Are you considering going back to school? Many jobs are skill specifi c and without the right education it can be difficult to break into the job field of your dreams. Today, many high-paying jobs list a community college education as the foundation for entering into positions requiring specialized skills. This is good news because your neighbor, Fayetteville Technical Community College (FTCC), has more 120 exciting programs to choose from — and at an affordable cost!

As with all new endeavors, you are probably wondering if you can afford to attend school. The cost to attend FTCC is affordable, and Fayetteville Tech also offers fi nancial aid. In fact, the annual cost for tuition and fees to attend FTCC is approximately $1,686. Students who are interested in pursuing a four-year degree can use FTCC as a stepping stone to take their first two years of study and then transfer to a four-year college or university to complete the fi nal two years. It’s not only a smart way to earn a four-year degree, but it’s also a smart way to get a solid foundation on your education. Below are some of the major funding programs available to students at FTCC:

• Pell Grant: This is a major United States Entitlement available to qualifi ed applicants. The maximum amount available is $5,500.00.

• Scholarships: Scholarships are a popular form of fi nancial assistance because the money from scholarships does not have to be paid back. Qualifi cations and award amounts from scholarships vary.

• Federal Direct Subsidized Loans: The Department of Education (DOE) offers this loan to students who demonstrate financial need. Students must pay back this money once school attendance has stopped. However, the federal government pays the interest on the loan as long as the student is in school.

• Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans:These are low-interest loans made by the DOE to students who do not qualify for a subsidized loan. Unlike the subsidized loan, the DOE does not pay the interest on this loan. Loan interest accrues as long as the student is in school. Six months after the last date of school attendance, the student must begin making payments to pay back the loan.

This represents a quick overview of some of the major sources of educational funding available to students. Why not get started on a new career path today? To get started, there are two important steps that must be accomplished:

1. Apply for Admissions: Go to the FTCC website at: http://www.faytechcc.edu/. On the lefthand side of the page, click on Getting Started. You will be able to access the online admissions application at this location, and you can also see other items you may need to accomplish.

2. Apply for Financial Aid: Go to The Federal Student Aid website at: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/.

As you fill out this application for fi nancial aid, you will be asked to provide the FTCC school code. The FTCC school code is 007640.

FTCC offers many programs of study leading to the awards of diploma, certifi cate, and associate degree. To help you reach your goal, Fayetteville Tech also offers many resources, including a variety of fi nancial aid options. With the start of the new year, we invite you to invite FTCC into your life to help you achieve new skills, enhance your existing skills or help you change to a completely new career path. The choice is yours, and the opportunities awaiting you are endless. Learn more about FTCC at www.faytechcc.edu.

Photo: To help you reach your goal, Fayetteville Technical Community College also offers many resources, including a variety of fi nancial aid options. 

Older Adults May Need Help to Stay Mentally Fit

You’ve probably heard the phrase “use it or lose it.” As it turns out, it’s more than just a cliché. Research confirms it’s true.

A study in Psychological Medicine found that individuals with high “brain reserve” have a 46 percent decreased risk of dementia as compared to those with low brain reserve. What is brain reserve, you ask? Well, it looks at how mentally stimulating pursuits can prevent cognitive decline. And more good news — the study pointed out that even a late-life surge in mental activity can ward off the effects of dementia.

So what are today’s seniors doing to keep mentally fi t? Many have said goodbye to traditional games such as bingo. They’re gravitating more to group activities such as Scrabble® and bridge tournaments. According to the latest studies, it all helps.

Here are some suggestions to help seniors keep their minds active.

• Video Action: Interactive video games have become popular for family members of all ages. Some games, such as Nintendo’s Brain Age, and the Wii home video-game system, may be particularly good for stimulating seniors’ minds.

• Computer Savvy Not Required:Seniors can start playing Solitaire, a variety of other computer games or joining an online bridge game.

• Organize Game Night: Board or card games offer a great avenue for mind stimulation. Encourage your senior loved one to get a few friends together to join in the fun.

• The Magic of Music: Many seniors were avid musicians in earlier years and some may still have instruments in their homes. Ask them to play you a tune or challenge them to learn an instrument.

• Tournament Fun: Bridge and Scrabble tournaments for seniors are springing up around the country. Check with the local senior center to learn of any activities in your area, or encourage your older adult to join a bridge group.

• Think Big: Large-piece jigsaw and large-type crossword and Sudoku puzzles are great pastimes for seniors who need a mind-stimulating activity when they’re alone.

• Out and About:Most communities have concerts, lectures and other pursuits that can interest seniors and their families. If your loved one is able to get out, consider activities such as these.

• In the News: Many seniors maintain their interest in politics and current events. For their next birthday (or another special date), why not renew a subscription, regular — or large print if needed, to a newspaper or popular news magazine. Or, you can organize a news-discussion group.

• Just the Two of You:When it’s just you and your senior loved one, remember there are more things you can do than just watching television. For instance, Hasbro Inc. — the largest U.S. game company — has introduced three fast versions of classic board games: Monopoly® Express, Scrabble® Express and Sorry!® Express. They don’t take long to play.

• Companionship Counts: Companionship is an important part of stimulating seniors’ minds. If your senior has no one to spend time with, consider hiring a companion — such as a Home Instead CAREGiver.

• Guided Conversations: Purchasing items that prompt topics of discussion such as Caring Cards™. This set of cards was produced by Dr. Amy Inc, a leader in caregiver wellness. Caring Cards™ features more than 50 questions on a wide range of topics to help engage seniors in meaningful conversations and keep those conversations going. Contact Home Instead Senior Care for more information.

During these winter months of limited outdoor activity, focusing on mental stimulation can produce healthy results as well as fi ll many hours with enjoyable activities.

Top Mind-Game Activities For Seniors

Based upon 17 years of experience serving thousand of clients around the world, the Home Instead Senior Care franchise network suggests the following activities as great mind –sharpening exercises for seniors:

• Scrabble®    • Bridge    • Crossword Puzzles    • Dominos    • Jigsaw Puzzles    • Word Searches

• Sudoku Puzzles    • Card Games    • Video Games

Art enthusiasts in Fayetteville know that the end of the month means more than turning a page on the calendar. It means 4th Friday — a time to celebrate the arts and creativity. This month, 4th Friday falls on Jan. 27, and like always, there will be plenty to see and do.

“We have a very exciting 4th Friday coming up,” said Mary Kinney, marketing director at the Arts Council Fayetteville/Cumberland County. “We are opening the Friends of African and African-American Art exhibit. Last year we had we are The Ship and the year before that we had Art of the Masters. This year we have three collections.”

The Arts Council hosts a trio of exhibits this month. Inspiration features Maya Angelou’s poem “Our Grandmothers” paired with illustrations by John Biggers. An author, speaker, educator, teacher, historian, filmmaker and Civil Rights activist, Dr. Angelou’s works speak boldly and eloquently in her poem, which was originally published in I Shall Not Be Moved. Biggers, a contemporary of Angelou’s is known for his murals, drawings, paintings and lithographs portraying the multifaceted ethnic heritage of African Americans. Inspiration features lithographs by John Biggers.

Voices, an artist book by 23 African-American artists, celebrates creativity and excellence in African-American art. Each book contains an original work by each of the featured 23 African-American artists, and each is a one of a kind. Portfolio is the third exhibit and is set up in a similar fashion.

“We are very lucky to have an organization like Friends of African and African-American Art,” said Kinney. “This organization really understands that African and African-American art needs to be seen. It is still underserved. The fact that we have this organization that makes an effort every year to present quality African and African-American Art is a service to this community.”

Don’t miss the opportunity to see artists at work at Arts Alive. From 6-10 p.m. local artists gather in the parking lot by the Fayetteville Area Transportation Museum and demonstrate their skills. Each month is different. Sometimes there are glass artists, painters and musicians, and on another day there might be basket weavers, rock polishers and poets.

Just behind Arts Alive sits Cape Fear Studios and the Fayetteville Area Transportation Museum, and each has a unique exhibit for visitors to enjoy. At the museum, learn about agriculture and check out farm-related tools from 7-9 p.m.

Cape Fear Studios hosts its North Carolina College Faculty exhibit. Look for pieces from professors from Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville Technical Community College, Meredith College, Methodist University and the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. The exhibit includes works in various mediums and diverse genres. The show runs from Jan. 27-Feb. 22.

The Market House opens at 6 p.m. for visitors to explore an educational exhibit and remains open until 10 p.m. Local drummers gather for a drum circle and meet under the market house to entertain 4th Friday visitors.

Local businesses are anticipating a good crowd and many will be open late and offering great deals. Restaurants like Huske Hardware House, Wet Willies and the Hilltop House are all great places to enjoy a hearty meal before setting out to enjoy the artistic offerings.

Ladies and Gentlemen, start your engines and take off to Fayetteville’s 7th Annual AMP Tour’s Thunder Slam Monster Truck and Motorcycle Demolition Derby at the Crown Coliseum on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 27 and 28.

There will be a pit party at 6 p.m. and the show follows at 7:30 p.m. This year’s show features everything from high-flying freestyle BMX bikers, motorcycle destruction, monster truck rides and local Tuff Truck competitions.

Since 2005, The AMP Tour, based out of Scottsdale, Ariz., has put on hundreds of shows in cities all over the United States. This 2012 tour means visiting 17 different cities in a matter of 13 weeks.

“We are going to El Paso and San Angelo, Texas and then Fayetteville is our third stop on this tour,” says AMP Tour Manager Ron Leach.

The AMP Tour is known for bringing 10,000 pound, 10-foot-tall, monster trucks with 2,000 horse power to a variety of different venues to captivate and thrill their audiences.

“This year’s show is all new — never before seen in Fayetteville,” says Leach.

Some of the most prestigious performers will also be returning to the Crown Coliseum; like Viper, Reptoid, Nail It, Country Boy and God, Guts and Glory. Watch these “masters of destruction” and more rev up their engines and crush cars with their oversized tires.

Thunder Slam also features the Road Rage Rampage Motorcycle Demolition Derby, which consists of six dare-devil motorcyclists getting decked out in protective gear and going head to head in a full contact battle with one another. The show includes a team of six of the best freestyle BMX bikers fl ying through the air and performing gut wrenching and nail biting stunts that are sure to fascinate you. These professional ramp-to-ramp jumpers from Pinn-It FMX will bring the stunts of the X Games seen on TV to the Crown Coliseum.

The show has a team of freestyle BMX bikers flying through the air and performing heart-stopping tricks. Also, if you’re feeling gutsy, compete in Thunder Slam’s Tuff Truck Challenge

“This is where local competitors have the chance to come to the show in their work trucks and they can jump jumps and crash cars,” says Leach. “It’s a great time.”

“We’re just going to be high and tight and have fun, there will be all new thrills and chills, a lot of excitement,” exclaims Leach. “There will be a lot of things happening that have never been seen in Fayetteville before.”

Tickets to The AMP Tour’s Thunder Slam Monster Truck and Motorcycle Demolition Derby are available for purchase online or at the Crown Coliseum Box Office and other local Ticketmaster locations. Reserved tickets are under $20 and 30 percent off when bought in advance.

Photo: The Amp Tour’s Thunder Slam Monster Trucke and Motorcycle Demoli-tion Derby will bring chills and thrills to the Crown.

Part of the mission of the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra (FSO) is to try and serve every citizen of Fayetteville and Cumberland County. The FSO will once again do so in a very special way when the orchestra, under the baton of Maestro Fouad Fakhouri, presents Peter and the Wolf at the Second Annual Exceptional Children and Adults’ Concerton Friday, Jan. 27, at 7:30 p.m. at the Crown Theater in Fayetteville.

Free and open to the public, the concert event welcomes all children and adults to attend, providing an opportunity for those with mental, physical and developmental disabilities to enjoy a live performance of the symphony. The concert program features Michael Macias on piano, Ken Smith as narrator and Betty-Neill Parsons, conductor of One Voice, the Gilmore Center’s Exceptional Performing Chorus.

“This is the second year that we’ve done this program. It was a great success last year,” said Fakhouri, FSO music director and conductor. “There’s obviously a need for something like this because many of these exceptional young children, and adults as well, are underserved in that regard, and we felt that we should fulfi ll that need. We have associated with the concert the instrument petting zoo. The kids get to grab these instruments, touch them and play them and then they get to hear them when we perform.”

The FSO was able to acquire and purchase the instruments for the zoo through a grant from the Cumberland Community Education Foundation.

“These kids can always play with them, and when we go to schools, we can even take them with us. It’s a great, great thing. The idea behind it is that after the concert, as they are walking out, the instruments are there as well, and they can gravitate towards the instrument that they liked in that performance. It provides them with hands-on experience with these instruments, beyond just sitting there in the audience and listening and being preached to. It gives them an actual chance to physically touch the instruments, and that’s real important,” he noted.

Also important, Fakhouri noted, is the effect the music itself may have on many in the audience who, prior to this type of concert, may have never had an opportunity to see an orchestra or sit in an audience and listen to one.

“Last year, when we first started, there were many noises in the audience, a lot of activity. As everything settled in, and as we started getting into the third or fourth piece, it almost had this calming effect, and you could sense that it shifted from ‘they’re just watching’ to ‘now they’re listening to us’ because a lot of the noise completely dissipated and subsided to a point where we felt we could acknowledge that we had their attention.

“The concerts in general are a joy for the musicians to perform and certainly for me because part of what we do as musicians always is try to touch people’s lives in ways that we feel certainly are important to us as musicians. By the time you leave that concert, you feel that you have significantly affected positively the lives of children and adults,” Fakhouri continued, underscoring the importance of the FSO’s commitment to its mission as it celebrates its 55th anniversary season: To Educate. To Entertain. To Inspire.

“We want to encourage everyone to come to our concerts. We are constantly trying to seek programs, any events that will touch people. We are always striving for that, and to provide culture and music to all of Fayetteville and Cumberland County.”

For more information on the Exceptional Children and Adults’ Concert or the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra, please call 910.433.4690, email info@fayettevillesymphony.org or visit www.fayettevillesymphony.org.

Photo: The Instrument Petting Zoo is a big draw for children at the FSO Exceptional Children and Adults’ Concert..

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo  (Rated R)  5 Stars

Hey, you know who is just excellent at moody and atmospheric films that show characters in sort of a bad light? Director David Fincher (Se7en, Fight Club)! Most of the time, the book is bet-ter than the movie, and an original foreign film is better than a big-budget American redo. In this case, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (158 well-chosen minutes) matches the original Swedish film, just as both films somehow manage to do justice to the first book in Stieg Larsson’s Millennium trilogy.

Rooney Mara is brilliantly cast as Lisbeth Salander, and she ap-parently went method with the role — all those piercings are real. Considering the train wreck that Natalie Portman or Kiera Knightly would have been in this role, somebody in central casting deserves a nice end-of-year bonus. Daniel Craig is a great actor, and he does the role justice, but he also comes off as almost boyish when compared to Michael Nyqvist from the original film, which is not so much a misstep as a personal quibble with directorial choices. At least Fincher made the choice to keep the film’s setting in Sweden, even if all the characters are speaking English. The country itself is a character in the story, and forcing the film to take place in New England or something just would not have worked.

Mikael Blomkvist (Craig) is up against a professional wall, having tried to take down a wealthy businessman, only to be charged and convicted of libel when he is unable to back up his allegations. He is smoking a lot, and I would say shame on you Daniel Craig, but children shouldn’t be watching this anyway.

Broke and facing the loss of his professional reputation, he is approached by Dirche Frode (Steven Berkoff, who I last saw playing Victor Maitland in Beverly Hills Cop). Frode represents Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plummer), who wishes to hire him to solve the decades-old murder of his niece based on the strength of a background check performed by Lisbeth Salander (Mara). Blomkvist is reluc-tant at first, but agrees when he finds out that Vanger has information that will restore his journalistic reputation.

Meanwhile, Salander is assigned a legal guardian named Nils Bjurman (Yorick van Wageningen). Bjurman is every bit as evil as depicted in the books. While I give the actors credit for managing to film the intense scenes required, and acknowledge that one of the main themes of the trilogy is the violence men visit upon women, I find it distasteful that Fincher felt bound to mirror some of the more vicious choices made in the first film, and even exceed them by a bit. For a film that spends so much time alluding to violence against women without lingering over the details, I don’t see how including one of the most violent mainstream literary scenes around adds anything to an otherwise skillfully edited movie. For this, Fincher, go back to the ear slicing scene in Reservoir Dogs to see how you show violence without actually showing violence. I guess what I am saying is, the scene in the remake is even harder to watch.

Anyway, Blomkvist settles in to the Vanger estate, meeting the dramatis personae and learning the background to the case. It doesn’t take long for him to meet Vanger Industries CEO Martin Vanger (Stellan Skarsgård) and Cecilia Vanger (Geraldine James). It takes about 90 minutes to put Blomkvist and Salander in the same room, which is when things start moving quickly. Naturally, the two reach the same conclusion at the same time, putting one of them in danger just in time to be rescued by the other.

If you haven’t read the books or seen the Swedish trilogy, this is an excellent introduction … and you should definitely check them out just to see the different character choices.

Now showing at Wynnsong 7, Carmike 12 and Carmike Market Fair 15.

As someone who grew up in Fayetteville and is often back home for business and fam-ily, I am always appreciative of some of our more sincere non-chain restaurants. My constant favorite is hands-down the Hilltop House, which is located in the histor-ic community of Haymount.

The dining atmosphere is warm and inviting — and thoughtfully respectful of the 110 year plus history of the home. While the interior makes for a wonderful respite and a marvelous setting to conclude business, it is the food and the wine list that brings me back and solidifies Hilltop House as my favorite Fayetteville restaurant.

A thoughtful restaurant menu must always be paired with an informed wine list. The Hilltop does not disappoint. The domestic wines are of ex-cellent value and range from subtle crisp Washington State Rieslings to a Big Paul Hobbs Cabernet Sauvignon. There is an equally impressive selec-tion of international wines, all thoughtfully and extremely well considered — as we would expect from internationally traveled proprietor Sandra Shearin.

Ahh, but the main reason I am such a big fan is clearly the food. Irrespective, of whether it is only a small bite of lunch or a big night out for dinner, the menu is as wonderfully varied as the wine. Chefs Beth Smith and Matt Graham exhude both confidence and creativity in their preparation.

There is no obvious prejudice to a certain style or kitchen. This culinary freedom allows Hilltop to vary its menu and experiment with new opportunities.

My “never let me down” favorites are their simple shrimp bisque, stuffed pork chops and just about every salad they make.

Living in Charlotte affords me wonderful res-taurant choices. My wife and I have several that we frequent there, but back in my hometown of Fayetteville I am always eager to find another reason to dine at Hilltop House.

After all, I have only scratched the surface of their wine list and I have too many assured favorite dishes yet to sample.

Photo: Sandra Shearin and Beth Smith share a toast at the Hilltop House.

Martin Luther King Day is more than an opportunity to honor a great man. It is a chance to give back to the community and to build on the aspirations of Dr. King. It’s a chance to consider where the world and community are headed and move to influence the future.

This year, there are several celebrations around Fayetteville that educate, motivate and celebrate in the name of Martin Luther King Jr.

On Thursday, Jan. 12, at Bronco Square at Fayetteville State University, the Martin Luther King Jr. March and Vigil begins at 5:30 p.m. The march proceeds to MLK Park where a vigil is scheduled to start at 5:45 p.m.

Hope Mills Branch Library celebrates with “I Have a Dream: Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.” at the Hope Mills Meeting Room at the Hope Mills Branch Library on Friday, Jan. 13. The celebration begins at 10:30 a.m. and includes stories and crafts for children ages 3-5. Groups of 7 or more are encouraged to register by calling 425-8455.

On Saturday, Jan. 14, head downtown and enjoy the Martin Luther King Jr. Parade. It starts at the courthouse and goes to the train station. While you are downtown, take a few moments to check out the galleries, shops and restaurants. The parade starts at 11:30 a.m.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Prayer Breakfast and Day of Service kicks off at 7 a.m. at the Crown Exposition Center. Now in its 19th year, the prayer breakfast welcomes keynote speaker Bobby Henry, Sr., Publisher and CEO of Westside Gazette Newspaper. After the breakfast, participants are invited to A Day of Service. Churches, organizations, agencies and individuals commit to four hours of community service. For more information, contact Bishop Larry O. Wright, FCCMC President at 494-8274. Find out more about the Ministers Council and purchase tickets to the prayer breakfast at http://ministerscouncil.net.

If breakfast is out of the question, join the Fayetteville Martin Luther King Jr. Challenge Day of Service. Meet at 8:20 a.m. at the Center for Community Justice and Service Learning at 1047 Murchison Rd. and pitch in to make a difference. The event is free. Find out more by calling 672-2460.

At 7 p.m. at Seabrook Auditorium on the Fayetteville State University Campus, the FSU Concert Choir and community ensembles perform at 7 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 16.

This weekend is the perfect time to refl ect a little and learn a few things about local African American Heritage. The African American Heritage Trail chronicles the history, lives and experiences of African Americans who lived in the region. The Fayetteville CVB website www.visitfayettevillenc.com/culturalheritagetrails offers many several historical trails for visitors who would like to explore a little deeper into Fayetteville’s history.

The Crown Center has just the cure for the winter blues — a line up of sensational shows that will keep you entertained. With upcoming shows, you will be on the edge of your seat, jamming to some of your favorite music, laughing out loud at side splitting comedy and shedding a tear or two overlive theatre. So hang onto your seat, and grab a phone to order tickets, the Crown is starting the year out right.

The FireAntz opened the year with a game against the Huntsville Havoc and have several home games scheduled through March. As we head into the coldest months of the year, a feisty game of hockey is sure to heat things up. Check the schedule at www.fireantzhockey.com.

Community Concerts presents REO Speedwagon on Jan. 14. The band formed in 1967, and has been on stage and in the studio for more than 40 years producing, dozens of albums and performing hundreds of concerts. The concert is sure to please fans of every age. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster and the Crown box office. Contact Community Concerts at www.community-concerts.com for more information and ticket inquiries.

Broadway’s best-loved musical, The Color Purple, makes a stop at the Crown on Jan. 19. Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker and the film by Steven Spielberg, the play tells the story of Celie, a woman who finds strength to triumph over adversity and discover her voice in the world. The curtain rises at 8 p.m. Tickets are between $30 and $59.

On Jan. 21, country crooner Jason Aldean performs at 7:30 p.m., along with Luke Bryan and American Idolrunner-up Lauren Alaina. Since his debut in 2005 with Hicktown, Aldean has become a country favorite, keeping critics and listeners on their toes.

Tickets are available by calling the Crown box office at 438-4100.

Look for the Thunderslam Monster Truck Spectacular on Jan. 27-28. If the smell of dust in the air and the sounds of crunching metal get your heart pounding, this event is a must-see. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. on both nights.

Comedian Ron White visits the Crown on Feb. 3. White performed with funny men Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall and Larry the Cable Guy in the Blue Collar Comedy Tour from January 2000 throughMarch of 2003. They played to sold-out audiences in more than 90 cities and grossed more than $15 million dollars. Over the past five years, White has been one of the top-three grossing comedians on tour in the U.S. A Comedy Central mainstay, White’s sense of humor keeps his audiences in stitches. The show starts at 8 p.m.

Rock of Ages featuring music from ‘80s bands, Journey, Night Ranger, Styx, REO Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, Twisted Sister, Poison and Whitesnake, rocks the Crown on Valentine’s Day. Presented by Community Concerts, this event is the perfect opportunity to relive some great memories — or make new ones — with your sweetheart, best friend or favorite teenager. The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. 

Comedian Mike Epps brings laughter to Fayetteville on Feb. 19 with the I’m Still Standing Tour, followed by Tyler Perry’s The Haves and the Have Nots on Feb. 23-24.

February comes to a close with the Carolina Home and Garden Show on the Feb 25-26. Attend a workshop, visit with vendors and get ready for spring.

Find out more about these and other events at www.atthecrown.com or by calling the Crown Box Office at 438-4100.

Photos: Jason Aldean, Lauren Alaina, Ron White. 

When it first started, Community Concerts was one of many organizations around the country that would buy shows from Columbia Entertainment and bring them to their communities. Over time, the concept grew and as recently as 20 years ago, according to Michael Fleishman, attractions director for the Community Concerts series, the program was strictly a classical music affair. The organization continued to keep pace with the tastes of its audience and over the years the programming, at least here in Fayetteville, has evolved.

“We decided to change with the times and our organization has grown and grown. Today there are just a handful of community-concerts organizations left in the country,” said Fleishman. “The parent organization went by the wayside 10 to 15 years ago, and we are the only group that really became a true performing-arts organization.”

Part of changing with the times includes bringing in a variety of shows each season that meet the entertainment needs of a vibrant and diverse audience. This season is no exception. In fact, this year’s programming budget is the largest it has ever been, and that is refl ected in the shows that are available. Darius Rucker, former front man for Hootie and the Blowfish, now a country solo sensation, kicked off the season in November, followed by Lee Ann Rimes in December.

REO Speedwagon is up next in the lineup. The band, which reached its heyday in the late ‘70s with its break-out album You Can Tune a Piano, But You Can’t Tuna Fish, will be at the Crown on Jan. 14, bringing back memories and making new ones for the audience.

Some see the group as only an ‘80s band, but in reality, REO Speedwagon has been entertaining for more than 30 years and counting. With hits like “Keep On Loving You,” “Can’t Fight This Feeling,” “Take It on the Run” and “Someone Tonight”, they continue to tour the country performing and recording music — and their fans keep showing up at concerts and buying their songs. The pace is brisk, but the band wants nothing more than to please their fans. REO Speedwagon has not let a year slip by without doing at least one concert, and they continue to seek creative ways to make their work available to listeners.

In 2007, the band recorded Find Your Own Way Home and teamed up with Wal-Mart to get the music to the public at affordable prices. Their passion shows through in each performance as fans from years past flock to hear their old favorites, and they bring their teenaged children with them, spawning an entirely new generation of followers, and well, keeping the fire burning so to speak.

Driven by a desire to give back, REO Speedwagon is out there working to help when a worthy cause arises. They’ve participated in Live Aid in 1985, a benefit for port authority workers just after 9/11, MusiCares shows and a “Ridin’ The Storm Out” benefit concert, raising more than $500,000 for Iowa flood relief in 2008.

So far, the ticket sales are strong and Fleishman is confident that the group is a good fit for Community Concerts’audiences.

“Reo Speedwagon is the third concert for this, our 76th season,” he said. “It promises to be huge. It is going to be a big show. They are a very iconic group.”

There is something to be said about a group with this kind of staying power. The themes of their songs are easy to relate to; they are about life, passion, relationships and overcoming challenges.

In addition to a rockin’ good time, Community Concerts has something else planned in conjunction with the concert. This marks the fifth anniversary of the Fayetteville Music Hall of Fame. On the night of the concert, the newest members will be honored. “At the REO Speedwagon concert we will do a very special presentation,” said Fleishman. “It is to honor those who have brought musical distinction to Fayetteville. There are a lot of people here who, through the years, have taught our children; they’ve entertained us; they’ve gone to Broadway; they’ve put on Broadway shows for us. They’ve enriched this community musically and they deserve to be honored.”

Community Concertsis serious about providing good entertainment, but the organization has a positive impact on the community in other ways, too.

“We did a cancer-awareness recognitions with Lee Ann Rimes. Through the efforts of the Darius Rucker show we had a big Veterans Day salute to the military in conjunction with Heroes Homecoming. We’ve been doing more in recent years to put community into Community Concerts,” said Fleishman. “This organization does a lot more than put on concerts. It is an all-volunteer nonprofit and I don’t think a lot of people realize that they’ve done a lot outside of the concert season.”

The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster and the Crown Box Office. For more information at ticket inquiries visit Community Concerts at www.community-concerts.com or call 323-1991.

 Photo: REO Speedwagon is set to rock the Crown on Jan. 14

The Fayetteville FireAntz will be fighting for blood — off the ice — to help increase the community’s blood supply for the Cape Fear Valley Blood Donor Center.

January is National Blood Donor month and the FireAntz and the Cape Fear Valley Blood Donor Center need everyone’s help. Blood is traditionally in short supply during the winter months due to holidays, travel schedules, inclement weather and illness. The community’s blood supply feels the impact of the shortage of donors, especially during January, so the FireAntz are urging people to take some time during this month to help give the gift of life.

Approximately every two seconds, someone needs blood. Five million Americans would die each year without it and the only place to get this precious resource is from volunteer blood donors. All the blood donated to the Cape Fear Valley Blood Donor Center stays in the community to save local patients with cancer and other diseases, organ transplant recipients, surgical patients, neonatal patients and accident victims.

Every pint of blood donated saves up to three lives. This small act of kindness helps in such a tremendous way. In recognition of National Blood Donor Month, the Blood Donor Center is giving donors a fiery red tumbler, while supplies last.

Every month, Cape Fear Valley Health transfuses about 1,100 units of blood to their patients. Sixty percent of people are eligible to donate blood but less than fi ve percent actually do. There is a need for additional healthy, volunteer donors to join the ranks of those who already give of themselves so generously. Donating blood is a safe, simple and an easy way to help your friends, family and neighbors.

Friday, Jan. 13, is Blood Donor Night at the FireAntz game. The Blood Donor Center will be at the game giving out information and answering questions about donating blood or platelets. We will hand out the annual Blood Donor Center poster that night with some of your favorite Fayetteville FireAntz on it.

After the game, fans have a chance to meet and greet the FireAntz and get autographs from their favorite players, courtesy of the Cape Fear Valley Blood Donor Center.

The Fayetteville FireAntz will be at some of the different donation sites throughout the season. There will also be some of your Fayetteville FireAntz players at Methodist University on Wednesday, Feb.1 from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Come out either of those days to give blood, see your favorite FireAntz player and get entered to win tickets to a future Fayetteville FireAntz hockey game.

It takes the entire community’s support to fight for our patients; team up with the FireAntz and the Blood Donor Center to fight for blood!

Photo: Team up with the FireAntz and the Cape Fear Valley Blood Donor Center.

It’s happened to most everyone. You need a resource or information and cannot find where or how to access it, or you have a resource/information that you know will be useful to many and can’t seem to get it into the hands of the people it will help the most. It’s beyond frustrating. When the two come together, so much good can happen. And that is apparent in the Cumberland County Schools.

Parents of special-needs children are aware of how diffi cult it can be to unlock the resources that the public-school system provides. So is Dr. Franklin Till, the Cumberland County Schools superintendent. He, along with the Exceptional Children Parents Advisory Council, has spent the last two years trying to find a way to better connect parents of special-needs children with the right programs and resources within the school system. What the group has found that is in most cases, the programs are already in place. The problem comes in connecting the the right families with the right resources. The result of their efforts is the Special Education Parent Teacher Association, or SEPTA.

Joan Owen and Julie Rufenacht are parents of special-needs children. They know first-hand the extra effort it takes to meet the myriad education needs of children with special needs.

“There was not a way for parents to connect,” said Owen.“There was a lot of miscommunication in the system and parents were not educated on how the system works. They don’t know what services are offered and things like that, so this is a way for them to work within the school system and see what is available. It is a way for parents to connect with other parents who may have a child with a similar diagnosis.”

Two years in the making, SEPTA was formally organized in August 2011 and held its first meeting in November. Owen and Rufenacht were both thrilled when more than 100 people showed up. “A lot of these parents have all they can handle and they don’t get involved in PTA’s because they feel like it is not suitable to them,” said Rufenacht. “This is a way to build a platform for these families and their children to come together and learn from each other, learn the school system and learn how we, as families, can help each other.”

The next meeting is scheduled for Jan 19 at Maxx Abbott Middle School The program topic IEP/504 and How We Can Work with the System will be presented by Angela Rafferty of the Family Support Network. The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. To find out more, contact SEPTA at cumberlandcountysepta@yahoo.com.

Photo: The Special Education PTA works in conjunction with the Cumberland County PTA to unite families of special-needs students and educate them about resources provided through the school system. 

The Darkest Hour (Rated PG13) 4 Stars

I’m gonna go out on a limb here and pronounce The Darkest Hour (89 minutes) an enjoyable little sci-fi, even though apparently everyone but me hates it. Director Chris Gorak’s freshman film was a neat little Indie flick called Right at Your Door, and if you blinked and missed its release, Netflix has that little gem. Along with Gorak, for those of you who care, this is the first screenplay credited to Prometheus writer Jon Spaihts (the Ridley Scott movie set in the Alien universe!). Not to mention that producer Timur Bekmambetov directed the original Russian version of Nightwatch!

Before we get any farther, I want to put out there what everyone was thinking about during the trailer for this movie. I don’t think this counts as a spoiler, because it is in every commercial. Filmmakers, it would be much easier to like you and celebrate your good points if you hadn’t killed the dog. Never kill the dog. Seriously. Wipe out most of humanity, gut the planet, knock down the buildings. But you heartless monsters: Do. Not. Kill the dog. Ever. I don’t even want to think about what hap-pened to Faraday kitty DJ Lance Rock.

The film takes place in Moscow, where Sean (Emile Hirsch) and Ben (Max Minghella) have traveled to seal the deal on some kind of dot-com startup. After a day touring the city, they wind up in a nightclub that only allows pretty people inside. Naturally, they meet the only other Americans in Moscow, Natalie (Olivia Thirlby) and Anne (Rachael Taylor, who is techni-cally Australian).

Since none of them speak Russian or know their way around Moscow, when the aliens come they are immediately dispatched. Except that some-how doesn’t happen, and they wind up hiding in some kind of basement pantry. Eventually, they claim to be out of food (despite the sticks of delicious pepperoni clearly visible in the background) and decide to leave their safe haven in search of the American embassy. That works out about as well as you would expect.

For most of the search, it seems that Natalie would apparently rather walk barefoot through the bizarrely clean Russian streets than loot some Russian sneakers. I hear you Natalie! Buy American! Finally, they hole up in a mall (as you do following an apocalypse) and after a few hours of staring blankly at each other, decide to liberate some sup-plies, including some stylish black suede calf length boots for Natalie. Remember, the world might have ended, but that is no excuse to ignore fashion! Of course, it helps when your hair and make-up are designed to last for weeks without a shower.

In their travels, they discover the scientific principles of the alien defense systems, despite having no technical training whatsoever. It is good to know that in every end-of-the-world scenario, there is that one smart guy who lives just long enough to explain what is going on to the pretty young idiots, who aren’t even smart enough to remember how to hide from aliens from one scene to the next.

Finally, let’s take just a moment to ponder over the anti-intellectual theme of the movie. To put it simply, the smarter the character, the quicker they died. The entire film is a celebration of impulse and intuitiveness. Ah well, the prettiest ones lived. Overall, if you enjoyed Skyline you will like this, and don’t let anybody tell you otherwise.

Now showing at Wynnsong 7, Carmike 12 and Carmike Market Fair 15.

If you had visited in Fayetteville in early 1997, you would not have found the bustling historic downtown you see today. You also would not have found many of the national businesses that have located here or the numerous restaurants that dot the city’s busy commercial corridor around the mall and on McPherson Church Road.

Instead you would have found a derelict downtown, with dark bars with names like the Seven Dwarves, the Pump House and the infamous Rick’s Lounge. The city’s downtown was just beginning to come back to life, and the first conscious attempts were made to separate the city from its derogatory nickname of Fayettenam.

Flash forward to today, and you find a community on the move. Over the past couple of years, the city has received numerous national accolades:

• 18th on the 2010 Milken Institute’s Best Performing Cities Index

• Second highest increase in the nation on per capita income in 2010

• America’s Most Pro-Military Community, Time

The results say that the community has done something right, but it hasn’t been by chance, but rather through careful planning and community involvement. That cohesive community effort paid off last summer, when Fayetteville earned its fourth designation as an All America City. The question begs to be asked: How did we get here in just 15 short years?

The city answered that question best in its application to the All America City Award” “We believe that we are worthy of a fourth award, because we are addressing the city’s challenges through civic engagement and collaboration, a community-wide effort for inclusiveness and through creative leveraging of resources to complete projects that have dramatic impact in our community.”

The city highlighted four key projects in the award:

• Working together to move Fayetteville Forward

• Improve the image of Fayetteville and embrace our military

• Address sustainability through leveraging resources for innovative economic development

• Embrace Reading Rocks! to benefit Fayetteville’s Youth

Key to Fayetteville’s transition was the involvement of the community as a whole. That is best manifested in the Greater Fayetteville Futures project, which has been ongoing since 2000. The goal of Greater Fayetteville Futures, which continues to meet today, is to bring hundreds of Fayetteville citizens together for the purposes of transforming the community’s vision into innovative projects. More importantly, the group focused on one question: How can its citizens work together to move Fayetteville and Cumberland County forward?

The initial effort was spearheaded by local business owners and the University of North Carolina’s Offi ce of Economic Development, and focused on three topics: How to diversify the economy; how to leverage the military presence to build a more dynamic local economy; and how to establish an identity that was a true refl ection of the city

.The first two topics were closely related, and work in these areas has changed the face of the community, and is continuing to build the local economy. In 2001, Fayetteville’s per-capita income was stagnant. Jobs were not being created, and the community’s brightest and talented young adults were leaving to build careers in more progressive areas.

Working with the leadership of Cumberland County, a concerted effort was made to consolidate the community’s economic development efforts to recruit traditional industries, while leveraging Fort Bragg’s presence in the community. That effort has resulted in all economic-development efforts falling under the auspices of the Fayetteville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce. The efforts are funded to the tune of $1 million, which is contributed by the county, the city and the Fayetteville Public Works Commission. An additional $3.6 million was contributed to the economic-development funds through private businesses and individuals, with the most recent infusion coming through the creation of the Linda Lee Allan Legacy Fund.

The first fruits of the community’s labor began to be seen in 2005, with the creation of the N.C. Military Business Center, which assists businesses with obtaining military and other federal contracts. To date almost 600 contracts have been awarded, which has brought $2.7 billion to the state.

2005 also saw the announcement of the BRAC commission to move the U.S. Forces Command and the U.S. Army Reserve Command to fort Bragg. That decision spurred the creation of the Partnership for Defense Innovation and the Defense & Security Technology Accelerator, with the later creating more than 150 jobs, securing 91 military contracts and infusing $31.8 million into the local economy.

In recent years, more than 600 high-tech jobs have been secured in the community through the work of the PDI, including, Booz Allen Hamilton’s opening of a corporate offi ce in the city, L3 Communications, SAID and other military contractors. Home-grown entrepreneurs include RLM, K2 and The Logistics Company.

Economic growth has continued through the investment of more than $120 million in downtown by the private and public sector, and a $113 million investment in the city through a Hope VI project, which is designed to revitalize blighted areas near the downtown area.

Fayetteville residents may be more aware of the change in the way the city is viewed, but with the construction of the Airborne and Special Operations Museum Downtown, followed by the N.C. State Veterans Park, Fayetteville has embraced its military heritage, and has leveraged it to become the military destination. Touting itself as a city of “History, Heroes and a Hometown Feeling.” Leaders felt the phrase captured the sentiments of how Fayetteville saw itself as it entered a new millennium. In 2001, America went back to war, and troops again amassed at Fort Bragg, but long gone were the bars and strip clubs that earned the city its unfortunate moniker. Instead, troops converging on the city found an emerging and growing downtown, and a community that was ready to not only support them, but embrace them.

Fayetteville didn’t just pay lip service to its new slogan, its citizens lived it. The creation of a number of organizations that served the troops happened quickly. First was the creation of the Society of Patriots, which was comprised of community leaders representing the military, local governments, businesses and cultural organizations. The group created a community-wide plan to show the nation Fayetteville’s true colors. This was quickly followed by the creation of the 31 Day Salute, a month-long celebration honoring the military, veterans and their families. With this May celebration, the city, reaffirmed the pride it has in its military history and its commitment to supporting the troops.

With BRAC came many challenges, chief of which was convincing families to make the move from Atlanta to Fayetteville. The community answered the call with the creation of the Army’s Army, a non-profit volunteer organization that worked tirelessly to educate, inform and make welcome those who would be making the move. That effort resulted in Fayetteville being named America’s First Military Sanctuary, and later being named by Time as America’s Most-Pro Military Community. Other organizations, like Fayetteville Cares ensure that Soldiers serving today are taken care of while they call Fayetteville home.

In November, Fayetteville paid homage to its Vietnam-era history by hosting a Heroes Homecoming, the nation’s first welcome home for Vietnam Veterans. The two-week event brought Vietnam vets from across the nation to the community, many of whom reveled in the changes to the city, while affectionately recalling their time here.

At the heart of all of these improvements has been the involvement of local citizens not only in Fayetteville Futures or in America’s Army or in packing care packages for the troops, but in creating a vibrant community that is alive with arts and culture, that embraces its green spaces as much as it does its businesses and that has found a way of keeping its most precious resource — its children involved, active and returning to the city to pursue their careers following the completion of their education.

Fayetteville has come a long way in the past 15 years, and city leaders are continuing to craft a vision for a vibrant future, but they are the fi rst to acknowledge it takes the work of the entire community to continue the momentum. Fayetteville Mayor Tony Chavonne probably said it best in an opinion piece that he wrote to launch the Greater Fayetteville Futures initiative:

“Let’s agree to look back one day and say that 2001 was the time when we rolled up our sleeves and worked together to improve our community’s economic health, to restore our rightful place as an economical infl uence in the region and the state and to build a stronger economy and better life for everyone who lives and works here.”

It has been said you can judge a society by how it treats its weakest members — its children. If that is the case, there is a lot to be said for the City of Fayetteville and the way it celebrates its youngest citizens.

While nothing replaces the time and attention of parents, the Fayetteville community has several resources that make parenting a little more fun and interesting.

Each fall the community rallies around its youth to support education and literacy with Reading Rocks, a 1.5 mile walk through downtown Fayetteville that draws crowds of more than 20,000. The local high-school marching bands are stationed along the route and provide inspiration to the walkers. Dignitaries from the school system, local community and Fort Bragg attend the event in celebration of local youth.

The funds raised through this program support public education and raise money for literacy. The money also provides grants for teachers and programs that support 53,000 students in the 88 schools in the community. Reading Rocks has raised more than $800,000 since its inception — all of which is used to locally to support literacy in Cumberland County Schools. It’s an investment in the community’s future — it just happens to be fun, too.

Most every parent knows that no matter how old kids are, one of the easiest ways to keep them out of trouble is to keep them busy. Fayetteville Cumberland Parks and Recreation offers local citizens a bevy of choices when it comes to keeping youth engaged.

Boasting 18 recreation centers county-wide and at least twice as many parks that range from school and community playgrounds to sports complexes to multi-use and community parks, the possibilities for healthy activities are impressive.

Recreation-league sports like soccer, football, basketball and baseball are just the beginning of what the community’s parks and recreation department has to offer. Peel back another layer and there are self-guided scavenger hunts, kayak lessons and fishing events at Lake Rim Park, nature totes for check out and nature-themed story time at Clarke Park.

Dig deeper still and find a variety of classes and activities that are offered each month. Archery, stars and constellations, cooking, geocaching, dancing, music lessons, tennis and martial arts classes are just a few of the options available through the parks and recreation department at amazing prices.

When youngsters are restless for some wholesome and fun activities, why not take them for a stroll on the Cape Fear River Trail or to Mazarick Park for an outside adventure? To find out everything there is to know about the community’s green spaces, checkout the parks and rec activity guide at www.fcpr.us.

Another great resource for youth is the Cumberland County Library. Yes, books are available for check out, and sure, they’ve got story-time activities for kids of all ages (including book clubs and visiting authors for mom and dad), but that is just the beginning.

With eight locations throughout Cumberland County, the library is always looking for new ways to become involved in the community. Events like movie night and the many make it/take it activities are popular, but there is still more. Perhaps gingerbread house contests, musical performances, weekend storytelling festivals, gaming clubs, writing workshops and photography and art contests aren’t the first things that come to mind when someone mentions the word library, but these events and many more happen all the time, right here in Fayetteville — at the library.

Check out the calendar of events at their website www.cumberland.lib.nc.us.

Photo: Reading Rocks is one of many youth-based programs that enriches the community and encourages its youth.

There are more than 57,000 soldiers stationed at Fort Bragg, many of them with families in tow. Sure, a few choose to stay within the confines of the post, but the majority are in the community raising families, worshipping at local churches, serving on PTA boards, and supporting the arts and local businesses.

The sacrifices made by the service members and their families are not lost on the community. In fact, it has moved many to action. The organizations that rally around troops and their families are not only well-meaning, they are creative and thoughtful in how they go about meeting the needs of our nation’s heroes.

“We want soldiers and their families to know that no matter where they have been or what they have been through, there is a community here that loves and understands them,” said Jennifer Lowe, corporate communications, City of Fayetteville. “Service members of every generation can come here, build a life and know that they will be accepted and appreciated. Because we have such a large military population, there is no shortage of people, businesses and facilities ready to meet the needs and support the interests of veterans and active duty service members. This understanding attitude is part of what makes Fayetteville the nation’s first Military Sanctuary City.”

You have only to look around to see the impact the military has on our community. On July 4, 2011, the North Carolina Veterans Park opened to a crowd of 3,000. With a 3,500 square foot Visitors Center and a chandelier made from 33,000 dog tags, the North Carolina Veterans Park was designed for refl ection and celebration.

With the thousands of military members who pass through Fayetteville Regional Airport each year, it just made sense for the USO to open a center there. Which is exactly what happened in November 2011. Renee Lane, USO-N.C. center director Fort Bragg and USO Fayetteville, said, “The service members are so happy to have access to a travel center before they head to all points across the globe. We have had nothing but positive comments.”

The Army’s Army was founded in 2008 and is made up of citizens and businesses who’ve pledged their moral, physical and spiritual support to those in the military. The group has 1,500 members and 50 businesses that take their role in “watching over those who watch over us” very seriously.

The Army’s Army offers relocation support and looks for creative ways to support the military. The group has packed care packages for deployed soldiers; hosted Heroes Crusade, an athletic campaign that took place during Heroes Homecoming; and created a blog called Military Discounts where business partners offer and advertise special discounts to the military.

With the brisk operations tempo over the past decade, Fayetteville Cares was formed in 2007 to provide support to military personnel and their families during and after deployments.

The group has hosted the World’s Largest Baby Shower to benefit military spouses, which offers love and support to 1,000 moms and moms-to-be. Fayetteville Cares routinely sends care packages to deployed military members, prepares the barracks for single soldiers prior to their return from deployment, and works with other military support organizations in the area to meet the needs of military members and their families.

Each May, Fayetteville spends an entire month honoring military service members and veterans with a 31 Day Salute. The event is a month-long celebration of performances, ceremonies, exhibits and activities designed to show the community’s enthusiastic appreciation, respect and support for those who serve and have served in our armed forces.

It’s one of the many ways Fayetteville reaches out to its military neighbors.

Photo: Fayetteville Cares’ Boots & Booties Baby Shower is one of the many ways the community supports the military.

Given the size of Fayetteville — a little more than 200,000 citizens according to the 2010 census — and the many nationalities that make up the population, it just makes sense that the city chooses to celebrate its diversity and cherish the strength that comes from being a city with such a large international influence.

Fort Bragg adds richness to the ethnic and cultural composition of our population. Military-connected students are more than 20 percent of the school district’s enrollment. More than 40 languages are spoken by students in local schools ranging from Spanish to Farsi. The ethnic composition of local schools consists of 63 percent minority populations.The city is so dedicated to embracing its diversity, that in September 2011, the Fayetteville City Council gave formal support to the State proclamation that declares September as Diversity Month. The celebration of diversity month goes hand-in-hand with the community’s own celebration — the International Folk Festival.

The State proclamation reads, “cities and towns across our state will celebrate … by encouraging citizens to have lunch and open a dialogue with someone from a different background during the month of September and throughout the year.” The International Folk Festival, which was held Friday, Sept. 23 through Sunday, Sept. 25, offered local citizens the chance to not only initiate such a conversation, but to experience some of the customs practiced by citizens in the All-America City.

This is fitting, as Fayetteville can best be described as a cultural mosaic and is, in fact, statistically the fourth most diverse city in the country.

The State proclamation speaks to that kind of diversity: “our cities and towns reflect the ethnicities, cultures, religions, orientations and abilities of many people living out the promises of a nation founded on the premise of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all.”

The Arts Council Fayetteville Cumberland County is especially good at showcasing the beauty and differences of the many nationalities found locally.

The organization funds much of the artistic and cultural activity in the area and sponsors exhibits and festivals throughout the year. Operating grants for things like the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra, local theaters and arts organizations make the quality of life better for everyone and contribute to the many reasons Fayetteville won the All America City Award for the third time.

A sure sign of the community’s dedication to celebrating its heritage and culture occurs every fall. For more than three decades, the Arts Council has hosted the International Folk Festival, which is a weekend celebration of diversity and culture. The event includes a parade that showcases local cultural groups. Participants wear the ceremonial dress of their native countries and sing and dance as they make their way down the city center in a Parade of Nations. As the festival continues, Festival Park fills with people eager to try cuisine from the many nations represented in the various celebrations. The stages overflow with dancers in colorful costumes and melodies from around the world fill the air.

Fayetteville residents have the opportunity to share their unique heritage and culture with their neighbors. School children get to see their classmates in a new light. They see them not as the kid who sits next to them in class, but as the kid who has an exotic and rich hertiage, and as a kid who honors that heritage.

In addition to participating in the International Folk Festival, many local cultural clubs host events throughout the year and invite the public to partake in the festivities.

In the fall the Greek community spends a weekend sharing their love of people, music and food. Sample the fare, dance with the dance troupes and tour the church to learn more about the culture and faith of these passionate and friendly people.

“So many of the Greeks came here with nothing,” said Kelly Papagikos wife of Father Alex Papgikos of Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church in Fayetteville. “They built their lives here and became successful and they want to share their blessings with the people and the town that accepted them and made them feel welcome.”

Likewise, each spring the India Festival entices the community to partake in the culture of the Asian Indian community. Visitors learn about customs, sample the food and enjoy traditional dances and customs. The festival organizers then donate the money raised from the event to different charities in the community as a way to give back to their friends and neighbors. In the past six years the festival has donated more than $85,000 to local organizations including Wounded Warriors, YMCA, Falcon Children’s Home and the Center for Economic Empowerment & Development.

Reinforcing cultural diversity, Friends of African & African-American Art brought WE ARE THE SHIP: The Story of Negro League Baseball to Fayetteville in 2011. The exhibit is described as “The story of gifted athletes and determined owners, racial discrimination and international sportsmanship, fortunes won and lost, and triumphs and defeats on and off the field. It is a perfect mirror for the social and political history of black America in the first half of the 20th century.”

These are just a few of the many events put on by different groups in the community. These efforts share with friends and neighbors, build bridges and grow relationships. Events like these are just one of the many factors that contribute to Fayetteville’s prize-winning, multicultural atmosphere.

“For a city this size, we are blessed to have such diversity,” said Papagikos. “As a pastor’s wife, having lived in more than one place, I can tell you that the warmth we have felt here is like none other we have felt before. The people here are diverse and beautiful and amazing. I’ve never lived anywhere like this before and I cherish it.”

In August of 2010, Fayetteville was ranked as the second highest per-capita income in North Carolina, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The per-capita income in the Fayetteville metro area, which includes Cumberland and Hoke counties, was $40,917 in 2009, up 4.8 percent from 2008’s $39,054.

In October 2010, the Miliken Institute ranked Fayetteville as the 18th best-performing large city in the nation, up from 31st place the previous year. Fayetteville was also ranked third in the nation for one-year job growth and sixth in the nation for one-year wage and salary increases by the same institute.

June of 2011 saw Fayetteville named the best city for college graduates by the Daily Beast .

Policom Corporation’s Economic Strength Rankings 2011 ranked the Fayetteville metropolitan statistical area as the 92nd strongest in the country.

In June of 2011, Fayetteville won its fourth All-America City Award.

These are some impressive achievements for a place once known as Fayettenam.

It takes more than one industry to rate numbers like this. The city’s small business community is a large part of what drives the economy and what makes Fayetteville news worthy.

One sign of the strength of Fayetteville businesses is the success of non-franchise restaurants that are successful in the community. Fayetteville’s locally owned restaurants span a wide variety of tastes and cultures: The Bombay Bistro, Vietnamese Restaurant, Zorba’s, Mi Casita, Lido’s, Bella Villa, Mash House, Huske Hardware House, Hilltop House and the Haymont Grill.

These are just a few of the many locally owned businesses that, through patronage of their customers, strengthen the local economy. They hold a special place in the community’s heart because they offer experiences that can’t be found anywhere else. Manufacturing and industry also have a long established presence in Fayetteville. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., employs 2,600 people and has invested more than $295 million locally. DuPont has a plant here too and has invested more than $70 million in our economy.

Adding to the momentum of the local economy, is the push to bring higher technology and higher wage jobs to the area. A dedication to growth by leveraging our military presence to strenthen the economy has seen impressive results. Greater Fayetteville Futures opened the Military Business Center in Fayetteville to assist businesses with military and other federal contracts and help military family members connect with job opportunities. The result is nearly 600 contracts worth $2.7 billion awarded to North Carolina firms. Companies including RLM, L3 Communications and Booz Allen Hamilton have come to Fayetteville bringing with them more than 600 high-tech jobs.

Together, these businesses pack a mighty punch in our favor — both locally and nationally.

While much of the community and nation has been focused on the economy, Fayetteville leaders have managed to look beyond the economy to the city’s future and have undertaken a number of initiatives over the past year to improve not only city services, but the qaulity of life for its citiznes.

For a number of years, the Fayetteville Area Transit System has been a top priority for the Fayetteville City Council. A large segment of the city’s population depends on the city buses to get to work, to doctors appointments and shopping destinations. While many city’s are cutting services, Fayetteville has maintained its commitment to the community by increasing not only the number of citizens served by the buses but also the quality of the service.

In September 2011, the city added extended services to a number of bus routes, including the FASTtrac van service for disabled residents.

“By adding evening hours to these routes, travel will be enhanced from downtown to north Fayetteville,” said Transit Director Randy Hume. “Connections are also being added to Cape Fear Valley satellite locations and western portions of the service area. Funding for these improvements was provided by the Fayetteville City Council in the city’s budget. These changes are only a few of the improvements clients will experience as FAST continues to enhance citizens’ travel options one step at a time.”

The same attention that was given to the FAST system was also extended to the disabled in our community.

The Fayetteville-Cumberland Human Relations Commision is active in working to create opportunities for the disabled. Following the completion of a Self Evaluation and Transition Plan in 2007, the city has undertaken a wide variety of projects to comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act, including closed captioning and listening devices for city council meetings; a city council chamber renovation; numerous ADA projects at City-owned facilities, recreation centers and parks; handicap lifts at the Amtrak station; curb cuts and sidewalk upgrades, along with special doors, to accommodate persons who are disabled; and appropriate signage in city hall.

“The City of Fayetteville has taken great strides to address ADA requirements,” said Ron McElrath, city ADA coordinator and human relations director.

From its people, to its environment, the city continues to look for ways to improve.

One unique aspect of innovation is the purchase of four Big Belly solar compactors for disposing of recyclables and trash. These compactors are used at large events downtown including the International Folk Festival and the Dogwood Festival. Each Big Belly solar compactor uses solar energy to compact trash and actually cuts public garbage collection emissions by up to 80 percent, because it has five times the capacity of a regular trashcan.

Reducing waste and increasing effi ciency are key elements in this great form of technology. Also, equipped with wireless monitoring, staff is notified when the trashcans need to be emptied and can be tracked from a remote computer.

The second part of the unit is a recycling component that collects glass, plastic, and paper recycling, which was one of the number one requests for things to be added to downtown. the like during the International The compactors are an example of green efforts in the All-America City of Fayetteville.

It is that time of year again. No, it is not time to start that diet or quit smoking — although both are really great ideas. It is time for stu-dents who wish to pursue a degree in healthcare to apply for a seat for the fall 2012 semester at Fayetteville Technical Community College.

Anyone seeking a degree in the healthcare field knows how important it is to have the proper credentials.

At Fayetteville Technical Community College, we are here to help our students achieve their health career goals, but in order to be competitive, students need to apply to the program of their choice before Jan. 30.

Sound easy? Well, it is, and it isn’t. At FTCC, we have a competi-tive process for entry into our cur-riculum health programs. Due to the limited number of applicants we can take every fall, the competitive pro-cess, though confusing, is very ef-fective. The competitive process not only gives us the best and brightest, it allows students who enter the program the luxury of having most of their general college classes completed so they can concentrate on their core and clinical classes. Since the deadline is approaching, it is essential that students act fast.

These admissions requirements include an application, submission of all high school and college transcripts and testing if necessary. An applica-tion for admissions can be completed on our website www.faytechcc.edu. Transcripts must be official, meaning that they were sent from the original institution directly to us, or they can be hand carried in official sealed en-velopes. Even students with advanced degrees are required to bring in high school transcripts. Many prerequisites are high-school level, and the great thing is that they do not expire! Testing may not be required for students who have certain college-level classes.

After all admissions criteria are met, students should see a counselor or attend a group counseling session and, most important, apply for the de-sired program on the computer terminals located in the Tony Rand Student Center lobby, the Spring Lake Campus lobby, or the FTCC Fort Bragg of-fice. It is quick and easy and takes about five minutes; once completed, stu-dents are given a receipt. It is essential that the student keep that receipt. It has dates, deadlines and expiration dates listed on it. Also, it is proof of the date of application.

While it is true that time is of the essence, all hope is not lost. Students who do not apply on time, or have missing documentation, can still be con-sidered for a health program on a space-available basis.

Please feel free to call Counseling Services at 678-8419, or go online to www.faytechcc.edu/areas_of_study/HealthPrograms.asp.

Fayetteville Technical Community College offers you affordable, high-quality education for life’s changing circumstances. Let us help you get started today on your new educational journey!

Photo: It is time for students who wish to pursue a degree in health care to apply for a seat for the fall 2012 semester at Fayetteville Technical Community College.

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Family Caregivers

Caring for seniors — a family affair for thousands of households across the United States — requires a special action plan when kids go back to school after the holidays. Nearly one-quarter of American adults (23 percent) currently provide companionship or assistance with daily living to an elderly parent or relative, according to a study for Home Instead Senior Care by Harris Interactive®.

While each family caregiving situation is different, stress is a com-mon denominator.

Stress and time demands often increase during times of change, like after the winter break, when children prepare to go back to school and get involved with winter sports and other activities. “During the school vacation, children sometimes play an active role in the caregiving pro-cess, running errands and cleaning house for Grandpa and Grandma, or simply serving as a companion,” according to the report. “Many times, those grandchildren provide heartfelt support when seniors are ill or re-covering from sickness or surgery.”

“Not only do many families lose that extra pair of hands, but their children need more help as well,” said Suzanne Mintz, co-founder and president of the National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA). “Life is always easier on an even keel. When your norm is disrupted, as during times of transition, the stress levels go up until a new norm is estab-lished.”

Home Instead Senior Care sees an increase in the number of families caught in this gap each January, when return to normal activities throw their lives into turmoil again. People search outside the family when the pressures of homework, basketball and other activities become too much to handle. Outside caregivers can help seniors with meal preparation, housekeeping, errands and shopping, personal-care services, and other non-medical home care and companionship duties. Deciding what’s im-portant by creating a plan of action and prioritizing are the keys to helping families maintain their sanity, said leadership expert Stephen Covey, whose books, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families, have helped revolutionize how Americans manage their work and home lives. Covey said he sees particular stress among working women who are trying to juggle the care of seniors and children. “My basic response is you’ve got to really decide what is very important so that you can learn to say ‘no’ to what is not that important, even though it has the feeling of urgency,” Covey said. “If you can say ‘no’ guilt-free, that means you have a burning ‘yes’ about something that is more important.”

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Caregivers

Stephen Covey partnered with Home Instead Senior Care to apply his 7 Habits to the unique role of a family caregiver.

• Be Proactive. Don’t react to the stress of juggling a child’s sched-ule and caring for your elderly loved one. Think and plan ahead to be prepared for this stressful time.

• Begin with the End in Mind. If family is what is most important to you, contribute your time, energy and talents to that end.

• Put First Things First. Plan weekly and daily as a family and indi-vidually so you’re focused and prepared to meet goals, appointments and obligations.

• Think Win/Win. Approach the idea of caring for youngsters and elderly parents, and balancing school and work with a win/win at-titude. Meet together to establish parameters (everyone’s roles and responsibilities) upfront so everyone feels good about the care situa-tion.

• Seek First to Understand …Then to be Understood. Listen empathetically with your heart and your ears to your children and parents when concerns arise and relationships may be strained. Try to understand exactly why Grandma is crabby.

• Synergize. Brainstorm to solve problems so that everyone feels a part of the so-lution. There are many ways to utilize our differences for the good of everyone.

• Sharpen the Saw. Strive to live, to love, to learn and to leave a legacy. To do that, a family caregiver must take care of himself or herself. They love being appreciated and valued. And when they feel how their grandkids look to them and listen to their wisdom, their whole world will change.”

Photo: Author Stephen Covey part-nered with Home Instead Senior Care to apply his 7 Habits to the unique role of a family caregiver.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows(Rated PG-13) Three Stars

Maybe it’s the Guy Ritchie factor, but I just don’t get why these films are popular. I like Robert Downy, Jr. and this film had like, 75 percent less Rachel McAdams, but I was just as bored watch-ing this as the original. At 129 completely unjustified minutes, why can’t even die-hard fans admit that Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is a bit on the lengthy side? 

The first 30 minutes or so are a pretty big waste of time, what with all the non-sexual tension between Holmes (Downey, Jr.) and Irene Adler (McAdams). Since the entire set-up could have been done in 10 minutes the lengthy intro just to establish that Moriarty (Jared Harris) is the Big Bad seems padded. After wrapping up the nonsense (Elaborate fight scenes! Bombs! Poison darts! Moriarty can clear a restaurant!) we transition into something resembling the meat of a plot. It seems that Dr. Watson (Jude Law) is about to get married, and he has trusted Holmes to be his best man. Watson isn’t nearly as smart as he is supposed to be.

Holmes and Watson hit the town, supposedly for a bachelor party, and Sherlock’s brother (Stephen Fry) goes along for the ride. I take a little nap, and when I wake up, Holmes is completely blowing off his best man duties to do some Sherlocking, which leads him into the parlor of a fortune teller. It seems that at some point, Holmes deduced that Madame Sim (Noomi Rapace) is being targeted by Moriarty for some vague, un-explained reason. At least we get a super cool chase scene out of it! 

The next day, after the wedding, Holmes goes to visit Moriarty at a university. Since Moriarty is clearly such an evil genius, Holmes takes the opportunity to slip him some poison, and the movie ends. Except that doesn’t happen, and instead the two archenemies do some verbal sparring that involves announcing how much they respect each other, and that’s why they’re not killing each other, and blah blah blah. I do not share their admiration, since the smart thing to do involves a blunt instrument of some kind, and neither of them is stepping up.

So, since Holmes knows that Moriarty is a sociopath, he intercepts Watson and puts him on his guard so he can effec-tively protect his new bride. Except that doesn’t happen either. Instead, he dresses up as a lady and prepares elaborate train urinal-based booby traps, finally blowing the train in half. Then, he drags Watson into a gypsy camp that in no way reinforces popular stereotypes.

Reunited with Madame Sim, she feeds them clues about her brother, who is somehow involved in Moriarty’s master plan. I cross my fingers and hope that this is an elaborate set-up that will end with Sim partnered with Moriarty, laughing evilly at the ineptitude of a supposedly great detective. The trio follows the trail, which eventually leads them into Germany. Holmes confronts Moriarty, and once the Big Bad has neutralized him, he is killed and his body is dumped in a river. Except that doesn’t happen. Instead, Moriarty explains his whole elabo-rate plot and toys with Holmes, giving Watson time to save the day. Will Hollywood villains never learn?

When the two meet for the final time, the setting is a pretty groovy castle in Switzerland, built into the side of a mountain and straddling an enormous waterfall. Pretty cool. Do you think that waterfall might be im-portant later?

Frankly, I was bored. The plot was confusing, the dialogue mumbled, the camera work pretentious and the ending a great big cheat. To be fair, my husband said he really liked it.

The film isn’t for everyone, but fans of the first will find more of the same and probably enjoy what they get.

Now showing at Wynnsong 7, Carmike 12 and Carmike Market Fair 15.

Fayetteville is in for a treat as we kick off 2012. The Friends of the Library are sponsoring author and journalist, Celia Rivenbark, on Jan. 10 at 7 p.m. The visiting author’s program will be held at the Cumberland County Headquarters Library, 300 Maiden Lane. She will sign books following her program.

Rivenbark is an award-winning journalist and author of six books. Her latest book, You Don’t Sweat Much for a Fat Girl came out in August of 2011. Like her previous books, her newest book is a collection of humorous essays that explore topics such as the idiot who had the bad timing to tell a terrorist joke at an airport to Nebraska’s law allowing the drop-off of babies and teens.

Says Kelly Tomita, marketing and communications manager for the library, “She is very popular in the area for her lighthearted approach to southern culture.”

In her book Bless Your Heart, Tramp: And Other Southern Endearments, Rivenbark says, “I’d sooner wear white shoes in February, drink unsweetened tea and eat Miracle Whip instead of Duke’s than utter the words ‘you guys.’”

The author grew up in Duplin County, N.C., where she claims, “Her grandparents’ house, just across the ditch, had the first indoor plumbing in Teachey, N.C., and family lore swears that people came from miles around just to watch the toilet flush.”

After just a few years of college, Rivenbark went on to work at the local newspaper at age 19, and eventually moved to the Wilmington Morning Star. She currently writes a syndicated weekly humor column for McClatchy-Tribune Media Sources that appears in 30 newspapers. USA Today says of Rivenbark, “Think Dave Barry with a female point of view.”

The author currently lives in Wilmington with her husband and 14-year-old daughter, who is often featured in her writing. In a recent interview she claims, “I let her read everything I write about her, and so far, she hasn’t killed anything.”

Rivenbark admits that her true love is the Snuggie. “My mother-in-law gave it to me for Christmas, and I fell in love immediately. It is more than a blanket with sleeves. It’s like being back in the womb floating in a sea of amniotic fluid — but with TV.”

In her latest column, which can be found on her website ,she gives the “Forever Lazy,” the newest incarnation of the Snuggie, a try. You can read this and more at her website: www.celiarivenbark.com. You can also follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Says Tomita, the author’s program will follow a “very brief business meeting for the Friends of the Library.” The public is welcome to attend. While the library will be closed due to remodeling, the event will be held in the Pate Room, just off the main lobby, which will be accessible to the public.

For a full schedule of visiting authors for 2012, you can view the library’s interactive online calendar at www.cumberland.lib.nc.us. Click on the Events tab, and then use the “Search by Event Type” and choose Author Visit.

Photo: The Friends of the Library are sponsoring author and journalist Celia Rivenbark on Jan. 10 at 7 p.m. 

Christmas is over and it is time to think about taking the tree down. While live trees are indeed beautiful, fragrant and celebratory, they come with a certain workload and set of responsibilities, one of which is their proper disposal. The Grinding of the Greens makes the decision about what to do with those leftover trees a little bit easier. Each year, Cape Fear Botanical Garden and the Public Works Commission of Fayetteville (PWC) team up to recycle and reuse local Christmas trees at the Grinding of the Greens.

Now in its 17th year, the Grinding of the Greens is as much a local tradition as Black Friday and the annual performance of the Best Christmas Pageant Ever at the Cape Fear Regional Theatre. In addition to its sentimental value, this event provides a common-sense approach to managing (at least a portion of) the aftermath of holiday festivities.

City residents, who set their tree by the curb, can feel great knowing that they are contributing to a good cause. County residents, or city residents who missed the pick-up dates for roadside pick-up, are welcome to bring their trees to the garden and drop them off to be ground into mulch. Of course, trees donated to Grinding of the Greens must be live trees with no decorations or lights left in them. Trees are collected at the Cape Fear Botanical Garden until Jan. 13. To drop off a tree, follow the signs to “tree drop-off” at the Fire Tower parking lot.

Bright and early on Jan. 14, PWC comes with wood chippers and mulchers to grind the trees into enough mulch to keep the plants at Cape Fear Botanical Garden covered (literally) for months.

It is a win-win-win situation. The mulch protects the plants from extreme temperatures and water loss, the trees don’t end up taking up space in local landfi lls and, for weeks after the event, the garden smells delightful.

It takes volunteers to make it happen, and year after year, folks gather to help feed trees to the PWC employees who man the shredders. In fact, the garden welcomes the extra hands.

In the following weeks, volunteers come out and spread the mulch throughout the garden, sprucing up the beds to ride out the rest of the winter season. Volunteers are always welcome and appreciated at Cape Fear Botanical Garden

.Contact Cape Fear Botanical Garden at 486-0221 for more information.

Photo: Now in its 17th year, the Grinding of the Greens is as much a local tradition as Black Friday and the annual performance of the Best Christmas Pageant Ever.

Looking for a fun and family-friendly way to celebrate the end of 2011 and welcome in 2012? Then head to Downtown Fayetteville on Saturday, Dec. 31, for the third annual Party in the Park, sponsored by the Fayetteville Dogwood Festival, from 6:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.

If past events are any indication, this year’s party promises to be a great time for everyone, with live music by North Carolina-based bands Tommy G and The Fixers and Joyner, Young & Marie on the Bud Light Stage; food and beverages; fireworks and party favors and a children’s area hosted by The Partnership for Children. The stage, hosted by Stoney of 96.5 BOB FM, will include a live feed from Times Square, and as the ball drops in New York City at the stroke of midnight, the dogwood will drop or “blossom” in Downtown Fayetteville!

But partygoers will want to arrive early, said Carrie King, executive director of the Dogwood Festival.

“We have changed it just a little bit this year. We are going to have a fee after 9 p.m., so we want to encourage everyone to get there early so they don’t have to pay to get in. It will be $5 admission after 9 p.m.”

Also new this year, are games to help pass the time while waiting for one of the two fireworks displays and live music.

“We will have 10-12 carnival games for everybody, like the bean-bag toss,” King said. “Kids can play the games as many times as they want. It’s an interactive-type thing for kids and adults, and they’re all free.”

Missing from this year’s lineup is the chili and chowder cook-off, but King assures everyone there will be ample food available for purchase.“We’ll have three food vendors, so we’ll have plenty of food, snacks, champagne and beer.”

And what would a party be without party favors?

“Something new for us this year is a huge selection of glow products, like swords, wands, New Year’s Eve hats, tiaras and Mohawks available for purchase,” said King.

The event kicks off with opening remarks at 6:30 p.m. and standard house music until 8:30 p.m., which is followed by a fireworks show for the children.

“The first band, Tommy G and the Fixers, will take the stage from 9-10 p.m. and then Joyner, Young & Marie will finish the evening out until 12:30 a.m.,” King said. “We’ll stop at 12 to do the countdown and blossom the dogwood and fireworks at midnight.”

Party in the Park has proven to be an increasingly popular New Year’s Eve event for the community, doubling in size from 5,000 attendees the first year to 10,000 the second year.

“Last year, over the course of the entire night, we had 8-10,000 people,” said King. “It really is honestly two events in one. At 8:30 when we do the kids’ fireworks show, there’s like a mass exit of families. And then from 9 to 10, the adult crowd starts rolling in. It has been really well received by families in our community.

“Our goal is to have as big a crowd as we had last year. The focus is just to continue to produce a quality event for the community. We’re doing our very best to make it a free event for the community, but at the end of the day, we also have to pay for it. It is free until 9 p.m., everything is very reasonably priced, and the event definitely gives the family something to do. We’re offering a quality, affordable event, and you’re guaranteed to have a good time.”

The party takes place rain or shine. Chairs and blankets are welcome, but no coolers, weapons of any kind or pets (except service animals) are allowed. For more information, please visit www.faydogwoodfestival.com/new-years-eve.

Happy New Year!

Photo: If past events are any indication, this year’s party promises to be a great time for everyone, with live music by North Carolina-based bands.