. Rumors that the new name of the United States will be Putonia
remain unfounded.

The bloom seems to be going off the rose with The Donald’s bromance with Vlad Putin. It’s sad to see a good love die. Putin may want his election support back. The Donald has turned his back on his American supporters, so it should not come as any great surprise he would turn his back on his Russian sugar daddy. 

In the latest edition of As the White House Turns,  The Donald seems to believe he is channeling former President Andrew Jackson.  According to Henry Kissinger,  Richard Nixon in his last days in the White House wandered the halls talking to the pictures of former Presidents. 

No word yet on whether The Donald is talking to the portrait of Andrew Jackson in the Oval Office.  One can only hope that Old Hickory will give The Donald some good advice when that conversation starts.

The Donald recently stated that our first psychic president, Andrew Jackson, was angry about the Civil War even though Andy was pushing up daisies 16 years before the war started. Quote The Donald: “He was really angry that — he saw what was happening with regard to the Civil War. He said, ‘There is no reason for this.’” The Donald went on to ask, “Why was there a Civil War? Why could that one not have been worked out?”

Excellent question, sir. The job of the President is to inspire the country to ask questions that should be asked even if the questions display a touch of early onset age-related confusion. In a failed attempt to find humor in this particular jugular vein, I am inspired to ask more questions that The Donald may pose along the road to the Apocalypse.

Perhaps a special Presidential Commission on Unasked Questions can be appointed to consider these issues:  Why isn’t down up?  Why isn’t Red Dye Number 2 a vegetable? Why aren’t worms space stations? 

Why aren’t tornados goldfish? Why isn’t diabetes a European country? Who put the bop in the bop she bop she bop? Why aren’t trees clocks? Why isn’t wet dry? Why aren’t rocks made of sponge cake? Why isn’t the truth lies? Why aren’t alternative facts an Olympic sport? Why isn’t left right? Why do fools fall in love?  What happened to my missing sock? Why are cats psychotic? Why did Hillary think she could get away with a private email server? Why would anyone put anchovies on a perfectly good pizza? 

Who would think running with the bulls in Pamplona is a good idea? Why are starfish in the ocean instead of the sky? Why aren’t dogs cats? Who let the dogs out? Why don’t we do it in the road? Why don’t we order up a bowl of chili? Who killed the Mocking Bird? What made Gatsby so great? Why did Atlas shrug? Would Welbutrin have helped Les Miserables? 

As our last question for the Presidential Commission: For whom is the bell tolling?  

Dear Margaret, the Younger,

For the last year or so, I have been working on a family project to preserve photographs and documents for our Precious Jewels, and I have found a number of photos of you, triggering memories both wonderful and sad. I have also realized how much I know today that my younger self would take decades to absorb.

So, in no particular order, here is some of what I wish I had known when I was your age.

Worry less about what others think about you and any other subject. What really counts is what you think about you and the world around you.  

Learn to trust yourself and your instincts. You will make mistakes, but you will also learn from them and not repeat them.

Many young women spend their youths looking for Prince Charming, who may or may not show up and who is almost certainly different people at different stages of your life.  No need to expect him to pop up around every corner.  You will likely find each other when the time is right.

In the meantime, enjoy your life.  Meet new people, not all of whom will like you — or you, them — but as my mother told me, you can learn something from everyone you meet who knows something you do not. 

Prepare yourself for the rest of your life through a solid education and experiences that challenge you, but understand that no matter how much you prepare, life probably will not turn out the way you expect.

Travel. Go as many places as you can because once career and family take over, travel pretty much flies out the window for decades. International travel changes your worldview, but travelling to other cities and states broadens your outlook and is fun. Heck, a day trip to the North Carolina Zoo is a terrific change of scenery.

Understand that as life unfolds, you will experience great joys and losses that bring you to your knees.  Everyone goes through this, though some have harder and longer travails than others. You will be wiser and stronger from all your experiences.

Dream big. You can be the first woman U.S. president, but chances are you will not, and
that is okay. 

Don’t worry overly about your appearance. Clean and healthy go a long way, more than makeup and the latest trendy outfit. Paraphrasing Jill Conner Browne, author of the “Sweet Potato Queen” books, pretty and handsome do not last. Stupid does. Fortunately, so does smart.

Let go of anger and resentment as soon as you can. We all have these emotions, some deeply held, but they hurt only us, not those who we believe have done us wrong.  Allowing these emotions to rule us means that someone else, not us, is in charge. Kiss negative emotions goodbye and get on with your life.

Likewise, don’t sweat the small stuff. Surly store clerks. Traffic jams. People who let you down. Telephone solicitations. The list is endless and not worth your time and attention.

Beware of people who say they are often bored. Chances are that is because they are boring themselves.

Cherish your family — parents and siblings and those beyond the immediate family circle.  These are the people who know you best and love you most and are most invested in your happiness and success. They can make you more joyful and angry than almost anyone else, but they will not always be here. Some will go much earlier than you think. Whatever your differences, your hurts, your sadnesses, you will ultimately be thankful if you nurture your
family relationships.

On that note, though, the only person who will walk every step of life with you is you. Learn to love yourself and enjoy your own company. Treat each moment and each day as if it were precious, because it is. None of us ever know when, where or how our end will come. Fret not, but treasure each day as if it were your last. 

So go forth bravely and with a smile to meet whatever comes your way.  It is the only way to go.

Much love and with fingers crossed,

Margaret, the Elder

No doubt many people think fresh, clean water comes from turning on a faucet or that electricity comes from flipping a wall switch. Ah, ignorance is bliss.

Well, last week I had the privilege of joining over 30 local business and community leaders for an up-close and personal view of the internal operations of Fayetteville’s Hometown Utility, PWC. It was impressive. Pride, efficiency, proficiency and dependability were characteristics that permeated throughout the entire organization of 600 plus employees. Everyone, without exception, left the PWC campus that day with a newfound appreciation for a well-lit room and a clean, refreshing and uncontaminated glass of water.

This edition of Up & Coming Weekly is dedicated to starting a conversation about clean water and the need to protect and preserve our natural resources — the Cape Fear River in particular — and the environmental issues connected and related to preserving and protecting it. 

Read and heed the articles that make up this week’s cover. They are written by three knowledgeable and passionate members of our community: Dr. Leonard Bull, Sharon Valentine and State Representative Billy Richardson. All share their concerns, insights and visions on what could very well be the next generation’s most critical challenge in North Carolina: the availability of clean and healthy water. Protecting and preserving our rivers, streams and other natural resources needs to be given the highest priority.

Our local utility, PWC, is doing its part with award-winning processes and talent and leadership that have been recognized locally, statewide and nationally. Providing clean water and making it affordable is a priority for PWC. Being good and conscientious stewards of ratepayers’ money is also a
high priority. 

Matter of fact, we enjoy local residential water rates lower than Orange, Hoke and Harnett counties. We even have lower rates than Raleigh and Cary, the two cities currently trying to take our water via interbasin transfers. This begs the question: Who manages their resources more effectively? The same thing holds true with electricity. Even with PWC purchasing electrical power from Duke Power, our local residential PWC rates are lower than those of South River and Lumbee River.

Here’s the take away this week: Natural resources are just that, “natural resources.” We can’t make more of them, and we can’t replace them, making it all the more crucial that we care for and manage them well. As such, they must be respected, appreciated and preserved. 

It cannot be all about money, politics and power. Ask the thousands of poisoned residents of Flint, Michigan, who went months without access to clean water. Or, commercial fishermen on our eastern shores. This issue is not going away. However, we will be the ones that determine its degree of severity. We should all drink to that!

Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

“The nation behaves well if it treats the natural resources as assets which it must turn over to the next generation increased and not impaired in value.” – Teddy Roosevelt

The Problem

North Carolina has the fourth largest estuarine system in the world. Consider the possibilities that such a system offers a nation, much less a state; it boggles the mind. North Carolina has a system perfect for economic growth made simple: it should host clean jobs and economic overlay districts that act as economic and recreational paradises. 

But something is amiss. The inshore fishing is off. Sportsmen who should be in North Carolina are flocking to Louisiana, Florida and Virginia — not North Carolina.

There are other downward trends exacerbating this problem. Wake County is witnessing unparalleled growth. Apparently, the pressure is so great in Wake County to find water that the main solution to their crisis is with interbasin transfers. They take our water, use it and place it back into the Neuse River, never even putting it back where they got it. With lax policies on water, we now claim two of the top seven most-polluted rivers in America.

North Carolina has become a state that is first in things we should be last in, and last in things we should be first in. Nowhere is this more evident than in the status of our estuarine system. Here are a few significant examples to consider:

• North Carolina has two rivers in its Coastal Plain region that rank in the top seven worst polluted rivers of our country: The Cape Fear and
the Neuse.

• From Maine to Texas, we are the only state that allows unrestricted gill netting and shrimp trawling in our rivers and sounds; this devastates weed beds and oyster beds. For every pound of shrimp caught, these practices kill five pounds of juvenile fish.

• Wake County adds 73 residents daily, which places enormous pressure on the state’s water capacity. Interbasin transfers are taking our water from The Cape Fear River and putting it into the Neuse River.

• We have lost 90 percent of our oysters in
Pamlico Sound.

• The Marine Fisheries Commission is so inept that when it does attempt to protect weed beds and oyster restorations, the commercial industry simply waits until dark, goes into the area, removes the buoys and then trawls into the area until there is nothing left but sand.

• We have 15 saltwater fish species that are so reduced, we cannot count them adequately.

• In three rivers — the Neuse, Tar and Cape Fear, we have less than 5 percent wild, native-DNA striped
bass left.

• We refused to support and promote a $2 billion industry at the expense of a $400 million industry that takes more resources than it adds.

•  In a 40-mile radius, we produce and place the second largest hog and third largest poultry wet animal waste deposits into shallow lagoons and the state’s shallow water table. This procedure
concentrates pathogens, waste bacteria and antibiotics — all of which promote algae blooms in our rivers.

The 2,000 Pound Elephant in the Room Is Fort Bragg’s Future

Here’s a sobering thought: The sixth largest employer in our state could very well leave North Carolina, not because of space or lack of friendly effort from our city, county and business community. Rather, it could leave because of ignorance on our part that we have assumed our water is unlimited. It is not.

Our General Assembly chooses not to use scientific data when measuring the health of our water, but the U.S. Army will. Campbell University’s School of Medicine, when working at the Cape Fear Valley Regional Medical Center as a residency program, will. Businesses coming in for clinical trials will. Simply put, we could easily bankrupt our future.

Imagine in 10-15 years a Fayetteville without Fort Bragg. Imagine Fayetteville without Goodyear or the Campbell University residency program. Imagine Lee, Harnett, Cumberland, Bladen, Columbus, Pender and New Hanover counties without sufficient water sources to fish in, much less drink from. It is, in fact, a possibility. The facts are the facts; equally so is the truth. The truth is that we can turn these problems around. Our problems are mostly man-made and therefore can be solved by man.

Solutions

We must cap interbasin transfers by negotiating if possible. If it persists, we should head downstream on the Neuse River, place large pumps just below where our water is released and pump it back in the Cape Fear River basin.

Secondly, we need to clean and replace the water we use and do so properly and promptly.
Thirdly, we must engage proactively and adopt long-range plans for our use of water for growth, quality of life, recreational purposes and the future. 

Finally, we can at last have full use of our river by adopting a complete overlay plan for common-sense development so our citizens can both enjoy and economically benefit from our beautiful river and estuary system. We have the overlay, but we get in our own way by allowing personal relationships to interfere with the overall good of our community development. Hence, we are still without our river overlay, causing development to sit idle, all for
a junkyard.

If we intend to pollute, then let’s do so honestly. But let’s honestly plan and use our water to its fullest. Eastern North Carolina has, over the last 25 years, endured water policies centered on the refusal to change and fix our state’s water.

The Marine Fisheries Commissions is the laughing stock of the nation’s enforcement arm for saltwater fisheries. Two simple concepts should govern policy. We are presently operating at over 60 percent use of our water. Unintelligent use and pollution only hasten full capacity. Because of this, we must revisit all water pollution.

Finally, we must align ourselves with friends of water. Ducks Unlimited, Sierra Club, commercial and sports fishermen, N.C. Riverkeepers, Waterkeepers Carolina and other cities and counties downstream must unite. Those groups have bipartisan support and represent large numbers of people connected to our estuarine system.

Our job is to insist Raleigh put the water it takes from our basin back into the Cape Fear basin after they have fully treated it. A fact staring our water in the face is that in five years, Raleigh-Charlotte will be larger in population than the rest of the state combined. Can you imagine the pressure that Raleigh’s growth will put on our water in such numbers? Simultaneously, we must cure pollution, develop long-range planning, encourage conservation easements and restore our depleted shellfish, fish and weed beds.

Conclusion

Dohn Broadwell, a former developer, outdoor enthusiast and friend, lived a life that exemplifies our solution. He spoke out, in his own way. He was an example of responsible growth. He used the water but cared for it. He enjoyed our estuary system to its fullest, hunting, fishing, canoeing and watching the sun rise over Pamlico Sound — just in awe of nature and just enjoying the outdoors. He left our estuary system better than he found it. 

He was active in Ducks Unlimited, left extensive conservation easements and advocated for the environment’s health. He invested not just in water; he invested in the future of our youngsters.

It is said that wise men plant trees under whose shade they will never sit. I think now wise men and women must preserve water — water they will never drink or play in. But one day, a fellow North Carolinian will. Because of our effort, that North Carolinian will be a much better person and live a much healthier, happier life.

Taylor Clark

Seventy-First • Softball • Freshman

While playing for the Falcon softball team, Clark has maintained a grade point average of 4.125.

Tabitha Herring

Gray’s Creek • Cross country • Senior

Herring, who ran cross country for the Bears last fall, maintained a grade point average of 4.7.

Beginning with this issue, we are expanding our weekly High School Highlights coverage. We are dropping the weekly high school schedules, which were subject to unpredictable changes beyond control of the schools. In their place, we are adding either a third story or a Prep Notebook weekly by sports editor Earl Vaughan Jr. We hope you enjoy the change. 

Bill Sochovka, the dean of high school football coaches in Cumberland County, has been chosen to receive the N.C. High School Athletic Association’s Homer Thompson Memorial Eight Who Make A Difference Award.

The award is presented annually to one person in each of the NCHSAA’s eight regions and will be presented to Sochovka at this year’s NCHSAA annual meeting at the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill on Thursday. Sochovka is the winner for Region 4.

The award is presented in memory of longtime Winston-Salem Parkland Athletic Director Homer Thompson, who was known for his years of service as well as being a class administrator who promoted good sportsmanship.

Sochovka believes the award reflects not only his work at Pine Forest, but the attitude of his assistant coaches and other head coaches at the school.

“We all try to do what’s best for kids, not just in athletics,’’ he said. “You can go to school if you have good grades and do the right thing, and you can use athletics to get you there.’’

Sochovka also praised his wife, Sheila, for her role in working with the football players at Pine Forest. “She has been the team mom,’’ he said.

•  I was glad to hear the recent announcement by the NCHSAA that Duke University will return to the rotation of schools hosting the state football championships this fall. Duke dropped out of hosting over a decade ago because the community in Durham didn’t support it well and fans and teams often complained about the ancient facilities at Wallace Wade Stadium.

But things have changed at Duke under football coach David Cutcliffe. The stadium underwent a major renovation and a new group, the Triangle Sports Commission, has stepped in and offered to help with sponsorship and making the championships work there.

This will relieve a major burden for the NCHSAA of dividing eight title games through only three sites. With a fourth site available, they can schedule two games at each venue. This will allow for later starting times at all four locations and also more time between games so schools and their fans won’t have to be rushed out to allow a new group to come in.

Here’s to hoping the new Duke experience will work and make the championships be what the NCHSAA has long advertised, a memory forever.

Dr. Christopher Dague, baseball coach and advanced placement history teacher at Jack Britt High School, remembers Nick Galban as a hard-working student-athlete with a big heart.

“I always felt like no matter what Nick was doing he was going to exceed expectations in terms of work, effort and attitude,’’ Dague said. 

But Dague had no idea one of Galban’s first altruistic efforts would be to offer a hand to his former teacher and baseball coach. Galban, who studied engineering at N.C. State and is about to begin an internship at a firm in Wilmington, has created a GoFundMe page to help Dague and others.

Called the Dana and Dague Fund, it’s designed to raise money for 23 people in Fayetteville and Cumberland County that Galban hopes to help with educational expenses. His goal is to raise $10,200 by the start of school this fall and then distribute it to the people on his list.

The fund is named for Galban’s mother and Dague. He chose to honor his mom because of her role as a single parent raising Galban and his siblings. 

Galban said he picked Dague because he was the kind of teacher who stayed on top of his students. “He was always making sure you were doing the right thing, even when no one was looking,’’ Galban said. “He stressed that was the time you needed to be doing it right. He never gave up on me.’’

Dague said Galban was among a handful of players at Britt who played for him when he was both junior varsity and varsity baseball coach at the school. “He was a great kid who worked hard,’’ Dague said.

Galban’s decision to give back to education came as no surprise to Dague. “He sees the value of education,’’ Dague said. “It’s a cool thing to see a student who is reflective on his own life at that young an age.’’

Dague said any donation is appreciated by teachers these days. “Teachers are always being creative in trying to find new ways to engage students,’’ he said. “That takes money.’’

In addition to the money, Galban said he’s working with the Middle Creek High School girls’ soccer team to add an additional donation to the package. The soccer team has taken on Galban’s cause and will be collecting various school supplies and packing them in gift bags to give to a group of 13 students he’s identified to benefit from his charity.

“It’s selfless of them to contribute because they won’t reap the benefits,’’ he said.

If you’d like to donate to Galban’s GoFundMe project, the web address is www.gofundme.com/the-dana-dague-fund.

There’s something old in Brian Randolph’s world these days, but everything else is definitely something new.

The old part is Randolph is back at Jack Britt High School as a teacher and coach, but not like he used to be. Instead of a football assistant, he’s head of the program for the Buccaneers.

He also finds himself in the unenviable role of trying to rebound from the school’s worst record ever and only the second losing record since Britt opened its doors in 2000, a mark of 3-8 that included failing to qualify for the state 4-AA playoffs.

Add to that the challenge of joining Cumberland County rival Seventy-First and moving into the newly-named Sandhills Athletic Conference with traditional powers Scotland, Richmond Senior and Pinecrest, and you can see Randolph has a full plate.

But he’s borrowing from the lessons learned from his high school coach, Douglas Byrd’s multiple hall of famer Bob Paroli. 

“One of the big things he preached was focusing on the details and being tough,’’ Randolph said. “The game is won in the trenches. If you make practice harder than the games, the games will be easy.’’ 

Outgoing Jack Britt coach Brian Rimpf had to declare in December whether Britt would choose to hold spring practice in late May with the full squad or be limited to 21 players per day and hold workouts in April. He chose the latter.

Randolph isn’t a big fan of the plan because football players taking part in spring sports can’t practice football, but he’s making it work. “We want to get morale back and implement our base offense and defense,’’ he said. “Once summer starts we can do finer detail things.’’

C.J. Davis, a wide receiver who’ll be a senior in the fall, said things have already changed under Randolph.

“We are more disciplined,’’ he said. “We’re trying to forget last year and move on. We’re expecting bigger and better things. We don’t plan on going 3-8 again.’’

Davis said the primary goal in the spring workouts is to learn the new offense. “If we learn the playbook, get the plays down, get them running smoothly, we’ll do just fine and practice will be easier,’’ he said.

He said the team is excited about the move into the new conference. “It’s going to be a real good test we’ve been put into,’’ he said. He expects the Buccaneers will be competitive if they can keep their composure and
remain disciplined.

Randolph is also looking forward and not letting the 3-8 record hang like an albatross from the neck of his new team. “A 3-8 season does not destroy a program,’’ Randolph said. “As my old coach used to say, ‘Let the chips fall where they may.’ ‘’

No matter how successful we become or how important the world says we are, there’s one thing we all could use a little more of: encouragement. Few things cost less or prove more deeply beneficial than a thoughtful arm around the shoulder and a kind word or two.

As a longtime husband, I can almost feel the strength surge into my body when my wife sends me out the door with words like, “I’ll be loving you!” or welcomes me home with, “I missed you so much today!” I feel important. I feel needed. And I’m encouraged to share that same thing with others. That’s how encouragement works. It’s highly contagious, and practically leaps from one person to the next. 

Life is so much more incredibly short than we give it credit for being. At 13, the time until high school graduation seems like an eternity away. But just a few years later, and you’re beginning to measure time in terms of “years remaining.” I don’t mean that in a morbid sense, it’s just that more and more I find myself desiring to become the person I needed when I was younger. As you read these few words today, I hope you’ll grab hold of the power you have to make someone else’s day. 

As a Christian believer and follower, I find plenty of hope and encouragement in reading the Bible and allowing the words on those pages to spring to life inside me. It’s a joy getting to know God better through reading about his personality and characteristics, and I highly recommend it. As I read the things Jesus taught his early followers, his ability to be perfectly honest and explain life to them amazes me! He took time to encourage countless people directly — many of them were social outsiders, and there were also a good many who were part of the “in” crowd socially, politically, or both.

The thing was, he offered encouragement. And his ministry grew. I can’t fathom a legacy larger than that of Jesus, and none more positive. And I can’t help but honor that legacy by extending a hand or a kind word to the people I come in contact with. 

Whether it’s a simple note or letter to a family member, a text to a friend or a calming word to an overworked waitress at a busy restaurant — you have the power to change the day. For good. And I hope you will.

Why would North Carolinian Elizabeth Kostova, who is a New York TimesNo.1 bestselling author, set her action-packed novel in Bulgaria?

I will give you an answer in a minute. But first, a little bit about her new book, The Shadow Land.

The book’s main character is a young North Carolina mountain woman, Alexandra Boyd. On her first day in the country she meets a small Bulgarian family group. They tell her they are on the way to a beautiful monastery and suggest she consider visiting it later. After they part ways, Alexandra finds she has a satchel that belongs to the Bulgarian group.

A young taxi driver called Bobby befriends her as she seeks to find the satchel’s owners. In the satchelis a wooden urn, containing
ashes and inscribed with the name Stoyan Lazarov.

She and Bobby report the incident to the local police. The police give them an address for Lazarov.

First, Alexandra and Bobby rush to the monastery and search for the Bulgarian group, but find no one. As they prepare to leave, they realize they have been locked in a room. Alexandra thinks “nothing in her previous experience had prepared her for the feeling of being suddenly locked in a monastic room with a stranger five thousand miles from the Blue Ridge Mountains, holding an urn containing the ashes of another stranger. In addition to being tired and afraid, she was suddenly a thief, a vagrant and a prisoner.”

Although they escape from the monastery, they cannot escape a growing awareness that they are being followed and possessing this urn has put them in danger.

Nevertheless, the next day they go to the address provided by the police. The house is empty of people, but photos and papers there confirm the urn’s owners had lived there. A neighbor gives them another address elsewhere in Bulgaria.

Before leaving town, Alexandra and Bobby adopt a stray dog, which becomes an important character with a major role in one of the concluding scenes. Kostova introduces other people, including an older, wealthy businessman-turned-politician named Kurilkov and known as “The Bear.” He is seeking to win the next election on the promise of “non-corruption.”

There are growing and inexplicable dangers: vandalized cars, threats, murder and kidnapping. Only if the urn contains some valuable secret can there be an explanation for the unsettling situation.

An explanation of the urn’s secret and its dangerous value becomes the spine on which Kostova builds the book’s surprising and violent resolution.  

On that same spine she attaches another story, that of Stoyan Lazarov, a talented violinist, lover of Vivaldi, loving husband and father, who ran afoul of Bulgaria’s post-World War II brutal communist dictatorship. He was confined for many years in a torturous labor camp where work conditions and weather almost killed him and destroyed his health and his prospects for a fulfilling musical career.

 At the work camp, he met two men, one a friend and fellow inmate and the other a guard who becomes a heated enemy. Both characters play a major part in the book’s dramatic conclusion.

Why, then, did Kostova set this book in Bulgaria? Explaining her fascination for that nation, she writes about her first visit when she first came to “this mysterious country, hidden for so long behind the Iron Curtain,” and she felt, “I had somehow come home.”

Kostova’s novel takes her readers on a tour of Bulgaria: its mountains, its cities and villages, its forests and seashores. Her poetic descriptions of Bulgaria’s landscapes and people made this reader want to see for myself the country she loves so much.

The Boss Baby (97 minutes) is marketed as a family film. Like most films aimed at children, there are dark messages lined up just below the surface, waiting to be decoded. 

I wasn’t dying to see it. But, since the only other alternative was the eighth film in the box office gold franchise about those guys who like to drive at unreasonably high rates of speed while also in a state of extreme anger, and I managed to avoid the previous seven films, it was a point of pride that I find something else to review.

The film starts off with the voice of Tim (Miles Bakshi) narrating over some vintage-inspired animation. He tells us that, according to his parents (voiced by Jimmy Kimmel and Lisa Kudrow), he has an overactive imagination. The animation helpfully blends together his perceptions of what is happening with what is actually happening … so if he is pretending to fight underwater monsters, he is actually holding his breath in the bath. This establishes that Tim is an unreliable narrator, and the story that follows is most likely a product of his rich fantasy life. Might I suggest that, with only minor rewrites, this could work as a child’s tale of terror? Because there are some really horrifying elements at play.

Before the arrival of Boss Baby (Alex Baldwin), Tim gets three stories, five hugs and a special song (“Blackbird”) before bed every night — in spite of the fact that both his parents work at high-level jobs at a pet company. You see, the clues that this is a fantasy are there right from the beginning. And, before I continue, why would parents sing “Blackbird” to their child every night? It’s one of the saddest songs in the entire catalog of songs by The Beatles. And I held that opinion before the YouTube video made everyone cry. You know what song I sing to my baby daughter at bedtime? “The Shankill Butchers.” Much less likely to make someone cry.

Anyway, one day the Boss Baby arrives in a taxi, wearing a suit and tie. He asks his parents about this and they respond that it is cute and he looks like a little executive. Soon after, Tim, attempting to get his parents’ attention, waits forlornly in bed for a single story or a hug — only to find his parents are both singing “his” special song to his new brother. I have two kids, and that is messed up.

Either Tim’s fantasy life includes writing dialogue for his parents (in which case, why does he have them prefer his baby brother to him?) OR his parents really think it’s a good idea to completely ignore Tim and let him think they love his baby brother more than him. At one point, they are arguing about who is taking the business trip to Las Vegas and who is staying home with the new baby, while Tim sits sadly at the table, realizing that parental love is tenuous and easily lost. 

It is heartrending — and, for the record, if my husband and I had to make a similar choice, we would be figuring out which friend was free to babysit. Because when you are stuck at home with two small, screaming, hyper little squirrels whose idea of fun is waiting until you blink, then figuring out the quickest way to get on top of the roof and play Superman, the walls start closing in just a tad. Kids, if you ever read this, Mommy loves you!

The themes only get darker from here. It turns out babies are at war with puppies, because there is only so much love to distribute in a family, and puppies are starting to get more. 

Boss Baby was sent to Earth to stop the worldwide launch of the cutest puppy ever — because otherwise, the puppies will win. When this mission is accomplished, he will get a promotion and disappear — and his parents will forget he ever existed. I could probably write a thesis deconstructing the 20 kinds of messed up contained within the past paragraph, but instead, I will suggest that when picking movies to enjoy as a family, maybe don’t pick one that emphasizes how kids get ignored when new babies arrive.

Now showing at Patriot 14 + IMAX.

The year was 1966. The Righteous Brothers, The Four Tops, The Monkees and The Mamas and The Papas were all in the Billboard Top 10. The No. 1 spot for five weeks, though, was held by a special forces soldier who had taken a punji stick to the knee in Vietnam. It was Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler’s “The Ballad of the Green Berets.” 

The song sold 9 million records. Sadler earned more than $500,000 in royalties in 1966 from the song. Later, Sadler would say the song was the worst thing that ever happened to him. 

Historian, journalist and author Marc Leepson captures Sadler’s triumphs and misadventures in his recently-published book Ballad of the Green Beret: The Life and Wars of Staff Sergeant Barry Sadler, from the Vietnam War and Pop Stardom to Murder and an Unsolved, Violent Death. On Sunday, May 7, City Center Gallery and Books will host a book signing and author presentation for Leepson.

When Leepson decided to write about Sadler, he had some general knowledge of the green beret. “I knew about the song, and I knew about Sadler and that he was involved in some mercenary stuff. I discovered a lot of what people don’t know,” said Leepson. “I interviewed 71 people, most all of them knew him and many of them trained or served with him. I found people he grew up with, a guy he was in the Air Force and Army with and in Vietnam. They told me a lot of stuff.”

There was stuff about the guy Sadler killed in Nashville in 1978 and how Sadler got away with it. “There are three chapters in the book about it,” said Leepson. “The detective from the case was very cooperative. Barry’s mug shot is in the book.”

After serving in the Army, Sadler’s dream was to become a recording artist, screenwriter and actor. While he did score some bit parts in a few western series on TV, his dreams of fame and fortune as a performer and musician never came to fruition. He was broke and in debt by 1973. Sadler did write 29 pulp fiction novels, though. All but seven of them were part of the Casca: The Eternal Mercenary series. While the books sold well, Sadler never recovered financially. That didn’t keep Sadler down; he moved to Guatemala where he claimed to train Contras. While there, he was shot in the head, kidnapped and more. Leepson covers it all.

“This is the first biography of Barry Sadler and he has a local connection. He lived in Fayetteville. He trained at Fort Bragg and was assigned there. The song is the unofficial theme song of the special forces,” said Leepson. “It is still played today. I don’t think anyone knows how it came to be. I tell that story in detail. It involved a public affairs lieutenant, a general and Barry. He went viral before anyone knew the word internet.” 

While this is Leepson’s ninth book, he is no stranger to Fayetteville. He spoke about his book Lafayette: Idealist General during a Lafayette Birthday Celebration weekend in recent years. Leepson has also written about Francis Scott Key, the Civil War, the history of the American flag and Monticello. On May 7, guests who attend the book signing will have a chance to ask Leepson questions and hear him speak. His presentation begins at 2:30 p.m. Books will be available for purchase. Find out more about City Center Gallery and books at www.citycentergallery.com. Find out more about Marc Leepson at www.marcleepson.com.

For years, the Cumberland Oratorio Singers have been bringing incredible music and cultural opportunities to our region. Originally, the group was an “ensemble,” but more recently the group has expanded and partnered with various other community organizations. COS now includes three choirs: The Cross Creek Chorale, Campbellton Youth Chorus and the Cumberland Oratorio Singers make up the core of the group. 

This growth is due in part to the work of Dr. Michael Martin, who will soon be leaving the COS. “I think we have done much to increase the positive reputation of the group and advance a support for choral music. This mission began with my arrival in 2007: to create a local symphonic choral organization that could partner with my choral program and create high-level music opportunities for the community and ourselves,” he said. “With the foundation provided by Alan Porter’s prior leadership, we have partnered with local colleges and professional music organizations. We have also delivered large orchestral and choral works with the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra.” 

The music produced by the Cumberland Oratorio Singers is phenomenal. It may surprise some audience members to know the members of the group all have day jobs. For Martin, this is one of the best aspects of the group, as it allows for community members to engage deeply with the arts. According to Martin, “It is the community approach to performance that makes these people special. Most members are not driven by anything but the success of the group. We come from all over the community: doctors, lawyers, from different churches, teachers, custodians, etc., all for the purpose to make music!”  

Martin acknowledges building a community in Fayetteville has some particular challenges. “People come and go, and in Fayetteville this challenge is even harder given the nature of our military community with frequent moving,” he said. “The one thing we can never forget is why people should do this to begin with: to come together as a community to sing!” 

Inarguably, Martin has made a huge impact not only on the Cumberland Oratorio Singers, but also on the local community as whole. Luckily his new focus won’t take him too far away. 

“While COS is very respectful of my space with my family, it has become too much to balance with my growing responsibilities at Methodist University. For now, I am focused on being there for my job and family, as well as expanding my role in choral music in North Carolina,” he explained. “I intend to be involved with the COS in the future, hopefully as a member of the board. After a year away, I would like to be involved with them and offer my support to the new director in whatever way he or she would like. I believe in this group and will advocate and support them in any way possible!” 

His years of experience have also inspired him to leave a little friendly advice for the incoming director. “If there is one thing that I have learned from my years of conducting community choirs it’s that most people sing simply because they want to do it. It is not a requirement for them, and that needs to be respected and supported. They are not paid, but we tend to expect them to be professional in every way. I have always considered our membership as ‘volunteer professionals’ with families and jobs. Therefore, people will learn and perform with what little time is available.” he said. 

There is still time to catch a performance of the Cumberland Oratorio Singers this season. The next concert is May 19. Find out more at www.singwithcos.org. 

The next Fayetteville Ladies Power Lunch is May 11 at the Ramada Inn Bordeaux. These lunches happen four times a year and are an opportunity for the women of Fayetteville to network and build rewarding relationships with other women in the community.  

In addition to refreshments, shopping and networking opportunities, there is also a keynote speaker. “Every lunch we invite an amazing woman with an inspiring story. They share their story in an effort to inspire and encourage the women at the lunch. We want to use these experiences to empower and educate the women in the community,” said Keri Kittinger, director of the Fayetteville Ladies Power Lunch. 

“This lunch we have Bo Thorpe, the founding artistic director of the Cape Fear Regional Theatre. She built that theater from nothing, just a building on the corner of Hay Street, to the amazing theater it is today. She’s going to talk about the things she faced in making this happen." 

The keynote speakers are always successful women in the community. Speakers have come from all sects of the community with a wide range of experiences. Diversity is one of the strongest characteristics of the Fayetteville Ladies Power Lunch. “It is amazing being in a room filled with women who are all there to support each other. We women don’t always support each other, and to be part of this is encouraging. Our community in Fayetteville is incredibly diverse, and this diversity is well-represented at our lunches. Seeing all these different women come together to support each other is a powerful thing to be part of,” said Kittinger.  

The event begins at 10 a.m. with a Shopportunity Expo and wine tasting that will last until noon, when the luncheon and keynote speech begin. At 2 p.m., the Shopportunity Expo and wine tasting resume for another hour.  The Shopportunity is a great time for networking and features local business owners showcasing all their businesses have to offer. This year there will be more vendors than ever.  “We have been growing this thing for a while. At first we only had 22 vendors and we totally sold out. Last year we decided to increase that number to 44 vendors and we still had to turn people away,” said Kittinger. “For this lunch, we have 60 vendors spots and we are hoping to fill them up. Our goal is 60 vendors and 200 attendees.” 

Another change this year is the location. “This year our location is the Ramada Inn at Bordeaux, which is a little more central. We are hoping to reach out to the women who maybe can’t come out for the whole day,” Kittinger explained. 

She added that the Fayetteville Ladies Power Lunches, which provide so much opportunity for local women, are only possible because of the contributions of community members and the hard work of the women on the advisory board. Bill Bowman is one such community member, who recently received the Athena Award from the Chamber of Commerce due to his work with these lunches and Women’s View Magazine. The sponsors of the Fayetteville Ladies Power Lunch are also vital to the success of these events. Without their support, tickets would approach $70. Their support makes the events affordable for the women of the community. Additionally, a portion of the luncheon profits will be given to the Kidsville News Literacy and Education Foundation.  

To register as a vendor or attendee, visit www.fayettevilleladiespowerlunch.com.

Cumberland County Manager Amy Cannon said County government faces a potential $27 million funding gap in Fiscal Year 2018. But is it really a deficit? 

$18 million of that is new money not now in the County budget. Some of it represents budget increases requested by departmental managers. 

A big chunk of the gap, $9.7 million, is in revenue losses resulting from the unprecedented reduction in ad valorem property values. The information provided county commissioners “was a snapshot of strategies under consideration … the budget division and management are still developing options for balancing the budget,” Cannon said. The current tax rate is 74 cents per $100 of property valuation. To achieve revenue neutrality, Cannon told county commissioners they would have to raise the property tax rate to 78.4 cents. Any increase would hurt homeowners whose property increased in value, but would offset losses in reduced home values while not increasing the actual tax burden. “We have to balance this budget and it is going to be challenging. This is not a short-term fix,” Cannon said.

There will have to be some cuts in County operations, and as many as 66 employees could lose their jobs. Attrition would likely reduce the payroll some. Cannon has instructed budget staff and department heads to focus on reducing non-mandated services. A pay raise for employees is likely out of the question and Cannon proposes to scratch the county’s 401K contribution for employees. Mandated services are those functions of all county governments in North Carolina established by the state constitution like schools, mental health services, social welfare, public health, court facilities and jail, along with funding for the sheriff’s office and other county agencies. 

Many other activities the County supports are considered quality of life expenses; the niceties that separate some communities from others, like animal control, public libraries, domestic violence protection and support of non-profit community groups like the Child Advocacy Center and Contact of Fayetteville.  Contact is a 24-hour crisis intervention telephone hotline which has been in existence for nearly fifty years. It receives a little less than $7,000 annually from the County, but that represents 14-percent of its modest budget. These so-called outside agencies would see reductions in their budgets. Some would lose all funding from the County. “The majority of services the County provides are human services. (They) are essential and mandated, and have to be provided,” said County Commission Chairman Glenn Adams. He didn’t speak to quality of life issues. 

Cannon made her presentation to commissionersfor information only. She’ll make her formal budget proposal later this month. It could include closing one of the County’s public libraries and reducing hours of operation at three others. “I am sorry that libraries are not considered a mandated service, and wish that we all had a different understanding of the value of libraries in the community,” said Library Director Jody Risacher. Talk of closing a library concerns her. “I can’t tell you which branch, and don’t wish to speculate. My sense is that everything is on the table,” she added. Cannon insists her outline is just a suggestion, but it isn’t the first time the administration has proposed closing the Domestic Violence Care Center and Shelter. Twice before, as far back as 1999, the shelter for abused women came close to being eliminated. Up & Coming Weekly asked Social Services Director Brenda Jackson if she would fight to keep the agency open. “In order to realize any County savings, DSS must explore non-mandated services due to the lack of state, federal and grant funding sufficient to provide this program,” she responded.   

Cannon also suggested closing two public health clinics and consolidating a pair of group homes. She said she has already cut increased departmental requests by $3 million and has instructed department heads to submit three levels of additional incremental reductions. They are to include operational and staff cuts. Cannon will present her recommended budget at 7 p.m. on May 25. 

Retired Marine Sgt. Maj. Ray Mackey is walking again. “First time in probably over a year I was able to stand for any given amount of time,” Mackey said. It’s exactly what he was doing the first time CBS News met him seven years ago. He was learning to walk after losing both legs to a land mine in Afghanistan. CBS News correspondent David Martin reported “then as now, (Mackey) was being fitted for prosthetics at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.” 

The sockets that fit his legs to the prostheses are what sent Mackey back to Walter Reed after the VA in Fayetteville kept him waiting. Martin said if that wait is too long, his body changes and the sockets no longer fit. 

Mackey said he received six or seven sockets that did not fit because of the delays. Up & Coming Weeklywas unable to reach Mackey. “It is unacceptable that he felt he had to go outside VA to get the services he needed,” said Fayetteville VA spokesman Jeffery Melvin. “We can and will do better.”

Confined to a wheelchair, Mackey said at Walter Reed he got new sockets in less than a week. “This is probably the most work I’ve done on my legs in a while,” Mackey said during physical therapy. He has gained a lot of weight and his hips have lost their flexibility. Walking will always be hard for him. 

But “It was the inability of the VA to keep him in properly fitting prosthetics that was keeping a good man down,” Martin reported. “I am just another number that got pulled out of a number machine,” Mackey said. He’s now back home in North Carolina. He recently got a call from the local VA saying they want to come up with a plan for making the system better and meeting his needs. 

Fayetteville VA Medical Center Director Elizabeth Goolsby was out of town when Up & Coming Weeklyasked for a response to Mackey’s complaints. 

VA spokesman Melvin was apologetic. “We regret that Sgt. Maj. Mackey felt he had to go to Walter Reed to get the services he needed.  Our Chief of Prosthetics reached out to him, apologized and asked him to return to Fayetteville VA and let us serve him again, and this time we vow to get it right.” Melvin continued. 

“Several factors contributed to Sgt. Maj. Mackey’s previous difficulty getting his prostheses properly fitted.  Because of a staff vacancy, we could not fit him in house when he first began seeing us, so we referred him to a private vendor.  We have the staff to fit him here now. However, this does not absolve us of our responsibility for not knowing he was experiencing difficulty.”

Seven years ago, a local public safety task force issued a report that the group had spent two years working on. It was described as a comprehensive review of fire departments, EMS and
emergency communications. 

The report outlined recommendations for service improvements. The task force went so far as to recommend creation of a special sales tax to adequately fund increased public demands for service. Details as to how proceeds from a sales tax would be shared have not been worked out. But such a tax is still the top priority of the revitalized public safety task force.

Members didn’t meet again until this month. Only a couple of the recommendations from 2010 have been enacted. One of them is close to completion: the creation of a joint City/County 911 emergency
call center. A separate task force working on that project has until the end of this month to agree on a governing board and how to share responsibility. 

Assistant County Manager Tracey Jackson is attempting to reduce a budding turf battle so as to qualify the City and County for state grants. As for the other task force, funding remains the agency’s top priority. And a dedicated sales tax is now called an “immediate need.” The 2010 report was made to county commissioners and the elected boards of municipal governments in Cumberland County. It concluded that “without fundamental funding changes, required system changes cannot be accomplished.” 

Freddie Johnson, president of the Cumberland County Fire Chiefs Association, told members of the task force that declines in residential property values disclosed this year have cost
12 of the County’s rural fire departments more than $265,000 in lost revenue. Pearces Mill, Stoney Point and Vander fire departments took the biggest hits with individual losses of more than $44,000. Only three volunteer departments benefited from increases in property values. Cotton Fire Department in suburban Hope Mills gained nearly $112,000 in new tax revenue. Rural fire departments are primarily funded by a 10-cent fire district tax. A few low-wealth fire districts receive small supplements from the County. Municipal fire departments in Fayetteville, Hope Mills and Spring Lake are supported by regular property taxes. 

Rural fire departments hope to implement a system whereby the closest available unit would respond to a 911 call regardless of jurisdiction. The Fayetteville Fire Department has had that capability for some time. 911 dispatchers can identify the location of fire engines and squads on a real-time map and send the closest unit to the emergency. Chiefs of the various departments in attendance at the meeting also agreed it is desirable to establish clear public expectations of emergency responses for all County fire departments. As a practical matter, though, small departments which are totally dependent on volunteers cannot be expected to respond to emergency medical rescues at the same level of expectation as wealthier departments who maintain round-the-clock paid staffs.

The task force chiefs agreed to meet monthly in order to keep public safety priorities and needs alive.                                             

April Killings Unrelated

Three local men died violent deaths at the hands of others in April. Police said the homicides were unrelated but did not appear to be random. 

Mark Lewis, 54, of Concord Drive in College Lakes, was shot at his home Sunday afternoon, April 2. Officers found Lewis with a gunshot wound to the chest, said Police Sgt. Shawn Strepay. Police took the alleged shooter into custody at the scene. David Adam Wildhagen, 30, of the 5000 block of Cooper Road, is charged with first-degree murder and was jailed without bond. A pair of homicides occurred within two days of each other late in the month. The death of Jeffrey Brewington, of Goins Drive off Owen Drive, remains unsolved. Police found Brewington beaten inside his home late Friday night, April 22. He had been robbed and police apparently have no suspects. On Monday, April 24, officers responded to a shooting on Alamance Road off Raeford Road. A family member had discovered Dennis Burden, 21, dead. The alleged shooter is Shyheim White, 19, of Dublin.  He was charged with involuntary manslaughter growing out of what police called “negligent and reckless use of the firearm.”  

Serial Rapist #2

Up & Coming Weekly recently reported on a serial rapist who’s wanted for committing 11 rapes after breaking into apartments of local women. 

A second highly-publicized case continues to have the attention of the Fayetteville Police Cold Case Sexual Assault Unit. Sexual assaults committed by the “Ramsey Street Rapist” took place over two years between March 2006 and January 2008. The series of rapes occurred in the North Fayetteville area and remain unsolved.  These attacks were committed by a subject who was dubbed the “Ramsey Street Rapist.” 

DNA belonging to the unknown subject was recovered at three of the crime scenes and has been uploaded to the National Combined DNA Index System. The Ramsey Street Rapist was described as a white male, then about 40, about 6 feet tall and weighing about 200 pounds. Time-progressed composites illustrate what he would probably look like today, with and without facial hair. Detectives have remained relentless in their search for the “Ramsey Street Rapist” for the last 10 years.  

Local Youth Council is a Winner Several Times Over

The Fayetteville–Cumberland County Youth Council is proof that our youngsters are among the best and brightest in North Carolina. Two were elected to the Executive Board of the State Youth Council during a conference last month. Rebecca Mitchell was elected chairperson and Konstance Woods was chosen as the state council’s secretary. The FCCYC was honored as the state’s most diverse youth council. 

Joshua Jensen was awarded North Carolina State Youth Council’s Most Outstanding Member and Jordan Clayborn was a keynote speaker. FCCYC has representation from high schools across Cumberland County. Its members range from sophomores to seniors. The Youth Council helped with Hurricane Matthew relief and hosted an event to help teenagers prepare for their future and develop leadership skills at conferences across the state and nation. The Fayetteville-Cumberland Youth Council’s mission is “to serve as a voice for youth in a youth-led organization.” 

Institutional accreditation reflects a voluntary decision made by the institution to conduct a self-evaluation of its academic operations from every vantage point to meet the standards of an accrediting agency. Because of the amount of rigor involved, many institutions either choose not to seek to meet these standards or they develop their own standards and the result may be labeled as “degree mills.” Graduates from those schools earn the paper, but not the product required by reputable employers.

Since accreditation is not required, graduates of institutions which have not met prescribed standards have a red flag that follows them as they seek their places in society. Some schools even follow agencies that are not accredited, hence the degree is still not what it proposes to be for lack of a core of standards. Without accreditation, the school has taken money without giving the student a standard-based education.

Accreditation approval demonstrates compliance with standards developed by an official agency. In the United States, there are six regional accreditation bodies (Regional Accreditation) and a host of nontraditional schools (such as beautician and barber schools, Bible colleges) with a specific focus (National Accreditation). Both accrediting bodies require the applying institutions to comply with standards approved by the U.S. Department of Education and therefore qualify for federal (Title IV) funds.

For institutions to receive these federal funds, the government recognizes the choice has been made to spend time, effort and finances to prove that the institutions have met the guidelines of an approved agency. Usually, they have affiliated themselves with a qualifying accrediting agency and become a candidate for accreditation and then have applied for and received the status of accreditation. They have completed these steps because they want to professionally prepare graduates of their institution to perform at a high level in their chosen field. 

Many hours will be spent by all facets of the institution studying its operations from every aspect, including budget and its appropriate use, faculty, resources, curriculum, library, mission and mission-appropriate goals as well as administration and long-range and strategic planning. Assessment tools that determine the success of the institution are also vital.

Initial accreditation is only the first step. A team of professionals reflecting the areas of competencies sought will receive written documents from the institution certifying compliance with basic standards of the accrediting agency, assessment results and long- and short-range planning of the institution. 

This is followed by a visit by these professionals to examine the actual operations of the institution. Reaccreditation follows at prescribed intervals to assure continued compliance with the standards of the accrediting agency.

Carolina College of Biblical Studies has chosen to meet the national standards of the Association for Biblical Higher Education for both its on-campus and online degree programs. CCBS completed a team visit for reaccreditation April 4-7. CCBS received six commendations, one for the online program, from the visiting team and some recommendations that it will address to complete the reaccreditation process.

The graduates of CCBS have been very successful and often continue to graduate schools such as Liberty University and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. They are also serving as pastors and planters of churches. Almost 90 percent of our graduates made CCBS their first choice to enroll in college. It is not unusual for our students to recruit others to attend the college.

The administration, faculty and staff of CCBS recognize, as do our students, that accreditation is the gold standard. The Association for Biblical Higher Education has set the standards as the accrediting agency, and CCBS has met those standards as we seek to disciple Christ-followers through biblical higher education, for a lifetime of effective servant leadership.

Should North Carolina “Raise the Age?” North Carolina is the last and only state to prosecute 16- and 17 year-old teenagers as adults. Only 3 percent of violent offenses are committed by our youth. This means the overwhelming majority of our teenagers receive adult consequences for minor offenses. A teenage mistake could prevent a child from entering the military, receiving college financial aid or obtaining employment. But, this could all change with House Bill 280, the Juvenile Justice Reinvestment Act, proposed bipartisan legislation which would raise the juvenile offender age to 17 except for violent felonies. 

Under the proposed legislation, teenagers who commit murder or rape would still be prosecuted as an adult. Why the push to increase the age limit?  According to an article titled “States Raising Age for Adult Prosecutions Back to 18” published by ABA Journalin February of this year, “adult penalties lead to more teen recidivism (repeatedly committing crimes), new science shows teenage brains really do mature later,” and it is a response to high incarceration rates.” Also, over the past 10 years, the U.S. Supreme Court has declared it unconstitutional to execute for crimes committed as juveniles, outlawed the automatic life without parole for nonhomicide crimes, extended the ban on automatic life without parole for teenagers who have committed homicide and retroactively extended the ban on life sentences. The difference is our juvenile justice system focuses on rehabilitation — helping the child make a change — versus the adult system which focuses
on punishment. 

According to North Carolina Policy Watch, House Bill 280 has the support of the North Carolina Sheriff’s Association, the Police Benevolent Association, the Association of Chiefs of Police and the North Carolina Chief Justice’s Courts Commission. Over the next few months, we must watch to see if North Carolina joins the rest of the nation and raises the age.

Over the past several decades American foreign policy toward China has been primarily economic in nature. In 1979, we granted Most Favored Nation trading status with China, and in 2001, China became a member of the World Trade Organization. For years, the theory has been that China will reform government dominance and communist tendencies with increased access to global markets. Our leaders have believed open market access would permeate the Chinese culture with greater personal freedoms and liberties.

Unfortunately, the outcome of continuous and unrestricted market access has not yielded the intended results. China remains a significant human rights abuser, censoring everything from news and journalism to religious freedom, women’s rights and political dissidence.

Furthermore, China has used the economic benefits of global market access to blatantly undermine international adversaries through cyberespionage, corporate IP theft, market manipulation, illegal naval expansion and the significant development of domestic military capabilities.

When I hosted Dr. Henry Kissinger for a speech in Charlotte in 1991, he contrasted Russia and China, with Russia being an outward expansionist regime and China being still relatively unengaged in the world. Today, however, through the favor of economic expansion granted in large part by the United States, China has aggressive visions to expand its global footprint across multiple continents. Through economic expansion, China has emerged from its reclusive traditions to become a major economic and military power.

China has built its economy from a $300 billion GDP in 1985 to over $11 trillion today. This is largely a result of the theory that open markets would transform culture.

As a member of the Congressional Executive Commission on China, I have heard scores of testimony from victims who detail the continued egregious violations of human rights, religious liberties and freedoms of conscience by the Chinese government — proving our original economic theories wrong.

Hope for a culture change in China has been diminished by the dominance of the Communist Party and their underlying vision to stay in power and suppress their citizens. With this in mind, the United States must shift its foreign policy toward China and use our various economic resources to compel the Chinese government and force change. We must impose a severe price on China to change their mindset.

Today, China pursues its economic and expansionist interests seemingly unchecked. For example, Chinese investment in the United States has skyrocketed, growing from approximately $4.6 billion in 2010 to $45.6 billion in 2016. Many of these investments come from state-sponsored firms and strategically target our critical and financial infrastructure, as well as American start-up companies who produce emerging foundational technologies with broad military applications.

One way we can counter strategic Chinese economic warfare is to strengthen our export control laws and rules associated with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States. Through denying market access to Chinese state-sponsored firms, we can more effectively leverage government action, particularly related to human rights and North Korea. The key to compelling change in North Korea is through imposing serious economic penalties on the Chinese government for providing material and political support of the oppressive North Korean regime. 

We must approach every action and every economic transaction with China as directly related to Chinese support for North Korea, Chinese abuse of human rights, Chinese cyberespionage and Chinese military development.

Over the past several years, through multiple Congressional letters co-signed by dozens of my colleagues, I have fought for heightened government scrutiny over various Chinese state-sponsored transactions, both domestic and abroad.

Our efforts led to an unprecedented economic penalty imposed on the ZTE Corporation for selling embargoed technologies to Iran in 2012. 

We have raised public concerns related to Chinese state-sponsored attempts to purchase American financial institutions, including the Chicago Stock Exchange and MoneyGram. Additionally, we have analyzed global Chinese efforts to invest in semiconductor technologies and have targeted certain transactions that will disrupt our Defense Department’s supply chain for critical military applications.

As our government moves forward with China, we must consider policies that impose a strategic disadvantage to the Chinese economy. 

Our policies must include efforts to sanction Chinese officials who engage in cyberespionage or human rights abuses and Chinese entities that provide critical or financial services to North Korea.

Further, we must consider punitive action against Chinese trade-based money laundering, as well as money laundering that emerges from Macau.

As China continues to modernize its military and emphasize capabilities intended to disrupt and challenge the United States, our government must respond by using our strong markets, economy and trade policies to compel immediate action by the Chinese government.

America has a choice. We can have prescriptive economic and trade policies with China — including tariffs, sanctions, improved export control laws and strong CFIUS review authorities — or we can continue to allow them to advance their human rights abuses, execute massive corporate theft and cyberespionage operations and deliver material support for North Korea.

This column first appeared on Fox News Opinion.