WHAT'S YOUR BEEF?

I have never understood quite why, but we Americans do love our statistics.

Which NBA basketball player who once played for Carolina scored the most points ever in a second half?

What was the box offi ce take for The King’s Speech the weekend it opened?

How are President Obama and Governor Perdue doing in North Carolina’s political polls this week?

What are the top 10 vacation spots in the world?

North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper has just released some stats from his office in honor of National Consumer Protection Week, so now we know our state’s Top 10 consumer areas that drive us crazy — what we and our fellow Tar Heels, almost 22,000 of us, complained about last year.

And for the sixth year running, the winner is — what else? Healthcare!

More than 4,600 of us were so upset about some aspect of healthcare that we took the time and effort to complain to our Attorney General. Complaints included medical care providers, their services and charges, medical insurance providers and how they handle or do not handle claims and various healthcare products. More than 4,600 more reasons our country needs healthcare reform.

Next up, lending issues.

More than 3,900 of us were unhappy with some lending practice, including high interest rates, various fees for late payments and pre-payments, adjustable rates mortgages and continuing foreclosure problems. Our AG reminds us that it is illegal to charge an upfront fee for foreclosure assistance. Sadly, we in North Carolina are hardly alone in facing such lending issues with the industry many believe brought us the Great Recession.

Numbers 3 and 4 include my personal pet peeves, unwanted telemarketing calls and telemarketing fraud. Both my home phone and my cell phone numbers are listed on the Do Not Call Registry, but I still get those calls on both phones. It is to the point that I simply do not answer any 800 or like calls, and I delete their voice mails without listening to them as do many people.

But enough of us must be taken in by whatever they are saying, because they keep calling. It is frightening to think about how many people must be hoodwinked by these callers, including senior citizens. Roy Cooper would tell you that if someone we do not know calls and asks for personal information — Social Security numbers, credit cards, bank accounts — we should just say no and hang up.

Scams to “repair” poor credit, pushy debt collectors and identity theft generated more than 1,600 calls, and with good reason. In our electronic world, unscrupulous people are indeed stealing the identities of others and running up debts in their names. In many cases, the victims do not even find out about this until well after the fact, and these cases are diffi cult to unravel, much less prosecute.

Most of us cannot do without our vehicles for transportation to and from our jobs and other places, so it makes sense that there are often issues in this arena. They include problems with purchases and repairs, trouble getting titles from sellers and warranty disputes. I would be hard pressed to think of anyone I know who has not dealt with several of these.

If our homes are our castles, then we want them just the way we want them, and that sometimes presents problems. More than 1,600 of us had issues 7 and 8, revolving around home furnishings and home repairs. A friend learned a hard lesson when she convinced her skeptical hubby to spring for a custom sofa costing several thousand dollars. Payment was made and but no elegant sofa appeared. Not surprisingly, the seller quit taking her calls. The sofa did turn up a full fi ve years late — after my friends had moved to another community and had a new home and a new decorating scheme.

Home repairs can be equally painful, often involving contractors who disappear with money, leave an incomplete job, miss deadlines and go over project budgets. And then there are scammers who talk people into unneeded repairs and sometimes simply disappear with the money. Trusting seniors are often the targets of these cheats.

In our electronic age, there are bound to be complaints in this area, so television services and cell phone issues round out the Consumer Protection Top Ten. Whether the problem was bundled bills that do not provide the promised savings or poor reception, about 2,000 of us got mad enough to contact Roy Cooper.

Just thinking about some of my own experiences in these areas is enough to make me consider giving Roy’s offi ce a buzz. If you share my sentiment or if you have specifi c issues you need advice about how to resolve or you want to fi le a complaint, the Consumer Protection Division is just a few keystrokes or a phone call away at www.ncdoj.gov and 1-800-5NO-SCAM.

Our tax dollars at work for us.

Unknown (Rated PG-13)      3 STARS 

Unknown (113 minutes) is an entertaining drive through the spy genre even if the plot holes are big enough to drive a finely made German taxicab through. This particular version of a well-tread story is based on a French novel, but Director Jaume Collet-Serra doesn’t do a whole lot to distinguish his material from any other mysterious man films.

Dr. Martin Harris (Liam Neeson) and his daughter Elizabeth (January Jones) arrive in Berlin for a biotechnology summit. He gets a little handsy with her during the taxi ride over, which might explain her overall shirtiness when dealing with the hotel staff. That’s no way to love your daughter, Dr. Harris!

While his daughter checks them into a fancy suite, he realizes he left his briefcase with all his secret spy papers and espionage stuff at the airport so he runs to get it. He ends up in Gina’s (Diane Kruger) cab, and then Gina’s cab ends up in the river. In the first of many, “Gosh, should I save him? Yes, Yes I will save him” moments, Gina pulls an unconscious Harris from the river, and he is taken to a hospital.

During his coma he has many inappropriate flashbacks about his daughter — whoops, my bad, apparently that’s his trophy wife — and then wakes up to find that he has been in a coma. Since patients recently woken from a coma with no identification or any way of proving who they are get to do whatever they want in German hospitals, he checks himself out.

He manages to get back to the hotel he left from only to find another man macking on his wife and claiming to be Dr. Martin Harris (Aiden Quinn). Since secret agents have absolutely no survival instincts to draw on when they find themselves in bizarre situations, the man with no proof of his identity proceeds to raise a ruckus and draw lots of attention to himself. When that doesn’t work in his favor, he gathers his wits and tricks hotel security into getting him a cab back to the hospital, then tricks the cabdriver into letting him out immediately. Very tricky, this guy.

He draws on the apparently limitless funds he was carrying (while leaving all his important paperwork in a briefcase that he totally left at the airport) to blunder around Berlin for most of a day, never thinking to check in at the embassy. Because of the conspiracy? Or something? Eventually he decides that he is, in fact, as crazy as all the conspirators keep telling him he is, so he heads back to the hospital and stays safely out of the way until the end of the movie. Just kidding! A dude totally kills like, a million important people, and tries to assassinate him thus revealing that all is not as it seems. Duh. All in all, it’s not an awful movie.

Why the three stars? Well, when 58-year-old January Jones (or Kruger, for that matter) gets to run around with a 33-yearold James Franco, then we’ll start talking about an extra star. I would LOVE to provide a simpler example … but the male actors who are 25 years younger than January Jones are all currently starring on the Suite Life of Zack and Cody. So the only film where they work as romantic leads is the Lifetime Movie Network’s The Mary Kay Letourneau Story. And I don’t think January Jones has the chops for that. Because she can’t act. And while we’re on the subject, Maggie Grace, who played Neeson’s daughter in Taken is only five years younger than January Jones. Yeah. Think about that.

Wow. What a shame that busting on Unknown is so easy … it’s really not such a bad little movie. True, Liam Neeson has pretty much played out his “man with certain skills” range, but that doesn’t make it any less enjoyable to watch him drive around crashing into things.

Always a huge production, Winter Jam is set to be bigger and better than ever this year. It’s Christian music’s largest annual tour and breaks attendance records every year. Produced by Premier Productions and presented by Holt International, the tour will feature the most artists and dates in its 16-year history. The concert is on March 19, at the Crown.

The concert will be hosted by GRAMMY nominated performers Newsong. NewSong’s 28 years in ministry have yielded 17 albums, 20 #1 singles, a Dove Award, and a GRAMMY(r) Award nomination, among numerous other achievements. The band’s latest recording, Give Yourself Away, released last fall.

Newsboys; David Crowder Band; Kutless; Francesca Battistelli; RED; KJ-52 and guest speaker Tony Nolan will be featured too. In addition, the show includes a Pre-Jam Party presented by the American Bible Society with Sidewalk Prophets, Chris August and Chris Sligh.

“This year’s tour will be unlike any other Winter Jam in history,” says Roy Morgan, owner, Premier Productions, producer of Winter Jam. “Winter Jam 2011 will have tons of surprises that no one is expecting. You will not want to miss this. Also, if someone has never experienced a Winter Jam event before, then this is the year to come.”

Winter Jam was the number one tour in America for the first quarter of the year. It landed at number 2 in pollsters 2010 Worldwide Ticket Sales “Top 100 Tours” chart with a showing of more than 400,000 people in attendance.

Approximately 74,000 people made decisions for Christ in 2010. More than 10,000 sponsorships to Holt International were garnered through Winter Jam 2010 too. Holt International helps to meet the needs of orphaned children around the world.

“It’s amazing and humbling to see how God has continued to bless the Winter Jam Tour over all these years,” says NewSong’s Eddie Carswell. “We specifically created and designed this tour to impact the lives of others for the sake of the Gospel. Our prayer is that God will continue to use Winter Jam for His glory and honor.”

The show starts at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10 at the door. Call the Crown box office at 438-4100 for tickets.

PHOTO: NewSong will host the 2011 Winter Jam.

 

As Chair of the Fayetteville Young Professionals, I would like to thank Up & Coming Weekly for the first of what will be a monthly column written by a member of the Fayetteville Young Professionals on topics of interest to our members and the community at large. I hope that you will look for this column, or check us out if you have not already.

As many of you may know, the group was started in August of 2009 by the Fayetteville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce to bring together young professionals from across the community to not only socialize, but to organize a number of professional development and civic events. The Chamber was responding to younger chamber members who felt a disconnect with some of the events which were geared toward networking, but they felt were only attended by more established members of the community.

As one of those members who only attended Business After Hours because my dad asked me to, I can attest that I did not really get what was in it for me or frankly for my business.

Also, as someone who moved back into this community after college to work at my family’s business, it was really hard to meet people unless you went to school with them or worked with them. Many of my peers were simply not going to Chamber events. Now you can be guaranteed to see a Young Professional member at every Chamber event.

While this group was started by the Chamber, it was led and created by 20 outstanding steering committee members who stepped up to organize it and make it the group that you see today. From creating a website, to decorating an event, to leading professional development seminars, this organization was formed and maintained by the vibrant young individuals that make this community so great.

Over the next several months you will hear from the members of the FYP executive committee who have stepped up to lead this effort. These are people like you and I who are just as busy at their jobs, with their families and with other community organizations. However, they step up to lead FYP because they want this group to be successful and they are willing to squeeze one more minute out of everyday.

From their leadership, we have raised thousands for area civic organizations, hosted more than 15 professional development events, placed second in co-ed softball, played close-quarters dodge ball and partied like it was 1999. I know that personally I have made so many friends, that my social calendar is booked into 2012.

Even though we are a young organization, we have more than 350 members who are teachers, entrepreneurs, doctors, airmen, realtors, bankers and yes, we even have some lawyers too.

While we have a lot of differences, the one thing that we have in common is that we enjoy meeting each other and giving back to the community. If you have not had an opportunity to join us at a Fireantz Tailgate or at our lunch and learn seminars at Sammios’ please contact me at chair@fayyp.org.

I look forward to meeting you and telling you more about the organization and how you can get involved. For more information, please visit www.fayyp.org or look up Fayetteville Young Professionals on facebook.

Methodist University plays an integral part in Fayetteville’s arts and culture scene. The Friends of Music offer concerts several times a year and Reeve’s Auditorium is often filled with the musical talents of the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra. Now add to that the William F. Bethune Center which holds 2D visual arts courses as well as art history courses. The 8,844 square foot fl oor plan includes a printmaking studio, a painting studio, a graphic design lab, a photography lab, a digital photo studio, and a drawing and art education space — as well as an exhibition gallery. The exhibition gallery is named after local artist and contributor to the project and is called the David McCune International Art Gallery. The gallery hosts student shows as well as local, regional, national and international artists.

On Saturday, March 12, Methodist University welcomes the public to the latest exhibit opening in the David McCune International Art Gallery.

The works of the gallery’s namesake, David McCune will be on display in an exhibition titled Heavy Metal. The Heavy Metalopening reception is from 6-8 p.m. on March 12.

Although McCune works in water color, acrylics, makes furniture and jewelry and even has a few songs to his credit, just like the name implies, this exhibit is all about fabricated metal. “It is all one of a kind with lots of colors and lots of interesting shapes,” said McCune. “It is amazing how you can take a fl at piece of metal and within moments give it shape and form that makes it look real. That is what I am doing in this exhibit, too — shape and form.”

With everything from ecosystems and wildlife to abstracts and patterns represented in his work, McCune brings life and color to each piece, striving to create work that will have an emotional and visual impact on the viewers.

“That is pretty much it — what I try to do is just to create the magic for people,” said McCune “That is what I try to do in art — create the magic the mystique and the illusion.”

McCune uses two different techniques when he creates metal wall art. First he makes the piece into its shape, from there it is either powder coated in black and then color is added to it, or a clear coat is applied and then color is added. Because McCune’s work can be displayed indoors or outdoors he is careful to make sure that everything is very well protected from the elements.

Once the surfaces are prepared, the creativity and fun kick in.

“The way I paint, it is like looking through a microscope,” said McCune. “Under a microscope you can see different layers of the tissue. That is how I paint — in layers. It really adds an element of depth.” Look for annual exhibits by McCune, but the other eleven months of the year expect to see high quality work from students, local talent and national and international names as well.

“Another reason for the art gallery is to try and step up our art community. We have a really nice art community right now,” said McCune. “But we are trying to bring it to another level where people can start seeing all the different arts and artists... to bring in some international artists that our community can enjoy and then get to the point to where people from Raleigh and Greensboro will drive to Fayetteville to see art displays.”

The exhibit will be open from March 14 to April 4. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Call 630-7100 or visit www. methodist.edu/art/gallery.htm for more information.

PHOTO: David McCune works on a piece for the Heavy Metal exhibit.

For 25 years, American girls have been playing with, and reading about, American Girls. The books and dolls at the center of the American Girl company have put a new spin on play by encouraging young girls to be confi dent and strong, much like the girls in the books.

Since 1993, the Child Advocacy Center has been working to build strong, healthy children in Fayetteville. The center, located on Ray Avenue, just across from Festival Park, provides a safe, child-friendly place where its 19 partner agencies come together to interview, investigate and provide support for abused children. In the absence of the center, victims of child abuse would be required to visit numerous agencies and tell their story over and over.

Each year, the agency hosts a number of events to raise funds to support its operation. None are as highly anticipated as the annual American Girl Fashion Show. This year’s event is slated for March 26-27 at the Crown Center Ballroom. The fashion show, which features hundreds of local girls, showcases historical and contemporary fashions for girls and their dolls.

This is the fourth year that the Child Advocacy Center has hosted the American Girl Fashion Show, and according to Jean Harrison, the marketing director for the Child Advocacy Center, each year the attendance has grown. Last year 800 people attended the event, which netted more than $28,000.

“We hope to sell out all shows this year,” said Harrison. “We have a capacity for, 1200 people at all four shows.”

Harrison added that there are more than 120 girls modeling this year.

“Many of the girls are from Cumberland County but we also have some models from Raleigh, Wake Forest, Holly Springs, Leland, Jacksonville, Raeford and other North Carolina communities,” she explained. “The event could not happen without the dedication of many volunteers under the leadership of Julia Adkins, Cindy Huguley and Carol Jones.”

For Adkins, participation in the event stems from her strong belief in the organization’s mission.

“I became involved with this project for a couple of reasons. I believe in this center and what it does for its victims,” she said. “It takes special people to deal with the stories that come through these doors. The people here are amazing.

“Another reason for my involvement is that this event is a way to involve today’s youth in volunteerism and communityawareness. My daughter is a prime example. Through my involvement she has now actively become an advocate for the CAC. My dream is that after becoming involved with the American Girl Fashion Show these little girls and their moms will fi nd something to dedicate their time to.”

While at the fashion show, attendees will be delighted with the fashions while lively commentary, music and decorations will create a memorable experience. Audiences will delight in historical clothing that resembles what the popular American Girl characters might have worn.

Contemporary “Just Like You” outfi ts for older girls and sweet Bitty Baby fashions for little ones complete the program. This year’s show will include new, special occasion fashions and commentary and a celebration of the 25th birthday of American Girl dolls.

The event includes elegant refreshments, party favors, raffl es and door prizes. Tickets may be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com or in person at the Crown Center Box Office, 1960 Coliseum Dr. in Fayetteville. In addition, tickets are available at Ft. Bragg Leisure Travel Services.

Advance orders of souvenirs, party packages, guest model opportunities and more are offered at the Child Advocacy Center’s website, www.childadvocacycenter.com, or by calling(910) 486-9700.

The Airborne and Special Operations Museum Foundation will host its Second Annual Golf Tournament on March 18, at 12 p.m., at the Stryker Golf Course, located on Fort Bragg. Paul Galloway, the Executive Director of ASOM, said that the museum “had a great turnout last year.” Jim Ryder, a representative for the museum, says that the museum hopes to reach their goal of 120 golfers, exceeding last year’s numbers.

The tournament is to benefi t the museum with all proceeds going towards programs and direct support to ASOM. Ryder says “that the museum has a number of projects they are supporting including the Medal of Honor Wall, the Vietnam/POW exhibit and the NC Veterans exhibit.”

To participate in the golf tournament registration is required. Individual and group registration costs are offered for the event. The price for individual registration is $65 and $225for a four-person group team. Registration will be available the day of the golf tournament. However, there is no need to wait until the day of the event to register; teams and individuals can register one of two ways. Register by calling 910-678-2778 or by accessing the registration form online via the Airborne & Special Operations Museum website at www.asomf.org. To offer further help with this community event, businesses and individuals can become sponsors by calling 910-678-2778.

The Airborne and Special Operations Museum Golf Tournament is a highly anticipated event. Ryder hopes that people in the community plan to attend “because it’s a lot of fun, a great way to relax and enjoy some time with friends and meet new friends.” He also says that the tournament “supports a wonderful cause — the Airborne & Special Operations Museum Foundation.”

ASOM Features Author for Book Signing

On March 12, the ASOM will welcome Douglas Waller, author of Wild Bill Donovan: The Spymaster Who Created the OSS and Modern American Espionage. The author will talk and sign copies of his book at the ASOM, from 12:30 to 3 p.m.

Donovan was one of America’s most exciting and secretive generals and was director of the Offi ce of Strategic Services (the country’s fi rst national intelligence agency) and the father of today’s CIA. He introduced the nation to the dark arts of covert warfare on a scale it had never seen before.

Donovan’s life was packed with personal drama. He fought heroically in World War I, where he earned the nickname “Wild Bill” for his intense leadership and the Medal of Honor for his heroism. After the war, FDR tapped him to be his strategic intelligence chief. A charismatic leader, Donovan was revered by his secret agents. Yet at times he was reckless, risking his life unnecessarily in war zones and engaging in extramarital affairs that became fodder for his political enemies.

Wild Bill Donovan reads like an action-packed spy thriller, with stories of daring young men and women sneaking behind enemy lines for sabotage, breaking into Washington embassies to steal secrets, plotting to topple Adolf Hitler, and suffering brutal torture or death when they were captured by the Gestapo. It is also a tale of political intrigue, of infi ghting at the highest levels of government, and of powerful men pitted against one another.

The book is available in the museum gift shop.

Hey, where has good customer service gone? “When the going gets tough... the tough get going!” Really?

Well, economically speaking, it seems the last few years have been as extremely “tough” as it can get for maintaining a business and customer service. Recordhigh unemployment, cutbacks, exploding gas prices and a wave of fi scal restraints are crashing over our community like a tsunami. This has many business owners struggling and wondering whether they can or will survive.

Well, of course, we hope they do.

However, the low-level of customer service we are experiencing in the marketplace does not refl ect much of this “sense of urgency.” Usually, when business is off and sales and production quotas are not being met, the level of customer service, which costs next to nothing, gets better as businesses compete and attempt to attract new customers and retain existing ones. Well, at least you would think it would. However, not so much, in reality.

In too many cases, customer service is getting worse or being eliminated all together. This is not good. As a community, and as a nation, we must be careful not to forget or diminish the positive effect customer service has on our productivity and how it defi nes and fulfi lls the American dream. In other words, we should be working harder in these tough economic times and all Americans need to step up their customer service and productivity levels for the betterment of the community and nation.

Everyone must realize that we cannot work at the same intensity during a recession and tight economy as we did in a vibrant, stable economy. It just doesn’t work.

Businesses need to work harder, smarter and more effi ciently in a tight economy. Eliminating and cutting back services and productivity are the worst things a person, business or organization can do in these challenging and stressful economic times.

So, to improve our community and our local economy, I recommend that businesses step up their levels of productivity and customer service. Consumers should expect and demand excellent products and customer service and settle for nothing less. In doing this, everyone one will be contributing to getting America back on the road to fi scal stability and out of the grips of this stifl ing recession. So, let’s all get to work.

Thanks for reading.

Pam Kelly loves fiber — every aspect of it. She enjoys knitting, dyeing, nuno felting, needle felting, spinning and weaving.

In fact, she is so enamored by the world of fiber and fiber art that she opened her own shop this past August where customers can not only purchase supplies, they can also take classes. It’s called Sunfl ower Fibers and is located just of Hay Street at 123 Anderson St.

One of the things that makes Sunfl ower Fibers unique in this day of big-box stores and one-size-fits-all establishments is that Kelly builds relationships with her customers and does everything in her power to meet their needs.

“If someone comes in and tells me that they are interested in learning a certain technique, I try to put a class together for them as quickly as I can,” said Kelly. “If you come in here with a question about fi er and I don’t know the answer, call me back in a few days and I will have answer for you.”

Kelly is so dedicated to her customers that she’s been known to loan out her personal knitting needles for them to use while they wait for her to special order the right size.

“It’s always worked out,” said Kelly. “I always get my needles back and they end up buying the one I’ve ordered for them.”

The list of yarns that can be found at Sunfl ower Fibers is enough to thrill any knitter or crochet buff out there. There is everything from Abuelita, Feza, My Muench, Louet yarns, Shepherds wool and even hand-painted knitting yarns. If she doesn’t have it in stock just ask and Kelly will make a special order.

“I have the staples like wool and angora. I’ve got cashmere and other higher end yarns too,” Kelly noted. “You won’t find the types of yarn that I have at Wal Mart. Most of what I carry are novelty fi bers that you can use to make very high quality pieces”

Being just the slightest bit fascinated in fi ber is reason enough to check out the store. Once you cross the threshold, Kelly will help match you up to a class that most fi ts you, if you are interested in learning something new or want to meet new people and make some new friends. If getting in and out with supplies in hand is the primary goal, rest assured, that is not a problem either.

In addition to teaching the basics, Kelly offers things like Flick night where participants bring their fi ber project and watch a movie while they work. There is a sweater knit along club, a scarfof- the-month club, a club that makes an afghan block each month and at the end of 12 months they assemble the blocks into a quilt. There is a shawl class as well. If there is a class you are interested in, just mention it to Kelly, and chances are it will be offered before you know it.

If needle work is not your thing, pick up a loom, either triangle or square, and weave your own wearable work of art. The looms come in 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 foot sizes and are handmade by Kelly’s husband Jim.

They are adjustable and designed to bring countless hours of pleasure to the owners, with wonderful results to show for it.

“I’ve used my loom for more than making shawls,” said Kelly. “I’ve been able to make sweaters with it too, and they just turn out wonderfully.”

Visit her website www. sunfl owerfibers.com or giver her a call at 223-1314 to find out more.

Photo: A loom and sample of yarn that can be found at Sunflower Fibers.
 

OMG. Is Cumberland County on the road to becoming North Carolina’s “county of corruption?” Or, is our county leadership just overwhelmed and helplessly mired in a tradition of ignorance and mismanagement?

The recent situation involving the Cumberland County Work Force Development Program begs the question: Have our trusted county offi cials again turned a “blind eye” to blatant in-house waste, stupidity, neglect and mismanagement of Cumberland County taxpayer’s hard-earned money? Well, the answer to these questions will be forthcoming as we wait to see how the Cumberland County staff and elected officials deal with this saddisturbing situation.

One thing is for sure; county residents will need and deserve an explanation as to how the Cumberland County Work Force Development Program, under the direction of Geneva Mixon, could be so blatantly mishandled. Especially, under the oversight and stewardship of the recently retired, and honored, Cumberland County Deputy Director Juanita Pilgrim.

This is the near perfect example of why taxpayers are disgusted and frustrated with government, politicians and political hacks at all levels.

The Cumberland County Work Force Development situation recently brought to our attention demonstrates and accentuates such irresponsible behavior and our unsavory reality.

The question now is: Who will be held responsible and what is going to be done about it? After all, it certainly looks like all the Cumberland County foxes have been in charge of guarding Cumberland County’s hen houses. And, let it be known, Cumberland County residents are getting pretty fed up and weary of the “Oops, sorry. My bad!” defense and, the meted out “wink-wink, nod-nod, gentle slap on the wrist” justice.

Probably the most disturbing facet of this situationis that it surfaced in a redfl ag “anonymous” letter to Roger Shackleford, the North Carolina director of the organization. Anonymous? Why anonymous? Allocations refl ect that the County Manager, James Martinand some county commissioners were aware of the situation for nearly a year and took no action. After all, it’s not as if these were small subtle indiscretions. Think about it — a Cumberland County organization (mis)spends more than $18,000 on an out-of-county retreat at Fearrington Village and no one notices? Worse yet, no one objects? Oh, my aching wallet. Grant money designed to train military wives is returned to the state because it is not used. Really? We hear cries of nepotism and overbooking of the program so that no one is trained. Were we really paying people to oversee this program? What were there qualifi cations?

Worse still is that there was a designated 23-member Cumberland County board charged with the oversight of this organization where services are not rendered, grant money is not spent, crucial deadlines are ignored or missed and millions upon millions of taxpayers dollars are misspent, wasted and unaccounted for. What kind of board is this, and when are county leaders asking for their resignation?

Cumberland County residents will want to know: Who is responsible and what is going to be done about it? Yes, curious taxpayers and Cumberland County voters want to know!

Make no mistake about it, Up & Coming Weekly is a quality-of-life newspaper publication and this is a “quality-of-life” issue. Stay tuned. Thank you for reading.

So, if you read my preview of this play, you know that I forecasted that this play would be funny. Little did I know just how funny it is. This play is Hysterical with a capital “H.”

Ongoing at the Cape Fear Regional Theatre, Rumors, written by Neil Simon, and fantastically directed by Dirk Lumbard, might just be the “must see” theatrical production this year. (Never mind the might be, it is!)

The production has it all: stellar talent, a great script, wonderful physical comedy and the perfect setting. It just doesn’t get much better than this. And, I know of what I speak. I’ve been seeing shows at the CFRT since late 1997, and this show is, bar none, the funniest show I’ve seen there in the past 14 years.

Bjorn Thorstad, playing Lenny Ganz, was a laugh-a-minute. From the moment he stepped on the stage, he owned it. Thorstad, from New York, has marvelous comedic timing. At times, his style reminded me of funny man John Lithgow — think Third Rock From the Sun — but he never missed a punch line and his delivery was always on the mark.

Veteran CFRT actor Nicki Hart played Thorstad’s wife in the farce. Hart is a multi-talented actress, but she shines in comedy. If you saw her in The Odd Couple, multiply that performance by 10 and you have her hilarity factor in Rumors. With her big red wig and mile-high shoulder pads, she personified the ‘80s trophy wife, but she gave as good as she got.

Also stellar in their casting and their chemistry were New York artist Lynne Rosenberg and Robbie Gay as Chris and Ken Gorman. The two sparked off of each other. Rosenberg, who plays the self-medicating yuppie lawyer, plays one of the best drunks I’ve ever seen. And, Gay is the master of physical comedy. I think that element in the show owes a lot to him.

Libby Seymour, another CFRT veteran, kept the audience in stitches with her back spasms and one liners. John Doerner, a transplanted New Yorker, played her spouse and was a perfect match. The first act is going to leave you in stitches, and while the second act starts out a little slow, the ending is going to leave you breathless. With this in mind, unless you are hurt, dying or in another country, clear your calendar and get down to the Cape Fear Regional Theatre. You don’t want to miss this one!!

Rumors runs through March 13. For tickets, call 323-4233 or visit the website at www.cfrt.org.

It goes without saying, a large part of the arts community, art venues and art patrons miss the Fayetteville Museum of Art. Yet, as the museum board reorganizes, local galleries are still doing their part to support the arts in Fayetteville.

Two galleries in particular, Cape Fear Studios and Fayetteville Technical Community College Gallery, are raising the standards for their exhibition space. In the effort, both galleries are hosting exhibitions that are well worth visiting during the month of March.

The Cape Fear Studios opened February 24, 2011 with Robert Levin: Glass Artist. From Burnsville, North Carolina, Levin, an internationally known glass artist, was invited to exhibit his blown glass works in a one person exhibition. As an art form, Levin brings a level of glass blowing to Fayetteville that has only been viewed in the past at the Fayetteville Museum of Art.

The craftsmanship and artistry of Levin is masterful. Visitors to the Cape Fear Studios will immediately see how hand crafted glass objects from a master are dramatically different from the machine made object. In Levin’s glass, an essence of hand and spirit exude from forms having extraordinary fluidity, beauty, grace and luster.

Levin’s artist statement best describes the glass experience visitors can have if they think about his results from the process of working with hot liquid glass. He stated, “I have always tried to capture an element of the elegance, fluidity and whimsy which I feel are inherent properties of glass. The glass itself can be a symbol of human characteristics: fragile, but durable; fl uid, but hard-edged. This all has something to do with the possibilities for change and transformation, both with the material and with the person doing the creating.”

Levin’s resume is lengthy and high powered. Formerly the resident glass artist at Penland School of Crafts, he has lectured and taught throughout the United States, in Ireland, and in New Zealand.

He has exhibited widely in the US, Europe, Japan, and the former Soviet Union. His work is in many public and private collections that include, but are not limited to, the Corning Museum of Glass, the Museum of American Glass, the High Museum in Atlanta, the Contemporary Glass Museum in Madrid, the Ebeltoft Glasmuseum in Denmark, the Great Synagogue of Jerusalem and the Museum of Arts and Design in New York.

In addition, he has received many grants and fellowships, to include the Southern Arts Federation/NEA Visual Arts Fellowship, two North Carolina Arts Council Fellowships and a NC Arts Council Project Grant. His work has been featured in more than 36 publications and includes American Craft, New Zealand Crafts, Craft Arts International, New Glass Review and many other noted magazines and text books.

Levin includes mixed media, often wood, with his glass objects. So it’s easy to see why his most recent commission involves creating a mixed media sculpture near or on the Town Square in Burnsville, NC. As stated on Levin’s website, “the sculpture will be part of the Toe Valley Trail Project, a program that brings public art by local artists to one of the most attractive “built” environments in our state. The sculpture will be made of local locust wood and native stone and will stand 7 - 10 feet tall.”

An established and recognized artist, visitors in Fayetteville and the region should take the time to visit the exhibit Robert Levin: Glass Artist, the exhibit will remain up until March 23, 2011.

Before, or after, seeing the glass exhibit, the 2nd Annual International Juried Exhibition at Fayetteville Technical Community College Gallery is another striking exhibit. Fayetteville Technical Community College has a gallery tucked away next to their performance theater and opened February 18, 2011 with their 2nd Annual International Juried Exhibition.

FTCC’s second international competition is small, but well worth the trip to the gallery. Twelve artists were selected to exhibit multiple works to include prints, paintings, textile and photography. All 12 artists represent 10 different states.

Local artist and lecturer at Fayetteville State University, Dwight Smith, juried the competition and awarded fi rst place to Charmaine Ortiz from Carolina Beach, NC for her work titled “GR 1”. A monoprint mounted on panel board, Ortiz fi nished the surface by applying graphite to create greater depth to a work that straddles two mediums — painting and a large mixed media print.

Smith selected a range of mediums for his awards so textile artists will enjoy seeing that a wall hanging earned 2nd place. Pat Kumicich from Naples, FL earned a 2nd place award with her textile wall hanging titled the “The Eyes Have It”.

Beautifully detailed, the textile is a close up of three women. Not only is the work well crafted, but the composition is strong and the glance of each woman is haunting. A beautiful arrangement of fabric and quilting, the red lips on all three women unifi es the work.

Next to Kumisich is a relief work titled “Either/Or Sebago” by Eric Standley from Blacksburg, VA. Winning 3rd place, “Either/Or Sebago” is a relief sculpture that seems to reference a book format — yet viewers will look into layers and layers of delicately cut paper as they look into the form. A fragile mini-world, Standley draws us into his work as a heightened sensoryexperience.

There were many works in the exhibit which could have easily received honors. From the silk screen print integrated with dry point mark making or the many small paintings — all the works are well crafted, the subjects vary and many are thought provoking.

When I think about the art faculty at Fayetteville Technical Community College, I know that teaching itself takes a lot of time and much effort out of class. When I visit the gallery at FTCC, I have to honor Chuck Lawson and Sean McDaniel, members of the art faculty, for coordinating exhibitions for the public and their students. And that they have both been raising the caliber of their exhibitions for years.

In particular, I like the reflective statement on the gallery sheet by McDaniel, Chairman of the Fine Art Department, about the value of the 2nd Annual International Juried Exhibition. He states, “In a show such as this we do not have a common thread to connect the artwork. What we have is the common denominator of the need to create and the power of observation.”

He continues, “Although we do not always understand what the artist is saying or why they have chosen to present us with a particular image, we know that each of these works were the product of many hours of labor. Perhaps the piece is a moment we have seen and can relate to; in other works we are challenged to understand a concept which is foreign to us. In the end, we must look and strive to appreciate what we are standing in from of.”

In short, McDaniel’s words fi t both the gallery at FTCC and the Cape Fear Studios. Both galleries are working to bring artists from outside the area to share their vision and ways of working in an effort to bridge the big world of art with Fayetteville.

For information you can call Cape Fear Studios at 433-2986. The exhibit at FTCC runs until March 27, 2011 and interested visitors can call 678-8209 for hours of operation.

PHOTO: Top left: “GR 1” by Charmaine Ortiz. Bottom right: Glass by Robert Levin.

127 HOURS (Rated R) 4 Stars

So, allow me a moment to make a Public Service Announcement. Yes, The King’s Speech is all kinds of classy, and way more sophisticated than watching a dude cut off pieces of his body. But just because you are retired and walk with a cane and want to see the classy movie, you still have the wait your turn in line behind those of us there to watch James Franco cut pieces off of himself. In other words: the person behind the counter opened up that extra line for those of us who had been waiting … they did not see you walk in the door and think, wow, older people need a special line. Please apply this rule to the line for getting into Aspen Creek, depositing money into the bank, and checking out at the grocery store as well.

The Internet Movie Database manages to sum up 127 Hours (94 minutes) pretty quickly: “A mountain climber becomes trapped under a boulder while canyoneering alone near Moab, Utah and resorts to desperate measures in order to survive.” Now I ask you — how can I possibly write 500 words when that is literally all that happens? Luckily for the readers, I know a bit of background, and when I run out of interesting historical details I can always make fun of James Franco for his guest role on General Hospital.

Danny Boyle knows what he is doing as a screenwriter and behind a camera. I mean, if he can turn five minutes of a little boy swimming in crap into two hours of Oscar Gold (his 2008 film Slumdog Millionaire), he’s doing something right. It took him four years to translate the true story of climber Aron Ralston into the big screen, and he made very few alterations to do so. In fact, the only major change occurs in the beginning of the narrative.

Ralston (Franco) prepares for his midnight drive into the canyons of Utah by listening to some pretty killer high energy techno-pop … carefully chosen/crafted/arranged by previous Boyle collaborator A.R. Rahman. The high energy introduction allows for periodic breaks that give the audience a sense of Ralston’s ability to pause and appreciate life, only to jump immediately back into action. The frenetic early action is especially intense when compared to the later moments of forced inaction … although even when pinned under boulders Boyle and Franco manage to inject the scenes with purposeful motion.

After the techno drive, followed by starlit camping, it is time for techno bike-riding and then techno running. Which is interrupted by lost, hot, girls (Amber Tamblyn and Kate Mara). Who are hot both appearance-wise and because it is the middle of the day and they are hiking in the desert. Here is where the dramatic narrative veers off a bit … in real life Ralston showed them some climbing moves. In the movie, he manages to convince them that following a scruffy dude into the middle of nowhere is a great life choice. And that there is nothing wrong with following him into a situation he is deliberately vague about. And when he jumps off a cliff, you should totally jump off the cliff after him.

So after his love of life utterly charms them, they invite him to a Scooby Doo party and he runs off. Because he is full of life! And, why walk when you can run? Once he is on his own he does some nifty canyoneering moves. Unfortunately, about 30 minutes into the film, just as he is well into the outdoorsy spirit, his nifty moves turn a rock into a projectile, projected at him. So, prepare to spend the next hour or so watching Ralston get progressively nuttier, wishing you had lots of water to drink, and, if you’re me, laughing at the other people in the theater who are closing their eyes for all the best scenes. Or, possibly laughing at all the best scenes. Because I find humor in people drinking their own pee to survive. Is that wrong? No. No it is not.

Firmly ensconced on the music charts since his debut with “Austin” in 2001, Blake Shelton has spent the last 10 years recording hit after hit for his fans. On Friday, March 11, Shelton is performing at the Crown Coliseum. Tickets have been on sale for awhile, so don’t miss your chance to see this big music star.

Born in Ada, Okla., in 1976, Shelton wrote songs as a teenager and played in honky-tonk bars. When he was 17, Shelton met Mae Boren Axton at an event honoring her contributions to music. Axton is most famous for her role in co-writing “Heartbreak Hotel,” Elvis Prestley’s first single with RCA. Shelton was in the entertainment line up at the event. Axton heard Shelton sing and told him that she believed he would find success as an entertainer, but to do it he would have to move to Nashville. Shelton had been out of high school only two weeks when he decided to pack up and move to the country music capital.

It wasn’t long until Shelton was pumping out hit after hit and had made a name for himself on the country music charts. His tunes are catchy and easy to relate to. His series of chart-busting hits can attest to that.

Rik Knopp, the director of Marketing and Sales at the Crown Center, had this to say, “We couldn’t be more excited about the upcoming Blake Shelton show. To get such a high caliber performer at a time when he is one of the hottest acts touring is a big win for this community.”

With 17 singles on the country charts in the past decade, Shelton has seen seven of his songs race to the number one spot; “Austin” (2001), “The Baby” (2003), “Some Beach” (2004–2005), “Home” (2008), “She Wouldn’t Be Gone” (2009), “Hillbilly Bone” (2010), a duet with Trace Adkins, and “All About Tonight” (2010). Additionally, three more of his singles have reached Top Ten: a cover version of Conway Twitty’s “Goodbye Time”, “Nobody but Me” and “I’ll Just Hold On.”

Shelton’s latest release LOADED: The Best of Blake Shelton debuted on the country charts in the top 10 placing him in the unique position of being one of the few artists who have charted three records in one year. Garth Brooks, Kenny Chesney and Alan Jackson are also in this group.

Shelton was recently nominated for his first Grammy award for “Best Country Collaboration with Vocals” for his single “Hillbilly Bone” which has won an award at every major Country award show this year — the ACA’s for “Music Video of the Year” and “Music Video: Male,” the ACM Award for “Vocal Event of the Year,” CMA Award for “Musical Event of the Year” and CMT Award for “Collaborative Video of the Year.”

Knopp added that “A Grammy nominated winner of two American Country Awards and the Country Music Awards Male Vocalist of the Year, not to mention that just this week he hit number one on the Billboard charts for the third time in 10 months and eighth time overall — this is a homerun for us. Just check Ticketmaster’s fan reviews if you’re sitting on the fence about coming – fan’s are raving about his live performance and opening acts — they give him a 4.8 out of 5 stars. While you’re checking those out go ahead and buy your tickets and make March 11th a night to remember.”

Tickets are $49.50, $37.50, $32.50 and are available at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling the Crown box office at 438-4100.

PHOTO: Country music star Blake Shelton will perform at the Crown on March 11.

Avoid Identity Theft

One of the most prevalent forms of consumer fraud is identity theft, according to Erik Miley of eHow.com. This occurs when person-al information is used by an individual who is not lawfully authorized to possess or use that information. Examples include the illegal acquisition of a credit card, bank account number or Social Security number. When an individual other than the lawful owner of an account or line of credit obtains information that al-lows him to access funds within those accounts, identity theft has occurred. This individual may use information to transfer money from a victim’s account to one previously established and held by the perpetrator of the theft. Such funds can be extremely difficult to track down once the theft has occurred.

To protect yourself from becoming a victim, Mr. Robert Valentine, a Certified Senior Advisor from seniorjournal.com has the following tips to prevent identity theft.

Checks:

• Use your initials and last name when ordering printed checks. A check forger won’t know how you sign your checks, but your bank will.

• Do not have your home phone number or Social Security number printed on your checks. Use your work phone number. Use a post office box or work address instead of your home address.

• Order new checks from your bank and pick them up at the bank, rather than having them sent to your home mailbox.

Credit cards

• When paying credit card bills, write only the last four digits of the account number in the check memo line.

• Do not sign the back of your credit card. Instead write, “Photo ID required.”

• Photocopy both sides of your driver’s license, credit cards and other impor-tant contents of your wallet. In the event it is stolen, you’ll know exactly what is missing.

• Keep a list of your credit card numbers and their toll-free customer service numbers so you can cancel cards quickly if lost or stolen. Keep the list in a safe place in your home, not in your wallet.

Social Security Number

• Do not carry your Social Security card in your wallet. Memorize the number and put the original card in a safe place.

• If you believe your Social Security number has been compromised, contact the Social Security Administration fraud line 800-269-0271.

PINs and Passwords

• Do not write your PIN on the back of the card or on anything else in your wallet.

• Use different PINs for each debit and credit card. If you have too many to remember, consider reducing the number of cards you carry in your wallet.

• Do not use easily available information, like your birth date, phone number or part of your Social Security number, for PINS and passwords.

Mail and Trash

• Use post office collection boxes for outgoing mail, rather than your home mail box.

• Shred any trash that may contain personal information, including charge re-ceipts, credit applications, insurance forms, medical statements, checks and bank statements, expired credit and debit cards and direct mail credit offers.

• You can opt not to receive direct mail credit offers by calling 888-567-8688.If your wallet is stolen, you should immediately:

• File a police report to document the theft and the wallet contents.

• Contact one of the national credit reporting organizations (listed below) to have a fraud alert placed on your name and Social Security number. The orga-nization you contact is required to contact the other two. If the thief’s purchases initiate a credit check, the credit reporting organization can alert the merchant. Placing a fraud alert entitles you to free copies of your credit reports.

• Equifax 800-525-6285

• Experian 888-397-3742

• Trans Union 800-680-7289

• Close all accounts for missing credit cards. Check your credit reports for accounts opened fraudulently.

• File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, which maintains a da-tabase of identity theft cases, online at www.consumer.gov/idtheft. This database assists law enforcement agencies and helps the FTC learn more about identity theft.

• Notify your bank if your wallet contained a checkbook or debit/ATM cards.

When is a football team more thanjust a football team providing fans withaction-packed entertainment? When itbecomes a Force in the community —make that a force for the community.

And that’s exactly what AndrewBondarowicz, president of the FayettevilleForce, hopes to bring to the Fayettevillearea with the return of indoor footballplay — and the revival of a familiar teamname. The Fayetteville Force, one of 16teams in the Southern Indoor FootballLeague (SIFL), will open its inauguralseason at the Crown Coliseum againstthe Carolina Speed on Friday, March 18.

Bondarowicz, successfulsports agent, lawyer and founder ofFanteractive, LLC, a new subscriptionbasedinteractive system enabling fans totake part in the game from the sidelines,sees the team as a force for good.

“It’s kind of funny because theForce name actually has a two-fold recreation,”said Bondarowicz. “One is forthe Fayetteville Force hockey team, andsecondly, there was a team called theForce in the Southern Indoor Football League (SIFL) in Greenville, S.C. And in both ofthose instances, I would say that the situations ended badly; however, the name Forcereally embodies a lot of the things that we wanted to espouse here.”

Bondarowicz sees a far more positive future for the Force, and the community.“The notion with a lot of sports teams is, ‘Hey, we have a team in town. Come supportus and buy tickets,’ and that’s kind of where the relationship remains, whereas one ofthe things that we want to really try with this team is to be an impact on the community.Being a force in the community, being a force in the classroom, being a force ineverything you do. It’s not only a tagline, but it’s really a theme around what ourorganization is looking to do.”

And the Fayetteville Force is certainly looking to do more than just scoretouchdowns on the field.

“I mentioned about being a force in the community,” Bondarowicz said, “and oneof the things we want to do is recognize a lot of unsung heroes. There’s a lot of peopledoing a lot of good things every single day and most go unnoticed, and we can kindof use the platform that we have to bring some recognition to those people. Secondly,volunteerism, especially in difficult economic times, is something that’s very important,too, because nonprofi ts as much as anybody are stretched with donations going down,and an extra pair of hands always comes in handy. So one of the things we’re looking todo later this spring is have fans and friends of the team essentially volunteer for differentorganizations around the city. And not just the city, but in the region to build on thatcommunity aspect and also to lend a hand in need. We have some school programsthat we’re working on that we want to establish before the end of the school year. Ourchallenge has been that there’s a limit to how much we can accomplish in a very shorttime frame.”

In addition to promoting and contributing positive things in the community, theFayetteville Force expects to play the kind of football fans won’t want to miss. 

“Basically, we expect to put a strong product on the field every week,” saidBondarowicz. “We have a veteran coaching staff. We have a lot of players that havea game-established history, and we expect to have a strong showing and make thecommunity proud that way.

“We plan on adding fun events and unique aspects to every game. We kind of lookat each individual game as its own event, so we have six different events that we’re goingto be running during the regular season that are built around a football. You can expectsomething different every time, and we hope to have some entertainment, a lot of pregametailgates. We’re going to make this a fun atmosphere because one of the uniquethings about football, is that it’s part of Americana, and the more entertaining we canmake it, the more engaging we can make it, the better it is for the community at largeand their fan base.”

For more information on the Fayetteville Force, includingschedule, team members and coaching staff, Fanteractive and ticketsto the inaugural season’s games, as well as sponsorship opportunitiesand more, call 910-920-9200 orvisit www.fayettevilleforce.net.

PHOTO: Fayetteville Force Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator Charles Gunnings.

Methodist University is putting together a unique weekend of jazz, with its 3rd Annual Methodist University Jazz Festival March 18-19.

The evening concert begins on March 18, followed by an all-day concert on March 19 featuring an orchestra, a jazz ensemble and more.

The Jazz Festival will start with an evening concert featuring the Methodist University Jazz Ensemble and special guest Howard Lamb.

Lamb is the director of the Memphis Jazz Orchestra, and a retired member of the Navy Commodores Jazz Band, where he was the featured trombone soloist. The concert starts at 7:30 pm in Reeves Auditorium on the campus of Methodist University. The concert is free to the public.

On the second day, the Jazz Festival gives an opportunity to local talent that features various middle school and high school jazz bands. The students will perform in front of the audience as well as with the guest clinician who will work with each group sharing knowledge and experience for the advancement of these local talents.

Proceeding with the evening at 5 p.m., The Methodist Jazz Ensemble will perform, followed by the Fayetteville Jazz Orchestra at 7 p.m.

The culmination of the festival will include an exclusive event held in conjunction with WFSS, featuring nationally recognized smooth jazz artist David Wells.

Dumas who is the Director of Jazz Band at Methodist University noted, “The entire weekend is designed as a kick-off to recognize April as Jazz Appreciation month, which will include several major events.”

This event makes it an ideal way to appreciate Jazz while supporting our local talent at the same time.

Tickets are available for Wells’ portion of the event and can be purchased by contacting WFSS or by contacting Charles Dumas at cdumas@methodist.edu.

PHOTO: Enjoy some jazz at Methodist University March 18 and 19.

It’s time for the Fayetteville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce’s top-ranked trade show. ShowBiz 2011 Surviving and Thriving will be at the Crown Expo Center from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. on March 9.

The Chamber is excited about the opportunities this brings to the community and businesses alike and they are betting that when the doors open, both vendors and attendees will catch the spirit of excitement too.

“Showbiz is our premier business to business networking trade show. It is an opportunity for small businesses and businesses in the Fayetteville, Cumberland County area to come together and to showcase their products and services to the community,” said Fayetteville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce Events Manager Sonia Ramirez-Garza. “We tell the vendors who are participating that what they need to take away that day is networking amongst themselves but also with the attendee’s that come in, since the show is open to the public and it is free admission.”

The Chamber of Commerce chose this year’s theme, Surviving and Thriving, to illustrate “the resiliency of our community’s real estate and retail markets, show how Fayetteville and Cumberland County are working through the economy’s shortcomings and gives businesses the opportunity to showcase their business practices and products in a thriving community. ShowBizis a gateway to a world of resources that enables attendees to buy locally and boost the economic activity of Fayetteville and Cumberland County.”

Last year’s show brought in about 100 vendors and more than 1,000 attendees — that’s plenty of opportunity to make a few connections.

This year looks to be just as busy and exciting.

There will be three seminars throughout the day, centered around the Surviving and Thriving theme.

The American Red Cross will host a CPR demo along with fi re safety and other home-related safety and survival issues.

Goodyear Tire and Rubber Plant Manager Billy Taylor is scheduled to speak about leveraging a business in our economy.

Elite Training Group will also be on hand to do a demonstration on survival techniques and how you protect yourself in survival situations.

“It is going to be really fun,” said Ramirez-Garza. “I am excited to see what everyone has to offer.”

During the day Cape Fear Valley Blood Donor Center will conduct a blood drive from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. so not only is this a chance to make a few connections, there’s an opportunity to potentially save a life and help your fellow man. Blood donated to the Cape Fear Valley Blood Donor Center goes right back into the community and keeps our local hospital patients surviving and thriving.

Of course, the day will be filled with fun give-aways and prizes, too. The prizes will be provided by the vendors at the event.

Look for everything from hotels, car dealerships and banks, to beauty consultants and other home-based businesses and some of Fayetteville’s newest small businesses, too.

“I love the fact that it is different every year,” said Ramirez-Garza. “Every year it brings new challenges and exciting vendors and people. People always want something different and that makes it really fun.”

Contact the Fayetteville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce at 484-4242 or www.fayettevillencchamber.org for more information.

Each year the Fayetteville Technical Community College Foundation hosts a dinner theatre event as its annual fundraiser. This year, local audiences will have a chance to view a familiar and classic play while they support a classic institution.

Planned for March 11-13, the event will feature A Raisin in the Sun.

According to Sean Davidson, the chair of the Fine Arts Department, they wanted to produce a play that the community could relate to, adding that he feels the audience will enjoy seeing their friends, family and other members of the community involved. Davidson believes A Raisin in the Sun will resound with the audience, especially in today’s economy, because they will be able to relate to the harsh struggle that many families are going through.

Ever since Lorraine Hansberry’s play debuted in 1959, it has been a relevant piece of contemporary African-American history, as well as one of the standards to which many playwrights hold their work. Done and re-done numerous times, from stage play to television program, and featuring phenomenal stars like Sidney Poitier, Ruby Dee, Louis Gossett Jr, Phylicia Rashad and Sean “P. Diddy” Combs, A Raisin in the Sun continues to strike a chord amongst all who have a chance to view this amazing production.

Derived from a poem titled “Harlem” by Langston Hughes, the play tells the story of the Youngers, a disadvantaged African-American family struggling to make ends meet in Chicago, sometime between World War II and the 1950s. As the play opens the family is on the brink of a dramatic change in their circumstances, due to a $10,000 check they are due to receive in a few days.

The money comes from the life-insurance policy left by the deceased Mr. Younger. His wife, the leader of the family, has decided to use it to buy a house and fulfill the dream she shared with her husband.

Her son, Walter Lee, wants to use the money to invest in a liquor store, which he believes will solve the family’s financial problems and give them a more solid future. His mother disagrees however, not only with the plan but with the type of business he is looking to invest in, as it is against her religious beliefs. You also get the impression that this is not the only “fl y by night” scheme that Walter has invested in or attempted to invest in with dismal results.

Walter’s wife Ruth wants to put the money toward something more concrete, to give their son Travis a better future, and agrees with Mother that they should move to Clybourne Park (a predominantly white neighborhood).

Walter’s sister Beneatha, wants her mother to use the money however she wishes, although her Mother did mention that she may use it on Beneatha’s medical-school tuition. The family continues to clash over what to spend the money on throughout the duration of the play.

While on the surface the production seems to be just about the family’s investment, it quickly becomes clear that there are many other underlying issues. The Mother’s struggle to keep the family together despite their newfound wealth, Walter’s feelings of insecurity at not being able to fi ll his father’s shoes and take care of his family, and Ruth’s conflicted feelings between wanting to stay loyal to her husband and do what’s best for her family.

When a representative from The Clybourne Park Improvement Association approaches the family to “buy them out” to keep them from moving, the family is ultimately forced to make a decision. Stick together and continue to help each other, or separate and strike out each on their own.

The play will be staged in two locations. On March 5-6, the show will be on stage at Fort Bragg’s York Theater. On March 11-14 and March 18- 20, the show will be on stage at Cumberland Hall Auditorium on the campus of FTCC. The March 18 performance is slated as the foundation’s dinner theater. This annual event raises funds for scholarships and materials for FTCC students. Tickets to the March 18 performance are $15, while all other performances are free.

For more information, call the Fine Arts Department at 678-0042.

The Gravitational Pull of Family

Each and every human life is unique, and the path of each and every human life is different as it traverses our diverse world.

There are, though, common threads woven through our life stories, and one of them is the seemingly universal desire to connect with our families — with the people whose genes we share even if we have not shared their lives and their experiences.

People who left their birth families for whatever reasons and who were brought up in other families, however loving and nurturing, often want to know about their biological relatives. People who relinquished children for whatever reasons often want to know how those children have fared both as youngsters and as adults and maybe even want to meet and know those now grown children. People who adopted the biological children of others often have mixed feelings about this yearning from both biological sides of what is called the “adoption triad.”

North Carolina continues to have among the most restrictive laws in the nation regarding access to identifying information contained in sealed adoption records, even though a Confidential Intermediary program requiring mutual consent among birth relatives has been established in recent years. The yearning to know continues, though, as both a birth mother and an adult adoptee related to me recently.

Claudia’s words make her mother’s pain clear.

“I had five beautiful children, three boys and two girls, in Germany between 1971 and 1976. The relationship with their father was terrible and mainly physically abusive. I fi nally managed to flee from him but the Social Services took four of the children away from me and later forced me to agree to adopt the children out. I could not stand to see my children suffer any more and figured adoptive parents would better their lot in life. I never ever got over having to make this agonizing and soul tearing decision. My two oldest kids went to the same family. Turning 17 my daughter found me in the USA and I was reunited with them and later on also with my youngest daughter. My two oldest were abused and neglected for 13 years and no one helped…. To find that out was agony for me. My adoption story is a lot longer and contains the story of my children who are now back in my life but too far away to see them in Memphis and Virginia. I want to have my children at one table before I die!”

Katie is a young adult who grew up in an adoptive family and yearns to know about her birth mother.

“I was put up for adoption at birth. North Carolina is really hard to search for answers as an adoptee, but with luck I have learned so far that I was born by C-section in New Hanover County in October 1987 at 11:27 to a 37-year-old woman. She is now 60-years-old and was known to have many problems. One major one was drinking.

“I am a very forgiving person and hope to find her and tell her that there is nothing to be ashamed of and I would just love to know where I came from. I also learned that I have two half sisters, one 42 and the other 26 and a half brother who is 40. The 42- and 40-year-old siblings are full brother and sister. The 26-year-old has a different father.

“It has been tough growing up wondering who I look like and wondering where my artistic traits came from! I hope that I can fi nd my family soon and that they are open to meeting and helping me find out who I really am!”

Katie was unaware of the Confi dential Intermediary program and is interested.

“I am just glad that people are starting to take interest in this situation now instead of forcing adoptees to ignore their feelings of wondering…and the urge to know the truth. Then a lot of people like to make adoptees feel very ashamed that they want to know the truth because they say adoptees should be grateful for having been adopted. I am grateful but it doesn’t take away my want to know my original family.”

I feel blessed that the family photos in our house sport images of people who look at least a little bit like me and that I know who they are.

PHOTO: North Carolina continues to have among the most restrictive laws in the nation regarding access to identifying
information contained in sealed adoption records,

Gallery 208 located at Up & Coming Weekly on 208 Rowan St. is open to the public weekdays from 9am - 5pm. Stop by to experience art and sculpture from local and regional artists. For more information, call 484-6200.

 

Rumors — we all love to hear them. We like to get people’s take on them. Some of us like to spread them. Rarely, if ever, what starts the rumor is what makes it completely around the circle.

This month, The Cape Fear Regional Theatre takes a comic look at Rumors through the eyes of playwright Neil Simon, and if the show lives up to the interview, this is going to be one show you don’t want to miss.

Directed by Dirk Lumbard, a Cape Fear Regional Theatre veteran, the play revolves around the anniversary party of the deputy mayor of New York. Set in the ‘80s, the play puts the lives of the affluent under a microscope and opens it up for all of us to laugh at.

“We have an ideal cast for this production,” said Lumbard. “It was fantastically cast. This is a very strong cast. We have the best of Fayetteville’s talent, with a couple of New Yorkers thrown in.”

The play tells the story of four couples who are attending an anniversary party for their best friends. The play opens with the sound of gunshots, and where it goes from there is the stuff that comedy is made of.

“This is Neil Simon doing farce,” said Lumbard. “And it is excellent. We watch as everyone tries to cover-up what has happened and try to take care of their friend. It’s just a lot of fun.”

Lynne Rosenberg, a New York actress, plays the wife of Robbie Gay, a Wilmington, N.C., actor who had audiences rolling in the aisles in last year’s production of Peter Pan.

“We are both lawyers. Robbie plays a very by-the-book litigator, while I am more content to be behind the scenes,” explained Rosenberg. “So when we arrive at the party, I don’t know what to do so I proceed to medicate myself by getting riproaring drunk.”

As the attorney for the deputy mayor, Gay’s first thought is how to protect the politician’s reputation.

“I set the ball rolling,” said Gay. “I make up the first lie that we tell, but I haven’t communicated it to my wife. So we are both lying and trying to send clues to each other.”

The second couple to join the party is played by Bjorn Thorstad, also of New York, and the CFRT’s own Nicki Hart.

“We were in a wreck on the way to the party,” said Thorstad. “We arrive at the party thinking we are the victims.”

While they are at it, they add to the rumors by suggesting that the deputy mayor may have been having an affair.

Even though the story is set in 1987, Hart points out the relevance today with the stories that break on an almost daily basis about the personal lives of politicians.

“This play is still really relevant,” she said. “And this cast is phenomenal. You really have to be on it because they are all acting and reacting so quickly. We laugh at each other all the time.”

Lumbard noted that the four couples all have unique personalities, and that the audience will be able to identify them with people they know, maybe even themselves.

“You are definitely going to see somebody you know up on that stage,” said Lumbard.

CFRT’s production of Rumors runs from February 25-March 13. Tickets are $10 – preview; $18 – Fridays and $21 Saturdays; $16 – Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Show times are 8:15 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sunday evening. Saturday and Sunday matinees are at 2 p.m. CFRT’s traditional discounts of $1 are available for seniors 55 and older, active-duty military and their dependants on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturday matinees.

Buy your tickets online! Go to www.cfrt.org. To make reservations, call 910-323- 4233.

While most teenagers are focused on school, clothes, cars and members of the opposite sex, two Fayetteville teens are focused on the music industry — and in the words of the late, great Frank Sinatra — they are going to “do it their way.”

Fifteen-year-old Summer Collins and her cousin, Isaac Ball, just 19, make up the rising musical duo known as Summerfi eld. The name, which many think is a play on Collins’ name, actually is significant to the two.

“We think Summerfield and it’s a thriving meadow,” said Ball. “Like our music, it’s a changing, growing thing.”

The two have been involved in music all of their lives, but it was only last year, when they opened at the Dogwood Festival that the band gelled. Ball and his brother came up from Florida to back Collins up for the festival and her performances. Ball and Collins clicked and the idea of becoming a band was born.

Two months later, Ball moved to Fayetteville from Florida and the pair began writing. Over the summer they wrote more than 30 songs and ultimately selected 15 for their CD, Sunlit Destination.

“There was something there. We knew it was right, and we knew we could be successful at it,” said Ball.

The band’s sound is eclectic. They are not quite country and not really pop. Their sound has most often been referred to as Lady Antebellum playing Taylor Swift — minus the angst of Swift.

The duo writes music based on their lives to this point — what they’ve learned and are continuing to learn. Collins had written four songs prior to her partnership with Ball. Three of those songs made it on to the CD. Ball, a classical violinist, had also been writing prior to his move to Fayetteville, but both found that the combination of their talents opened up their creative juices.

“We had weeks where we were writing together that we were writing all week, and then weeks that we just sat and played chess,” said Ball.

“Last summer was song writing, chess, writer’s block, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and Raisin Bran,” added Collins.

“We have seasons that we write in,” said Ball. “It’s a very on and off process.”

 

“Sunlit Destination, the title track, is a southern rock anthem about roads not taken and possibilities. “Everything,” another song on the CD is about Ball’s dad.

“You don’t realize what you have until it’s gone. I got up here and realized how much I missed my Dad, and the fact that I realized that he made me who I am,” he explained.

After spending the summer writing songs and learning about the music industry, the pair headed to Nashville, Tenn., where they recorded the CD.

“We went up there twice,” said Collins. “While we were there, I sang all of the songs on the CD and Isaac laid down all the violin tracks. It was really awesome being behind the mic and singing all of our songs.”

In between takes, Collins sat on the couch and did her homework. The music is the focus, but both Collins and Ball have had to learn how to balance their lives.

“When she’s at school, school is her job, and I work part-time at Huske,” explained Ball. “But when we are home, Summerfield is our business.”

And business is booming.

“We are completely and totally independent,” said Ball. “We were approached early on by a lot of producers — multi-platinum producers, A&R agents and labels. Summer even had a written letter from the producers of American Idol to allow her to compete because at the time, she was too young. But we turned all of that down. We both own Rock the Boat Records and Summerfield Entertainment, the business arm that owns the publishing rights to the duo’s music. We do this entirely independent and will continue to do this independent.”

Taking the independent route is not easy, and the two have had to learn about the music industry quickly.

“We already have some of our songs on iTunes and other sites for distribution,” said Collins. “With radio play it will become a supply and demand — if people really want to hear our music then they will play our songs on the radio.”

“We’ve really had to dive into the business aspect of our music. We have had to learn about Web presence, publishing, distribution — getting our music on the radio,” continued Ball. “We’ve spent a lot of time reading and learning. A lot of the producers that we talked to early on have been a great resource. They’ve said, ‘OK, if you aren’t going to come with me, at least listen,’ and they’ve given us great advice. It’s really become a full-time job.”

Pairing that full-time job with their daily lives makes for long days.

“When I come home I have to do my homework and then I work on Summerfi eld,” said Collins.

“Summer is being modest,” added Ball “She has been nominated for Governor’s School. She’s an A student and is in honor courses. She is one busy girl, but we stay on her.

“For me it’s been rearranging my schedule. I work part-time at Huske. We are “indipreneurs” — we run an independent label, it’s a full-time job. Our business is our life. That’s what it has become for both of us. It takes until 3 or 4 a.m. before you go to bed, and we do that because we believe in our music.”

That belief has led to the development of a fullblown campaign that began with the recording of their CD. The next step is getting out and getting their music heard by the public.

“Part of that is playing shows,” said Ball. “We are going to headline at the Duck Derby and we will perform at the Dogwood Festival and at other shows. It is important that we get out and put our music in front of the public and let them hear us live.”

This grassroots approach is directed at Fayetteville first and then the surrounding area.

“We want to get Fayetteville behind us,” said Ball. “Our heart is in Fayetteville. We started this as a grassroots campaign, but in the age of YouTube, and Facebook, France is also grassroots.”

With that in mind, the other half of their campaign is focused on web dominance.

“We spend a lot of time online,” said Ball. “We are on Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, My Space. We have more than 1.4 million channel views on YouTube and we are speaking to people all over the world on a daily basis through blogging and Twitter. That’s a full-time deal.”

“People are really liking our music and they seem to like us,” said Collins. “When they listen to our music and watch our videos, they leave really nice comments.”

The videos, by the way, are also produced, filmed and acted out by the pair.

“It’s awesome to get a message from somebody in Austria who said they downloaded the song and it made their day,” said Ball. “It can be overwhelming.”

But the two have the grounding presence of Collins’ father Josh, and his wife, Tonia, to help them out when they get overwhelmed.

“Josh and Tonia are always there to give us advice,” said Ball. “Sometimes we hash out decisions with them, but we make the majority of our decisions. We’ve never had any conflict because we all share the same values.”

To keep up-to-date with the band, visit their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/ Summerfield/175839475765506 or see them on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/TheSummerfieldBand?feature=mhum.

 

SANCTUM (Rated R)     4 Stars

Why does everyone seem to hate Sanctum (109 minutes) so much? I mean, I get all the criticism about wooden acting, but people still seem to watch Nicolas Cage films and he hasn’t actually “acted” in anything since 1990’s Wild at Heart. And I think everyone else on the planet who wears glasses can agree with me that 3D is a huge pain in the tuckus and should be forbidden by law — but if you MUST film in 3D, underwater waterfalls and falling rocks won’t do you so wrong.

Admittedly, there really isn’t anyone to sympathize with. Daddy Dearest (Richard Roxburgh) is overbearing. Sonny Boy (Rhys Wakefield) is pretty whiny. Moneybags (Ioan Gruffudd) is exactly as entitled as you’d expected. Pretty- Girl-Who-is-Not-Anna-Paquin-But-Sure-Did-Look-Like- Her-in-One-of-the-Previews (Alice Parkinson) seems OK at first, but it turns out, that like all women, she is completely useless in a survival situation. Not that any of her traveling companions try too terribly hard to inform her of the consequences of her actions. After all, she climbed Everest! So, since was smart enough to get up a mountain she is smart enough to understand the implicit dangers present in a wholly unfamiliar and unexpected situation, so anything that happens to her is totally her fault.

The setting for all the high drama is an underwater cave in Papua New Guinea that IN NO WAY resembles or works as a metaphor for any female body parts. Daddy Dearest is the world’s most famous explorer, and he is forcing his son to work for him for free over summer vacation. As the story begins, the expeditioners are preparing to shut down the mission and wait out a cyclone. Moneybags helicopters in with his girlfriend Not Anna Paquin and spews entitlement all over the encampment. Sonny Boy and Luko the Expendable (Cramer Cain) escort them down into the dark depths.

As we all know when you have money, telling people what to do always works out well, and the mere presence of Moneybags inspires Daddy Dearest to take one more crack at navigating the newly discovered dark wet channels of the unexplored cave. Too bad for the explorers that the expected cyclone decided to come way earlier than it was supposed to, flooding the camp and blocking the surface access.

In a pretty rocking scene, Luko the Expendable dons a stunning red shirt and gets bashed around while trying to rescue the pretty and/or rich people. A succession of fairly visceral scenes follows, in which the cast gets tore up until the group is down to a single rebreather and they’re all out of love.

The group steadily fragments and Sonny Boy manages to put aside his convictions that Daddy Dearest lacks a moral guidepost in time for an impromptu poetry lesson delivered amidst a column of reeking bat guano. Male bonding complete, the two head towards the Solomon Sea. Now is a good time to make bets on who will survive the movie.

I enjoyed the movie. The scenery was pretty, the underwater shots spectacular, and the nasty bits featured truly impressive effects work. However, for some people, that might not be enough to make up for the fact that the plot limps along and the characters suck.

If ever there was a musical group with staying power it would be The Lettermen. They’ve been in the music industry for more than 50 years, and have no intentions of slowing down anytime soon. In fact, they’ll be performing at Fayetteville’s Crown Theater on Feb. 26.

In 1960, The Lettermen, Tony Butala, Jim Pike and Bob Engemann signed with Warner Brothers Records and released their first singles “Their Hearts Were Full of Spring,” “When” and “The Magic Sound,” and “Two Hearts.” By 1961 they’d moved on to Capitol Records and released a single titled “That’s My Desire.” On the B side of the album was “The Way You Look Tonight.” It was different from the sounds of the day, but it rocketed to number 13 on the Billboard Chart.

Since then, the faces in the group have changed a few times. There have been eight Lettermen in 50 years. They’ve produced 76 records, and traveled anywhere from 300 days a year, in their early years to 100 days a year in the past decade or so.

While five decades is indeed a long stretch of time, it is by design and not by chance that The Lettermen are still performing so regularly.

“This is what we do,” said Lettermen founder Tony Butala. “We are entertainers. Show business has two words show and business, but back when we started people didn’t see it that way. They considered it more of a lark. When I formed the first group in 1958 — it was the first boy band. I looked for the best looking guys I could find and the best soloists I could find. Instead of a strong lead singer and weaker singers doing back up I wanted three strong singers. The outlook of the band has always been professional. It was a different concept back then.”

The current version of the band, Tony Butalla, Donovan Tea and Mark Preston has been together since 1984, the longest any members have stayed together. They have traveled about 100 days a year for the past 26 years, bringing their brand of music to fans old and new around the country and the world.

“Over the years we’ve changed our product — like Cadillac changing the chrome or fins on a model of their car — but you don’t change the essence below, it is still a smooth ride, and a great quality car,” said Butala. “We are a product. We learned from the beginning, it is not a lark. We didn’t’ go out there and play it like it was a game. We ran it like a business.”

The “hip to be square” image that Butala and the rest of the band have adhered to has paid off in spades with loyal fans, a stellar reputation, shows booked throughout the year and no end in sight. A much different ending than some of the other musical groups that have come and gone in the years the Lettermen have been delivering great performances.

In 2010 the group released a new cd titled The Lettermen: New Directions 2010 in conjunction with Les Brown Jr.s Band of Renown. This new CD features such songs as “After The Love Is Gone,” “Listen To The Music,” “Pure Imagination” and “Come Fly With Me.” Readers interested in purchasing this CD can contact the Lettermen Society office at 724-444-0778 or go to the website at www.thelettermen. com.

If you haven’t experienced the Lettermen yet, don’t miss out. Butala joking says “For people who people haven’t seen us and don’t know us, tell them what we are not — we are not three elderly, balding, kook headed guys trying to relive the past. This is a 2011 entertainment package that happens to have had hit records in the ‘60s and ‘70s. It is an entertainment group, not a recording group.”

The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Call 438-4100 or visit www.atthecrown.com.