“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” - Pablo Picasso 

For 11 months of the year, the fourth Friday of each month (December excepted), downtown Fayetteville comes alive with art and artists of every stripe and color. Sometimes there are themes — November is special because of the Dicken’s holiday celebration which revisits A Christmas Carol and all things Victorian and Christmasy. In the fall, the International Folk Festival sets the tone for the 4th Friday celebrations not only at the Arts Council but all over downtown.

This month, showcasing our community’s young artists at the Art’s Council and in conjunction with the school system’s Arts Education Program, is the 11th Annual Cumberland County High School Juried Art Exhibition.

It opens at 7 p.m. and runs through 9 p.m. on Jan. 28, although the show will hang through Feb. 17.

The exhibit includes drawings, paintings, sculpture and mixed media artwork. Each entry will be judged by an art professional with recognition going to fi rst, second and third place along with honorable mentions. All students submitting artwork will receive a certifi cate of participation.

“We are in awe every year at the amazing work produced by our community’s tremendously talented high school students,” said Mary Kinny, marketing manager for the Arts Council Fayetteville/Cumberland County. “We really stress that this is not a ‘Come look at what these kids did’ kind of show. That is not the point of if it. These are students who are at the top of their class in terms of art and they’ve already been through a weeding out process in each of their schools to compete to be in this show. Then, this show is jured. It really is the best of the best in terms of our high school students who are artists.”

Not only is this show a treat for the public, allowing a peek into the hearts and minds of local young adults and future leaders, it also provides the students with an opportunity to learn and grow as artists. As supporters of the arts, the Arts Council is pleased to have the opportunity to make “it possible for students to learn the important skills of critical thinking, making connections, expressing diversity and solving problems creatively, which will serve them in all facets of life.”

Don’t forget to check out the other exhibits, demonstrations and performances downtown, too.

City Center Gallery & Books is hosting scrimshander Ken Baldwin. Scrimshaw art is the etching of pictures onto whale bone or teeth.

Headquarters Library, on Maiden Lane is featuring blues band The Piedmont Rhythm Aces. We’re talking down-home music complete with string/washboard, guitar, mandolin and a fi ddle backing up the vocals.

Speaking of old-fashioned and down home, the Fayetteville Area Transportation Museum has a 1917 Model TT Ford truck – set up for moonshining – in the museum’s annex, alongside other artifacts of transportation from days gone by.

An off-shoot of Fourth Friday, Arts Alive starts at 6 p.m. and runs through 10 p.m. Here you can see artists at work demonstrating their craft.

This month, says Kinny, Kevin Gregory will sell and demonstrate his paintings, which range from colorful depictions of baby dinosaurs to dark and macabre monsters and zombies. Glasswork artist Shannon Davis will use a gasfueled torch to melt solid rods and hollow tubes of glass into figurines and jewelry. Deborah Crandall will sell handcrafted jewelry while Greg Hathaway and Nancy Edge demonstrate raku fi ring. Performance artists also provide entertainment for the crowd.

Photo, top right: “Vagabond” by Terry Sanford High student Jasmin Nieves, got honorable mention in the drawing category during the 2010 Cumberland County High School Juried Art Show.

TRUE GRIT (Rated PG-13)      Five Stars

Interestingly, this might serve as the first Coen brothers’ movie that works as a straight piece (as opposed to an exploration of bizarre characters). So many of their other films seem to focus on the massive flaws of the leads that True Grit (110 minutes) stands out for a kinder, gentler depiction of the characters. 

Unlike the original, which started much slower, the remake collapses the intro to a short voiceover by Mattie Ross (Elizabeth Marvel) recounting the story of how Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin) killed her father. The voiceover switches to a younger Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld, much less irritating than the 1969 version), who arrives to collect her father’s body. She spends the night in the morgue, and then sets out the next day to assert her Protestant ethic all over everybody. In the midst of dealing with the loose ends left by the death of her father, Mattie inquires about U.S. Marshals. When she hears that Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) is the meanest, she attempts to hire him.

Apparently, even in the old west it is considered rude to approach someone about a job when they are in the outhouse, and Rooster rebuffs her first attempt. Meanwhile, Texas Ranger La Boeuf (Matt Damon, also less irritating than the 1969 version) arrives looking for Chaney. He proposes that the three work together, since the Marshal knows the territory and he knows Chaney.

Mattie, Rooster, and la Boeuf have a difference of opinion over how best to pursue Chaney, and they set off in two separate parties. Mattie and Rooster set out. They find a hanged man being pecked by crows and a man dressed as a bear. This is not a dream sequence, and therefore it is highly amusing. They get information that sends them after Lucky Ned Pepper (Barry Pepper … and I know that Robert Duvall is old, but I bet he could have done a better job reprising his 1969 role than Barry Pepper. Because I don’t like Berry Pepper.) and his gang. They find a dugout cabin and plan an ambush to scoop up the gang, but their plans go afoul.

Now reunited with La Boeuf, the three ride on into the plains towards the mountains, and their best chance for catching Lucky Ned. Of course, it is past time to address the “Rooster drinks too much” subplot, and so the Marshal starts drinking heavily. After drinking heavily, he randomly fires his weapon at some corn biscuits, while a straight faced La Boeuf occasionally takes a shot himself at the corn biscuits in order to…? Well, I’m sure he was trying to make some kind of point.

Rooster continues to drink long in to the night, and finally calls off the whole expedition. Naturally, Mattie finds what she seeks the very next morning, meeting Chaney when she goes to get morning water. Some nifty horse riding and gun fighting follow some great confrontation scenes. The finale differs slightly from the 1969 version, with a return to adult Mattie Ross considering the history she shared with Rooster.

Hailee Steinfeld manages to capture the single-minded composure of Mattie Ross without alienating viewers by presenting herself as too precocious. Jeff Bridges does an acceptable job with his character arc, encapsulating the gruff peacemaker who manages to meet Mattie on her admittedly uncompromising terms perfectly.

It is a strength of the film that the action moves quickly without sacrificing the sincerity of the character development. Overall an excellent western that is also family friendly, if you can get past the random amputations and constant shooting.

The Fayetteville FireAntz have had a trying season thus far. They’ve battled injuries as well as a roster that has seen numerous changes. However, lately the team has taken great strides towards moving up in the standings and cementing themselves solidly in playoff position as they look to make another run for an SPHL Championship. This was evident in the FireAntz’s last two home games on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

The FireAntz hosted the first place Huntsville Havoc at the Crown Coliseum both nights. It was a daunting task but the FireAntz proved to be up to the challenge.

Friday, Dec. 31, was the first of the two consecutive contests against the Huntsville Havoc. They had played just three days before and the Havoc won 2-1. The FireAntz got off to a great start on a power play goal by Rob Sich. They would extend their lead, by the half way point of the game, to 3-0 on goals by Mark Versteeg-Lytwyn and Chris Leveille, on a penalty shot. Huntsville, however, battled back and made the score 3-2 with three minutes remaining in the game. Leveille would cap his four-point night by scoring an empty-net goal, providing the FireAntz a much-needed 4-2 victory over the Havoc.

Saturday, Jan. 1, the FireAntz looked to gain a home sweep against Huntsville. The FireAntz again got off to a great start on the power play with Anthony Perdicaro giving the FireAntz a 1-0 lead going into the 1st intermission. The second period was full of fireworks as there were five goals, three by the FireAntz. Leading 4-2 entering the third period, the FireAntz received a scare when Huntsville narrowed the lead to 4-3 with 15 minutes still to play. But a power play goal by Jeff Borrows iced the game and the victory giving the FireAntz back-to-back home wins over the first place Havoc.

Goaltender Travis Yonkman was spectacular both nights as he turned away 92 of 97 shots faced.

Join in the excitement of FireAntz Hockey this weekend as they lace up the skates again for two home games Friday and Saturday nights at the Crown Coliseum. The pucks drop at 7:30 p.m. both nights.

Travis Yonkman makes a spectacular glove save!
Photo Courtesy: J. Shank

Martin Luther King Day was signed into law in 1983 by Ronald Reagan. It was first observed in 1986. Because some states resisted observing the holiday or combined it with other holidays it was not officially observed in all 50 states until 2000. Since then, it has become more and more a day about individuals giving back to their communities rather than just having a day off work, and according to Dr. Larry Wright Sr., president of the Fayetteville/ Cumberland County Ministerial Council (FCCMC) and senior pastor at Heal the Land Outreach Ministries that is just the way Dr. King would have preferred it.

“When they awarded this holiday, Dr. King’s wife, Coretta Scott King, came out and made a statement that she would rather this be a day on than a day off (because of all the work that was put in and all the suffering and things they went through during the civil rights movement) instead of just going to the breakfast and eating and then going home and going to sleep,” said Wright. “I feel that would be an injustice to the legacy of such a great man who worked so hard for equality for all mankind.”

That is just what the FCCMC has in mind this year. They’ve registered with the National MLK Day of Service, which will be held on Jan. 17, and they aim to reach out and touch the community in a variety of ways.

One of the easiest ways to help it to bring nonperishable food items to the breakfast.

“Second Harvest, will be there with containers and a truck to collect the donations and use them to restock,” said Wright. “We are also doing a community clean up on Martin Luther King Jr. Freeway. We are doing a blood drive, there will be a group visiting the veterans home and possibly some other homes where we can spend time with retirees. We’ve also got a letter writing campaign going where people will be writing letters of thanks and encouragement to deployed military members.”

Vikki Andrews is the Cumberland County Day of Service chair/coordinator. Not only is she taking registration for volunteers for events that are already planned, she is also ready to add any groups or volunteer organizations to the Day of Service event.

“If there are any groups out there that maybe were planning to volunteer or have an event on a different day but would be willing to change it to Jan. 17, they can email me and I’d be glad to register them with us in the National Day of Service Registry,” said Andrews. “Or if they want to plan something right now they can contact us and we’d love to have them join us.”

Get involved at cumberlandcountydayofservice@gmail.com.

While Martin Luther King Jr. is a great inspiration and volunteering a few hours of time in his honor is commendable, Wright and the FCCMC are aiming to keep the momentum going throughout the year.

In fact, they are already working on the homeless problem in the area and are also reaching out to the local schools.

“This year we did a thing called Hunger and Homeless Stand Down. We, and several other organizations that we partner with, helped about 800 people in November — which is national homeless month — and we did a great event at the VFW on Ramsey Street,” said Wright. “We also hope to partner with the schools for churches to adopt schools to help in any way we can as far as mentoring and being there for support for children. We have a lot of kids in our schools who are homeless and don’t get the proper food and nourishment they need, you have kids with no father figure in their lives, no role models. We want to meet them at their point of stress or concern and help motivate them and see if we can do anything to get that child inspired to do better in school.”

There are so many good causes, so many in need and so much work to be done that Wright is putting out a call to ourcommunity’s Christian churches to step up, pull together and overcome their differences in the interest of bettering this particular corner of the world.

“It is time for us to get out of our comfort zones, to get up off our seats and to get out into our community. I believe that God is a God of action and I know he is a God of results and a God of passion,” said Wright. “I make an appeal to all of our community leaders, politicians, business people and clergy to begin to look to see what areas in our community that you can be involved in and have a positive impact in. Partner with them. We don’t have to reinvent the wheel and we don’t have to stop doing what we are doing but I think we can have a greater impact if we are doing it together. Let’s put aside our differences in our doctrinal beliefs and come together for the greater cause of humanity. Now is the time. Now is the season. If we don’t’ do it now, then when? If you don’t do it, who is going to do it?”

The 18th Annual Prayer Breakfast in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is on Monday, Jan. 17 from 7:30 -10 a.m. at the Crown Expo Center and will be followed immediately by the National Day of Service activities. A $20 donation is requested at he door. Billy Taylor, executive manager of Goodyear Corporation, Fayetteville will be the keynote speaker. Visit www.ministriescouncil.net to find out more.

 Photo: People working together to better their community is what the National Day of Service is all
about

A long time Fayetteville favorite for good food, a good time and good company, the Big Apple has recently undergone a few changes. Not only has the restaurant added a patio with a full bar and seven 50-inch televisions, owners are also focusing their energy on being more than Fayetteville’s premier night club, they are embracing the family restaurant and sports-bar scene as well.

General Manager Mike Callahan runs a tight ship, and with so much going on, it is no wonder that the restaurant is so well known for its evening activities.

“We are not a pub, we just happen to have a popular night atmosphere from 9 p.m. on,” said Callahan.“We are a restaurant and sports bar — we just happen to have a big nighttime following because of our late-night entertainment with DJs and karaoke and things like that.”

The massive multi-roomed establishment just outside the Yadkin Road gate of Fort Bragg features something for everyone.

It is open at 11 a.m. Monday through Friday and at noon on weekends serving American, Italian and Asian cuisine in a family-style restaurant. Snack on appetizers, have a sandwich, soup or a steak. The restaurant even offers $5 lunch specials that will fi ll you up without breaking the bank. The dining room is located at the front of the building and offers plenty of kid-friendly seating away from the noise and fracas of the sports pub.

Customers can relax in the quie, and distinguished, private bar/cigar parlor and enjoy all of their favorite labels while chatting with friends or just enjoying the calm atmosphere of the room.

“The cigar parlor has its own ventilation system, so if you want to smoke a cigar indoors you can do it in that room,” said Callahan. “It has three big screen TVs and a fi replace so you can get cozy and intimate. We also feature live music in there on Friday nights.”

With eight pool tables and 25 big screens, Big Apple offers its patrons a chance hang to out with friends without missing their favorite sports team or pay-per-view sporting event. The restaurant carries all of the sports packages, so their customers won’t even miss a play this season.

If sports aren’t your thing, no worries. Dance the night away or sing karaoke till the wee hours. There is something to do here every night — NFL Sundays, Monday Night Football, karaoke contests on Tuesdays, live DJ spinning your favorite tunes on Wednesdays, military appreciation Thursdays, and DJ V. Smoove on Friday and Saturday. Throw in the awesome drink specials and great dining room deals that rotate daily and you’ve got a great time ready to happen — all the time.

There’s a party to celebrate most every occasion, like the New Year’s Eve Silver, Gold and Black party that recently crowned Fayetteville’s King and Queen of the New Year. Super Bowl Sunday, which is Feb. 6, will bring another party with prizes given away quarterly and raffl es and other gifts, too.

“We have a ski package for two — including lessons, a stereo system to give away and Time Warner is giving us a GPS unit to raffl e. Cumulus Broadcasting is giving us two N.C. State tickets,” Callahan said. “We also have a package to Renaissance Day Spa... just for the ladies. It includes a manicure, a pedicure, a massage and a year-long membership to The Spa. It is going to be a mad, fun day.”

Check out the website at www.bigapplefay.com or call 868-5559 to fi nd out more.

If you’ve never heard of Bill Engvall, well, here’s your sign. Engvall, one of the leaders in Blue Collar comedy has left audiences rolling in their seats since the mid ‘90s. On Saturday, Jan. 22, Engvall will bring his rare blend of down-home humor to the Crown Theatre for a raucous night of fun.

Engvall, a Texas native, has the ability to connect with his audience. His humor isn’t off-color, instead he relies on the madness of everyday life and common place situations to get you laughing not only at the people he’s talking about, but also yourself. That talent has made him one of the top comedians in America, and has kept him quiet busy.

A native of Galveston, Texas, Bill moved to Dallas and was working as a disc jockey with plans of becoming of a teacher. While in a nightclub one evening, Bill decided to try his hand at stand-up comedy and quickly found that making people laugh was truly his forte. Soon after, he decided to move to Los Angeles to pursue television opportunities.

First there was a Showtime special, A Pair of Joker’s with Rosie O’Donnell, followed by Bill hosting A&E’s Evening at the Improv and several appearances on both The Tonight Show and The Late Show with David Letterman. In 1992, Bill won the American Comedy Award for “Best Male Stand-up Comedian.” After appearing in episodes of Designing Women, Bill went on to portray Buck Overton on the ABC sitcom, Delta, starring Delta Burke, thus solidifying his status as a sought-after comic. Bill also starred in the NBC series, The Jeff Foxworthy Show, where he played Jeff’s best friend.

Since the 1996 release of his platinum album Here’s Your Sign, Engvall has been on a meteoric rise to the top of the comedy heap. The comedy album, which held the top of the Billboard Comedy Chart for 15 straight weeks, also gained Engvall time on country airwaves when he collaborated with Travis Tritt on a video also entitled “Here’s Your Sign.” That boosted his sales, and the single became one of the most requested singles on country radio, gaining the number one position on the country charts for 10 weeks.

From there, Engvall’s catch phrase became a piece of America’s cultural lexicon. He quickly followed that release with the release of another comedy album, Dorkfish, in 1998. He drew quite a fan base and over the past decade has made his mark on television, through the written word and on the big screen.

He signed on with a few of his friends to create a sketch comedy show for the WB network. You might know it as Blue Collar TV. The show premiered in 2004 to the delight of some 5.4 million viewers. It featured Engvall, Larry the Cable Guy and Jeff Foxworthy.

The three capitalized on the success of the show and started a cultural phenomenon known as the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, which premiered on Comedy Central, and than premiered in millions of homes across the nation through DVD sales. The sequel, the Blue Collar Comedy Tour Rides Again was also a hit, as was the follow-on , the Blue Collar Comedy Tour: One for the Road.

Many people may have come to know Engvall through his television show The Bill Engvall Show. The show features Engvall as the father at the midst of a wacky family comedy. The series debuted in 2007 to rave reviews and high ratings.

He also hosts one of the top rated shows on CMT, Country Fried Home Videos. This show fi nds real videos from real people showing what real Americans do bringing the wit and wisdom to television that only the heartland can offer.

Fans got a chance to see Engvall in Bait Shop, which co-stars Billy Ray Cyrus. The story centers around a small town bait shop owner who fi nds his beloved business threatened with foreclosure. In an attempt to raise the money to save it, he enters a high profi le fishing tournament. Additionally, Engvall starred in the movie Delta Farce with Larry the Cable Guy and D.J. Qualls, which was released on May 11, 2007 and distributed by Lionsgate. This hilarious comedy about three blue collar heroes on the military’s front line is available on DVD.

Along with his Blue Collar movies, Engvall also has two solo specials which aired on Comedy Central. 15° Off Cool aired on March 25, 2007 and was one of the highest rated special of the year.

Engvall has also written several books, including his autobiographyBill Engvall –Just A Guy from St. Martin’s Press on May 15, 2007.

Engvall will hit the stage of the Crown Theatre at 7 p.m. Tickets for the performance are available at the Crown Box Office and all Ticketmaster Outlets. For more information, visit www.atthecrown.com .

Photo: Bill Engvall

On Jan. 11, the Friends of the Library will host their annual meeting in the Pate Room at the Headquarters Library in downtown Fayetteville. And while some business will be discussed, the highlight of the evening will be a reading and a discussion of her works by noted Southern author Sharyn McCrumb.

McCrumb is an award-winning Southern writer, whose novel St. Dale, is the story of a group of ordinary people who go on a pilgrimage in honor of racing legend Dale Earnhardt, and fi nd a miracle. This Canterbury Tales in a NASCAR setting won a 2006 Library of Virginia Award as well as the AWA Book of the Year Award. Once Around the Track, again set in NASCAR, is a nominee for the 2007 Weatherford Award.

McCrumb has been named a “Virginia Woman of History” for 2008, an annual designation honoring eight women — past and present — who have made important contributions to Virginia and to America in the arts, law, education, politics, etc.

McCrumb is best known for her Appalachian “Ballad” novels, set in the North Carolina/Tennessee mountains. Her novels include New York Times Best Sellers She Walks These Hills and The Rosewood Casket, which deal with the issue of the vanishing wilderness, and The Ballad of Frankie Silver, the story of the fi rst woman hanged for murder in the state of North Carolina; The Songcatcher, a genealogy in music; and Ghost Riders, an account of the Civil War in the Appalachians. A fi lm of her novel The Rosewood Casket is currently in production, directed by British Academy Award nominee Roberto Schaefer.

McCrumb’s honors include: the Wilma Dykeman Award for Literature given by the East Tennessee Historical Society; AWA Outstanding Contribution to Appalachian Literature Award; the Chaffi n Award for Achievement in Southern Literature; the Plattner Award for Short Story; and AWA’s Best Appalachian Novel. She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and received her M.A. in English from Virginia Tech.

McCrumb, whose books have been translated into more than 10 languages, was the first writer-in-residence at King College in Tennessee. In 2001 she served as fi ction writer-in-residence at the WICE Conference in Paris, and in 2005 she was honored as the writer of the year at the annual literary celebration at Emory and Henry College. McCrumb has lectured on her work at Oxford University, the Smithsonian Institution, the University of Bonn, Germany, and at universities and libraries throughout the country.

McCrumb’s great-grandfathers were circuit preachers in North Carolina’s Smoky Mountains a hundred years ago, riding horseback over the ridges to preach in a different community each week. It is from them, she says, that she gets her regard for books, her gift of storytelling and publicspeaking, and her love of the Appalachian Mountains.

“My books are like Appalachian quilts,” says McCrumb. “I take brightly colored scraps of legends, ballads, fragments of rural life, and local tragedy, and I piece them together into a complex whole that tells not only a story, but also a deeper truth about the culture of the mountain South.”

Her latest novel, Devil Amongst the Lawyers, is the story of a pretty young schoolteacher charged with murder in 1930s Appalachia. The national press uses it as an excuse to sell newspapers — and to demonize the region, raising issues that go far beyond the fate of one defendant.

McCrumb’s lecture follows a short Friends of the Library business meeting where the results of the executive board elections will be announced. The event begins at 7 p.m., and is open to the public.

Photo: Sharyn McCrumb

Black Swan (Rated R)   Five Stars

Darren Aronofsky is a competent director with a long list of arthouse specials. I admit to watching his films; I also admit that I have never watched any of his films twice. After watching Black Swan (108 minutes) that may change. It works as a companion piece to critical darling The Wrestler and takes a visual cue from its grainy 16M style. It is also reminiscent of metaphorical science fiction romance The Fountain.

The story is set in New York, of course. A ballet company is preparing for their new season by replacing the current diva, Beth MacIntyre (Winona Ryder) and raising one of the background dancers to prima ballerina. The top contender for the coveted position is Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman). Portman is surprisingly adept at playing the shy girl just begging to be Svengalied, since she so often shines in roles that highlight her unmistakable poise.

A new company dancer, Lily (Mila Kunis), is introduced. Her presence destabilizes the already wobbly Nina. Lily and Nina form the points of a triangle completed by director Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel). Leroy is unwilling to cast Nina in his new production of Swan Lake until he pushes her too far and finds out that this kitten has a whip! Even after she is cast she is far better at playing the innocent, fragile White Swan than the sexual and devious Black Swan.

Lily, on the other hand, mean girls her way into the position of understudy, and stands poised to step into the twin roles at the first opportunity. Or does she? One of the greatest strengths of the film is the inability of the audience to separate Nina’s fantasy from everyone else’s reality. Much like the psychological thriller Repulsion (if you loved Black Swan, Netflix Repulsion immediately, if not sooner), the camera forces us to accept the insanity of the protagonist as reality.

Nina is overwhelmed by the pressure of her new position, and more than a little naïve. Her mother (Barbara Hershey) doesn’t help matters with her bizarre drawings and inability to interpret the meaning of a closed bathroom door. Of course, her mother’s overprotectiveness is a bit more reasonable in light of Nina’s history of self-mutilation and erratic behavior … and her hallucinations involving both Doppelgangers and bloody wounds that suddenly appear on her body.

Kunis is totally believable in her role, and it is hard to tell if Lily is friend or foe. In a pivotal scene, the two opposites attract while gooseflesh ripples across the thighs and neck of Nina. It seems as if Nina will finally throw off the shackles of M-O-M, but her grip on reality is tenuous. The things that she sees become more grotesque as the story of Swan Lake infects her perceptions.

Losing her grip on reality releases her from her dry and technical perfection, allowing her to finally embrace the passion required to successfully dance the role of the Black Swan. The ballet is nothing special until Nina becomes the Black Swan for the second act. The third act moves inevitably into the tragic conclusion of both the ballet and the movie. The only real issue is with the final line of the movie, which comes off as anticlimactic after such a wrenching finale.

  Fayetteville residents have a pretty diverse taste in entertainment. While some people are into theatre and art, others are into simpler past times, while still others are adrenalin junkies. If you fall into the latter category, you are not going to want to miss one of rowdiest events of the new year: ThunderSlam at the Crown Coliseum, Jan. 7-8.

ThunderSlam brings some of the best-known monster trucks in the world to the Crown, and organizers of the event have pulled out all of the stops to make sure that the show will be one for the books.

“We are bringing the biggest, baddest son-of-a-gun of all monster trucks to Fayetteville,” said Ron Leach, the “man, the myth, the legend” behind MonsterSlam.

Leach said that some of the best known names in the sport will be racing, flipping and crushing their way through the coliseum for two rowdy nights of fun.

Headlining the event will be Big Foot, the truck that is also known as the King of Monster Trucks. Big Foot will be in good company with Viper and Ghostrider, the champion back-fl ipping monster truck. Throughout the twohour show, the trucks will race in free-style competitions, with the audience being the judges, a wheelie contest to see how high they can fl y and side-by-side racing.

“The fierce competitive nature of these guys makes for a great show,” said Leach, noting Big Foot’s team refuses to lose, while the Viper team has a “ready to strike” attitude. They will be joined by 25-year veteran Andy Hoffman in War Wagon and the tour’s rookie in The Toxic Truck. “It is guaranteed that everyone in attendance will defi nitely get their money’s worth.

If that isn’t enough, the Metal Mulisha, a West-coast based freestyle motocross team, will be on hand to wow the crowd. It was formed by Brian Deegan, an X Game champion who has garnered three gold medals and seven bronze medals in the X Games. He is the only rider to compete in at least one event in every X Game. He was the fi rst rider ever to do a 360 in competition. He named the trick the “Mulisha Twist.”

“These guys are the international superstars that got freestyle going in motocross,” said Leech.

Headlining the group will be Trigger Gumm, the world record holder and X Games medalist.

“The unbelievable tricks these guys can do with a motorcycle are truly amazing,” said Leach. “They do everything from insane Tail Whips to death defying back flips. These are the rock stars of the freestyle motocross Community; they bring it to you and put it in your face every time they take the spotlight.”

In addition to the motocross event, organizers are bringing in the Globe of Death, a big ball of steel used as a performance vehicle for riders on mini bikes.

“The guys do all sorts of tricks inside the globe,” said Leach. “It’s pretty awesome. The whole event is testosterone at its fi nest — but it’s still good quality family fun at an affordable price.”

Once you’ve seen how the professionals do it, you won’t want to miss local truck enthusiasts as they compete in the Wilson Off-Road Tough Truck Challenge. The Tough Truck competition usually turns out to be a battle between the “good old boys” and the “new technology guys and girls.” Leach said the local competitors range from a Very Strong 65 Ford F-100 to a 2009 Toyota 4×4 and many other great trucks and jeeps built at local shops. He added that the different 4×4 shops in the area are always trying to be better than the other; the people watching them compete are the real winners.

The festivities kick off each night with the “Ace Wrecking Pit Party” from 6-7 p.m.

“This is a great time to bring the family, the camera and the autograph book,” explained Leach. “All the monster trucks and drivers, The Metal Mulisha FMX riders, The Globe of Death riders and the locals competing in the tough truck race will be out on the show floor signing autographs and taking pictures with all our loyal fans. Free Pit Party Passes ($5 Value) are available at Blacks Tire & Rimtyme Automotive and various other locations.”

Tickets are available at the Crown Coliseum at www.atthecrown.com or by calling 438-4100 and are also available online at www.Ticketmaster.com and www.amptour.com. Log in now for great family value packs, pit party passes and VIP group packages, as well as $2 off Holiday discount for single ticket purchases (code “Monster). Members of the military get a $2 discount at all times.

“We always say, we sell you the whole seat, but you’ll only use a couple of inches,” concluded Leach.

Photo: Don’t miss the Monster Truck ThunderSlam at the Crown on Jan. 7 and 8.

Designed to provide a base of community and alumni support for the Department of Music at Methodist University, the Friends of Music has been able to not only bring top-notch performers to the community, but also to host concert receptions, establish an endowed music scholarship and present professional guest artist concerts and master classes. The Friends are now well into another season of stellar performances by local, national and international performers and are moving ahead in their mission to serve not only the community but the Methodist University School of Music as well.

On Jan. 7, Gabriele Leporatti, a noted pianist, is scheduled to perform at 7:30 p.m. in Hensdale Chapel as part of the Friends of Music annual music series.

Leporatti comes to Fayetteville all the way from Italy. He began studying music at the tender age of six and by the time he was 19, he had graduated with not only high grades but also a special mention from L. Cherubini Conservatory in Florence. That same year he won the Joel Estes Tate scholarship and entered the Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas as a student of Joaquin Achucarro.

He received his artist certifi cate from Southern Methodist University in 1999, and has trained with world renowned artists like Also Ciccolini, Jerome Rose, Melvyn Tan, Edward Zilberkant, Fabio Bidini, Franco Rossi, Piero Rattalino and Dmitri Bashkirov and received awards in national and international competitions — third prize in the International Piano Competition, “Citta ai Pinerolo” a Special Award in Bremen Klavierwettbewerb and the Dorothy McKenzie Award, amongst others.

Leporatti’s recordings include a four hands piano music CD with Fabio Bidini (Schubert, Brahms, Rachmaninoff) for Tru Sounds Label and a solo CD, The Young Brahms with early Brahms piano music.

Leporatti is well traveled and has performed in places like Turkey, Spain, England, Germany and Switzerland with some of his performances being broadcast by classical radio stations like SAFM in South Africa and RBB Kulturradio in Germany.

As the season progresses, look for events like the Guitar Festival concert in March, a faculty jazz combo, the third annual Methodist University Jazz Festival and more.

Stay on top of the Friends of Music events at www.methodist.edu/music/friends10.pdf or become a member and support the arts in the community by calling the Methodist University Office of Development at 630-7200.

Phoro: Gabriele Leporatti will perform at Methodist University on Jan. 7.

Among the many good things in our community, Fayetteville-Cumberland Parks and Recreation can be counted on to deliver fun, interesting and educational opportunities on a regular basis. Aside from the sports programs (and there are many), there are also boating trips, educational hikes and classes for things like canoeing, fishing, cooking and archery.

On Jan. 7, Lake Rim Park is offering Stars and Constellations— a class on just that — the beauty and mysteries of the nighttime winter sky.

It’s the perfect opportunity for star gazers of all stripes and colors from novices to hobbyists to professionals to come out and view the night sky, explore its wonders and learn about constellations and other celestial objects and the folklore behind them.

Mike Morales is a park ranger at Lake Rim and helps out with this class on a regular basis. He noted that even though it is pretty chilly out there on winter evenings, the experience is absolutely worth braving the winter weather.

“We do these classes mainly in the winter because that is when the sky is clearer,” said Morales. “So even though it is really cold, this is the best season of the year to do astronomy. There is not as much pollution and ozone and smog clouding up your view either.”

While attendees are invited to bring their own telescopes and binoculars, quite often members of the Fayetteville Astronomy Club come out and bring their high powered telescopes, and are kind enough to share their view (and equipment) for the benefi t of the group.

“The astronomers have telescopes that you can punch in the coordinates and it will show you what you are looking for,” said Morales.

And what exactly will they be looking for?

“The constellations shift throughout the year,” Morales explained. “This time of year Orion, the Hunter, is pretty prominent. You can still see the Big Dipper, too. Of course, you can see the Little Dipper all year round, that is the constellation with the North Star in it. We’ve got Cassiopeia the Queen in the sky this time of year, too.”

If the conditions are right, plan to see more than just the constellations. Morales said that other space entities are often visible as well, things like nebula, the Andromeda and the Milky Way as well as other galaxies.

In the past they’ve seen not just Saturn, but the rings of Saturn, Jupiter, as well as three of its four big moons and the bands of Jupiter, too.

Between the park ranger on duty that night and the local astronomy club, no one is left out in the cold, trying to fi gure what they are seeing or where to point their telescope to fi nd the secrets hidden in the night sky.

“This class is just to get people interested in astronomy and get them looking up and maybe to teach them the basic stars and planets that you can see,” said Morales. “It isn’t just for astronomy buffs — although it is really nice to have the astronomy club out here because they have the technical know how to use their telescopes can show beginners who bring their own equipment how to properly use it, and they are always very nice and give people an opportunity to see things that they might not get to see otherwise. We also have some basic telescopes that we set up and let people use as well.”

The class is free and runs from 6-8 p.m. Reservations are required and can be made by calling the park at 424-6134. It is an outside event so remember to bundle up.

Photo: The winter sky offers a variety of constellations. Check out the Stars and Constellations class at Lake Rim Park.

We have just come through the season of giving, and I am always humbled by just how giving we Americans are. We dug into our pockets to help victims of natural disasters ranging from tsunamis to hurricanes to earthquakes. We went to far-fl ung locations to provide physical assistance and moral support. We also gave to our local causes even though many of us had already blown through our budgets for charitable giving.

Americans are a generous people.

We can also be incredibly rude.

A cousin and I traveled in southeast Asia one fall, a wonderful and memorable experience in all kinds of ways. Airline travel in that part of the world was an unexpected delight. Thai Airways even had vases of orchids in the onboard restrooms, but the service really shone. Lovely and slender young women in uniforms patterned after traditional Thai dress fl oated down the aisles with bottles of wine inquiring whether we would like more red or white.

I know, of course, that Americans no longer tolerate employment requirements about gender, weight and makeup, but we do tolerate what seems to me an increasing level of rudeness in our culture.

This was brought home to my cousin and me several times on our trip. The first was an American man who loudly berated airline personnel in Bangkok because our late trans-Pacific flight caused him to miss his connection. He shouted at counter agents, who had, of course, had nothing to do with the delayed fl ight, demanding that they buy him a train ticket to his next stop and give him a meal voucher even though we had just had a large breakfast on the plane. Everyone within earshot was embarrassed.

Another tilt on the rude-o-meter came once we were back in the United States on a domestic airline on the way to the east coast. A flight attendant, a middle-aged woman with a loud voice and dirty hair, was selling earphones for $2 to passengers who wanted to watch a movie or listen to music. The man seated in front of me had been coughing and as the earphone-hawking attendant passed his seat he asked her politely for something to drink. Her reaction left him — and me — speechless.

“Does this look like a beverage cart to you?” she snapped, adding that she would deal with drinks after she finished selling the earphones.

I do not know whether that poor fellow ever got his water, but I do know that in addition to safety training, that airline should consider bringing on Miss Manners as a consultant.

None of us really know whether Americans were more courteous and polite in past generations, but I suspect that our “Me! Me! Me!” culture of today with the emphasis on individual rights and self-fulfi llment has created, at best, less sensitivity for the feelings of others, and, at worst, a lot of truly rude people.

I hear cell phones go off in meetings and in movie theaters. I see people all the time interrupting actual face-to-face conversations to take cell phone calls, leaving others to stand by and listen to personal, even intimate discussions with who-knows-who on the other end of the wireless call. I deal with surly store clerks who begrudge me their time and effort even though I may buy some item or service for which they might receive a commission. I receive emails from people who write things I doubt they would ever say in person. I see motorists make obscene gestures and mouth curses to other drivers.

The list of rudeness is endless, and I know you see it, too.

Just out of curiosity, I did a search on the word “manners.” My grandmother called manners the glue of society and said they are what keep us from killing each other. The search did not quote my grandmother, but it did turn up several insights on the concepts of manners and of rudeness. Eric Hoffer observes that “Rudeness is the weak man’s imitation of strength.” Margaret Walker and Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas had similar takes. They said, respectively, “Friends and good manners will carry you where money won’t go,” and “Good manners will open doors that the best education cannot.” George Bernard Shaw’s Henry Higgins tells his waif-intraining- to-be-a-lady that “The great secret, Eliza, is not having bad manners or good manners or any other particular sort of manners, but having the same manners for all human souls.” Emily Post, the Miss Manners of her day, put it this way: “Manners are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others. If you have that awareness, you have good manners no matter what fork you use.”

My favorite, though, comes from an unknown author and it pretty much sums up the concept of manners for me.

“Treat everyone with politeness, even those who are rude to you — not because they are nice, but because you are.”

Photo: Although Americans are a generous people, we can also be extremely rude.

As 2010 winds down, Fayetteville residents have a lot to celebrate. For many it’s the return of soldiers from deployments and for others it’s the promise of the new year and a new beginning. Whatever the case, if you want to celebrate in style look no further. This is Fayetteville’s guide to New Year’s Eve mayhem and madness. Check out one or more of these great events, but as always, if you drink remember to bring along a driver!

Downtown

Fayetteville’s official party — New Year’s Eve Party in the Park — is a family-focused event that has not just one, but two sets of fireworks. Bring in the New Year with live performances by everyone’s favorite party band — Hot Sauce.

This event will also have a children’s area hosted by The Partnership For Children, that includes craft activities and an early New Year countdown at 8:30 p.m., with a fireworks show for the little ones who can’t make it until midnight. This area proves to be fun for all ages!

Beer, champagne, party favors and food will be available for purchase.

At the stroke of midnight, a dogwood blossom will drop under the spectacle of another fireworks show.

Bring your chairs and blankets and enjoy this free event, and remember, no coolers, pets (except service animals) or weapons of any kind are allowed in Festival Park.

If the Party in the Park sounds like your idea of fun, check out the New Year’s Eve special at the Holiday Inn Bordeaux. The package includes overnight accommodations with a late check out at 1 p.m.; hourly shuttles to and from the Party in the Park; and a New Year’s Day Brunch in the Cafe Bordeaux from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The total cost per room/couple is $109 plus tax, and you can add dinner for two at Wiley’s for a package price of $159. For more information or to reserve your room, call 323-0111.

While you are downtown, you might want to stop in at one of the city’s favorite destinations for nightlife — Huske Hardware House. If you come early, you might want to take advantage of the special New Year’s Eve dinner special. Couples can enjoy a Huske Salad, a 10 oz. New York Strip, a side of their choice, a dessert of their choice and either a glass of house wine or champagne all for $49.99 per couple.

As the evening progresses, the lights will go down and the party will crank up as Huske brings on dancing to the sounds of your favorite DJ, drink specials, party favors, balloon drop and champagne toast at midnight. Those attending the party will be charged a $20 cover charge at the door.

Just down the street at Pierro’s, you can ring in the New Year in the newly constructed Sky Lounge. Enjoy a DJ-hosted event, champagne toast and party favors as you await the magic hour of midnight. Book ahead by calling 678-8885, and get tickets for just $10 per person. You can also come early and cash in on the dinner special for two, which includes two appetizers, salads, entrees and drinks.

At Circa 1800, there will be three dinner seatings: 5:30, 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Reservations are required and a special menu is available. At midnight, there will be a champagne toast. The Circa celebration is a more relaxed event and is not designed for the party-hardy crowd. For more information or to make reservations, call 568-4725.

Lido’s is hosting its first New Year’s Bash with drink specials, countdown on the big screen and a champagne toast at midnight. Get to Lido’s early for dinner and avoid the lines and cover charges at the door. They are throwing another big party on New Year’s Day. Call 222-8237 for reservations.

Crown Coliseum

Another family-friendly event on New Year’s Eve will take place at the Crown Coliseum as the Fayetteville FireAntz take on the Huntsville Havoc. The FireAntz know Fayetteville likes to party, so the New Year’s Eve game will start at 6 p.m. in order to allow you to get wound up with a high energy, action-packed hockey game before you head out to other events. Visit www.fireantzhockey.com for details.

Just up the street from the coliseum, the Doghouse is having a New Year’s Eve bash featuring Universal recording artist and local musical favorite, The Fifth. The action lasts from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. There will be party favors and free champagne. Breakfast will be served at midnight. Call 323-2400 for more information.

Around Town

Scrub Oaks on Ramsey Street is planning a laid back, festive celebration to bring in the New Year. The menu consists of a trio of specials selected from votes that customers have submitted in the weeks leading up to the holiday. Check out the website www.scruboaks.com. The eight big-screen TVs will follow the countdown with Ryan Seacrest in New York. Folks are welcome to make reservations, but there is no formal seating plan for the evening, and don’t forget the midnight champagne toast.

The Doubletree Inn on Cedar Creek Road is hosting a three ballroom entertainment extravaganza. Look for R&B and Hip Hop in one ballroom with Gilbert Vaez as the DJ. The second ballroom will feature a live band and plenty of jazz music with Buddy McCloud and the Two Reel Band and guest artist Reggie Codrington. The third ballroom will be more of a social mixer atmosphere with a tribute to Fat Daddy’s Bar and Grill. Entertainment will include karaoke, speed dating and other mixer activities. Pay one price and enjoy all three parties.

Tickets are $40 per single, $75 per couple and include heavy hors d’oeuvres, a champagne toast and party favors. Stay the night for $109 dollars and get not only a room but breakfast for two. Tickets are available at Twice as Nice Boutique on Bragg Boulevard, Rogers Law Firm on Bow Street or by calling 578-2959.

Regulars at Legends Pub know that there is always a good time to be had at 4624 Bragg Boulevard, and New Year’s Eve is no exception. Come on over and ring in 2011 with your favorite bikers. Call 867-2364 for more information.

Fort Bragg

Competitive bowlers check out the New Year’s Eve Tournament at Airborne Lanes. From 8 p.m. - 2 a.m., for just $25 for adults and $15 for kids you’ll get an all inclusive bowling experience. There will be a Cosmic 9 pin tournament, a champagne toast at midnight and prizes and give-aways throughout the evening.

Just down Yadkin Road, The Big Apple is pulling out all the stops for its New Year’s Eve Silver, Gold and Black party. The event starts at 9 p.m., and patrons are asked to dress to impress. The evening features drink specials, dancing and prizes, a balloon drop and champagne toast at midnight and the crowning of Fayetteville’s King and Queen of the New Year! The party starts at 9 p.m. Call 868-5559 for more information.

As 2010 winds down, Fayetteville residents have a lot to celebrate. For many it’s the return of soldiers from deployments and for others it’s the promise of the new year and a new beginning. Whatever the case, if you want to celebrate in style look no further. This is Fayetteville’s guide to New Year’s Eve mayhem and madness. Check out one or more of these great events, but as always, if you drink remember to bring along a driver!

Downtown

Fayetteville’s official party — New Year’s Eve Party in the Park — is a family-focused event that has not just one, but two sets of fireworks. Bring in the New Year with live performances by everyone’s favorite party band — Hot Sauce.

This event will also have a children’s area hosted by The Partnership For Children, that includes craft activities and an early New Year countdown at 8:30 p.m., with a fireworks show for the little ones who can’t make it until midnight. This area proves to be fun for all ages!

Beer, champagne, party favors and food will be available for purchase.

At the stroke of midnight, a dogwood blossom will drop under the spectacle of another fireworks show.

Bring your chairs and blankets and enjoy this free event, and remember, no coolers, pets (except service animals) or weapons of any kind are allowed in Festival Park.

If the Party in the Park sounds like your idea of fun, check out the New Year’s Eve special at the Holiday Inn Bordeaux. The package includes overnight accommodations with a late check out at 1 p.m.; hourly shuttles to and from the Party in the Park; and a New Year’s Day Brunch in the Cafe Bordeaux from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The total cost per room/couple is $109 plus tax, and you can add dinner for two at Wiley’s for a package price of $159. For more information or to reserve your room, call 323-0111.

While you are downtown, you might want to stop in at one of the city’s favorite destinations for nightlife — Huske Hardware House. If you come early, you might want to take advantage of the special New Year’s Eve dinner special. Couples can enjoy a Huske Salad, a 10 oz. New York Strip, a side of their choice, a dessert of their choice and either a glass of house wine or champagne all for $49.99 per couple.

As the evening progresses, the lights will go down and the party will crank up as Huske brings on dancing to the sounds of your favorite DJ, drink specials, party favors, balloon drop and champagne toast at midnight. Those attending the party will be charged a $20 cover charge at the door.

Just down the street at Pierro’s, you can ring in the New Year in the newly constructed Sky Lounge. Enjoy a DJ-hosted event, champagne toast and party favors as you await the magic hour of midnight. Book ahead by calling 678-8885, and get tickets for just $10 per person. You can also come early and cash in on the dinner special for two, which includes two appetizers, salads, entrees and drinks.

At Circa 1800, there will be three dinner seatings: 5:30, 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Reservations are required and a special menu is available. At midnight, there will be a champagne toast. The Circa celebration is a more relaxed event and is not designed for the party-hardy crowd. For more information or to make reservations, call 568-4725.

Lido’s is hosting its first New Year’s Bash with drink specials, countdown on the big screen and a champagne toast at midnight. Get to Lido’s early for dinner and avoid the lines and cover charges at the door. They are throwing another big party on New Year’s Day. Call 222-8237 for reservations.

Crown Coliseum

Another family-friendly event on New Year’s Eve will take place at the Crown Coliseum as the Fayetteville FireAntz take on the Huntsville Havoc. The FireAntz know Fayetteville likes to party, so the New Year’s Eve game will start at 6 p.m. in order to allow you to get wound up with a high energy, action-packed hockey game before you head out to other events. Visit www.fireantzhockey.com for details.

Just up the street from the coliseum, the Doghouse is having a New Year’s Eve bash featuring Universal recording artist and local musical favorite, The Fifth. The action lasts from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. There will be party favors and free champagne. Breakfast will be served at midnight. Call 323-2400 for more information.

Around Town

Scrub Oaks on Ramsey Street is planning a laid back, festive celebration to bring in the New Year. The menu consists of a trio of specials selected from votes that customers have submitted in the weeks leading up to the holiday. Check out the website www.scruboaks.com. The eight big-screen TVs will follow the countdown with Ryan Seacrest in New York. Folks are welcome to make reservations, but there is no formal seating plan for the evening, and don’t forget the midnight champagne toast.

The Doubletree Inn on Cedar Creek Road is hosting a three ballroom entertainment extravaganza. Look for R&B and Hip Hop in one ballroom with Gilbert Vaez as the DJ. The second ballroom will feature a live band and plenty of jazz music with Buddy McCloud and the Two Reel Band and guest artist Reggie Codrington. The third ballroom will be more of a social mixer atmosphere with a tribute to Fat Daddy’s Bar and Grill. Entertainment will include karaoke, speed dating and other mixer activities. Pay one price and enjoy all three parties.

Tickets are $40 per single, $75 per couple and include heavy hors d’oeuvres, a champagne toast and party favors. Stay the night for $109 dollars and get not only a room but breakfast for two. Tickets are available at Twice as Nice Boutique on Bragg Boulevard, Rogers Law Firm on Bow Street or by calling 578-2959.

Regulars at Legends Pub know that there is always a good time to be had at 4624 Bragg Boulevard, and New Year’s Eve is no exception. Come on over and ring in 2011 with your favorite bikers. Call 867-2364 for more information.

Fort Bragg

Competitive bowlers check out the New Year’s Eve Tournament at Airborne Lanes. From 8 p.m. - 2 a.m., for just $25 for adults and $15 for kids you’ll get an all inclusive bowling experience. There will be a Cosmic 9 pin tournament, a champagne toast at midnight and prizes and give-aways throughout the evening.

Just down Yadkin Road, The Big Apple is pulling out all the stops for its New Year’s Eve Silver, Gold and Black party. The event starts at 9 p.m., and patrons are asked to dress to impress. The evening features drink specials, dancing and prizes, a balloon drop and champagne toast at midnight and the crowning of Fayetteville’s King and Queen of the New Year! The party starts at 9 p.m. Call 868-5559 for more information.

With 89 schools serving more than 52,000 students, educating the youth of Cumberland County is no small challenge. As 2010 comes to an end and a new year lies ahead, we spoke with Dr. Frank Till, superintendent, about the “state of the schools” and the accomplishments and challenges of the school system.

According to Till, the county schools have much to be proud of in 2010.

“We had a good year. Achievement was up signifi cantly. And, we have begun to be recognized for our global initiative, which was even highlighted by the State Department. We feel good about that recognition and our future opportunities,” said Till.

Of course, the focus of the school system is still on making sure our students get the basic skills — science, math, languages — to make them competitive to get into colleges and careers. Achievement in those areas went up signifi cantly. Many subject areas were above the state average and 56 of 89 schools became high growth schools. But the global studies initiative takes the basic education up a notch, preparing students to work in a global economy and be competitive for jobs worldwide.

“Through several partnerships, we are exposing our students to international opportunities, and exposing them to languages such as Spanish, Japanese and Chinese.”

Although Cumberland County celebrated many achievements in 2010, the year ahead offers many challenges.

“I think we’ve made good progress. But we can’t be satisfi ed with where we’re at; We have to keep growing. We can’t be complacent. We have to keep moving in the right direction.”

One of the biggest challenges is to implement a new technology plan to go completely wireless in the next three years. This includes every facility in the district, plus new devices for all teachers. In some subject areas, if funds allow, there will also be new devices for students.

And of course, with the state of the economy, funds are a challenge. “Logistically, the state is still going through some tough times so we have to sort out our budget cuts. We hope, from some things we are implementing, to minimize the impact on the children and the classroom,” says Till.

And then there is BRAC. The community has been abuzz about the Base Realignment and Closure and the infl ux of new people to Fort Bragg. Naturally, those people will be bringing families and school-aged children to our area. But Till is certain that we are prepared for them.

“In the short term, we’ll have more students, but we are prepared facility wise. We opened a new elementary school this year, and will open a new middle school in 2012. A new college-type high school program will start next year around international studies,” explained Till. “We believe we have enough capacity in the short term. We’ll be ready when it occurs.”

As Till completes 2010 and his 19 months with the Cumberland County School System, he is excited about the future.

“I think the real key is just continuing to put things in place to continue growth in student achievement. We want to be above the state average. Our goal is to be among the top school districts in the state in achievement and opportunities for children,” he said. “We want Cumberland County to truly be a place where any student who works hard can achieve their dream. We’re proud of our young people and our staff and we think together we’ll create a good future for Cumberland County.”

There’s a lot going on in Cumberland County these days. 2010 was a busy year and 2011 and beyond looks to hold some interesting twists and turns as well.

Outgoing Chairman of the Board of Commissioners Billy R. King and incoming chairman Kenneth Edge share their thoughts on where we’ve been and where we are headed.

UCW: What was the county’s biggest accomplishment this past year?

King: Overall, the last 12 months have been successful. First of all, we were able to reduce the property tax rate to the revenue neutral rate of 74 cents per $100 valuation. We encountered some bumps in the road, but we faced them head on and overcame them. One of those bumps was the state mandate to take over child support enforcement in the county, which we did by creating a new separate county Child Support Department that now employs more than 60 people.

UCW: What do you see as the biggest challenge(s) facing the county in 2011 and how are you planning on dealing with them?

Edge: We are facing tremendously challenging times as a country, state and county. The biggest challenge facing the county in 2011 is the unknown of what the state legislature will do about its budget. As the state cuts its budget, we may face additional mandates and have to take on increased services. We are better off than many other counties and have weathered the recession through responsible governance and careful planning, which we will continue to do in 2011.

UCW: What can county residents look forward to in the next fi ve years from the Cumberland County government?

Edge: In January, the commissioners and management will begin a strategic planning process to look at our mission and vision statements, and to establish priorities for 2011 and future years. Challenges will continue and opportunities will always exist as the year progresses and the years pass. Decisions must be made on what is affordable and sustainable with our revenue resources.

UCW: There has been a lot of buzz about BRAC coming to the area. How do you see that impacting the community and services that the county offers?

Edge: The impact of BRAC will include an increased tax base, more jobs resulting in more traffi c on our roads, and the possible need for more schools.

 UCW: Are we ready?

Edge: We really won’t know until the bulk of the new residents begin arriving. Only then will we know school enrollment and if we need additional facilities.

UCW: Are there any issues that still need to be worked out and what are they?

 Edge: Transportation through Spring Lake is an issue facing the state and the Department of Transportation.

2010 has been a year of change for the City of Fayetteville. And while those changes might not be that apparent to most people, they are going to become very apparent in the coming weeks and months.

Fayetteville Mayor Tony Chavonne recently took some time to reflect back on the achievements of 2010.

“In general we turned a big corner in 2010,” said Chavonne. “A lot of things we had in place started to pay dividends, and city residents started to see a difference.”

At the top of Chavonne’s list was the double digit decrease in crime in the city. He noted that the city police force had long been working to turn the tide on crime, and in 2010 it paid off.

“We made a lot of changes to be a more attractive community,” explained Chavonne. “And that has also paid off.”

He noted that in the past year the city has seen a rise in jobs and the per capita income of its residents. In fact, Fayetteville garnered the second highest increase in the country.

“These are some of the indicators that we have seen that show some of the changes we’ve made to be a more attractive, clean, peaceful city are working,” he said.

Chavonne added that while many people are looking to the future to see the impact of the Base Realignment and Closure move of U.S. Forces Command and the U.S. Reserve Command to Fort Bragg, the impact is already being felt.

“People are confused about BRAC,” said Chavonne. “We are seeing impacts now. We have had multiple ribbon cuttings for military contractors and we have seen new businesses opening because of the move. Next summer, the fl ag will be planted in the ground, but we are already benefitting from BRAC.”

Key in that benefit is the number of higher paying jobs that are coming to the community. “Whether people move here from Atlanta or the jobs are hired in our community, those jobs are still going to be filled, and their impact is going to be felt here.”

One of the city’s biggest strides forward was the passage of the Uniformed Development Ordinance, or UDO, that has been in the works for at least two years.

“This has been a two and a half year project to raise the standard for what our city looks like,” said Chavonne. “People came together and recognized that we were in a unique situation and that we had one shot to do this right.”

He noted that some incremental changes are being made now through the UDO, such as the addition of sidewalks in all new communities and the provision for more green and open spaces. The ordinance also addresses signage and other aesthetic qualities surrounding development.

“As we continue to raise the bar, we are going to see returns on those kinds of investments,” he said.

One of the big successes of 2010, was the funding for the completion of the I-295 loop from Ramsey Street to All American.

“That was huge for us,” said Chavonne. “We also gained our first 4-star hotel and convention center that is under construction now.”

In 2011 Fayetteville residents will have a lot to look forward to. Early in the year residents will begin moving into renovated and new homes in the Hope 6 development area.

In downtown, construction on the parking deck will begin and end in 2011, which will make parking easier for downtown visitors.

Veterans Park is also slated for completion on July 4. Chavonne believes that the park, and the increased tourist traffic it brings to the community, will have an aesthetic and an economic impact on the community.

He added that even though Fayetteville was not as affected by the economy as other counties, the city could see problems coming from a decrease in state funding due to budget shortfalls. “We are very cautious about that area right now,” said Chavonne. “I would say that is our biggest area of concern.”

And, if you haven’t sat in traffic lately, you should know that traffIc is also a big area of concern. “The city growth, and continued growth, will result in longer lines, so we are definitely going to be pushing for highway funding in 2011,” said Chavonne. “All of this is just part of the growing pains that we knew we could expect. We have to keep pushing the ball on some of the other traffic corridors like All American, Raeford Road and Ramsey Street.”

 The Next Three Days (Rated PG-13)  4 stars

The Next Three Days (122 minutes) is actually a remake of a French movie, which totally makes sense after seeing it. Director Paul Haggis manages to capture something not quite American, although most of the famed French subtly is missing. The plot, as presented, is fairly direct.

Lara Brennan (Elizabeth Banks) looks good as a blonde. In the opening scenes she manages to project a general irritation common to the privileged pampered higher-ups when they are faced with completely inferior examples of whatever it is they think they are. It turns out that her general irritation is focused on her sister-in-law Erit (Moran Atias) for having opinions that she does not agree with. Her defensiveness apparently stems from a fight with her own female higher-up earlier that day, and the argument currently ruining a pleasant meal involves the opinion that women should not work for women, but that any other combination is OK.

Not to sell out my feminist roots, but I have heard endless horror stories about psychofemme bosses crapping on their employees AND I have experiences that involve subordinate women smiling to my face to distract me from the knife they are sliding into my spine. But let’s keep our perspectives … a bad boss is a bad boss, and that has nothing to do with gender. A lousy employee is a lousy employee, whether they’re working for a man or a woman. And since sucking at your job seems to occur regardless of how many X chromosomes you carry, Erit can be safely ignored. The fact that Lara needs to argue with someone who she doesn’t like, respect, or need to see more than occasionally says more about her own self-righteousness than it does about anything else. It also serves as a pretty character-establishing opening scene, since she goes from nearly punching her sister-in-law to a little after dinner make-out time in her husband’s ridiculously tiny front seat.

Anyway, the next day Lara and her husband John (Russell Crowe) are enjoying a leisurely upper-middle-class breakfast. They are doing that thing where parents take a picture at the same time every day so they can digitalize the image and have 10 years of growth distilled into one minute of footage that illustrates how your kids looked before, and after, they started to hate you.

It turns out they didn’t need nearly that much footage. Luke (Ty Simpkins) is seconds away from severe maladjustment and the loss of a happy childhood, since once the police break in and arrest mommy for murder they might as well buy the kid a stripper pole so he can start practicing for when he hits18.

Thankfully, we do not have to sit through a big complicated trial scene. All the evidence points towards Lara’s guilt until even her lawyer (Daniel Stern) isn’t willing to pursue appeals. Lara takes the news hard, which sets John off on a Quixotic journey to learn how to make a bump key, break into and out of a Pittsburgh jail, create a scrapbook/ escape plan on his office wall, liquidate his assets, get fake identification, destroy a meth lab, and ruin his child’s chances for a life that even slightly approaches normal. Also, Liam Neeson shows up! Wouldn’t it suck if it turned out Lara was guilty all along?

Fayetteville Technical Community College (FTCC) has long recognized the importance of its military partners. Knowing that the military has well-trained and highly skilled individuals, FTCC is seeking to provide opportunities for those people to maximize their training and experience and translate that into degrees and civilian credentials that will benefit them in the future. With that in mind, FTCC has an opportunity for military medics to earn a diploma in Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and become eligible to take both state- and national- certification exams to become a paramedic.

Prior to enrolling in EMS courses, candidates must complete all health program entrance requirements and pre-requisites and be admitted to the health-program. Students must also present documentation of military medic and EMT-Basic status. After review of their credentials, candidates may be awarded transfer credit, where applicable, or be given credit for prior learning through successful completion of proficiency testing. Courses for which credit is not awarded will be scheduled at FTCC or online and include general education courses, such as college student success, expository writing, computer basics, and basic anatomy and physiology as well as EMS courses. EMS courses include classroom instruction, practical laboratory sessions, hospital clinical experiences, and field internships with agencies. When a candidate is successful in obtaining the projected maximum amount of credit for transfer courses and prior learning, approximately 22 credit hours of EMS courses will remain to be taken at FTCC. Employment opportunities include ambulance services, fire and rescue agencies, air-medical services, specialty areas of hospitals, industry, educational institutions, and governmental agencies.

For more information, please contact Rick Criste, Department Chair, at crister@faytechcc.edu or (910) 678-8515 or Mitzi Johnson, Dean of Health Programs, at johnsoma@faytechcc.edu or (910) 678-8372.

Photo: FTCC offers training and educational opportunities to military medics.

Just before Christmas, my son and I are plagued with the same dilemma that I’m sure a lot of other families are faced with. We pride ourselves on taking care to protect our Earth and the environment at large. We recycle, drink from refi llable water bottles and walk instead of drive whenever we can.

Despite all of our “green going” efforts however, we still cannot pull ourselves away from buying and dragging home a real Christmas tree ... every year. We love the smell of fresh pine throughout our home, love the beautiful lush leaves that hold ornaments handed down throughout the years, the glow of the colored lights greeting you as you open the door. We buy these beautiful little saps with ever increasing guilt that once the New Year is upon us, we will have no choice but to discard it.

A burly trash man will carelessly toss it into a garbage truck and haul it to the city dump, where it will sit forlorn, knowing that its best days are behind it. My son and I have active imaginations.

So this year, I was thrilled to hear about the “Grinding of the Greens” a Christmas tree recycling program run jointly by the PWC, Progress Energy, the City of Fayetteville and the Cape Fear Botanical Garden.

Every January since 1994, these companies have gotten together in an effort to encourage NC residents to recycle their live Christmas trees. Employees from each organization come together after Christmas and grind the trees into mulch for use at the Cape Fear Botanical Garden off of Hwy 301 N.

PWC acts as the coordinating agency in the effort, coordinating the marketing and operations of the event. Because of these efforts, each year thousands of trees have been put to good use at the garden rather than being sent to local landfi lls. (Wheew!)

Beginning Christmas Day through January 7th, area residents are invited to drop their live Christmas trees off at the designated grinding area at Cape Fear Botanical Garden. The grinding event typically lasts about one hour, with most trees ground by 9 a.m.

“Grinding of the Greens is a neat event that ensures people’s “recycled” Christmas trees are put to good use in the Garden,” said Carol Fleitz, Director of Horticulture and Facilities. “We use the material as mulch, which seals in moisture and provides nutrients to the Garden’s plants.”

The health of our area’s plants and trees has been the focus of the Cape Fear Botanical Garden staff since 1989, when a few Fayetteville gardening enthusiasts shared a grand vision. They believed our community should — and could — have a botanical garden of its own. Led by community members Bruce Williams, Martha Duell and Roger Mercer, these enthusiasts came together and established the Friends of the Botanical Garden. The Garden was conceived at Martha Duell’s kitchen table, in the print of Roger Mercer’s gardening column, and with the cajoling, laughing, and crying of dozens of committed supporters and volunteers.

Cape Fear Botanical Garden serves this region as a center for: Enrichment, inspiration and enjoyment of nature; The collection, culture and aesthetic display of plants; Encouragement of environmental stewardship; Conservation, education and research; The preservation of our agricultural heritage; And engagement and involvement of the community.

Go and visit them this holiday season or anytime, Monday through Saturday: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sunday: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m. Their general admission is $6.00 (Military and AAA receive a $1 discount) Children ages 6-12: $1, Children 5 and under: free. For more information, be sure to visit www.capefearbg.org or the PWC’s website www.faypwc.com

Photo: Mulch from recycled trees is used to better the community.

In all the hustle and bustle of the holidays it’s easy to yearn for simpler times when the gifts and decorations were more homemade and handmade than commercial. While the celebrations of the early 1900s in North Carolina were elaborate, they were less manufactured than what is common today. Through Jan. 9, the Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex is showcasing winter themed decorations of silver and white, Victorian-style, at the Poe House.

Just like in times past when families worked hard to make their home a special place for the holidays, the Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex has decked not just the halls, but every room in this Victorian era home for the holidays.

Based on articles and decorating ideas from early 1900s’ issues of Ladies’ Home Journal, the Christmas tree in the Poe House is adorned in garlands of silver paper chains, lace hearts, silver pinecones, icicles and other decorations.

A hundred years ago in southern North Carolina, families used what was available to them to decorate their homes. They did this by bringing in a lot of the local foliage that they could find out doors. Things like pine branches, holly, magnolia, ivy, mistletoe and nandina were used to make wreaths, swags and other festive decorations. The Poe House follows suit and has wreaths on the windows and pine swags on the porch railings — and that is just the beginning.

Inside, look for holly and poinsettias along with red ribbons and magnolia blossoms as part of the home’s decor for the Christmas season.

“This is something that so many people just love coming to the house and seeing,” said Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex 1897 Poe House Education Coordinator, Heidi Bleazey. “The Christmas decorations really add to the grandeur of the house. This really is the best time of year to come and visit the Poe house, if you’ve never been before.”

It’s taken about a decade, but the staff has the decorating process down to a science. “During the early years, there was a lot of grueling research,” said Bleazey. “And then we had to translate that into what we could reasonably find and do to replicate the decorations of that era.”

Now it takes about five hours for four or five staffers to put the home together, and every year, even though it is tough work, the results are just stunning.

The historical complex is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is free.

For more information, call (910) 486-1330 or visit www.museumofthecapefear.ncdcr.gov. Tours are offered on the hour Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m.

Photo: Visitors enjoy Christmas decorations at the Poe House.

Sometimes there are really great things hiding in plain view: The Fayetteville Technical Community College (FTCC) Continuing Education program is one of them. The program provides classes in several areas — whether you are looking to get a GED, brush up on technical skills, take a safety course or learn how to reupholster furniture, there is pretty much something for everyone.

Whether it’s an individual looking to improve or acquire basic skills or a certifi cate or license, or a business seeking to train employees or to grow the business through the small business center, chances are, an answer can be found at FTCC.

“We are trying to serve the needs of the community whether it is job training for adult high school programs or vocational programs that people enjoy taking or one of the many things in between,” said Dr. Joe Mullis, associate vice president of continuing education at Fayetteville Technical Community College. “That is our focus, to try and provide a wide range of courses that people can take to improve their lives, whether it be for a GED or trying to get job training and job skills or their personal enrichment.”

Starting with the Basics

FTCC Continuing Education provides education to build a strong foundation for basic skills and is divided into several parts:

• The Adult Basic Education program is designed for adults who are weak in reading, writing, speaking, problem solving or computation. Adults seeking a high school diploma have access to the Adult High School Diploma Program.

• The Basic Skills Education Program is offered on Fort Bragg to soldiers to promote retention, increase reenlistment options and improve job performance.

• English as a second language, family literacy classes and General Education Development (GED) classes are offered as well.

Moving up and Moving on

With a solid educational foundation, students have access to classes that are related to workforce preparedness.

• The Human Resource Development Program trains unemployed and underemployed persons by providing classes aimed at educating students in job seeking skills, job search techniques and job retention and advancement strategies.

• Workforce Basic Skills classes play right into getting people matched up with companies that need high quality workers. This program is about improving skills that will lead to enhanced competitiveness for business and industry.

When it comes to learning basic skills, most anyone with a desire to learn can find a home at FTCC. The institution provides distance learning and has a wealth of information that students can access when they need it — and FTCC is looking to take these opportunities into the community.

“We are looking to expand as far as location — we want to be in even more locations throughout the county,” Mullis said. “As technology changes and people need different types of training, we try to provide that to them as effi ciently as we can with things like online classes and other technology-based training. We try to do this with as many of our programs as we can.”

No place to study? No problem

• The basic skills resource center/open lab offers individualized instruction and study opportunities, including employment readiness and advancement training. Computer-assisted instruction, along with a variety of other materials, allows students to learn at their own pace to reach their goals.

• The workforce preparedness center serves adults who are looking to reenter the workforce and need a place to prepare for employment tests and improve their reading, writing or other skills. It also offers free, self-paced computer-assisted instruction to students enrolled in the workforce center.

Business Resources

FTCC not only helps individuals, but it offers a lot to the business community as well. The Customized Training Program supports the economic development efforts of the State of North Carolina by providing education and training opportunities for eligible businesses and industries.

The Industry Services area of Continuing Education supports local industry by customizing educational programs and training courses for employees. The staff is available to assess, design and implement appropriate courses to meet the needs of industry.

Small businesses can also benefit from the Small Business Center. The goal of this program is to increase the success rate of small businesses in Cumberland County and surrounding communities by assisting prospective and established small business persons to reach their full potential by utilizing all resources available to the Network. The center offers free and confi dential business counseling, free seminars and workshops, the N.C. Rural Entrepreneurship through Action Learning program and an extensive resource library of business planning tools, business books and pamphlets.

“We are trying to do a lot of small business center programs and get out into the community so people can have the opportunity to learn to work with the government or to start a small business,” said Mullis. “These courses are free also. We want to teach people who are interested in how to start a small business or to help them learn how to win government contracts.”

Certification

If the basics are already covered and what’s really needed is a professional certifi cate to update some skills (for individuals or businesses) FTCC can help here, too.

• Individuals can benefi t from a myriad of courses and classes that involve everything for emergency and protective services training. This program includes training for fi re, rescue, EMS, CNA and law enforcement. The courses are offered on campus and at other local facilities like local fi re departments, schools and churches. Many of these classes are offered to the public, but there are a few that are limited to in-service training.

• Occupational extension education offers courses in aviation, business, computer education, general contractor’s license preparation, vocational shop and general interest programs (including such courses as bartending, travel agent, and effective teaching training). These courses are designed to provide training to upgrade a person’s skills or qualifi cations and assist in preparing an individual for a new career.

• If you are new to the job market or looking to refocus your career, check out the JobsNOW Program. It consists of short-term courses and is designed to help in getting some occupational training that can lead to better job opportunities. These courses take six months, at the most — often times much less — and are designed to help folks who have lost their jobs return to the workforce quickly. They include not only technical training but also touch on things like understanding company culture, meeting deadlines and learning to work well with others. The courses offered are certified nursing assistant I, Geriatric Aide, Introduction to HVAC, Introduction to Plumbing, Medical Offi ce Essentials I and II, Phlebotomy and Solar Panel Installation.

Even with all the specialized programs, there are several other classes offered ranging from property management to becoming a notary public or a bank teller, how to use quick books, stress management and more.

Mullis sees growth is a few areas and is working to make sure FTCC stays ahead of the curve in providing training.

“One of the big growth areas we see is in technology as well as the green industry,” Mullis said. “We want to help businesses with that and also train individuals who will be able to work in those fi elds. We see those as having huge growth in the future not only here but around the country.”

Relaxation

Speaking of stress management, many of FTCC’s continuing education classes are the kind that will help you unwind. Always wanted to take up painting? There is a class for you, be it oils, pastels or watercolor. Looking to busy your hands? Try the pottery, matting and framing, basketry or even one of the cooking classes. Energy to burn? Try Hip-hop, Latin or Salsa Zumba classes. Gardening, home improvement, financial planning, creative writing, foreign language and motorcycle safety classes are also offered at FTCC along with music lessons, quilting, crocheting, sewing and more.

Whether you are looking for a new skill, trying to polish your existing repertoire or are just looking to take on a new hobby, FTCC is a great place to start. Check them out at www.faytechcc.edu/ con_ed or pick up one of the course catalogs at the Continuing Education building on the FTCC campus.

Those living in small apartments or the big city could use some gadget-friendly help asthey go about their day.

Smarter Sound: Have a quieter commute or just tune out the neighbors with PhiatonNoise Cancelling Earphones PS 20 NC. The in-ear headset has noise blockingtechnology that maximizes the quality of music from their MP3 players whileminimizing outside interference. The lightweight earphones use one AAA battery andcome with inline volume control and a choice of silicone earbuds. (www.phiaton.com)

Stay Connected: A recent National Health Interview Survey showed that nearly twothirdsof adults who shared an apartment or house with unrelated roommates reportedhaving only mobile phones, making that group the most likely to be completelywireless and struggling withdroppedor missed calls.To help with cell phone signal issues, the roommatefriendly zBoost-METRO Cell Phone Signal Booster, fromWi-Ex, works with multiple users and multiple carrierssimultaneously. Its antenna mounts to a window and comeswith everything they need to cover 1,500 square feet.

Gadget Grands Keep the grandparents up to speed with easy-to-use technologythat keeps them connected to the family.

Picture This: Upgrade their family photo collection with a Bluetooth Enabled DigitalPicture Frame from Portable USA.It has a 10.4-inch LCD display with 640 x 480 resolution. You can upload new pictures from your phone. In addition to showing pictures, it will play video, music and text. It has a USB connector and 2 memory card slots in addition to 256MB of internalmemory, and comes with two wood frames.(www.amazon.com)

Get Face Time: If their computer doesn’t have a built-in video camera, the compactMicrosoft LifeCam VX-500 is ideal. It has a 1.3 megapixel sensor that shoots VGAvideo and captures twice as much light as other devices, for a much clearer picture. Ithas a flexible base that lets them adjust the angle, and a built-in mic. It’s optimized forWindows Live Messenger, but also works with Skype, AIM and Yahoo Messenger. Itcomes in three fun colors. (www.store.microsoft.com)

On-the-Go JoesTravel junkies and vacationing families need gadgets that will stand up to the rigors ofbeing on the road.

Extreme Video: Whether it’s on a bicycle’s handlebars or strapped to a surfboard,the ATC9K All-TerrainVideo Camera fromOregon Scientificcan take a hit. It’sa durable, shockresistantunit thatcaptures 5-megapixelstills as well as 1080pHD video. It alsohas a G-Sensor thattracks measurementsfor speed, hang time,angle of movement and other motion stats, and a laser pointer that lets them linethe camera up with whatever they want to shoot. (www2.oregonscientific.com)

Waterproof Reading: Keep their Kindle dry with the M-Edge GuardianWaterproof Case. It will float on the water’s surface for hands-free reading. Itscustom-molded interior and mounting pads give cushioned support, and it also hasflexible sealed cutouts so they can access the controls. As an extra security measure,there’s a ring at the bottom of the case so it can be strapped to a lanyard or belt.(www.medgestore.com)

iWorkers The number of people working from their homes seems to grow every day. Get youriWorker set up right with these gadgets.

Consistent Coverage: Cell phones are essential communication tools for teleworkers,and when they don’t get signal, it makes work even more work. The zBoost-SOHODual Band Cell Phone Signal Booster supports multiple phones simultaneously andgives them the coverage they need to work through the whole house (up to 3,500 sqft; including aircards, EDGE and 3G Technology). (www.wi-ex.com)

Charge It: Keep all the essential office gadgets charged up with Energizer’sInductive Charging Station. With two large inductive charging zones that don’trequire locking the device into a parti cular position, your iWorker can just settheir phone (and two other devices) down and it will get charged up. It has a USBport to allow users to charge additional devices such as cameras or GPS units.(www.target.com)

Custom Caffeine: No office would be complete without a coffeemaker. TheAeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker from Aerobie lets anyone brew Americanstyle or Espresso style coffees for use in lattes or cappuccinos. It has a totalimmersionsystem that mixes water and grounds at a moderate temper ature, thengentle air pressure pushes the mix into a micro-filter, resulting in a smooth, richbrew in just 30 seconds. Visit www.aerobie.com to find a retailer near you.

Ryan P. Kishbaugh was the kind of person that gave his all ineverything he did. He was warm, kindhearted and put the needsof others before himself. Even when diagnosed with Hodgkin’sLymphoma at the age of 17, he was determined to squeeze the mostout of whatever amount of time he had left, and make the most out ofevery opportunity.

“Never step away from life” was his motto. And with that in mind,he made his remaining fivemonths count. He continuedto help and think of othersuntil the end.

Perhaps it is in that samespirit that every year morethan 400 people participatein Ryan’s Reindeer Run, a 5Krace held in his memory.

Kishbaugh’s mother,Roberta Humphries, firstgot the idea for the raceafter seeing a ReindeerRun in Charleston, S.C.,and inspiration struck. Theinitial year’s run saw about200 participants, but now,five years later, the numberhas grown to more than 400. All of theserunners, both people who knew Kishbaughand those who have just heard of his braveryand kindness, get together every year to raisemoney for those fighting Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

Hodgkin’s Lymphoma is cancer originating from white blood cells, calledlymphocytes, and is described by the spread of disease from one lymph nodegroup to another. The disease occurrence shows in two peaks, in early adulthood,around ages 15-35, and again in those over 55 years of age, and survival rates varydepending on age and the treatments administered.

Kishbaugh was always exceptionally smart and compassionate. Accordingto those who knew him best, he always worried about the welfare of his friends,neighbors and anyone else with whom he came in contact with. Even while inchemotherapy, he was concerned with the smaller children who were being treatedand how they were fairing. He was an amazing athlete and participated in soccer andbasketball on the varsity level. He was also a dedicated volunteer and won the 2001Governor’s Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service.

Donning red reindeer ears and jogging gear, participants will line up at theMedical Arts Building on Robeson Street Dec. 18 at 8:30 a.m., pumped up andready to race for a good cause. Humphries is so grateful and astounded at the turnout every year.

“I’m truly amazed at the amount of people who take time out of their busy lives,especially during this time of year to participate. I never expected such a response,and I am very appreciative,” she said.

Among the runners will be many of Ryan’s childhood and high school friends,including Wyatt Jenkins, who has been “An instrumental part of putting together thisyear’s run, pitching in wherever he is needed,” said Humphries.

“This run is not only a good opportunity to raise money for a good cause, butalso for these kids who grew up together, and who knew and loved Ryan, to gettogether and stay in touch,” she continued.

The run has six different age divisions ranging from 13 to 60 plus, and prizes arepresented to the top overall male and female runners, the top three family fi nishersand best costumed runners. There will also be a trophy presented to the groupwith the most number of participants. All participants under the age of 13 receive afiisher’s award, as well as the top three pet finishers and their owners. The fee forindividual runners or walkers is $25, with family entries being $75, which includesfour T-shirts. Online registration ends on Dec. 16 at 9 p.m. there is also same dayregistration and pick up at the race site on Saturday beginning at 7 a.m.

The proceeds from the run go to the Ryan P. Kishbaugh Memorial Fund, Makea Wish Foundation of Eastern North Carolina and the Friends of the Cancer Centerat Cape Fear Valley Medical Center.

For those not familiar with Ryan’s story, you can read more about it in the bookhe wrote while he was in the hospital, Run Because You Can. It seems somehowfi tting that his family chose a run to honor his memory, and in his own words, heencourages the community to participate:

“So do me a favor, whatever you’re doing today, just go out andrun. Somewhere, anywhere, just run because you can.”-Ryan P. Kishbaugh

With Christmas right around the corner, it seems safe to assume that many ayoung mind is focused on Santa Claus and what goodies he may be bringing onDec. 25. Everyone is on their best behavior, minding their manners and helpfulas ever, building their case for a spot on the “Nice” list.

On Saturday, Dec. 18, Fascinate-UChildren’s Museum is hostingBreakfast With Santa Claus. It’s onemore chance to share the magic of theseason with your favorite little one. It isa tradition that the museum has been apart of for the past eight or nine years,according to Fascinate-U Children’sMuseum Marketing and DevelopmentDirector Emily Polley, and somethingthat local children look forward to withanticipation. An opportunity to scoresome face time with Santa doesn’tcome around all that often, after all.

“There are several families inthe community that have made this afamily tradition,” said Polley. “Theystart when their children are just babiesand come. Mom and Dad eat breakfastwith Santa and they have a family picture made. It is really adorable.”

Other families come and bring Grandma and Grandpa with them and makeit a special day for more than just mom and dad and junior. Families are seatedtogether and can enjoy the menu of eggs, bacon, sausage and a full pancake barthat includes toppings like gummy bears, sprinkles and whipped cream. This alltakes place upstairs in the Gilbert Theater, which is decked out in holiday stylefor their production of A Christmas Carol, adding to the feeling of Christmascheer.

Breakfast is served between 8:30 and 9:30 a.m., which gives everyone anhour to come in and take their time eating. After fi lling their tummies, the littleones get to have their picture taken with Santa.

“It is so sweet to see the toddlers come in all dressed up in their argylesweaters and fancy little dresses,”said Polley. “They are so cute and soexcited to see Santa that some of themare literally shaking with anticipation.Seeing their excitement really is myfavorite part of this event.”

Every year a craft is included inthe price of the ticket. Of course it isdifferent every time, and Polley saysthat this year the theme is mittens.Stay and play in the museumafterwards and burn off that yummybreakfast.

“We’ll stay until everyone haseaten, every picture with Santa hasbeen taken and every craft has beencompleted,” Polley said. “We want tomake this event as special as possiblefor the little ones.”

Polley noted that the museum is open to the public at 10 a.m., just like anyother Saturday.Reservations are required and they fi ll up fast. It costs $10for members and $12 for nonmembers.

To make a reservationor for more info, call Fascinate-U Children’s Museum at 829-9171 or visit ww.fascinate-u.com/events.php.