Cops across America are hurt every day. A dozen officers were gunned down in a two-week period this month in Texas, Louisiana, Michigan and Kansas. The Democratic National Convention held in Philadelphia this week put a lot of pressure on the city’s police department as the Republican National Convention did last week in Cleveland. John McNesby, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge in Philadelphia, says he thinks attacks on police officers similar to the ones in Dallas and Baton Rouge will continue until there is a political solution to the problem. 

“Unless somebody starts to do something and starts backing the police, this is going to continue,” he said. Fayetteville Police Chief Harold Medlock agrees. “It’s terrifying,” he said, of the cop killings this month.

Like law enforcement agencies everywhere, Fayetteville police are conducting their daily lives differently since Dallas. 

“We’re doing all we can to make sure they’re safe,” said Medlock. “These officers are leaving their families every day and going to work.” 

The chief has been personally attending daily assemblies as officers prepare to hit the streets allowing them to express their concerns. 

“It’s an opportunity for me to listen to them and reassure them that the vast majority of people support law enforcement,” he added. He saidthat two more experienced officers resigned this week to go into other lines of work. There is an element of fear because, while others run from gunfire, law enforcement officers rush into the fight, Medlock said. “They fight through the fear because that’s what we do.”  

The silver lining through all the violence is that there has been an outpouring of support from ordinary citizens, and that’s gratifying Medlock said. He notes the day has come that urban police forces in the U.S. are now armed with long guns as well as side arms. Many of Fayetteville’s patrol officers are equipped with semi-automatic, high-capacity rifles. Others are assigned 12-guage shotguns. They are required to take familiarization training courses on a regular basis. The weapons are carried in gun racks in their cruisers, not in the trunks of the cars as they once were. All members of the department are required to wear body armor, including plainclothes detectives, whenever they are conducting investigations out of the office. Two patrol cars respond now to each and every call no matter how routine, which is a word Medlock doesn’t like to use. That way, he says, he keeps the same number of cars on the street but can provide immediate backup, “and there has been no decrease in response time. We’ll do that until we can go back to responses that ordinarily require only one officer,” Medlock said. 

Chief Medlock points to a statistic that he believes shows that the FPD has turned the corner on the de-escalation of police use of force, which has a calming influence on the community. “In the last 18 months,” he said, “there have been 92 instances in which people were armed with guns or were threatening us with guns, and not once did officers resort to the use of deadly force.” He attributes the change to training and the professionalism of the city’s more than 400 cops. Prior to Medlock taking office as chief of police in early 2013, there had been a dozen officer-involved shootings, most of which were fatal, in a three-year period dating back to 2010, according to departmental records.

What are opioids, also known as opiates, and why are they commonly prescribed? When an over-the-counter pain medication such as aspirin, acetaminophen or ibuprofen isn’t strong enough, doctors often prescribe an opioid. They are controlled, highly addictive narcotic drugs that reduce the intensity of pain, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Depending on the nature of the pain, a physician might recommend one of these drugs: Hydrocodone (Vicodin), Oxycodone (Percocet), Morphine (Kadian, Avinza)or Codeine. These drugs are regulated and can be expensive. Another popular, but illegal, opioid in common use is heroin.

Morphine is often used before and after surgical procedures to relieve severe pain. It is often used to comfort patients being treated for end-stage, terminal cancer. Hydrocodone products are most commonly prescribed for a variety of painful conditions, including dental, arthritic and injury-related pain. Codeine is commonly prescribed for mild pain. In addition to their pain-relieving properties, some of these drugs — codeine and diphenoxylate (Lomotil) for example — can be used to relieve coughs and severe diarrhea, according to the NIDA. 

Heroin comes in different forms. It can be a white or brown powder or a black, sticky goo. It’s made from the seedpod of the Asian poppy plant. It can be mixed with water and injected with a needle. Heroin can also be smoked or snorted. All of these ways of taking heroin send it to the brain very quickly. Regular use of heroin can lead to tolerance, which results in users needing more and more drug to have the same effect. At higher doses over time, the body becomes dependent on heroin. Heroin is used by millions of addicts around the world who are unable to overcome their dependency knowing that if they stop, they will face the horror of withdrawal. Health problems from heroin use include miscarriages, heart infections and death from overdose. People who inject the drug also risk getting infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS and hepatitis. 

Efforts to increase opioid use and a campaign touting the alleged under treatment of pain continue to be significant factors in the escalation. Many arguments in favor of opioids are based solely on traditions, expert opinion, practical experience and uncontrolled anecdotal observations, according to the Pain Management Center of Paducah, Kentucky (PMCP). This evolved into the introduction of new pain management standards by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. In 2000, there was an increased awareness of the right to pain relief, the introduction of consumer organizations supporting the use of opioids in large doses plus aggressive marketing by the pharmaceutical industry. PMCP contends these positions are based on unsound science and blatant misinformation, and accompanied by the dangerous assumptions that opioids are highly effective and safe because they are prescribed by physicians. 

The 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that an estimated 22.6 million, or 8.9 percent of Americans, aged 12 or older, were current illicit drug users. The escalating use of therapeutic opioids shows hydrocodone topping all prescriptions with 136.7 million prescriptions in 2011. Opioid analgesics are now responsible for more deaths than those resulting from both suicide and motor vehicle crashes. Sixty percent of deaths occur in patients who have been given prescriptions based on guidelines set by medical boards. Forty percent of deaths occur in individuals abusing the drugs obtained through multiple prescriptions and doctor shopping. The PMCP authors of “Opioid Epidemic in the United States” conclude that the obstacles that must be surmounted are inappropriate prescribing patterns which are largely based on a lack of knowledge, and inaccurate belief of under treatment of pain.

Fayetteville City Council has decided to move forward with construction of a minor league baseball stadium. But, members have not decided on its cost, probably because there’s more to it than a ballfield. The City hopes to develop a multi-purpose sports facility to also accommodate football and soccer. Stadium Committee Chairman Mitch Colvin told Up & Coming Weekly that Council has discussed costs, but did not arrive at a figure during its closed meeting on July 19. “There is unanimous support of Council to move forward on the memorandum of understanding and develop financial models with community partners,” Colvin said in a prepared statement. He said the city will meet its commitment to have a memorandum of understanding prepared for the Houston Astros owner no later than Aug. 19. The MOU is a non-binding letter of intent. It covers an estimated dozen or so elements that Council has declined to make public. The stadium is planned for construction on City-owned property behind the former Prince Charles Hotel downtown.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Awareness Encourages Interest      

Longtime journalist Jason Brady is intent on changing voter apathy. He and two friends who get together for breakfast on Saturday mornings have formed a fledgling nonpartisan citizens group called the Cumberland County Awareness Network. Brady, Ed Williams and James Baker, were “amazed at people being clueless about what’s going on in the community,” he said. Their online newsletter says “They have no titles or positions…they’re just three people willing to work on informing friends and neighbors about important things going on in our community.” 

The group is holding a forum July 30 on this year’s upcoming Cumberland County Commission election. It will be in the Pate Room
of the main library downtown. “The hope is interest will encourage awareness,” said Brady, 63, who was a Fayetteville Observerreporter from 1982 to 1989. He served as the City of Fayetteville Public Information Officer from 1990 to 2006, and has been involved in civic activism ever since.

 

 

 

 

 

Cops on Bikes                            

When Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams was preparing his city for the 2016 Republican National Convention, he drew on the experience of Fayetteville Police Chief Harold Medlock when he was a deputy chief in Charlotte. Medlock had the responsibility of providing security for the 2012 Democratic Convention in the Queen City. “We deployed several hundred cops on bikes based on the advice of Denver police in 2008,” said Medlock. Bicycle officers are not only more maneuverable, but they are seen as friendlier and less intimidating. He tells Up & Coming Weekly that Charlotte had a $50 million federal security grant to work with. Literally, hundreds of officers on loan from departments across the country were equipped with bicycles, “and they took them home with them after the convention,” Medlock added. “I recall six or eight cops from Fayetteville were among those on bike patrol.”  

He routinely uses bike patrols in Fayetteville. “The bikes also offer a less tangible benefit: making officers more approachable,” he said.

 

 

 

 

N.C. Airman dies while on deployment   

A North Carolina Airman has been identified by the Defense Department as dying while supporting Operation Inherent Resolve. It’s the military operation against the Islamic State in the Central Command theater of operations. 

1st Lt. Anais A. Tobar, 25, died July 18 of non-combat related injuries in Southwest Asia, the Defense Department said in a news release. The cause of death was not made public, nor did the DoD specify the nature of the accident or where it occurred. Tobar, a native of Miami, Florida, was assigned to the 4th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro. The squadron is responsible for equipment maintenance of the largest F-15E Strike Eagle fighter wing in the Air Force. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Special Operations Aviation Commander      

Brig. Gen. John R. Evans Jr. is the new commander of the Army Special Operations Aviation Command at Fort Bragg. He replaces Brig. Gen.
Erik Peterson. 

Evans is a distinguished special operations aviator with ties to North Carolina. He graduated from Appalachian State University in 1988 and spent his early Army career at Fort Bragg, where he served as an aviation liaison officer in the 82nd Airborne Division. 

He most recently was deputy commanding general for support of the 2nd Infantry Division in South Korea. USASOAC is a subordinate unit of U.S. Army Special Operations Command, providing command and control for all of the Army’s special operations aviation units. Peterson was promoted to major general and now serves in the U.S. Army Office of Deputy Chief of Staff in Washington D.C.

If confession is good for the soul, I have one to share with you to keep my soul on the up and up.

I am a Facebook voyeur. 

That is a term I recently learned, referencing people who enjoy reading others’ posts but who rarely, if ever, post anything themselves. All I ever do on Facebook is wish a friend “Happy Birthday,” and I do that sporadically. I am not interested in sponsored posts or pictures of other people’s lunches, but I do enjoy seeing what my friends are up to and what is being said on issues of the day.

Earlier this month, I came across a post by a blogger, Samantha Metheny, who came to our Fayetteville/Cumberland County community with what sounds like trepidation. She worried that there would not be enough to do — that she and her family would have to drive to find culture and entertainment as we say in the South, “up the road.”

Now resident Samantha has changed her tune.

On Facebook, she addresses others who are coming to our community and offers a list of community highlights and notes, “There are tons of things that could be added, but this is a great starting point.” She features community institutions, among them the Cape Fear Regional Theater, the Cape Fear River Trail, the downtown Farmers Market, the Field of Honor, the Cape Fear Botanical Garden and Fascinate-U Children’s Museum. She is also complimentary of community festivals — Dogwood, Blues and Brews, International Folk, When Pigs Fly, as well as various commercial enterprises offering produce picking, ice cream licking, wine tasting and outdoor adventures.

A quick Google turns up other offerings from the Convention and Visitors Bureau, Trip Advisor and several organizations and individuals. 

Margaret to Samantha. Thank you.

I celebrate all of this and have enjoyed quite a bit of it myself, including zip lining. Shocking, even to me, although the berries and wine are right up my alley. I also love the fact that our community offers every ethnic and national cuisine most of us can think of, even if some of those restaurants lack ambiance beyond bare countertops and florescent lighting.

That being said, there is room for improvement. 

I am not alone in wanting civic and political leadership that is more diverse and more willing to take reasonable risks for long-term gain. 

One way to encourage this goal may be for younger citizens to step forward and run for public office. By young, I mean the 30 – and 40-somethings whose ideas and energy levels are certainly different than those of us who have been around for a bit longer than that. I see reluctance of younger folks to engage in leadership and/or governing in many aspects of our community life — in nonprofit organizations, in faith institutions and certainly in elective office. 

Many younger folks have told me that their careers are demanding and time consuming, that their children are involved in sports teams requiring parental time and travel and that, frankly, their families come first.

I understand all of that. Our family of five had two working parents and three active children, and there is no question that both work and family life can be challenging. Together they can be overwhelming, and our first responsibilities are always to those whom we love. 

There is also an “ick” factor attached to elective politics, more so in presidential election years and especially in this ugly and divisive cycle. Many people have an instinctive negative reaction to the thought of jumping into the political process, memorably expressed to me by one of my friends who, when I told her I planned to file for public office, exclaimed, “Eew! Why do you want to be with ‘those people?’”

The reality is that there will never be a perfect time or avenue for anyone to step into a leadership role, whether in an organization or in political office. Life is messy and complicated, and it is always easier to let someone else shoulder the responsibility. It is always easier to tell ourselves we will do that “when the children are older” or “when life slows down.”

The danger — and I see this far more often than is comfortable in our community — is that when capable, creative and courageous people do not offer themselves for public service in some way, we all suffer. Decisions that affect all of us are going to be made one way or another, and our community is going to be better off if decisions about schools, spending and public policies of all sorts are made by people from all walks of life, of all ages and with varied skills and life experiences.

The hard truth is that in community life — like all other aspects of life — we get out of it what we put into it.

Golf has long been a popular recreational sport here in Fayetteville and Cumberland County. At one time, Fayetteville was actually a popular destination for northern golfers fleeing harsh winters and seeking to get a head start on their home course competitors. 

Today, local golf course owners and managers want to revive that popularity and enthusiasm for golf in Fayetteville — not just to boost business and economic development — but to make sure the local history and tradition of golf in Cumberland County is not lost. After all, Scottish-born Donald Ross, one of the most renowned golf course architects of all time, left his mark here in the mid 1940s when he designed not one, but two local golf courses in Cumberland County: the popular private Highland County Club and the lesser- known public Stryker Golf Course at Fort Bragg. With the exception of golf resorts like Pinehurst, I  doubt if any communities our size  nationally can boast of having two Donald Ross courses.

One of the ways the local golfing tradition is maintained is by the preservation of the Cumberland County Golf Classic Championship. Created in 1968, this 48-year tradition is preserved and maintained by golf course managers who love the sport and the Fayetteville community. Bringing Stryker Golf Course and military golfers into the tournament is a great start to preserving its heritage. This is what this week’s cover story is about. The tournament, the game, the players, the history and tradition. Tee it up and enjoy! 

Thank you for reading, Up & Coming Weekly.

Back for its 48th year, the Cumberland County Golf Classic/Championship is hosted by Cypress Lakes Golf Course, home of the late L.B Floyd and PGA Hall of Fame inductee Raymond Floyd and sibling LPGA golfing notable, Marlene Floyd. This is the annual tournament young, aggressive, upcoming golfers, casual golfers and competitive “seasoned” veteran golfers have looked forward to every year for nearly five decades. It’s the end of summer finale that will determine who claims the 2016 title of Cumberland County’s best golfer. 

The competition is stiff, and even though there are many other tournaments locally and across the state, it is the Cumberland County Golf Classic/Championship that matters most to local golfers. It is the tournament people talk about around the water cooler at the office, before and after church and when they see each other at the grocery store. It’s the tournament they remember because it has become a golfing tradition. This event is about much more than golf; it’s about spirited competition. It’s about community, excellence, camaraderie and witnessing local golf history in the making. PGA Tour professional and local Fayettevillian Chip Beck won the Cumberland County Championship title in both 1974 and 1976 before he turned 20 years old. The tradition continues on this year with a new and exciting twist.

For the last several years, the responsibility of hosting this grand tournament has fallen solely on the shoulders of the host golf course. And, even though the local courses have accepted the responsibility on a rotating basis each year, the course managers and PGA pros saw participation and attendance steadily dwindling. They decided to work together to ensure that the tournament, not only remains a highly anticipated event, but also to reestablish the integrity and prestige of the tournament assuring that this golfing tradition continues and remains a part of Cumberland County culture.

Gates Four Country Club Manager Kevin Lavertu, along with PGA golf pros Robert Wilson of Cypress Lakes and Mike Monk of Kings Grant decided to come together to form a golf tournament coalition for the purpose of jointly organizing and planning the 48th Annual Cumberland County Golf Classic/Championship. It was a game changer with the biggest change being that they have involved all five of the county’s golf courses in the planning and execution of this year’s event. This year, they take full responsibility for it with each course committing itself to being all about teamwork, cooperation and coordination, assuring a first-class, high-quality and well-run tournament where they can treat local area golfers to great golf and a good time. 

According to Monk of Kings Grant, which hosted the 2015 event, this effort and subtle changes are going to make a world of difference. He is passionate about the game of golf and sees this tournament as an investment in the community as a whole. “In the past years, we have seen participation dwindle down as much as 60 percent. Obviously, these are dangerously low numbers to maintain a quality event. We see this as a way to promote play in Cumberland County and to accentuate golf in Cumberland County. We have a lot of good courses and a lot of great players who come out of Cumberland County. Gary Robinson, the Carolina Senior Golfer of the Year and Brian Dreier, 2012 Cumberland County Champion, are both members here at Kings Grant. A lot of golfers want to see this tournament survive and move forward and be the best tournament it can be. We want to put Cumberland County on the map. This year, contestants will experience great golf, a good value and a much-improved difference. We are confident they will appreciate and enjoy the changes we have implemented.” 

Monk’s philosophy is also one of inclusion. That is why he reached out to fellow Methodist University graduate and PGA Pro Jeff Johnson at Fort Bragg’s Stryker Golf Course and invited them to participate. Johnson was elated since the Cumberland County Golf Classic was a big part of his youth. He played it as a young adult and knows firsthand what a great experience it is. When he became manager of Fort Bragg’s Stryker golf course, he set about to make it the kind of course that would add a new dimension to the tournament. 

“I feel like we have finally arrived. Our conditions are on par with the other courses participating in the classic, and I am happy to be a part of that community and to be on that level.” Johnson sees this as a win-win for both local and military golfers. “I think we have a lot of really good players that don’t always play in Cumberland County and hopefully this will encourage them to try some of the other courses and meet other local golfers. Something a lot people don’t realize is that Stryker is open to the community, so we hope to see more golfers come out play on our course. Our superintendent, Craig Manning, was instrumental in turning this course around and we want to share that with local players,” added Johnson.

Lavertu was on board from the very beginning in preserving the Championship. Gates Four will host the 2017 Championship. He will also host the inaugural Pairings Party and Opening Ceremonies that are set for Sept. 15, the evening before the tournament. “The Pairings Party is a great way to get everyone excited about the tournament,” he said. “People come and we will have prizes, food, putting competitions and fun things like that to get everyone relaxed and excited about the tournament. This year the courses are working together to attract more golfers and grow the event.” 

The Pairings Party will mark the official opening of the tournament with special guests including past tournament winners and local city, county and state dignitaries.

This year Cypress Lakes has the honor of hosting the first Cumberland County Championship in its new format under the direction of PGA Golf Professional and Course Manager Robert Wilson. Played over a three-day period from Sept. 16-18, it will remain a 54-hole stroke play event. The U.S. Golf Association rules of golf and etiquette are in effect. As in previous years, there are four divisions: A Championship Division, Open Division, Senior Division and Super Senior Division. The tournament remains one of the best values for Cumberland County golfers because, in addition to the guaranteed three rounds of golf, each participant receives a free practice round at the host golf course, food and refreshments all three days of the tournament provided by Healy Wholesale and Pepsi, the Pairings Party and a gift package. All for an entry fee of $150. Contestants who register before Sept. first receive a certificate for a free foursome (excluding cart fee) at each of the five participating golf courses. Wilson couldn’t be happier. He expects these changes not only to reinvigorate the loyal local competitors but to draw in a healthy crowd of new golfing participants as well. The staff at Cypress Lakes is excited and on point. Wilson promises the course is in great shape with the grounds well-groomed and ready for first-class golfing excitement come tournament day. 

“Our superintendent, Ed Drake, is in charge of keeping the course ready for play and he is really on top of the day-to-day maintenance and responsibilities that go into having the course ready for competitive play,” said Wilson. “I just don’t see anything but positives coming from the way we are doing things this year. We should be able take better care of the golfers, feed them better during the tournament and build up the golfing community here in Cumberland County. We even hope to be able to make a financial donation to a local Cumberland County charity at the end.” 

Champions in the making

Not only are the golf courses looking forward to a great golfing experience this fall, but the players are, too. Fayetteville native and businessman Gary Robinson holds the record for the most Cumberland County Golf Championship titles with a total of eight victories. His first title was in 1982. 

“Of all the amateur tournaments I play, this one holds a special place for me,” said Robinson. “People will stop you and talk with you about it. The community is very supportive. I’ve been lucky enough to win it eight times so far. I hope to make it to 10 wins before I am done, but I’m 57 years old, so I am not sure it will happen.”

Cumberland County District Attorney Billy West, 42, is the tournament’s second-biggest winner with six championship titles. West grew up admiring Robinson’s skills on the course. 

“He has always been the Jack Nicklaus of the tournament to me,” said West. “He set the standard. I looked up to him, and as I began to play in the tournament, we developed a real friendship and camaraderie.”

West shares Robinson’s dedication, enthusiasm and loyalty to the Cumberland County Golf Championship. 

“The Cumberland County Golf Championship is my favorite tournament. It is the most important and always has been for me because of the community support,” said West. “I used to play a lot of state and national tournaments, and it was an honor when I would win, but when you win or compete in the Cumberland County Championship, you get stopped around town or at work or church and that is what made it special. It always had a unique place among golf tournaments here in town. There aren’t a lot of places that have special tournaments like this one that mean that much. Some of my very good friends came out of this competition; in fact, they are some of my best friends. I am friends with their families and have been for a long time. I’ve been playing in this tournament for 25 years. That is a lot of time to get to know people.”

While the friendly Robinson/West rivalry is a given any time these two men are on a course together, it looks like this year things may be a little different. According to Robinson, he is committed to another tournament out of state and it is on the same weekend as the Cumberland County Championship. This news came as unfortunate and very disappointing to many in the golfing community. However, West knows that Robinson’s absence doesn’t make it a shoo-in for him to win. 

“Gary and I are very good friends and we are competitors, but I regret that he may not be there. I do think if he were there he probably would be the odds-on favorite to win. It does open the door to the rest of the field. It will definitely be different without him.” 

Not one to get comfortable with his odds, West has been keeping his eye on some new emerging talent that very well may give him a run for his money. 

“Thomas Owen is a member at Highland Country Club where I play a lot. He is a great young man and a very good player,” West said. “He won the last two Cumberland County match plays and placed in the top five of the Cumberland County Classic last year, and I think Cypress Lakes suits his game. We’ve played a lot together and he has been hard for me to beat. It is not unusual for him to hit the ball 30-40 yards past where I hit — and he has the rest of the game to go with it. He would be my favorite without Gary being there, but we all know how golf can go… and then there are the usual suspects.” 

Here are a few things that are new in 2016: 

• Fort Bragg’s Stryker Golf Course has been added to the rotation of participating Golf Clubs.

• Contestants can now register at any of the five participating golf courses: Cypress Lakes, Gates Four, Kings Grant, Baywood and Fort Bragg’s Stryker Golf Course.

• Only Cumberland County residents are eligible. No longer will the tournament allow players who work inside the county but live outside the county to participate. 

• Early Registration Bonus: Contestants who register before Sept. 1 will each receive a certificate for one free round of golf for a foursome (excluding golf cart fee) at each of the five participating golf courses. 

• Each participating golf course will receive one free exemption to play in the tournament. 

• Businesses or organizations wishing to sponsor the tournament will also receive 1-4 exemptions depending on the sponsorship level. Sponsored and course exemptions must reside in Cumberland County.

• Refreshments are provided courtesy of Healy Wholesale and Pepsi. 

• Food for contestants is provided all three days.

• A pre-tournament Parings Party and Opening Ceremony plus plenty of prizes and surprises.

To find out more about the tournament or to register, contact any of the participating golf courses, or call 391-3859. You may also register using the application form on page 11.

 Summer. It’s cool drinks on a hot night. It’s hanging out with family and friends. It’s a toe-tapping tune under the stars. And dancing. And laughing. And making memories. Summer. It’s Fayetteville After 5’sspecialty. Fayetteville After 5falls on July 22 this month and coincides with 4th Friday. So after visiting the galleries, museums and other exhibits and activities, head to Festival Park and ease into the weekend at Fayetteville After 5.

This month’s headliner is On the Border, an audience favorite according to Dogwood Festival Executive Director Carrie King. 

“This makes the fifth time we’ve had them at our summer concert series. Each year their performance always draws our largest crowd. So we continue to bring them back since our patrons approve! They are also one of the best touring tribute bands on the east coast. Their performance is always outstanding,” she said.

Based in Charlotte, On the Border is an Eagles tribute band with a healthy following. In 2015, AXSTV declared them “The Greatest Eagles Tribute Band in the World.” Live Nation Venue, The “Fillmore Charlotte” sings the band’s praises as well. “ … Not just any musician can nail the harmonies of Glenn Frey and Don Henley, or pull off the talk-box guitar solos of Joe Walsh. With dedication, a surplus of musical chops and a shelf full of papier-mâché Grammys, On the Border: The Ultimate Eagles Tribute pulls it off, treating fans to an authentic concert experience while journeying through The Eagles’ songbook. The band covers every hit, from ballads such as “Desperado” and “Lyin’ Eyes” to rave-ups such as “Life In the Fast Lane” and “Heartache Tonight” with such accuracy, that listeners may permanently confuse On the Border with the real Eagles. It’s truly a masterful sound of witness for yourself.”

Music is always king at Fayetteville After 5,but because the gates open around 5:30 p.m., offering good grub just makes sense. So far it’s been a hit. 

“We will have 15 food trucks for this event,” said King. “… everything from gourmet burgers, slow cooked meats and savory sides to event staples like funnel cakes, lemonade and ice cream. Because this is such a popular event with a larger crowd we will expand the beer service areas to include one large beer caddy with 10 taps and five beer selections and two satellite stations — one at the bridge and other at the stage offering aluminum cans of Bud, Bud Light, Michelob Ultra and Bud Light Lime. We will have roving hawkers selling aluminums and bottles, too. All products are $5.”

The gates open around 5:30 p.m., music starts around 7:30 p.m. For more about Fayetteville After 5, visit www.faydogwoodfestival.com/p/Events/211.

Fayetteville City Councilman Chalmers McDougald read an article in Up & Coming Weekly recently about retired Fayetteville Fire Chief Benny Nichols’ efforts to create a fire service internship program 15 years ago. The concept was one whereby students at E.E. Smith High School, Fayetteville Technical Community College and Fayetteville State University would pursue a career in fire science. Nichols’ idea resulted in the construction of the multi-million-dollar Fire Station 14 on Langdon Street in the heart of the African-American community. It was much more than a fire house. It contained classrooms and dormitories for student interns enrolled in the program. 

With the advent of internet studies, the idea as Nichols envisioned it, never got off the ground. The program of classroom and online studies is still available to students at all Cumberland County high schools. But the hands-on elements never came to pass. According to Deputy Fayetteville Fire Chief Hieu Sifford, the program has not yet yielded an applicant who has been hired by the FFD – even though Nichols established what is now a $30,000 scholarship fund with the Cumberland Community Foundation. A year or so ago, the Langdon Street fire station was renovated into fire department headquarters, and a meeting room is still available for use as a community center. 

McDougald is as disappointed as anyone that Benny Nichols unique idea never developed as he envisioned. “Now we’ve got to try something else to recruit African Americans,” said McDougald. Fewer than a dozen of Fayetteville’s 331 firefighters are black, according to Fire Chief Ben Major. The department is recruiting now, and the hope is that young black men and women will apply. Applications are only accepted during open enrollment, which is getting underway. Typically, as many as 400 people apply. Following physical agility and written tests as well as drug screening and background checks, that number is usually reduced to 150 or so, according to Major. But only 30 can be enrolled in the training academy at FTCC. Of that number, this time around only five firefighters will be hired. That’s the number of retirees leaving the force during the next three months. There are no other vacancies. “We’re always fighting a losing battle,” said Major of the numbers game. 

What he characterizes as lack of interest among African Americans limits even further the likelihood of any blacks being hired this time. “We can’t get them in the door until we get them on the doorstep,” observed the chief. “We have to let people know who we are and that we want talented folks to apply,” Major added. 

This is the first fiscal year in which graduates of a two-year technical school with associates degrees can earn an additional $1,500 a year over and above the starting salary of $33,280. Graduates with baccalaureate degrees earn an additional $3,000, bringing the starting wage up to more than $36,000. Major says after five years on the job a firefighter with a degree can expect to earn $42,000; after 10 years $48,000. Thanks to a new step plan, fire department employees receive guaranteed pay raises every year. And there are always opportunities for promotion. The fire chief believes a full-time recruiter, like the police department has, would greatly improve the agency’s ability to more aggressively seek out candidates from under-represented populations. Chief Major is a graduate of E.E. Smith High School and Pembroke State University. He is African American. 

In recent months the Hope Mills Area Chamber of Commerce got bogged down with some internal disappointments and loss of momentum brought about, in part, by 10 years of frustration in the town because of the uncertain future of Hope Mills Lake. The dam on the lake was compromised twice. It was first breached in 2005, and again in 2010. The town has been without its popular lake for those 10 years and only now is the dam being rebuilt. 

New life has been breathed into the organization. The Chamber has new leadership. Longtime President Jan Spell got a new board of directors in May and a new executive director the same month. 

“We did a lot of reorganizing, and I now have a new spring in my step,” said Spell. She’s been the chamber’s volunteer president for 10 years. Jan and her husband Terry have changed the face of the town. Their company developed 16 residential subdivisions and three apartment complexes. Terry Spell is a native of Hope Mills. Jan has been a civic leader in more ways than one. She’s treasurer of the Hope Mills Kiwanis Club. She serves on the Methodist University Board of Visitors and the Southeastern Regional Medical Center Board.

A couple of months ago, Spell was introduced to Tiffany Aldridge, a recent college graduate with a business degree from Campbell University. Her parents settled in nearby Rockfish years ago. Tiffany is a native of Alabama and a military brat. She was recommended to Spell to take over the chamber’s vacant executive director’s post in the charming chamber offices on Trade Street. When they met, they clicked immediately because their personalities meshed. Spell’s friends refer to her as a dynamo. Aldridge is described as spunky. 

“I like the whole small town feeling,” Aldridge explained. “It’s friendly and feels like home.”

Spell says the chamber of commerce currently has about 190 members. She notes they enjoy a significant degree of free-wheeling independence in their zeal to promote and develop the town of 16,000. The chamber’s focus for some time has been on what’s referred to as “Area 41,” a 1,000-acre mostly undeveloped tract along both sides of I-95’s Exit 41. N.C. Highway 59 crosses the interstate there. It’s the main gateway into the town from the east. As a professional developer, Spell believes the area has unlimited potential for growth not only in the hospitality industry but with major big box companies. 

“I have a vision,” she said. 

Fayetteville Public Works Commission water and sewer are available, making Area 41 one of only two I-95 interchanges in Cumberland County equipped with utilities. The other is Exit 49 at Cedar Creek Road in Fayetteville. Also, working with the chamber of commerce, the State Department of Transportation installed half a dozen lights along the NC 59 overpass. Spell has posted a virtual flyover of Area 41 on YouTube in hopes it will attract interested developers. 

“I’m a finisher,” Spell emphasized. “Eighty percent of life is showing up.” 

Former U.S. Senator Robert Morgan was a man of public service to North Carolina like few others. He died July 16 at his home in nearby Buies Creek at the age of 90. Morgan, a Democrat, served in the U.S. Senate from 1975 until 1981. He then served as Director of the State Bureau of Investigation until 1992, when he returned to his law practice in Lillington. Morgan was a state senator for 14 years from 1955 to 1969 and N.C. Attorney General from 1969 to 1974. As Attorney General, Morgan established the consumer protection office. In 2000, he became founding President of the N.C. Center for Voter Education, a nonprofit/nonpartisan organization. Morgan graduated from Wake Forest University School of Law after earning his undergraduate degree from East Carolina University. He is survived by his wife and three children. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Freedom Memorial Park        

Fayetteville’s “Honor Triangle” began with one man’s dream for a local war memorial park. In 1997, then City Councilman Don Talbot had an idea: Find a place to honor American veterans who served in 20th Century wars. Fast forward to July of 2016. Freedom Memorial Park is a reality on the site of what was a rundown gas station at the corner of Bragg Boulevard and Hay Street and is a testament to Talbot’s vision. The park is about to get its fifth war memorial. Monuments have been in place for several years commemorating World War I, World War II, the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War. Next up is a memorial to those why gave their lives during the Global War on Terror. This month, the Cape Fear Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America wrapped up its pledge to raise $25,000 for the new memorial. Association President Juan Chavez presented Talbot with a check representing the final installment. Design work is underway for the new monument. Asked about his determination to turn a dream into reality, Talbot told Up & Coming Weekly, “It’s something the community needed to do.” Talbot and his steering committee have invested a quarter of a million dollars in privately raised funds for the park, which became the anchor for the Airborne and Special Operations Museum across Bragg Boulevard, and the North Carolina Veteran’s Park down the street — Fayetteville’s “Honor Triangle.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Census Bureau to Count Deployed Military as Residents of Duty Station 

State and local officials are praising the U.S. Census Bureau’s decision to count U.S. military personnel who are deployed outside the U.S. as residents of the state where they live and sleep most of the time. The new policy also applies to those who are living temporarily outside the U.S. Previously, the Census Bureau counted deployed service members as residents of the states they lived in at the time they joined the armed services. The change for the 2020 census means that all deployed service members from North Carolina’s military installations will be counted as residents of North Carolina. The undercounting of service members cost North Carolina, the ninth largest in the nation, an additional Congressional seat following the 2010 census. And, since many federal tax dollars are distributed according to population, North Carolina will benefit from additional education, transportation and agriculture funding as a result of an increased population in the 2020 census. The proposed changes were published in the Federal Register in June. The Census Bureau is seeking public comment in writing through Aug. 1 and a final announcement of the 2020 rules is expected in 2017.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

City Says Goodbye to PWC…Sort of    

The Fayetteville Public Works Commission no longer handles the City of Fayetteville’s purchasing. With the new fiscal year, the city launched its own purchasing office and accompanying webpage. City government farmed out procurement to PWC several years ago believing that a consolidated effort would be more cost effective. Former City Manager Ted Voorhees persuaded a previous City council that it should separate itself from PWC, and, in this regard, he was successful. 

Purchasing is a division of the Finance Department according to a news release. “The City of Fayetteville welcomes the opportunity to do business with interested merchants and vendors in the community,” said Interim City Manager Doug Hewitt. “The hope is that the new purchasing webpage will help improve business opportunities for local business owners especially, and provide a more transparent process for doing business with the City,” Hewitt added. The purchasing division “is responsible for all purchases for the City including materials, supplies, services and equipment,” said Chief Financial Officer Cheryl Spivey. The webpage includes a vendor registration form for businesses so staff can reach out to them. The City encourages the participation of minority and small disadvantaged businesses. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

82nd Airborne Change of Command      

Brig. Gen Michael E. Kurilla will take command of the 82nd Airborne Division on Aug. 2 at Pike Field. Clarke took command of the All-American Division in October 2014, also as a one-star general. He was promoted soon thereafter. Clarke led a deployment to Iraq from June 2015 to March 2016. There, the division headquarters served as the Combined Joint Forces Land Component Command. Clarke will become vice-director of strategic plans and policy for the Joint Staff at the Pentagon.

Kurilla comes to Fort Bragg from the Pentagon, where he was deputy director for special operations and counter terrorism for the Joint Staff.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Emergency Summer Heat Relief     

The Salvation Army is accepting Crisis Intervention Program applications from individuals and families who are in danger of experiencing health emergencies because of summer heat and humidity. 

Limited funds are available and households are served on a first-come, first-served basis. The CIP program is administered by the Cumberland County Department of Social Services, but applications are taken by the Salvation Army at its location at 1047 Southern Ave. 

Emergency aid is paid directly to utility providers of those approved for funding. Benefits will vary based upon the needs to alleviate the crisis. Households will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. 

For more information, call the Department of Social Services message line at 677-2821.

Today we shall journey into one of the darkest regions of social media. The highly excitable and overly caffeinated world of Facebook’s Politics Zone. There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man or woperson. It’s a dimension as vast as Chris Christie’s waistline, as timeless as infinity and as full of insane theories as Fox News. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between reason and irrationality. It lies between the pit of man’s fears and the summit of his paranoia. You have just crossed over into the Facebook Politics Zone.

The Politics Zone is where people go to spout their wildest theories, end their oldest friendships and use more exclamation points and BOLD FACE CAPITAL LETTERS than the law allows. Nothing is calm in the Politics Zone. Everything is urgent and game changing. Like newspeak in Orwell’s 1984,the Facebook Politics Zone has its own language. Let us take a walk down Facebook lane and see what’s lurking behind the latest picture of Hillary or The Donald. There is a random political phrase generator that the Facebook Illuminati use to hype their most shrieking political posts.

Like Rudy Begonia, do these Political Zone phrases strike a familiar note? “Nobody saw this coming!” Trump “unleashed a BRUTALhistory lesson.” Watch the attached video because “this changes everything!” (Humble columnist’s note: the video never changes anything, but it does elevate the self image of the poster of said video.) My candidate “drops a TRUTH BOMB and boy does it smart!” A variation on the truth bomb is to drop “an EPIC truth bomb,” which is several megatons more convincing than a conventional truth bomb. My candidate ‘tells the BLUNT truth” about your candidate. The version of truth being pushed by my candidate is “BLOWING UPthe Internet!” The brilliance of my candidate’s statement has caused the opposing candidate “to STAGE A HISSY FIT!” Frankly, there is little more entertaining than watching a political opponent staging a hissy fit. After the invention of Depakote, who even knew that anyone still staged hissy fits ? Personally, I would walk a mile to see someone stage a hissy fit. As the old saying goes, “If the hissy fits, wear it.”

A Poltics Zoner who disagrees with a politician posts something that “SHUTS him down.” 

The Donald issues a statement that causes “Hillary to be ON THE ROPES.” “Hillary is FUMING!” In response, Hillary who “might not have seen it coming!,” “issues “a HUGEstatement” that “BLOWS AWAY” The Donald. In response, The Donald “slaps Hillary with a BIG surprise!” The Donald releases a “GROUNDBREAKING massive secret that could BE THE END” for Hillary. Hillary’s “response reveals everything!” Trump counters with the charge that “This woman IS NOT FITto be President!” The Democratic Party releases a “prediction that TORCHESand DESTROYSTrump’s chance to be elected.”

Upon seeing a Political Zone posting, many Facebookers are so overwhelmed with anger/joy/ amazement/ stupification/sadness that they confess, “I LOSTit!” after seeing whatever it was. On Facebook, political emotions are not worn on one’s sleeve, but on one’s typing fingers. My candidate, who has “had ENOUGH” of your candidate’s stupid twaddle, just issued a statement “that DISMANTLES” everything your candidate ever said, thought or did. The last thing your opponent said “SHOCKEDthe nation!” But just wait until my candidate provides your candidate “with a NASTYsurprise!”

On Facebook, there is no middle ground. There is no room for the possibility that political opponents could be well intentioned, human or even have a logical point or two. People who think differently from you are the anti-Christ. 

Politics Zone posters adhere to Johnny Mercer’s advice, “Don’t mess with Mr. In-Between.” 

A particularly unflattering picture of your opponent is captioned “I CAN’T STOP LAUGHING!” Obama “should be EVICTEDfrom the White House!” And so it goes.

If you have managed to read all the way through today’s contribution to world literature, this column has a value added bonus in the form of a valuable stock market tip. Sell all your stocks, bonds, gold and baseball cards, and invest in exclamation points!!! and BOLD FACE CAPITAL LETTERS. It is only a matter of time before the Illuminati of Facebook use up all the known supply of exclamation points and BOLD FACE CAPITAL LETTERS. Buy printing presses that only produce digital exclamation points and BOLD FACE CAPITAL LETTERS.Once the current supply is used up, the price of these two commodities will sky rocket. If you don’t take my advice, YOU ARE A POOPY HEAD!

 

At the end of March, my family lost someone both near and dear and thoroughly unique. She left us at 90, and she was — as we say in the South — “herself” until the very end. It was a comfort to me and to others, I suspect, that she went out declaring that she had had a wonderful life and was ready for what comes next. 

Not everyone is blessed to feel that way.

Some of us live with deep regrets, and I have heard it said that at the end of life most of us regret not what we did, even if we committed reprehensive acts and delivered great hurts, but what we did not do. We regret the opportunities we did not take, the doors that opened to us that we could not make ourselves walk through for whatever reason was – often fear of the unknown. When I am honest with myself, I have to admit to several of those.

That is surely the reason that “The Top 37 Things You Will Regret When You Are Old” on the website Social-Consciousness.com caught my eye. I will pass along the ones that resonated most with me.

“Not traveling when you had the chance.” My life circumstances since the mid-2000s have allowed me to roam the world, at least parts of it, and that travel has broadened me in so many ways and changed my views about other people and other cultures. I am so fortunate to have had these opportunities and so rewarded that I did not allow experiences foreign to me to scare me away.

“Staying in a bad relationship.” Many people do this out of habit, fear of change, lack of resources, whatever. But life is short and unpredictable, and most of us will be happier and more productive if we are not burdened in this way. This category goes hand in hand with another — “Not quitting a terrible job.”

“Failing to make physical fitness a priority.” I know. I know. Getting moving is not easy, but the alternative is worse. One of my neighbors, a professional man in his 70s, has been a lifelong runner. He is much slower now than he once was, but he is still out there most mornings about dawn. He is an example that moving, however slowly, is preferable to becoming such a couch potato, you eventually cannot move.

“Letting yourself be defined by gender roles.” I used to think we Baby Boomers would cure America of this curse, but now I see that we have not. Roles have changed somewhat, but women continue to bear the brunt of childrearing and housekeeping, even though we are in the workplace just as men are. This one goes hand in hand with another as well — “Letting yourself be defined by cultural expectations.”

“Not playing with your kids enough.” I cannot count the number of Boomers who have said this very thing to me, and I plead guilty as well. The Precious Jewels remain the most important treasures of my life, but I did spend too much time in my office in doing “grown up” activities. What else can I say?

“Not standing up for yourself.” We think of bullying of children and young people, but adults let ourselves be bullied as well by friends and co-workers. Eleanor Roosevelt said, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent,” and she was right.

“Never taking a big risk.” Our mothers would say, “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.” Even if we fail at what we risk, we gave it a shot and there is satisfaction in that.

“Missing the chance to ask your grandparents questions before they die.” I regret this almost daily. If you have grandparents, grab your cell phone, punch record, and ask away.

“Neglecting your teeth.” Anyone with dentures can address this one for you.

“Not trying harder in school.” Most of us are guilty of this at least at some level, and most of us pay for it. In this awful election cycle, many voters are disaffected and many of those are people whose educations have not prepared them to achieve what they want in today’s workplace.

Notice that most of these are, in fact, roads not taken for whatever reasons.

And, finally, the one that resonated the most with me.

“Not being grateful sooner.“ My family member was grateful for her family, her friends and her long life and said so. She saw her life as a gift, and we who miss her are at peace that she did.

Social-consciousness.com addresses gratitude this way.

“It can be hard to see in the beginning, but eventually it becomes clear that every moment on this earth — from the mundane to the amazing — is a gift that we’re all so incredibly lucky to share.”

Amen.

Thank goodness for honest and conscientious Spring Lake residents like Rita Perry. Perry was the first citizen to finally come forward to expose possible fraud and misuse of Spring Lake’s revenues through the misuse of town-issued credit cards by Spring Lake’s Board of Aldermen and department managers. 

Perry gained access to the town’s expense records via a public records request, and the process began of verifying what many of us close to Spring Lake have already suspected: mismanagement and possible corruption have become a way of life for their small town government. Personally, I am very proud of Rita Perry. 

My relationship with Spring Lake dates back decades. By working with the town and the local Chamber of Commerce, I have seen it at its best and, unfortunately, I have watched it deteriorate to its present state. My involvement was through our community newspaper, Up & Coming Weekly, working with the Chamber of Commerce to promote the community, support local businesses, enhance economic development and create a positive image for the town. We communicated its historical perspective and assisted Spring Lake in developing a brand they could market, promote and be proud. 

Under the direction of then-Chamber of Commerce Director Jamie McLaughlin, Spring Lake was emerging alive, proud and enthusiastic. Attitudes were changing, businesses were stepping up to get involved, the Chamber was growing its membership and, working with Jamie at the Chamber’s helm, together we created the town’s own newspaper, the Spring Lake Beacon. For more than two years this publication flourished showcasing Spring Lake’s history, supporting local businesses, informing the residents of community news and upcoming events, local personalities and basically promoting Spring Lake’s personality and brand. Unfortunately, that lasted only for about two years. Then for reasons unknown, the town stopped supporting the project and the Chamber of Commerce. 

Once that happened, local businesses withdrew their support, McLaughlin resigned and took another position with the City of Fayetteville and both the Chamber and the entire town took on a “poor me” persona, always expounding on never having any money or resources to support what we all know are basic quality-of-life amenities. “What’s in it for me?” seemed to be the underlying attitude permeating throughout the Town of Spring Lake’s leadership and management as well as that of the Chamber of Commerce.

This situation was very baffling and extremely disappointing. However, like many others, we (our newspaper) work with businesses and organizations that want to work with us. In any situation, we know: “If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck” it is probably “a duck”. 

In the June State Auditor report on Spring Lake’s finances, they found “the duck”. The report stated that town employees, the Board of Aldermen and possibly Spring Lake Mayor Chris Rey spent more than $500,000 on questionable purchases in violation of its own policy. The report questioned other expenditures as well as sloppy, careless and faulty record keeping between 2010 and 2015. Hmmmm, so what’s the big deal? I’ll tell you what the big deal is. 

Shame on Mayor Rey and the rest of the town’s leadership for allowing it to go on. It’s common knowledge that for decades residents and friends of the Town of Spring Lake have come forward, stepped up and generously donated their time, talent and money to assist in improving local business, economic development and the overall quality of life of Spring Lake’s 13,000+ residents only to have leadership rebuff the progressive ideas, ventures and partnerships that were offered up under the guise of “Spring Lake can’t afford it,” or “We just don’t have the money,” when, what they really meant was, “What’s in it for me?” If that answer was “nothing,” then that’s exactly what the residents of the Town of Spring Lake got. Nothing. 

Again, shame on them, for selfishly mismanaging the revenues that rightfully belonged to the citizens. Resignations need to be forthcoming and charges need to be filed for robbing this innocent community and depriving its citizens of their quality of life. I certainly hope the state investigation into this atrocity goes deep. Egregious misconduct of this nature does not proliferate or endure without accomplices. Willing enablers, cooperating people, businesses and organizations aiding and abetting the situation, i.e., the relationship between Spring Lake’s management/leadership and the Chamber of Commerce and the town’s Economic Development Department.

To Rey’s credit he has gone on record and accepted the responsibility, admitting that the problem or “culture” as he called it, started before he was elected. So noted, however, he had four years to fix it and did nothing. After all, 60+ employees running amuck misusing the town’s credit cards is kind of hard to ignore. Rey’s defense that he was not aware is not going to be much of a defense. And, the resignation of former town Manager Ken Metcalf and the firing of Interim Finance Director Tina West is not going to be accepted as “problem solved.” 

Here’s what we know for sure: The state will get to the bottom of this. Rita Perry is an awesome “Shero” for her perseverance in standing up for what is right and just for all Spring Lake residents and, finally, Spring Lake is very fortunate to have the talented and hard working Tad Davis as their Town Manager. His vision and abilities can only prove to be a huge asset for the Town of Spring Lake. All he needs are the resources and support of the community. Hey, just think what he could have done for Spring Lake with more than  $500,000 of the misallocated funds. Just saying! 

Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly. 

What do politics, Chinese acrobats, Prince and Annie, the musical, have in common? The Givens Performing Arts Center’s 2016-2017 season. And, that’s just the first four shows. With 10 performances slated between the Sept. 29 opening and the final show on May 3, GPAC Director of Marketing Chad Locklear is looking forward to another stellar year. Peppered with variety, the season includes comedy, acrobats, concerts, musicals and dance. 

“GPAC has a great staff, team and board that’s truly committed to bringing some of the highest quality performances to our area. It’s a tradition that has continued for more than 40 years,” he said.

Part improv, part sketch comedy, Unelectable You, presented by Slate magazine and The Second City, includes the audience in a show that “mocks every vote, every candidate and the whole political process …” Red, blue or independent, Unelectable You gives people of every political stripe something to laugh about. It’s at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 29.

Shanghai Nightsrolls into GPAC on Oct. 18. The show by The Shanghai Acrobats of the People’s Republic of China weaves dramatic tales using movement, music and color to bring the excitement and elegance that is Shanghai to the Sandhils. The show features more than 100 of China’s top acrobats.

He captivated a generation with his musical prowess and majestic stage presence. On Oct. 21, UNC Pembroke celebrates homecoming with Prince tribute artist Matt Fink, a three-time Grammy Award winner and original member of Prince and the Revolution. The concert is open to the public.

November 17, Annie, the musical takes the stage. It is directed by original lyricist and director Martin Charnin and choreographed by Liza Gennaro and features book and score by Tony Award®-winners Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin. With favorites like “It’s the Hard-Knock Life,” “Easy Street,” “I Don’t Need Anything But You,” and the ever-popular “Tomorrow,” this production promises to have the audience singing along.

An addition to the lineup, is a display of UNCP’s finest at the 8th Annual Holiday Extravaganza on Dec.2. Students, faculty and staff come together to perform holiday classics and new favorites. Join in singing Christmas carols as UNCP’s choirs and ensembles bring the Christmas spirit to Givens. Don’t miss the preconcert “Tuba Christmas” performance at 7:30 p.m. “This year we’ve added the UNCP Department of Music’s Annual Holiday Extravaganza to our series,” said Locklear. “It’s such a wonderful family-friendly event that showcases the talents of students and faculty of our music department from choirs to jazz ensembles. We wanted to give it more exposure. It’s also for a good cause. Proceeds will go to scholarships for students majoring in music.”

The N. C. Youth Tap Ensemble features 40 dancers ranging in age from 8 to 18. They bring passion and attitude to the stage with high-energy numbers that include some not-so-traditional musical pieces — all while honoring the tradition of tap. The performance is on Jan. 19 at 7:30 p.m. 

Broadway and the American dream come together on Jan 26 when 42nd Streettakes the stage. Based on a novel by Bradford Ropes and Busby Berkeley’s 1933 movie, the musical takes the audience on an adventure with Peggy Sawyer as she strikes out on her own to chase her dream of finding success as a New York actress.

The percussion, the dance, the rhythm — there is nothing like it. STOMP’s eight members use pretty much anything but percussion instrument, finding “beautiful noises in the strangest places,” according to USA Today. Using matchboxes, wooden poles, brooms, garbage cans, Zippo lighters and hubcaps, STOMP fills the stage with rhythm. This well-loved favorite comes with updated and restructured routines that are sure to captivate. It is at GPAC on March 21.

The Russian National Ballet Theatre presents Swan Lake on March 27. Swan Lake originally premiered in 1877 and is now the national ballet of Russia. Follow the full-length ballet as it tells the story of princess Odette and her struggle to break free of the sorcerer’s curse that turned her into a swan.

The same composer that brought us Wicked now offers PIPPIN, a musical packed with acrobatics, magical feats and song. It claims four 2013 Tony Awards® including Best Musical Revival. PIPPIN closes out the GPAC season on May 3.

“A subscription to all the shows is less than two tickets to a Broadway show in New York,” said Locklear. “We also give exclusive perks to our season subscribers: an invitation to our annual Champagne Gala at the opening show, an opportunity to choose the best seats before single tickets go on sale to the general public, and discounted ticket rates.” 

While first class entertainment is GPAC’s specialty, there is more. 

“We’re the center of cultural arts in our community and the university. Besides our Broadway and More Series, there are many diverse cultural arts events throughout the year,” said Locklear. “The Department of Theatre produces several plays a year, the Department of Music has several concerts and an annual musical, and we feature student and local artist’s artwork on GPAC’s lobby walls. Many of these events are free and open to the public.” 

For more information about the 2016/2017 season at www.uncp.edu/gpac.

For the past few years Sweet Tea Shakespeare has worked to bring classic plays to life. Many of the group’s performances happen in the beautiful outdoors, capitalizing on sweet Southern evenings. Their minimalistic style embraces the natural beauties of Fayetteville and Shakespeare traditional style. “Shakespeare’s plays are meant to be performed on a blank stage. In his writing he uses something called spoken décor. In the writing he describes where the set is. It comes out in the writing,” Greg Fiebig the director of Measure for Measure explained. The play is set to take place July 21 and 24 at Museum of the Cape Fear’s Poe House.

Measure for Measure is the first Shakespearean work that Sweet Tea Shakespeare has produced this year. It is a unique work because it is neither a tragedy nor a comedy. Dark and serious themes are offset by comedic moments and characters. 

“It is an interesting piece … the Duke of Vienna leaves his second in command in charge and comes back to the town as a friar to check and see how things are really going,” Fiebig said, comparing the piece to an episode of the television show Undercover Boss.  

This play takes place outdoors on the grounds of the 1897 Poe House. 

“There is an out building behind the Poe House that has a trellis covered in ivy. That is going to be our backdrop with a pallet stage in front,” Fiebig said. “We are going to encourage audience members to sit up close to the stage on all four sides. With the thrust-style stage, the audience can get very close to the stage where all the action is happening. Everyone should have a great view because they will all be within 10 yards of the actors and the action.”

Shakespeare’s works have the ability to stay relevant centuries after they were written. This is especially true in Measure for Measure. This relevancy allows both the cast and the audience to engage with the play in a significant way.  

“It is interesting — especially with what is happening today. If you look at the national news and the media, there are things like shootings without due process and then there are the elections. Shakespeare’s work continues to be relevant to today. You look at the play and it is like someone ripped the headlines from today’s news,” Fiebig said. 

This rendition of Measure for Measureincludes audience participation. 

“There is an unresolved marriage proposal and it is just glossed over. So we are going to stop after the proposal and ask the audience how they would like it to end,” Fiebig explained. “It is much funnier if she rejects the proposal rather than accepts it because if she rejects it, then the rejected person has to respond and it is hilarious.” 

The text itself will remain regardless of the situation, but the answer will alter how the performers ‘play’ the scene.  Audience members are encouraged to see the performance multiple times and change how they vote in order to see both endings. 

General admission is $12. Performance dates are July 21 -24 at 7:30 p.m. at the Poe House. Sweet Tea Shakespeare’s house band The Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers performs before every show. Find out more about the troupe and this season at www.sweetteashakespeare.com. 

In partnership with Fayetteville’s PWC, Sustainable Sandhills is set to tackle another sticky topic at the second showing of the Sustainable Saturdays Film Series season on July 23: Honey - more specifically, the bees that make it. The documentary is titled More than Honey,but the topic is not necessarily sweet. 

“This is a bee movie, and everyone loves bee movies,” said Denise Bruce of Sustainable Sandhills. “This is a topic that is at the forefront of the public conscience. It is near and dear to our hearts.” 

And for good reason.

Imagine the world with no apples, blueberries, cherries or almonds. These are just a few of the crops that bees pollinate. According to the American Beekeeping Federation, honeybees add $14 billion to the value of U.S. crop production. The organization further cites, “Bees pollinate about one-sixth of the world’s flowering plant species and some 400 of its agricultural plants. Poorly pollinated plants produce fewer, often misshapen, fruits and lower yields of seed with inevitable consequences upon quality, availability and price of food. One of the few farm activities that can actually increase yields, rather than simply protect existing yields from losses, is to manage bees to encourage good pollination.” 

The National Resources Defense Council notes, “One out of every three mouthfuls of food in the American diet is, in some way, a product of honeybee pollination — from fruit to nuts to coffee beans.”

Attendees can learn firsthand about the role of bees locally. Scheduled speakers will talk at the event. Bruce noted, “I have contacted the Cumberland County and Hoke County beekeepers. They are really familiar with this issue. The fact that we are losing our pollinators — not just bees, although they are most commercially viable — is a big deal. We are committing every season to showing a film about the state of our pollinators.”

The award-winning documentary More than Honey examines bees, their lives, habits and current predicament as they face colony collapse disorder and other challenges. 

 This film is the second in a series of six films that are part of the Sustainable Saturdays Film Series, which takes place on the fourth Saturday each month at the Cameo Art House Theatre in Downtown Fayetteville. The other four movies are River Run: Down the Cape Fear River, Farmland, Soylent Green, The Burden and Community: Planet Neighborhood.The movies start at 11 a.m.

Sustainable Sandhills also owns the screening rights to a number of other films that cover topics like the dangers of plastic, carbon footprints, oil, farming-related issues, water-related issues and much more. The movies are available to check out for in-home and other private screenings.

While bees play an important role getting food on the table, Sustainable Sandhills has some programs that also focus on smart resource management — including food. The organization sponsors events like PopUp dinner parties that bring together local chefs and food producers as well as community members. With menus sourced from within 80-120 miles of Fayetteville, the goal of PopUp dinners is to recognize the importance of having a sustainable community. July 25 marks the next PopUp dinner. The theme is Caribbean Vacation. Find out more about this community event at the PopUp Dinner: Slow Food FAY Facebook page.

Community-supported agriculture is another way Sustainable Sandhills strives to connect people in the community with local farmers. In conjunction with Sandhills Farm to Table Cooperative (SF2T), farmers from Moore, Cumberland, and Harnett Counties come together to support the CSA movement. According to sustainablesandhills.org, “SF2T has grown and expanded with its green mission, which now offers a diverse range of juicy berries, ripe fruits, fresh vegetables, heritage grains, goat cheese, fresh bread, granola, cinnamon buns, Thanksgiving turkeys and Christmas trees.”

By participating in CSAs, people help financially support local farmers. They also save energy and resources because the food doesn’t have to travel far to get to the consumer. That means less fuel to transport the food and fresher food for the consumer because it didn’t have to go far to get from the farm to their table. 

For more information bout Sustainable Sandhills and its many programs, visit, http://www.sustainablesandhills.org.

Every month the Downtown Alliance and Arts Council celebrate the best that downtown has to offer. The shops, restaurants and other businesses in downtown Fayetteville come together to create a fun and free evening full of activities. All of the businesses stay open late and much of the family-friendly entertainment is free. The streets are often filled with performances and art of all manner. 

This month, the Arts Council opens its latest exhibit, Pictorial Space, presented by Ellington-White. The exhibit hangs inside the Arts Council, but the fun continues outdoors with Scottish music in front of the building from 7-9 p.m.

For 4th Friday, 2-U-Keys, a band comprised of Maliheh and Rhonda is set to entertain guests with two hours of lighthearted fun. The music is created by two voices and two ukuleles that create a beach inspired mood. The program is sponsored by Systel and there will be refreshments. Guests are encouraged to tap and sing along. The 2-U-Keys will perform at the Headquarters Library in the Pate Room from 7 until 9 p.m. The library is located at 301 Maiden Lane, and the event is free of charge. For more information visit www.cumberland.lib.nc.us/ccplsite.

Fascinate-U is a museum in downtown Fayetteville dedicated to children. Exhibits are interactive, and unlike the traditional museums, touching is encouraged. Fascinate-U intends to help prepare kids to navigate the larger world by first practicing on a smaller scale. For 4th Friday, admission is free and the museum stays open late from 7 until 9 p.m. The theme these month is Under the Sea Art. Kids are invited to create and take home an under-the-sea craft. For more information, visit the following site at www.fascinate-u.com/visit/. 

After exploring the shops and restaurants in downtown, Fayetteville After 5offers a relaxing end to the evening. On July 22, On the Border with Kasey Tyndall and Kaylin Roberson perform in Festival Park. The band is an Eagles tribute band from Charlotte. The gates will open at 5 p.m. The opening acts begin around 7 or 7:30 p.m. The concert lasts until 10:30 or 11 p.m. No outside food or beverages are permitted but concessions are available for purchase. Audience members are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets. The free concerts are presented by the Fayetteville Dogwood Festival and R.A. Jeffreys. For more information visit the following site at www.faydogwoodfestival.com/p/Events/211. 

These are only a few of the amazing opportunities that 4th Fridayhas to offer. In addition to street performers and musicians, many businesses offer free refreshments and demonstrations. Additionally, for those who love history ,the Fayetteville Transportation Museum and Market House both offer exhibits that detail the Fayetteville area’s long and colorful history. There are new exhibits on display in both locations monthly as well as permanent exhibits. 

Cape Fear Studios on Maxwell Street opens a new exhibit on 4th Friday— En Plein Air: Of Light and Color. It features the works of PaintNC, a group of emerging and professional artists who meet regularly to paint “en plein air” (outside on location) within North Carolina. The opening reception is at Cape Fear Studios on July 22 from 6 - 9 p.m.

Fayetteville is an evolving city. From day to day downtown has growing opportunities and evens. 4th Friday’s are a reflection of that growth. Every month there are new performers and artists on the streets expressing their creativity. There are also new businesses hosting demonstrations and restaurants creating innovative menus. Fayetteville is dynamic and growing and 4th Friday captures that growth and excitement in a single evening. 

One ticket will buy a week’s worth of entertainment when the Gilbert Theater presents the Next Stage Play Festival July 20-24. One $16 ticket buys entry into all plays and all days of the festival.

Gilbert Artistic Director Robyne Parrish expects the five-day festival to draw a response similar to last year’s event. 

“The community loved seeing new work,” she said. “They really got into the festival and made it a week-long event. It was a true celebration oflocal talent!” 

Again this year, the festival will celebrate local talent.

“The festival is a chance for local artists to shine in every way,” Parrish said. “Local actors, directors, writers and crew members are showcased. Many of our young people are involved in the summer shows as well as our REP members. This is a true collaborative effort by our local arts community.”

Parrish added that four of the six plays in the festival are locally written. 

“We highlight local talent all year, of course, and it is important that those with a passion for art and for the theatre have an outlet to act out their dreams.” 

One ticket buys a pass to the entire festival. 

“We don’t want our audience to miss any of these fine shows,” Parrish said. “We make it as easy and fun as possible to attend all of them — many of our audience came twice and three times last year to the shows. It was great fun. Part of our mission at the Gilbert is to present new work and to make it accessible and affordable to the public.” 

This year’s selection of plays range from 10 to 40 minutes in length, and three plays are presented at each performance, Parrish explained. Performances begin at 7 p.m. on July 20 and 22. On July 21, 23 and 24, performances are at 2 and 7 p.m. daily.

A 1964 Thunderbird, written by Ted Wojtasik, is about Agnes, a nurse and caretaker for an elderly patient. Agnes herself is not in good health, and she reaches an emotional breaking point on the day she has to sell her car for extra money.

The Cage, written by James Dean, is the story of a young girl, living with her parents in a small town. One summer she meets a strange young boy who appears to be living in a cage in her back yard. Who the boy is and where he came from is a mystery, and she keeps the existence of the boy a secret as well, but it’s hard to keep a secret in a small town. Part love story, part mystery, part adventure, The Cageis a fable that will captivate all ages.

In Bloody Mary, writer Derek Smith gives us a playwright who kills the woman of his dreams over and over again as he tries to satisfy her with the perfect kill for his next work.

In To Be A God,Jennifer Schaupp writes a short play that looks at the tradition of worshipping young females as living goddesses, common in Nepal, from the perspective of an American woman grappling with her own life pursuits.

In The One That Got Away, writer Lisa Brennan presents the audience with a tale of he said-she said-they said. 

For more information on the Next Stage Film Festival or to purchase a ticket, visit gilberttheater.com or call the box office at 910.678.7186.

Retired State Trooper Randy Lee has always loved serving others. He retired from the North Carolina State Highway Patrol recently at the age of 56, but that is just one of the many ways he served the community. He has volunteered at local schools, serves as a Councilman with the Town of Eastover, is an active member of Eastover’s Community Watch Program and the Eastover Civic Club and he is a member of the State Employee Credit Union Advisory Board. Lee is a graduate of Mount Olive College, a lifetime member of the North Carolina Troopers Association and a member of Haymount United Methodist Church. He has Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, an incurable disease. His only hope for a healthy life is a double lung transplant. Lee’s fight for life includes more than physical needs. The cost of a transplant is staggering. On July 23, at the State Fairgrounds, there is an Artisan and Craftmans Expo to benefit Lee.

The expo includes original artwork, décor items, hand-woven baskets, hand-turned wood bowls, handmade bird houses, handmade jewelry, glass and crystal, plants and florals, restored furniture, handmade baby clothes, hand sewn pillows and blankets, antiques and collectibles, a farmer’s market gourmet food items, face painting and other children’s novelties and more. The event also includes 50/50 raffle as well as giveaways and food for purchase. 

Mary Langston is Lee’s sister-in-law. She is one of the organizers of the benefit expo. She got the idea for the expo when she was trying to figure out a way to help Lee and his family. “My daughter is an artist and she and I recover and refurbish furniture together. We always get good responses when people receive our work. This is what we know and love and it is what we are good at. We wanted to do something that we believe other people will enjoy, but mostly we wanted a way to help Randy. That is the most important part.”

The funds raised at the expo will go to help Lee and his family cover medical related expenses that insurance will not pay for, such as co-pays and deductibles, travel, temporary relocation for three months to be near the transplant center and the costly anti-rejection medications that he will need to take for the rest of his life. The transplant financial coordinators at UNC Chapel Hill estimate that Lee will have $150,000 to $200,000 in out-of-pocket expenses. 

When transplant candidates and their families work with hospitals, Langston noted, it is important for the families to show good faith and that they have the ability to raise the funds that patients will need for the transplant, but also for the lifesaving medications that come with that. Currently, Lee has one lung working at 60 percent capacity and the other at 40 percent said Langston. 

“We are about one-third of the way to our goal,” she said. “The doctors have said that Randy is not just a good candidate but an excellent candidate for this. He will get the transplant and be the one that thrives and mentors other patients who are going through this. That is just who he is. I was widowed five years ago when my husband was killed by a drunk driver. I cannot stand by and watch my sister slowly widowed when there is something we can do about it. Randy’s daughter is 11 years old, and she needs her daddy.”

Pulmonary fibrosis causes scarring in lung tissue, which is called fibrosis. The scarring prevents the lungs from moving oxygen to the blood stream, which means the brain and other organs don’t get the oxygen they need. Sometimes there is no known cause for this. That is the case with Lee. 

The expo is at the Governor Martin Building, Gate 9. For more information, call 527-5634

A mobile app called Fayfixit for smartphones makes it easy for Fayetteville residents to report non-emergency issues to City Hall. More than 2,000 residents have already downloaded the app according to city officials. Issues of concern can also be reported online at Fayfixit.com. This allows residents to bypass phone systems to make transactions faster and easier with no wait time. Those who prefer, however, may call 433-1FAY (1329). Either way, the process is easy for making complaints or reporting issues.

The customer service system is not fully implemented. Only three departments of city government are connected: Environmental Services, Storm Water Management and Traffic Services sign division. 

“Eighty percent of the complaints pertain to environmental services issues,” said Assistant City Manager Jay Reinstein. Nearly 3,800 reports of all kinds, ranging from missed collections to dead animals and illegal dumping to bulky items left at the curb were received over a 12-month period ending June 30. Other departments of city government, which will eventually be in the system, include Code Enforcement, Parks & Recreation, Street Maintenance and PWC street lights. For issues pertaining to these areas, for now, residents can phone 433-1FAY.

Here’s how the system works: “Service requests automatically go to FayFixIt, which generates service requests. All work orders that come in are given priorities,” says Project Manager Joe Viittorelli. “They go directly to the departments and should cut down on our response time,” according to Customer Service Supervisor Tiffany Brisson, who says the City gets about 100 complaints a week on average. Issues meant for departments not yet connected are sent manually to directors. The City call center received more than 60,000 calls during the last fiscal year. Four representatives field the calls, and thanks to the new smartphone app and the Internet, telephone wait times have been reduced significantly, said Brisson. 

There are 62,000 single-family households in Fayetteville, nearly 60 percent of which are rentals according to Reinstein. That makes keeping up with issues challenging since renters don’t know local procedures, and in some cases really don’t care, he adds. Reinstein notes that more than 8,700 issues have been reported to city hall since the FayFixIt system was launched 18 months ago. A request for service is just that: It’s a report to investigate, after which a departmental supervisor is dispatched to check out the problem. Reporting them is one thing. Getting them taken care of is another. 

Jimmy Womble is what Reinstein calls a “super user” of the system. Womble lives in the Scotty Hills community and walks through the neighborhood several times a week. He takes notes along the way and uses the FayFixIt app to report problems he comes across. 

“I made one report simply because I was so frustrated that some neighbors don’t seem to understand or care about their responsibilities,” said Womble. 

State law dictates how violations are handled by the City and it can sometimes be a cumbersome process. Reinstein acknowledged that from a customer perspective it can be very frustrating. “This tool is not an end and be all…we need to do a better job of educating our citizens,” Reinstein says. “Every department of city government has established benchmarks which are used as performance evaluations but residents have to do their part,” he concluded. 

Fayetteville City Council has until Aug. 19 to decide whether it wants a local minor league baseball team to affiliate with the Houston Astros. Consultant Daniel Barrett of Barrett Sports Group has repeatedly urged the Council to decide if it’s prepared to meet what he calls the “yes or no” date. But the four members of the Council’s stadium subcommittee say that may not be enough time to weigh all the considerations, including cost. The Astros want a formal memorandum of understanding from the city. BSG has proposed a $47 million ballpark on city-owned property behind the Prince Charles Hotel. Most Single-A stadiums on the east coast were built for far less than that. Council members who have spoken up, including Mayor Nat Robertson, want to keep the cost at no more than $30 million. Committee membe,r Jim Arp, seems to be the most reluctant to be hurried, saying the city must do its due diligence. Barrett told the committee he isn’t sure if there are other major league teams that might be interested in locating a minor league affiliate in Fayetteville. Committee members include Arp, Kirk deViere, Larry Wright and Mayor Pro Tem Mitch Colvin who serves as chairman.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Building Business Rally Planned       

The Fayetteville Public Works Commission, City of Fayetteville and Cumberland County are co-hosting a Building Business Rally that will present upcoming business opportunities for utility contractors.  Water, wastewater and stormwater utility contractors are invited to attend the free event as are other businesses that support utility construction.  PWC, the city’s stormwater division and Cumberland County Public Utilities will provide information about projects that are planned over the next five years. Breakout sessions will be held to review bidding requirements and opportunities for minorities, women and veterans who may want to register for the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program. The Building Business Rally will be held Thursday, July 21, from 9 – 11 a.m. at PWC’s Administration Building, 955 Old Wilmington Rd.  To register, call 223-4337 or visit http://www.faypwc.com/purchasing .

 

 

 

 

 

 

President on Opioid Abuse       

President Barack Obama has made combatting prescription pain medication abuse and heroin addiction a top priority for his administration. Fayetteville has the unenviable distinction of having the 18th-highest rate of opioid abuse in the country. It has joined with the VA to form an Opioid Reduction Task Force, which is designed to allow different agencies to share ideas and resources to better attack the opioid epidemic. The White House has asked Congress for $1.1 billion in new funding to expand access to lifesaving treatment, particularly the drug buprenorphine. He also wants to strengthen prescription drug monitoring and accelerate research on pain and opioid misuse and overdose. Buprenorphine and the combination of buprenorphine and naloxone are used to treat addiction to opioid drugs, including heroin and narcotic painkillers. Buprenorphine alone and the combination of buprenorphine and naloxone work to prevent withdrawal symptoms when someone stops taking opioid drugs by producing similar effects to these drugs. “More people die of drug overdoses in the U.S. than in car crashes,” said Secretary of Health and Human Services Sylvia M. Burwell. Government funds earmarked for treatment would be funneled directly to states.

 

 

 

 

Pine Forest H.S. Teachers Honored   

Pine Forest High School teachers Linwood Starling and Pierre Cobb have been selected to participate in the North Carolina Business Committee for Education’s Teachers@Work® program this summer. It’s a joint initiative of the NCBCE and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. “Teachers know the hard skills to teach their students, but they also need to see first-hand how those skills are being used in their local businesses,” said Sue Breckenridge, executive director of NCBCE. Starling and Cobb are science teachers and are paired with employees of Lenovo to learn the various aspects of the business. 

I repeatedly write about the troubled political, governmental, moral and social condition of America. The thinking and concerns raised in much of my writing has brought me to the conclusion America needs a contingency third political party. What follows are the why, when and what of such an effort. Readers are invited and encouraged to send me feedback regarding what I present here. 

The consideration that finally brought me to this conclusion regarding a third party is stated well by Gary Odom, political activist and former National Field Director for the Constitution Party, in “A Brief Look at the History of Third Parties in America,” posted on the organization’s website. My use of the quote here or any other reference to Odom is not an endorsement of the Constitution Party:

“One doesn’t have to subscribe to a ‘conspiracy theory of history’ to understand that this ‘pendulum-style political system’ serves the big-moneyed special interests and the entrenched parties, whom they control, quite well. The powerful special interests, sitting, figuratively, at the fulcrum of the pendulum, contribute to and exert tremendous influence and control over both, the Republican and Democrat parties. While the voters feverishly push the political pendulum back and forth from one side to the other, election after election, under the impression that they are making significant changes, there is actually almost never any significant change made at all when it comes to real policy. In fact, those who exert the real power and influence behind the scenes (or at the fulcrum for the purpose of this example) rarely, if ever, care which candidate or party is elected. While the names sometimes change, and the rhetoric may be passionate and seem significantly different between the parties, policy almost never changes because the big money power brokers who effectively control most of what happens in both major parties remain the same and so do their interests.”

I read Odom to say whether a Democrat or Republican is elected to an office, the primary American course will always be what serves the well-being of “big-moneyed special interests.” Regretfully, I have finally concluded he is right. Look at what has happened over the past 18 months with Republicans in control of Congress. I do not see that there has been any change in a single major policy resulting in adverse impact on powerful special interests. I shared this thought with a friend of many years. His response was, “Oh, I have seen changes.” He was thinking about changes brought by President Obama. In light of his response, I thought further about Odom’s conclusion and my acceptance of it. Winking at illegal immigration, pushing for same sex marriage, failing to seriously address extreme Islamic terrorism, support for the LGBT agenda and so many other similar changes…none of this adversely impacts big-moneyed special interests. So, I am back to agreeing with Odom.

This situation requires formation of a political party that will not and cannot be controlled by a few people driven by self-interests. There are political parties in this country other than Republican and Democrat. However, as best I can tell, they are or would be open to the same kind of control currently at work regarding the two dominant parties. It would be a “contingency” party in that the organization would only activate to the point of putting forth candidates in 2020 if the Democrat and Republican Parties continue to fail America. Knowing that in the wings there is a party with superb organization, substantial human and financial resources, solid strategy and tactics, a huge informed voter base and that it will not be controlled by moneyed self-interests; maybe one or both primary parties will do what is right for America. If that happens, this contingency party would support those major party candidates whose actions, not just words, fit with its mission and principles. That failing, the contingency party shifts to a full-fledged political party putting forth candidates for 2020.

A key to success in any effort is being clear about the mission. From my vantage point, the mission of the Democrat and Republican parties is to win elections. That mission engenders personal attacks, chasing financial donations, lack of substantive discussion of issues, and an overall process that is downright disgusting. The mission of this third party would be to give America an opportunity to do what is right for her citizens and in our interactions with the entire world. Winning elections would be desirable, but not controlling. “Doing what is right” controls.

As I wrote in a recent column, doing what is right requires a solid source of principles that define “right.” As for this third party, succeed or fail, Judeo-Christian principles would be the source for identifying what is right. Many people will deny it, but these are the principles on which this nation was founded and thrived. There would be no turning from, no wavering, regarding adherence to this course. President Ronald Reagan spoke truth when he said, “If we ever forget that we are ‘One nation under God,’ then we will be a nation gone under.”

Beyond mission and source of principles, a contingency third party could learn much from studying the 1992 independent Presidential campaign of Ross Perot. The billionaire received 18.9 percent of the popular vote. His opponents were George Bush the elder and Bill Clinton. Perot performed so well that he qualified to participate in the final debate of that election.

Perot recognized that many Americans vote based on emotion and not informed understanding of issues. The situation is no different in our time. Neil Cavuto on Fox Cable News interviewed a young lady who supports Bernie Sanders, 2016 Democrat Presidential candidate because of his promise of free college. Neil asked her how Sanders would pay for this benefit. Her face went blank and after several seconds of silence, she blurted out, “Tax the rich.” No thought given to details of the issue; simply driven by a feeling of deserving more. Perot recognized this sad situation in the 1990s. For this reason, he did infomercials that addressed issues that informed voters. A contingency party must be about informing voters. Please, go to this link and watch one of Perot’s infomercials. It will be time well invested: https://search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?p=ross+perot+infomercials&ei=UTF-8&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-001

Media sources have consolidated to the point that a few companies and individuals control what information is made available to the public. Without a doubt, most news, commentary and even entertainment align with liberal thinking and aim to disparage conservative candidates and views. Perot avoided such treatment because the controllers of media likely realized if they did not cover him and do so accurately, he had the money to purchase advertising and still get his message out. A contingency third party must have similar leverage regarding media.

Perot had the financial means to impact media as explained in the preceding paragraph. He had those resources because of personal wealth but also because of successful grassroots fundraising. This combination allowed Perot to operate independent of the moneyed self-interest class and media bias. This contingency third party must do the same. That is, raise substantial cash, but do so in small donations from the grassroots. This approach avoids coming under the control of big-money donors.

On July 16, 1992, Perot withdrew from the Presidential race stating that he could not win and staying in the race would only create problems for the electoral process. At another point, he said his withdrawal was due to receiving warning that digitally altered photos of his daughter would be released if he stayed in the race and her wedding might be disrupted. He returned to the race in October. His withdrawal and somewhat questionable reasons cost Perot momentum. The lesson for a contingency third party is “be transparent.” 

America’s troubled condition requires bold aggressive action to give our nation an opportunity to do what is right, not what is easy or pleasing to human desires. I believe a third political party very different from any party in existence today is required for that kind of action.  

To read more, visit my website, scroll down and read a few of my columns: www.karlmerritt.com/articles.