Few people are suprised by what they see around Halloween, but if you are driv-ing downtown on 4th Friday, Oct. 22, you might get a little more than you bargained for if Christina Cole and the members of the Feral Art Collective get what they are hoping for.

Cole, a Wilmington-based artist and her husband, Sameul Guin, have put together quite an event for ghouls and goblins to enjoy — a Jazz Funeral and Zombie Walk.

We know, it’s not the usual celebration of Halloween that people expect for downtown, but Cole believes the undead are going to really liven downtown up.

“This event has really snowballed,” said Cole during a recent interview. “We were all talking about the fact that in Fayetteville unless you go to a bar and party, there’s not a lot for adults to do on Hallow-een. So we started talking about ideas for something fun, something different for adults.”

Initially, the idea was to sponsor a Jazz Funeral Cole explained.

“My mom died last December and we didn’t really have a fu-neral,” she explained. “Later we went to New Orleans and saw a Jazz Funeral and thought it was a great idea.”

For those not in the know, a Jazz Funeral is a New Orleans tradition that is rooted in music. Most commonly such musical funerals are done for individuals who are musicians themselves, connected to the music industry, or members of various social aid and pleasure clubs or Carnival krewes who make a point of arranging for such funerals for members. The music starts out somber and then moves on to joy in a celebration of life and death.

“We started talking about hosting a Jazz Funeral here, but culturally a lot of people don’t know what a Jazz Funeral is, but most people know about zombies, so we worked in the Zombie Walk to bring out the fun side and then we are working in the cultural side with the Jazz Funeral,” said Cole. “There’s an interesting parallel between the two of them.”

To make the tie in perfect, the Feral Art Collective tied their event to 4th Friday knowing that downtown would already be full of life.

The event will kick-off at the library where all the zombies will gather. From there, they will shamble over to Maxwell Street where all sorts of may-hem will unfold.

According to Cole, there will be a lot of zombie interaction in and amongst the artisans who will be on hand as part of 4th Friday. There will be break dancing zombies and belly dancing zombies. Members of the collective will be on hand to help you zombie-fy yourself if you didn’t get a chance to do it before you come downtown.

What might be the highlight of the event will be performances of “Thriller” — complete with a cast of zombie dancers. Voice, a singer/performer, will put on one performance of Michael Jack-son’s pop sensation, and the student’s from Leslie’s Dance Studio will put on another.

Once you’ve had your fi ll of “Thriller,” you can make your way over to the Climbing Pace to watch Air Born Aerial Arts’ Aerial Zombies put on a display of aerial acrobatics that is sure to take your breath away.

All of the fun kicks off at 9 p.m., when the zombies meet at the Headquarters Library Fayetteville on Maiden Lane. They will proceed down Burgess Street onto Maxwell St. where they will connect with the Jazz Funeral and proceed down Maxwell in the procession. Please be sure to comply with city laws and keep to sidewalks and obey traffi c rules!

A live brass band led by Donna Grimble will accompany the funeral proces-sion and second line for the Jazz Funeral complete with a hand-carried zombie coffi n procession.

After the downtown events, be sure and make your way over to The Rock Shop where a whole weekend of mayhem is planned during the Zombie Grind.

For more information about those events, visit facebook.com/therockshoplive.For more information about the event and special discounts being offered by downtown merchants, visit www. facebook.com/pages/Fayetteville-Jazz-Funeral-and-Zombie-Walk.

Do you have your passport? That is your National Park Passport. Earlier this spring I visited the Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park. America is rich with some of the largest and most notable landmarks in the world. The National Park Service man-ages more than 388 national parks, national monuments, and national historic sites.

At the visitors center, I noticed a book called the National Park Passport. This little passport is a fun way to document your visit. Like a passport stamp from the U.S. Customs, the park service can stamp your National Park Passport book to record and commemorate your travels.

While planning a trip to Vermont last month, I decided to break up my trip with something new and educa-tional. I stopped at the Shenandoah Skyline National Park Visitors Center and picked up a book and got my stamp. From there I scouted out my route to Vermont and hit as many parks as I could during the trip. Working maps and the GPS gave me hours of fun riding and a sense of purpose. By the end of my 10 day trip I had visited eight parks.

North Carolina has nine national parks in our great state. These parks include the Blue Ridge Parkway and the National Heritage Area (Asheville), Cape Hatteras National Seashore (Manteo), Cape Lookout National Seashore (Harkers Island), Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site (Flat Rock), Fort Raleigh National Historic Site (Manteo), Guilford Courthouse National Military Park (Greensboro), Moores Creek National Battlefield (Currie), and Wright Brothers National Memorial (Manteo).

There are fees for visiting some of the parks. Day passes are available and the price varies from park to park. The National Park Service offers a seasonal pass called the America the Beautiful: National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass. These passes can be purchased for $80. There are three types of lifetime passes available. A Senior Citizen’s lifetime pass is advised for U.S. citi-zens or permanent residents age 62 or over. Second, a Lifetime Access Pass is available for those with permanent disabilities. To show proof of disabilities you will have to show documentation. Acceptable documentation includes: state-ment by a licensed physician; document issued by a federal agency such as the Veteran’s Administration, Social Security Disability Income or Supplemental Security Income; or document issued by a state agency such as a vocational rehabilitation agency. Finally, a Volunteer Pass is free for those who acquire 500 service hours on a cumulative basis.

Sadly, there is no free admission for our military folks. While doing my exploring I wanted something a little more than my National Park Visitors Guide book. I did a quick search on my iPhone’s app store and found the National Parks Companion app. This app gives great infor-mation at your fingertips. The app gives you the park’s locations by state, helpful information about the park, visitor center addresses and phone numbers. The app even has a place that allows you to check off which park you have visited.

Whether by car or motorcycle we all have to do some fun exploring. I hope you get a chance to visit North Carolina’s National Parks. For more information about the National Park Service visit www.nps.gov.

If there is a topic that you would like to discuss you can con-tact me at motorcycle4fun@aol.com. RIDE SAFE!

Reistration cycle begins on Monday, Nov. 1, 2010, for current and future students with more than 2,000 spring semester degree-program classes available, with many of the classes offered online. These classes lead to 150 programs of study in business; engineering; public service and applied technology; health occupations; and college transfer and general education degrees, diplomas and certificates.

FTCC President Dr. J. Larry Keen, along with the facul-ty and staff, welcome you to the campus and encourage you embrace learning as a lifelong journey. FTCC is commited to fulfilling your educational needs — no matter where you are along your path on this journey.

Whether you are a new student or a returning student, our mission is to assist you with answers to your questions and to assist you in get-ting started. The general admissions process is four easy steps:

1. ApplicationAll students are required to submit an FTCC application prior to registration, using the College Foundation of North Carolina, (CFNC) secured site (www1.cfnc.org/Applications/NC_Community_College/apply.html?application_id=1497). Please put your social security number on your application for prompt processing of your admissions application and financial aid. If you have questions, please call FTCC Admissions at (910) 678-8473.

2. Submit High School Transcripts (High School, GED) Applicants for curriculum programs are required to submit official copies of high school transcripts, GED, DD214, or an official college transcript showing an asso-ciate degree or higher-level degree awarded. Home-schooled students must submit a copy of the home school’s approved registration from the state in which they are registered and an official transcript including the graduation date and documentation of completion of compe-tency. For assistance, please go to www.faytechcc.edu/admissions/documents/TranscriptReqFormtoFTCC.pdf.

3. Complete a Placement Assessment Visit the College’s Testing Office site at www.faytechcc.edu/Testing/Default.asp or call (910) 678-8417 to schedule an appointment for the Placement Assessment-Accuplacer. Appointments are also available at the Spring Lake Campus, (910) 678-1004 and the Fort Bragg Center, (910) 678-1050.

4. Apply for Financial Aid and/or ScholarshipsIf you will need money to assist you with college expenses such as tuition and books, you can apply for financial aid.

To apply for financial aid:

1. Set up PIN at www.pin.edu.gov

2. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA) online at www.FAFSA.gov for the year you will be attending FTCC. FTCC’s Federal School Code: 007640

3. If you have questions contact FTCC Financial Aid, (910) 678-8242.There are additional admissions requirements for some programs such as Health Programs. Please see the information under Health Programs (www.faytechcc.edu/admissions/HEALTHPROGRAMS.asp)

Our Main Campus Admissions office is located in the Tony Rand Student Center with the following operating hours:

Monday - Thursday 8 a.m. - 7 p.m., during semester classes

Monday - Thursday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., during school breaks

FTCC is a certified military-friendly school and the servicemember’s opportunity college.

Please visit the FTCC Web site at www.faytechcc.edu/ for answers to other questions that you might have about the College.

Fayetteville Technical Community College was established in 1961 and serves more than 34,000 students annually by provid-ing150 affordable vocational, technical, general education, col-lege transfer, and continuing education programs to meet students’ needs and desires as well as the community.

Fall is here and it is time to get out there and enjoy the cooler weather, outdoor activities and fun that abound in Fayetteville. While the list of fun activities is long, here is one more to add to the category of “not to be missed” events — the third annual Truman’s Pumpkin Patch and Fall Festival at Campbellton Landing.

Truman’s Pumpkin Patch is designed to make a child’s eyes light up, but more importantly its designed to give families a fun, affordable way to spend the afternoon enjoying nature and celebrating this magical time of the year.

For $9 per child (parents get in free) there are plenty of activities at the pumpkin patch for your child to choose from. And, each activity will got a long way in burn-ing off some youthful energy and bringing a smile to your child’s face. Parents can take a time out and relax while they watch their kids bounce and tumble in bounce houses and other infl atables. What doesn’t wear out a youngster like jumping and bouncing?

You can also check out a fi re truck up close and personal, too. The sirens, hoses and gadgets inside will impress the little ones and give them a lesson in safety and com-munity service. Hay rides along the river (weather permitting, of course), offer a chance to enjoy the beautiful scenery along the banks of the Cape Fear River. Truman’s train, face painting, family-friendly entertainment and more round out the adventure at Campbellton Landing. There will be plenty of yummy foods to buy from the concession-aires, too.

“This is really about the kids,” said Don Dumas, organizer of the event. “They’ve got plenty of room to run out here. As a kid you can’t run at the store, you can’t run in the house, but here there is plenty of room and plenty to do. You can run, you can play in the bounce houses, ride the train... we just really try to make it something the kids will enjoy.”

Dumas also added that there will be a few new features this year — namely carnival rides.

“It took a little while to get the rides worked out,” said Dumas. “But we will have even more to do than we have in the past. This is the third year for Truman’s Pumpkin Patch and I think it will be our best year yet.”

The Pumpkin Patch is open on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 6 p.m. through the month of October. Included in the price of admission is a free pumpkin to celebrate the harvest season. Sunday, Oct. 31 is going to be extra special because there will be a costume contest. Age groups are 3-5, 6-9 and 10-12. The judging is at 3 p.m.

“Summer is gone, the weather has cooled off and now it is not so miserable to be outside,” said Dumas. “This is a great place to bring the family, let the kids play and enjoy the cooler weather.”

If you’ve never been, Campbellton Landing is just across the Person Street bridge on the banks of the Cape Fear River, 1.3 miles from the Market House. Large groups are welcome, call 483-1649 for more information.

On Friday, Oct. 22, Reggie Codrington will perform at the Crown Center, but don’t wait too long to buy your tick-ets, there are only 250 seats and they are going fast.

If you’ve missed out on hearing his story here’s a quick recap — Co-drinton is no stranger to overcoming hard times. In fact, not only was he inspired by music to get through a rough start in life, he’s turned that around and is not only successful, but also an inspiration.

The son of nationally known musician and bandleader Ray Co-drington, the younger Condrington was born with Ataxic Cerebral Palsy (ACP). It is a condition that affects muscle coordination and depth per-ception. By the age of 13, Codrington had undergone nine surgeries where muscles were alternately cut and transferred from his elbow, wrist and right tricep to improve his fi nger dexterity. Additionally, muscles were cut from his leg to offer more mobility and make it easier to walk.

During his early years, Codring-ton turned to music as an escape when things got overwhelming.

He is a writer and composer of smooth jazz and a musician as well. His instru-ment of choice is the sweet sounding, curved soprano saxophone. According to www.reggiecodrington.com, Codrington loves entertaining and recording but “his ultimate goal is to go on tour and share his music and his triumphant story of overcoming the physical challenges of being disabled. His vision is to tour the world talking to young people and sharing how he overcame a debilitating disability, ridicule in his youth and unsavory independent labels as he traveled on his road to jazz greatness. “

Crown Center General Manager Karen Long is excited about the event and con-siders it a treat to be able to host Codrington at the Crown. “We wanted to showcase local talent, and I don’t think there is anyone who would disagree that Reggie is just a fabulous local talent, and we want to make an experience out of that,” said Long “I think it is going to be a great networking opportunity for people to come out and have a good time. We scheduled it in conjunction with the FSU homecoming, hoping to capitalize on some of the out-of-town guests who are here maybe looking for a quieter scene than some of the activities that they have scheduled.”

Folks in attendance will receive more than a fantastic show with great talent, there is also a preshow meet and greet with Codrington as well as heavy hors d’ouevres and complimentary wine.

“The first time I heard him I was very impressed and I had no idea that he had the physical disability that he has,”said Long. “He is just an amazing person. He is always so very friendly, very quick to reach out his hand or give you a hug. He is just a feel-good person and he makes you feel good about being around him — and when he plays that is multiplied.”

With any luck, this event will be the impetus that brings similar events to the Crown. Long mentioned that there may be a jazz series in the not too distant future at the Crown Center.

“I really did want to keep it on the small intimate level this time, but it is defi nitely something that can grow,” said Long. “We are just so happy that Reggie was able to be a part of it this time. Possibly next time we will have some other entertainment in addition to him.”

Tickets are $50 per person and tables of six can be purchased for $300. Contact the Crown Center at 438-4100 for more info or to purchase your tickets.

There are 88 schools in Cumberland County. That’s 53 elementary schools, 15 middle schools, 14 high schools, one year round classical school and five special schools according to the Cumberland County Schools website. More than 52,000 students attend these schools — 52,187 in fact — and almost half of them (24,271) are elementary school students. You know, elementary school, the place where students not only learn to read, but where they also learn to love reading — and support and encouragement are a key part of that. Well, here in Cumberland County there is plenty of support to go around.

For the past six years the Cumberland County Education Foundation has partnered with the Cumberland County School System to host the Reading Rocks! Walk-a-thon. The event has grown to more than 15,000 participants and this year event organizers are hoping to see upwards of 17,000 folks filling Festival Park and walking through downtown to support public education, specifically literacy in our schools. “The walk starts at 9 a.m. and everyone gathers in Festival Park beginning around 8 a.m.,” said Cumberland County Education Foundation representative Cindy Kowal. “All 88 schools participate and there are more than 15,000 people downtown for that.”

This year, there is a new component to the event — a 5k run. The run starts at 7 a.m. at the Medical Arts Building. “We just thought that was a way to kick things up a notch and add another component for folks who are ready to do a little more than walk 1.5 miles,” said Kowal. “We are just adding the 5k which is 3.1 miles. People will run up the hill into Haymount and then come back down and finish at the Medical Arts Building and the Airborne and Special Operations Museum. That way once folks are finished with the run they can go over to Festival Park and participate in the festivities there and cool down and walk with their family or little ones or however they want to do it.”

Not only is the walk fun and invigorating, it is a way to raise money to support literacy that the whole community can participate in. Unlike other fundraisers out there, 100 percent of the money raised stays in the schools. “It is make it, take it,” said Kowal. “Each school keeps the money they raise — so there is really an incentive. You help yourself. You raise a lot of money, you keep a lot of money.”

Kowal added that the Cumberland County Reading Rocks! funds are used completely for literacy efforts in the schools. That can be anything from novel sets in the high schools to classroom books for teachers in elementary schools, media center materials — all kinds of things as long as it is about literacy and books.

Not only is Reading Rocks! a chance to enjoy some family time and get a little exercise, it is for a good cause. It’s for our schools, our kids and the future generations of Cumberland County residents. You’ll be in good company.

“It is amazing to see how many people from all over the community come out to support this,” said Kowal. “Parents pulling kids in wagons, the high school bands are performing along the route — it really shows you that there is community wide support for public education and that is what is really exciting about it for me. When you see the park filled and you see how many people come out — to know that they came out at the crack of dawn on a Saturday, when that is a busy day for all families, it is a really amazing and very, very motivating experience because you know there is support for public education and literacy in our schools. It is something that everybody just gets behind which is really good.”

You don’t have to have a student in the school system to donate. Visit http://www.ccedfoundation.org/ for more info or to become a sponsor. To register for the run, go to active.com. To join fun, be at Festival Park on the morning of Oct. 16. There is something for everyone to enjoy!

Healthy babies. It’s what expectant parents pray for, medical professionals work to ensure, friends and families rejoice over and it’s themission of the March of Dimes. Specifi cally, they work to “... improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. We carry out this mission through research, community services, education and advocacy to save babies’ lives.”

Since 1960, infant mortality rates in the U.S. have fallen from 26 per 1,000 to 6.7 per 1,000 in 2008. A vast improvement to be sure, but that is still too many.

On Sunday, Oct. 10 the Fayetteville chapter of the March of Dimes is holding its Signature Chef’s Auction at the Holiday Inn Bordeaux. Some of Fayetteville’s fi nest restaurants and chefs have already signed up to wow the attendees with their culinary prowess. This year’s participants include Cape Fear Valley Health Systems, Chef Mei Personal Chef Services, Circa 1800, Holiday Inn Bordeaux, Luigi’s, Morgan’s Chop House, Pierro’s, Riverside Steakhouse and Oyster Bar, Scrub Oaks, Sherefe Mediterranean Grill, Steve Graham The Southern Gourmet, The Barn, The Hilltop House, The Invisible Chef, Rude Awakening, OMG Cupcakes and Kim’s Cupcakes. This years theme is the Perfect 10 Event Purple and White Gala.

A cocktail hour is planned during registration. Upstairs in the main ballroom the chefs will be lined up and waiting for guest to begin to tasting the fi ne fare they’ve prepared.

The silent auction items will be upstairs as well.

“We have auction items for everyone,” said Natalie Young, committee chair and vice president of national promotions for Stork News of America. Some of the auction items include jewelry, lamps, area rugs, a honey-do package for painting & plumbing. There are car washes, there is a great business package that includes a one-year membership to the chamber and anything a business would or could use. Who wouldn’t want to bid on the perfect vacation package which includes airline tickets, luggage and a hotel stay.

“We got pretty much everything you would want. You could almost do your Christmas shopping here. It is not the some old, same old. We have a lot of creativity that has come to the table this year... and... someone is going to win a diamond — compliment of Rhudy’s. We are going to sell champagne glasses and one lucky person will have a diamond in a sash attached to the stem of their glass,” Young added.

Later in the evening, the live auction consists of 10 perfect packages that are sure to have bids rolling in.

Jazz artist Reggie Codrington is donating his time and talent to the cause, too. “Reggie was premature,” said Fayetteville Area March of Dimes Division Director Gayle Nelson. “He was born with a defect and is donating his time to play because of the worthy cause, so we are excited about that.”

The local ambassador family, Bo and Susan Gregory will be at the event to share their story of their now four year-old son Hughes Gregory.

“People will get a chance to meet Hughes,” said Nelson. “He was born 1 lb. 15 oz. Everything that we have done for this event this year has been to put Hughes in the spotlight because we want to remind people about who we are and what we do. A lot of people hear about the March of Dimes but they don’t realize what all the organization does.”

Tickets are $75 per person and can be purchased by calling 483-3691. You can also fi nd out more about the March of Dimes and their mission or purchase tickets at www.marchofdimes.com/ northcarolina.

It’s there, the tingle down your spine that makes you feel like you are not alone. The shadow that moves quickly by, the wayward sound. Most people have sensed that goose bump forming fear that comes when ghost stories or swapped or after watching a horror movie on TV. This Halloween you have to go no further than Hay Street to enjoy a hair raising experience that brings history to life, as Historic Hauntings returns.

Sponsored annually by the Dogwood Festival, Historic Hauntings runs the third and fourth week of every October. The haunted hayride explores the eerie encounters and mysterious happenings of historic downtown. Local actors and actresses bring the night to life as you visit some of Fayetteville’s most infamous haunted locations on the back of the wagon.

Each year, the hayride visits a number of spots that have traditionally been thought to be haunted, and this year is no different. According to Carrie King, the director of the Dogwood Festival and organizer of the event, this year’s ride will defi nitely give you a fright.

“We are going to make stops at four different locations,” said King. “We’ll stop off at the Masonic Lodge, the Transportation Museum, the Fayetteville Light Infantry Parade Grounds and Cross Creek Cemetery.”

King noted that the event has grown over the years, and that ticket sales are brisk.

“We don’t have the normal problem of selling tickets,” she said. “The problem we have now is getting people to make reservations.”

King explained that many people wait until the second week to try and attend, and fi nd that they have waited too late.

“If we could get people to make reservations and attend the fi rst week, instead of everyone trying to pack in during the week of Halloween, we would have a lot less disappointed people,” she said.

King added that while the organization would love to run more wagons and add days, the sheer size of the event and the work involved makes it impossible to do so. “Our volunteers give so much that adding anymore days would just overwhelm them,” she said.

So, if you want to participate, you need to make your reservations early because the event only runs six nights every year. Rides begin at 6:30 p.m. and depart from the Liberty Point Building at 145 Person St., on the half hour until 9:30 p.m. All tickets are $15 and must be purchased in advance . To purchase tickets, call (910) 323-1934 or email info@faydogwoodfestival.com. This is a rain or (full moon) shine event. Please dress for weather conditions.

In addition to the hayride, you can also sign up for the All Hallows Eve Cemetery Walk, which is led by Fayetteville’s historian, Bruce Daws. Follow Daws on the candlelight walk that takes you through Cross Creek Cemetery on Oct. 29 and 30.

“Bruce knows everything about Fayetteville, and he tells really interesting stories about the people who are buried there, and you see their grave sites and headstones. He really brings their stories to life,” said King.

Tickets for the hour-long tour are sold separately and can be purchased by calling the Dogwood Festival offi ce at 323-1934 and specifying the Hallows Eve Cemetery Walk. Tickets are $10 and walking tours begin at 7 p.m., with the last tour at 9 p.m.

All proceeds for this particular event go towards the restoration of Cross Creek Cemetery.

And whether you have an early or late reservation, you can still take part in the Boo and Brew Patio Party. The party will be at the Liberty Point Building, the starting point for the Historic Hauntings ride. “We wanted to jazz the event up a little,” explained King.

“We wanted families to be able to make an evening of it, so we created the Boo and Brew Patio party.”

She explained that while you are waiting to go on your tour, or after your tour, you can grab a hamburger or hotdog to eat, share a beer or a glass of wine with your friends and enjoy some great entertainment. The entertainment will feature everything from acoustic musicians to fortune tellers to storytellers.

The highlight of the patio party is the annual Halloween costume contest, which is open to people of all ages — even if you aren’t going on the tour. Pictures will be taken each evening and put up on the Dogwood Festival’s Facebook page. You can go there and vote for your favorite costume, with the overall winner winning a great prize.

Historic Hauntings runs Oct. 14-16 and Oct. 21-23. This year, let your fear run wild downtown. You’ll be glad you did.

The Prince Charles Hotel and the Capitol Building have garnered a lot of press and a lot of headlines over the past year. And it doesn’t look like that’s going to stop anytime soon.

No surprise to most of us, John Chen has packed his bags and headed back up north where he says he can make more money. That’s probably true. There isn’t a lot of profit in renting rooms for about $400 a month to 30 people. Especially when you bought the building for more than a million dollars.

There really can’t be much profit in that when you take into account the fact that he is paying the electric bill and phone bill for those folks. And there really can’t be much profit in the Prince Charles when he’s accumulating fines on a daily basis.

And it looks like Chen’s problems are only getting worse. As of Monday, all of the residents of the hotel were supposed to be out of the building. It seems Chen likes doing construction that isn’t quite up to code, and that in essence, turns the hotel into a fire trap if local fire officials can be believed.

At this point, they seem way more believable than Chen.

From his office in New York, Chen refused fi re marshals access to the building and called the City of Fayetteville hostile. I think the city would probably use the same words in regard to him. This has been a no-win situation from the get go. For the Prince Charles to ever be more than an albatross around the neck of its owner or the city, it will take a massive infusion of cash (in the millions) to renovate and restore the building to its former glory.

Not to be a downer here, but that’s never going to happen.

Sometimes, and it’s a painful thought to those of us who love old historic buildings, you have to get down to the economics of things. Is the land the hotel sitting on worth more than the decrepit building? And on the face of it, I believe it is.

Would it be better for a developer (or if the city condemns the building) for it to be torn down and something be built that could actually add to downtown rather than take away from it? From where I’m sitting, the answer is yes.

If the building remains in its current state, it is only going to go down into further disrepair. Is Chen or is anyone going to pump millions of dollars into the facility in today’s economy?

Let’s be real.

So the question for the Prince Charles isn’t whether there is a vinyl window sticking out like a sore thumb, it’s really should there be any windows at all?

Down the street, the Capitol Building had millions of dollars infused in it, and today, it’s closed, and as of last week, the bank had taken ownership of it.

This leaves the city in a sticky wicket because of the money invested through the Community Development Block Grant. It seems, from what we hear, that the city was remiss in not keeping financial checks on the health of the Docks venture. Now the city is holding a bad note, and the bank has collateral.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out who the loser is here.

The building should be going on the auction block in December. Who is going to buy it? Will it be another Chen? Heaven help us if it is.

Downtown can be a viable place to conduct business, but not for people flying on wing and a prayer. It takes a sound financial business plan and you have to be committed to working the long hours and keeping your doors open past 6 p.m. Just ask Josh Collins, owner of Huske Hardware House.

Greatness for downtown can’t only happen on 4th Friday and on festival weekends. It has to happen every day. And that means the streets don’t roll up at 7 p.m.

It also means that downtowns hopes can’t only be tied to galleries and artists. Ask the gallery owners who have shut their doors over the past couple of years.

t must be tied to financially sound businesses and retailers who will keep their doors open after 5 p.m. every day and will open on weekends. That’s what will build a downtown with heart, whether the Prince Charles is there or not

Do you remember being 11 or 12 years old? Think hard. Do you remem-ber all of the emotions that were running through your body? The doubts about the way you looked. The worry about whether or not you were good enough. The hormones!!

Do you remember all of that, and the embarrassment you felt at any given mo-ment? If you do, pick up the phone and call the Cape Fear Regional Theatre, be-cause this is a chance to laugh at all those moments, to let them go, and in fact, to celebrate them. And you get to do it all at the Putnam County Spelling Bee.The show, which officially opened on Saturday night, is the fi rst in the theatre’s 49th season. This season is, as Artistic Director Bo Thorp terms it, a warm up for the 50th anniversary of the theatre. If that’s the case, than next season will blow your socks off.

Putnam County Spelling Bee, directed by Kappy Kilburn, is a musical that tells the story of six pre-teens who face off in the annual spelling bee. But they aren’t just ruminating over the spelling of some really tough words, they are also deal-ing with what seems to be monumental problems of growing up.

The audience can identify with these characters because at some point and time in our lives we were wrestling with the same issues. It reminds us of where we were and hopefully reminds us to give thanks that we made it through that time.

Leading the cast are local favorites Cassandra Vallery, who plays Rona Lisa Perretti, a former spelling bee winner and announcer for the event, and Ken Griggs, who plays the role of a convicted con art-ist (Mitch Mahoney) pulling community service as a comfort counselor for those students who are elimi-nated from the bee.

Vallery and Griggs have performed in a number of productions together and work together like a well-oiled machine. Their timing is impeccable and their voices blend beautifully throughout the play, but nowhere more so than in a duet where they are double cast as the parents of Olive Os-trovsky (played by Griggs’ daughter Molly.) “The I Love You Song” lets a less than important daughter deal with her issues of abandonment and with her dreams of the perfect parental relationship.

I’ve seen the elder Griggs in a num-ber of shows over the past several years, but I have to say that his performance of “Prayer of the Comfort Counselor” is per-haps the best I’ve ever seen. The song was written for his voice and the energy he brings to it makes you feel like you want to get up and dance with them, possibly even yell “Glory!”

Robbie Gay, an Alabama native, who left the audience laughing in the aisles through his portrayal of Smee in last sea-son’s Peter Pan, plays the slightly unstable vice principal, who is the co-commentator with Vallery. The two trade witty barbs with the contestants, and in the case of the show I witnessed, ad libbed a number of comments with the audience.

That is what is unique about this show. The audience isn’t just an audience, they are roped into the play and are asked to participate. I coerced two of my friends to go on stage as guest spellers, and while they were put out in the fi rst round, the experience made the play all the more fun for them, and for the audience as a whole.

In upcoming shows look for local celebrities to join the talented cast on stage – even though it might only be for a minute.

While I loved the entire show — be-lieve me, it is laugh-out-loud funny — Dane Agostinis, playing William Barfee, won my heart. Barfee is the kid that gets picked on in the halls. He’s more than eccentric, and a little rude to those he interacts with. The rudeness stems from his longing to just be a part of the group. He’s the underdog, and we all love to root for the underdog.

But more than that, he is hysterically funny. His singing of “Magic Foot” left the audience in tears and rolling in the aisles. It also brought about a great Broadway finale-type number to the stage

.This play has it all: great singing, great comedy, great dancing and a great back story. You’ll leave feeling 12-years-old — only without the angst.

The show runs through Oct. 10. Make your reservations now!

There is nothing quite like being a homeowner. The sense of pride and ac-complishment that comes with being master of your own kingdom, whether it is a starter home on .10 of and acre or an estate consisting of many acres is hard to beat and the Homebuilders Association of Fayetteville (HBAF) knows it. They’ve been promoting home ownership for more than 45 years.

“The Parade of Homes debuted in Fayetteville in 1963, which was the same year that the HBAF was chartered,” said Natalie Woodbury, of the Homebuilders As-sociation. “The Parade of Homes promotes home buying and home owner ship.”

The HBAF sees home ownership as a way to adds strength to the community, improves the quality of life, and increases the sense of pride within a family, according to their website. This event focuses on new construction and allows participants to see a cross section of new homes available in the local market, specifi cally Cumberland, Hoke and Harnett counties.

This year, the Parade of Homes will be held over two weekends, Oct. 2-3 and Oct. 9-10. The homes on display range in price from $550,000 to $163,000. They are all new construction, and each home will have a realtor on site to answer any ques-tions that may come up. It is free and open to the public.

“We are very proud of these builders and appreciate their support,” said Woodbury, adding that there is always something new to see from year to year in the homes on parade. “I think that my favorite part is seeing the new trends — what is different from last year, the different floor plans and the newness of having it every year. That is what makes it exciting.”

To keep it simple and user friendly, there are no meeting points or bus rides, no scheduled tours and no guides. Just take a copy of the map and wander from home to home. You don’t have to go in order, and you don’t have to go to every home, or visit all 27 of them if you like.

Woodbury noted that the last house on the tour is a Habitat for Human-ity home. Habitat for Humanity has been a part of this community since 1998. The mission is to “work in partnership with God and people everywhere, from all walks of life, to develop communities with people in need by building and renovating houses so that there are decent houses in decent communities in which every person can experience God’s love and can live and grow into all that God intends.” Ending poverty and homelessness is the ultimate goal. Habitat for Humanity homeowners work side by side with volunteers to build their structure.

“The 27th home is a Habitat for Humanity home,” said Woodbury “And we are doing that to make the community more aware of Habitat and that it is there, and the good work that they do.”

In addition to promoting home ownership and healthy communities, the HBAF and the Arts Council Fayetteville/Cumberland County have partnered to include the arts and local artists in this endeavor.

A few months ago a call for art went out to local artists seeking a work to represent this year’s event. “This was the second annual competition. A.J. Rog-ers won this year,” said Woodbury. “His piece is titled Welcome Home. It is on all of our marketing material and on the tour guide. This part of the event is exciting because it pairs both of our associations (HBAF and the Arts Council Fayetteville/Cumberland County) together — and it is a really pretty piece of artwork.”

For a complete listing of homes by location and price, as well as other infor-mation about the Parade of Homes,including the map, visit the website at www.fayettevilleparadeofhomes.com.

The welcome mats are out, stop by any of the homes on the fi rst two weekends in Oct. and take a gander at what the local homebuilders have been up to. Homes will be open from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. on Saturdays and 12-6 p.m. on Sunday.

Soldier Show 27.0, the 2010 U.S. Army Soldier Show, an “entertainment for the Soldier, by the Soldier” song-and-dance production revolves around the current social-media phenomena. You can catch it on Oct. 1-2 at the Crown Coliseum Complex.

“It’s the 27th year and it’s a new version, just like a new version of a computer program, but it’s built on the foundations of all the past versions,” Soldier Show Production Director Victor Hurtado said. “Basically, it’s like a computer screen. When you walk in, you’ll see the desktop, and all of the transitions are like Facebook or Google with a PDF.”

Soldier Show regulars might recognize a few familiar-looking faces because three siblings of 2004 Soldier Show performers are among this season’s cast: Spc. Philip Plasterer, Spc. Brian McAleese-Jergins and 2nd Lt. Katherine Melcher. And Sgt. Kevin Cherry, another 2004 performer, returns for his second go-round with the Soldier Show.

In addition to much ado about keeping it all in the family, the 2004 and 2010 themes somewhat resemble each other. The previous show revolved around how deployed Soldiers kept in touch with loved ones via cellular telephones and electronic mail. Those communication devices have since been supplemented by faster-moving and farther-reaching social-media tools, many of which the Army has embraced.

Hurtado was quickly impressed by this year’s Soldier Show performers.

“When I hear them sing together, it’s like the most glorious choir,” he said. “People are going to be just shocked by how good they are.”

Soldier Show founder Irving Berlin would not have wanted it any other way. The Soldier-performers, in turn, will honor the founding father of Army Entertainment.

“There’s some great historical content with Irving Berlin,” Hurtado explained. “We have much better video technology this year with moving projectors. We’re going to be able to use that during the show for a lot longer lengths of time, so we have voiceovers with Irving Berlin and some of his work.

”The show will open with Disturbed’s heavy metal anthem “Indestructible,” which was written to inspire Soldiers headed for battle.

“It’s meant to be something that would make them feel invincible, take away their fear, make them strong,” Disturbed lead vocalist David Draiman said.

As always, the troops will deliver several genres of music and dance, complete with Soldier-musicians on guitar, bass, keyboard and drums.

“We have an incredibly trained male ballet dancer,” Hurtado said. “Pfc. Andrew Enriquez brings an incredibly masculine [Mikhail] Barysh-nikov style. He’s really good, and we’re using him throughout the show.

”And, of course, there’s a tribute to the late Michael Jackson.

“With the Michael Jackson segment, we’re just making use of what he left behind,” said Hurtado, who revealed the medley will include “ABC,” “I Want You Back,” “I’ll Be There,” and “Jam.” “I don’t want to give too much away, but the very last piece is something that you’ll defi -nitely recognize,” Hurtado added while moon-walking backwards.

“The most important thing about the show this year, the finale is being written by the cast,” Hurtado said. “As a group, they are writing an original song, and it’s really coming together beautifully. It’s going to have to do with resilience and the inspiration of bouncing back.”

The U.S. Army Soldier Show has exhibited those qualities for 26 years, and likely will do so again — along with brothers and sisters and a few old friends – for “Soldier Show 27.0.”

The event is free and open to the public. Shows are at 7 p.m. on Oct. 1 and at noon on Oct. 2. For more information, visit www.atthecrown.com

News pundits are announcing “the recession is over,” but if you live in North Carolina, you might not be too sure ofthat. North Carolina has a 9.7 percent unemployment rate, and while latest figures for Cumberland County show a drop in unemploy-ment, the rate is still at 9 percent. But don’t despair. Employers are hiring, and here’s a great way for you to get in touch with them.

On Wednesday, Oct. 6, the Cumberland County Department of Social Ser-vices, in conjunction with other agencies, will host its annual Fall Into Work Job Fair. The fair will be held from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Crown Expo Center located at 1960 Coliseum Dr. in Fayetteville.

There will be more than 100 employers on hand to discuss the various opportunities available in each of their prospective companies. Robert Relyea, employment coordinator for the Cumberland County Department of Social Services Work First Program, says that the opportunities available range from “entry level to professional employment.”

According to Relyea, this year’s fair will feature job-readiness workshops. The workshops will cover a variety of topics such as: interviewing skills, re-sume writing, application processes, as well as how to apply for positions on Fort Bragg. In addition, the Educational Opportunities Center, housed at Fayetteville State University, will lead a workshop that will instruct attend-ees on how to go about getting money to pay for college.

Along with the CCDSS Work First Pro-gram, the fair is presented in partnership with Cumberland County WorkForce Development Center, Fayetteville Technical Community Col-lege, City of Fayetteville Community Development Department, Beasley Broadcast Group, Inc. and the Fayetteville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce. This year’s business sponsors are Fayetteville PWC and Hardee’s.

The employers on hand will be hiring in a variety of fi elds including: education, govern-ment, distribution, child care, food service, hospitality, healthcare, business professional and customer service

.Relyea suggests that potential applicants dress in attire appropriate for the positions they are seeking. He also urged attendees to bring along plenty of resumes, black ink pens and information needed to fill out applications such as a listof references with contact information. Relyea also reminds applicants to turn off cell phones when speaking with com-pany representatives.

The job fair is free and open to the public. For more information call 677-2222 or 677-2177.

Things weren’t always this complicated and fast paced. Just a few generations ago, folks spent their time tending to the fields and farm animals, spinning wool for their clothes and quilting blankets for the winter. They’d sit on the front porch when they had a few minutes, sing songs, play music and chat about the day.

Today’s families are likely to eat dinner in the car out of a fast-food bag and spend the evening plugged in to either the TV, computer or some other electronic gad-get — and an evening spent on the porch talking and singing songs while daddy strums the guitar and mama mends clothes — yeah right.

On Oct. 3 Cape Fear Botanical Garden is hosting Heritage Day. It is a celebra-tion of life at the turn of the 19th century, a tribute to nostalgia and to our heritage — an opportunity to remember the good old days and to show a younger generation some of the finer things of days gone by.

“Heritage Festival is a great way for kids to learn about agriculture and life at the turn of the 19th century. Kids can experience what is was like to grow up in this time period through crafts and games. This festival allows the Garden to offer an educational experience in a fun and unique way!” said Cape Fear Botanical Garden Director of Events Sharon Osborne.

Kids and adults alike will be enter-tained with games like hopscotch, egg races marbles and corn husk dolls. There will be pony rides and horse shoes, too. When it is time to take a break, have a seat and enjoy the music of The Parsons, a traditional bluegrass band and local favorite.

Mitch Capel, who is considered the “national interpreter” for works by poet laureate Paul Lawrence Dunbar (1872-1906), will perform as Gran’daddy Junebug. A native of Southern Pines, Capel comes from a family of story tellers. His dad used to entertain Capel with stories of his youth. Capel’s website says “Gran’daddy Junebug has been described as ‘a national treasure’, ‘a transformer of lives’, ‘unexpectedly powerful’ and ‘a word magician’...he coined the term ‘sto’etry’ to describe his stories recited po-etically. Continuing his family tradition of preserving culture and teaching through stories, Gran’daddy Junebug teaches personal responsibility and respect for self and others through the African oral tradition of call and response. He utilizes audience participation to share his wisdom on being true to self, fi nding your right path, coping with peer pressure and always doing the best you can. The stories are developmentally appropriate for all ages, or as he likes to say, ‘from the day care to the rest home.’”

While you are there take a peek at the progress being made on the new visitors complex. “Our garden is growing and festival attendees will see that with the construction taking place at the Wyatt Visitors Pavilion Complex. The growth that we are experiencing will enable us to offer even more programming like Heritage Festival. Our goal is to serve as many people in this region as possible!” said Jennifer Sullivan, executive director of the garden.

Artisans and crafters will showcase traditional crafts like dutch-oven cooking, basketry, pottery, weaving, quilting and even tatting (the art of lace making). There will also be souvenirs and items for purchase if you find something that tickles your fancy.

The garden opens at noon and will celebrate Heri-tage Day until 4 p.m. Visit www.capefearbg.org for more information or give the garden a call at 486-0221.

For the past eight years the Fayetteville Area Hospitality Association has sponsored a charity golf tournament benefi tting an organization in the com-munity. At 9 a.m. on Oct. 1 at Cypress Lakes Golf Course in Hope Mills, the FAHA is hosting the 9th Annual Charity Golf Tournament to benefi t Falcon Children’s Home.

Sign up as an individual for $75 or as a team (four players per team) for $300. The team registration fee includes sponsorship of one hole. The game format is Captain’s Choice and includes mulligans. The fun begins at 9 a.m. with a shotgun start.

The FAHA is made up of organizations through-out the community that strives to serve its members, its customers, its associates and the community. The Fayetteville Area Hospitality Association is a nonprofi t organization of committed businesses promoting tour-ism, social welfare and quality of life by improving the quality and variety of food, lodging and recreational areas for travelers and local residents in the Fayetteville area of North Carolina.”

Falcon Children’s Home is just a short drive up I-95, and has been changing the lives of children for more than 100 years. The home was founded in 1909 as a small fa-cility designed to take care of children in the community. In 1909, there were two children who entered the doors. They wouldn’t recognize the home today.

The campus has grown to almost 300 acres of property with eight cottages/halls, athletic fields, gymna-sium, large swimming pool, activity building (containing several classrooms, computer lab, library, skating rink and movie theater), administrative offi ces, lake and camping area, chapel and a central dining facility.

Falcon Children’s Home is a ministry of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church. Those working at the home take great pride in their Chris-tian ministry and strive to serve the mind, body, spirit and soul of each and every child that comes through the doors.

Falcon offers several programs and approaches to help make kids in their care successful and happy, with pathways like independent living, on campus individual and family counseling, campus chaplain, recreation and activities, visiting resource program and after-school academic enrichment.

Funds received from the golf tournament will be used for the Mothers and Babies program.

“We are redoing one of the cottages that is going to house the mothers and babies,” said Marketing and Public Relations Director for Falcon Children’s home Michelle Williams. “We are unable to take the mom’s while they are pregnant. Once their babies are born, we take children from birth up. Since so many of the mom’s are teens we are able to take them in and their babies as well.

”Once the moms and babies are at Falcon Children’s home they stay together in the cottage.

“We make sure that the mom continues her education and we provide daycare for the babies so that she is able to do that,” said Williams. “We also help the moms with employ-ment and we work with them to teach them how to be good moms. This is really a great, great things for us to benefit from this charity.”

Lunch is included in the price and will be served after the tournament. For more information or to preregister, call Pamela Sise or Lisa Web-ster at 868-9005.

For those of you who never knew it, or for those of you who have forgotten, and even for those of you who just need your fi x of Sci Fi, rock and roll, horror and pure musical bliss, get ready, because Richard O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Show is coming to Fayetteville next week.

From Sept. 23-Oct. 10, the Gilbert Theater will be hosting this internationally recognized cult classic, fi rst released in 1975, to mixed reviews. The rock and roll musical spoof is the story of Brad Majors and Janet Weiss, a young pair of lovers who after attending a marriage ceremony are quickly inspired to become engaged and have their own wedding. Afterwards, Brad and Janet, on their way to visit an old high school teacher, find themselves lost with a flat tire on a cold and rainy, late November evening. They seek help in a nearby castle, and are greeted by handyman Riff Raff, a hunched back butler and a maid. They also very quickly find out they have arrived on a very special night, the night of the Annual Transylvanian Convention in the castle ballroom. Brad and Janet watch in disbelief as the Transylvanians, servants, and a tap dancing groupie, Columbia, dance the “Time Warp,” the film’s signature song.

Things only get stranger as Dr. Frank-N-Furter, the master of the castle, appears and claims to have discovered the “secret to life itself” and in a scene inspired by the classic Frankenstein films, his creation, Rocky Horror, a very well built young man, is brought to life in the castle laboratory.

Dr. Gail Morfesis, musical director for both Sondheim’s Assassins and The Rocky Horror Show at the Gilbert, says that a wide range of people are sure to enjoy the performance. “This play has the same appeal to a younger audience as Hair or Jesus Christ Superstar did, in the way that they aren’t just observing, but get a chance to participate in the production. Older audiences members will defi nitely associate this with the classic Science Fiction movies and television shows from the ‘50s and ‘60s.”

For those in the know, The Rocky Horror Show is something of a cult classic, and is usually very interactive. Audience members are invited to come in costume; however, leave your props at home. For those who know what we are talking about, don’t despair! Prop bags will be on sale at the theater so you can still have as much fun as you ever had at a midnight matinee.

The Gilbert Theater, founded in 1994, is located in historic downtown Fayetteville at 117 Green St. Performances for Rocky Horror Show are Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15.00 at the door and parental guidance is suggested due to language and mature content.

Tickets may be purchased at the box offi ce, which opens one hour prior to show times. Groups of 10 are more should make advance reservations. Groups of 10 or more eligible for discounts and require non-refundable, pre-paid reservations. Military and student discounts are available for all Thursday performances. For more information call 910-678-7186 or email gilberttheater@aol.com.

Leave the fancy ball gown and tuxedo in the closet, don your favorite pair of jeans and pull up a chair –– better yet, make a bid on a chair –– at the 4th annual Blue Jean Ball and Chair-ity Auction, Saturday, Oct. 2, from 7 - 10 p.m. at the Highland Country Club, 2381 Raeford Road, Fayetteville.

“Last year was our biggest year yet,” said Carolyn Zahran, who has been on the ball committee for four years and has co-chaired the event with Martha Spires for two years. “I’ve seen it change, and each year I think it’s improved. Last year Avery Cameron came on board to handle the chairs. It originally started with the chairs just being wooden chairs. The CAC would buy those little ladder-back wooden chairs or straight-back chairs, and then they’d pass them out to local artists — 10 or 15 of them. Last year, when Avery came on board, and she’s artistic in her own right, she said, ‘Let’s recruit these local artists and ask them to do their own chairs.’ The chairs were awesome.”

The more than 30 chairs for the silent auction included one designed by art students at Seventy-first High School, a high chair done in a French motif and a salon chair (by Cameron) called the Diva Chair.

“People were fighting over it,” Zahran said.

The Blue Jean Ball is actually a two-party affair. In the ballroom, children in grades 5 through 8 will enjoy dancing to the DJ talent of Five Star Entertainment, a photo booth complete with props and heavy hors d’oeuvres. Meanwhile, adults will partake of heavy hors d’oeuvres and beverages in the lounge and on the terrace during the silent auction. The chairs are the highlight of the auction, which will also include a variety of upholstered pieces donated by furniture stores, as well as other items painted by local artists, fine wine, art, gift certificates, jewelry and sports packages. In the past three years, the Blue Jean Ball has raised more than $85,000 for the CAC.

“We have great sponsors,” Zahran said. “And the Youth Committee held their carwash to raise money, and they will help set up on the day of the event. Last year they made goody bags. This year they are buying fleece to make blankets for kids who come to the center. The party is really for them. It gives them an opportunity to become involved in community service and aware of the CAC.”

Tickets for the event are $50 for adults and $30 for children, and proceeds from the event will benefit the child abuse prevention and outreach efforts of the Child Advocacy Center (CAC).

For more information about the Blue Jean Ball and to purchase a ticket, visit the Child Advocacy Center online at www.childadvocacycenter. com or call 910-486-9700.

If the United States is a melting pot, than Fayetteville is melting bowl. The city is known for its culture diversity and has celebrated it each fall for the past 31 years with the annual International Folk Festival. This year is no exception as the Arts Council of Fayetteville- Cumberland County proudly invites you to dance in the streets during the 32nd Annual International Folk Festival.

The fun begins on Friday, Sept. 24 at the September 4th Friday from 7-9 p.m. in downtown Fayetteville.

At the Arts Council, 301 Hay St., Cultural Expressions, an invitational art show, will be on display. The exhibit features unique impressions of culture through art, artifacts, handmade crafts, textiles, paintings, drawings, sculptures, photography and mixed media. Morris Cardenas and the Borderland Trio will be on hand to entertain you as you view the exhibit, and as always, refreshments with an international flair will be available.

Once you’ve visited the Arts Council building be sure to stroll the streets and watch artisans at their craft on Maxwell Street from 6-10 p.m. during Arts Alive.

Outside on Maxwell Street, the Panamanian dance group Conjunto Típico Raíces Istmeñas will give visitors to Arts Alive a preview of their performance scheduled for later in the weekend at Festival Park.

Arts Alive will also feature these artists selling and demonstrating their work: Aurora Crowell (jewelry), Shannon Davis (glasswork), Kevin Gregory (painting), Pamela Kelly (loom weaving), Sylecia Johnston (mixed media/paintings), Feral Art Collective (stenciling and painting), Deborah Crandall (jewelry), Kelly Green (pen-andink and clay).

Be sure to catch free rides around downtown on the Cotton Exchange Express. Be sure and get a good night’s rest before you venture back out on Saturday, Sept. 25, when the fun starts on Hay Street and then transitions to Festival Park.

One of the highlights of the International Festival has always been the Parade of Nations. Seen by many as the real “kick-off” of the event, the parade begins at 11 a.m. on Hay Street. Each year cultural groups from around the world vie to create the best display as they parade through downtown, bringing the world to our backyard.

You can’t help but want to join them as they dance in the streets. Listen to the pounding of the drums, the rhythm of Latin beats, the sounds of the orient and much more. If you’ve never taken the time to watch the parade, you definitely want to put it on your calendar this year.

It is a colorful site that is a delight to all of your senses. Once the parade winds its way down Hay Street, you are going to want to follow them on to Festival Park where the fun continues.

The festival gets into full gear at noon within the confines of Festival Park. While there, you can enjoy authentic cuisine at the International Café, unique arts and crafts, an expanded children’s area and more! Live entertainment in five performance areas, including a Native American Cultural Showcase, starts at 1 p.m.

A favorite of many festival goers if the International Cafe, which features food from all over the world. Whether you are looking for German, Italian, Thai or Caribbean food, you can find it all in the cafe.

The fun begins again in Festival Park on Sunday, Sept. 26 from noon-6 p.m., with live entertainment, authentic cuisine at the International Café, unique arts and crafts, children’s area and more!

Admission to the festival is free; however, if you want to eat or purchase anything from vendors you’ll need to bring your wallet. For more information, visit www.theartscouncil.com.

There is so much going on at the Crown Center these days that it can be hard to keep it all straight.

With the Cumberland County Agricultural Fair in town, there are even more opportunities for fun and entertainment. You’ll get more than just rides and exhibits there — there are concerts and other events you won’t want to miss, too.

On Sept. 25 come check out the Invitational Step Show.

“The Cumberland County Agricultural Fair “Invitational Stepshow” is a great opportunity to come out and support local elementary, middle and high schools compete to qualify for the North Carolina Championship Stepshow,” said Crown Center Marketing Director Janine Lewis.

Kids of all ages will be performing and strutting their stuff for the audience as they compete to win cash and prizes. The event starts at 5 p.m. and costs $9 at the door.

Another “can’t miss” event — the country music sensation, husband and wife duo, Joey and Rory will be performing with Guy Penrod, former lead singer from the Gaithers on Sept. 23 at 7 p.m.

“The Crown Center and WKML are proud to present the husband and wife country duet, Joey & Rory, winners of the 2010 Academy of Country Music Award for Top New Vocal Duo, during the 2010 Cumberland County Agricultural Fair,” said Lewis.

Joey and Rory got their start on CMT’s hit series Can You Duet in 2008 and quickly became favorites on the show, building a strong fan base that continues to give them success in the country music world. Their music has a classic country sound that is big on harmony and traditional country sounds.

Their version of “Cheater Cheater” was met with wild enthusiasm and went on to become an Internet sensation. “The Life of a Song” was another fan favorite.

The couple is excited about their visit to the fair.

“We are super excited about it,” said Joey. “We are going to sing some songs off our new record, some off our our old record and some songs off the top of our head.” Fame wasn’t something they expected. “We didn’t really ever expect to go on a TV show and to be a singing duo traveling the country and singing country music together,” continued Joey. “We never saw any of that stuff coming, but we are so thankful that it did. We are really thankful that we get the opportunity to be doing this together. We work so well together; we are best friends already and it just makes sense for us to share in this. It also brings a different kind of atmosphere to the stage by us being a married couple. It is like our life is unfolding in front of you. We are sharing a piece of our life and our relationship through stories and song and music.”

For Rory, who has written a lot of well-known songs for other artists, their big break brought his wife, Joey into the spotlight.

“I’ve been a song writer for a long time and my wife has been here at home supporting me and my goals. I’ve been very blessed that she has been sitting in the sidelines for all that time. But while we were doing that she would sing at the kitchen table, and I was well aware of her dreams. She is so talented. We always believed and hoped that someday she would have a chance to be out there performing for people, and now it is here. My favorite part of singing together is that I get to be there as the whole world discovers how great she is.”

Penrod spent 14 years as lead singer with the Gaither Vocal Band before pursuing a solo career. His first solo album, Breathe Deep is meant to bring a new perspective to country music’s best attributes while focusing on his deep roots in faith and family. Fans of the Gaither Vocal Band are sure to enjoy seeing this musical icon on the stage again. Tickets can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com, at the Crown Center Box Offi ce or by calling (800) 745-3000.

Last spring I watched The Long Way Round box set. This DVD set is a mini-series by the BBC featuring actors Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman riding around the world from England to New York. They were riding dual sport or what some people call adventure riding. It gave me an appreciation for a new type of riding and made me realize the world is a big a place with lots of places that I have not explored. I wanted something that would push me and to experience something new on my bike. I found it at the annual Miller’s Adventure.

This years’ Miller’s Adventure is Sept. 18 & 19 at Steel Creek Campground in Morganton, NC. The event is challenging and requires a streelegal dirt or dual-sport bike. The event navigates you on- and off-road zig zagging across the Blue Ridge Parkway and Appalachian Trail through North Carolina and Tennessee. The event is hosted by Ron Miller. He does not give out the route until you get there and receive your “roll chart” directions.

Roll chart are not maps but rather give you distances and turning instructions as you proceed from one point to another. The charts give you distances and turn information (right or left). This method forces you to navigate from start to finish. As I arrived at the event last year, I met up with Rick Lee and we decided to ride together. We took turns on navigational duties with one leading and the other double checking our progress. At each stop we would stop a moment to make sure we was on course. Last year’s trip took us about 120 miles the first day and 100 miles the second.

To prepare for the event I emailed Ron for some advice to see what I was getting into. I asked questions like what experience level do I need, what tires I should have, what equipment I should bring, etc. He was very nice and gave me very detailed suggestions including where to stay.

The event was attended by all ages, even a few in their late 60s. As we rode, Rick was giving me pointers along the way but I was having so much sensory overload with everything going on that I just wasn’t getting what he was saying. It wasn’t until that night while talking with Rick and other riders that I started my education. I say started because I am still learning. With a vast variety of experience present, I was in listening mode to hear advice on such things as tire pressure, body position, weight distribution and equipment needed for dual-sport riding. With so many different bikes and configurations there was only one common detonator I could find. That was the rider and the rider’s experience.

The next day I lowered my tire pressure, changed my riding position, lightened my load and was more mindful of my bike. I truly had to become one with the bike and started focusing on technique (more to follow on this subject).

After the event I was hooked. Up until that point, I had not had that much adrenal pumping in my veins since my jumping days. I felt more alive with every mile I traveled. If you are looking for something new and want to enjoy a challenge and the mountains you can contact Mr. Ron Miller at millerron@ bellsouth.net.

If there is a topic that you would like to discuss, please send your comments and suggestions to motorcycle4fun@aol.com. RIDE SAFE!

(Photo) Miller’s Adventure at Steel Creek Campground in Morganton., NC offers a challenging, but good time.

(Photo) Miller’s Adventure at Steel Creek Campground in Morganton., NC offers a challenging, but good time.

The Cape Fear Regional Theatre has been celebrating imagination for almost 50 years. What better way for the theatre to begin its 49th season than by staging a musical that is all about the celebration of imagination? And, according to Kappy Kilburn, the director of the show, that’s what The Putnam County Spelling Bee is all about.

“During this run, we are going to ask the audience to play along with us,” said Kilburn, a Los Angeles-based director who is working with the theatre for the fi rst time. “We are going to ask them to not sit back in their chairs and watch. There is going to be some audience participation, and we are going to ask them to let their imaginations run free with us during the show.”

As its title suggests, the musical is about a spelling bee in, you guessed it, Putnam County. Held in the local school gym, the spelling bee brings 10 competitors together to test their spelling abilities. Six of those spellers are cast members, while four of the spellers will be a mix of “celebrity” spellers and members of the audience.

“It is a musical about kids being kids and growing up and finding who they are and who they want to be during a spelling bee competition,” continued Kilburn.

“It is a wacky, very eclectic mix of kids between the ages of 10 and 11 years old,” she explained. “It’s that crazy period when their bodies shoot up eight inches and their hormones kick in. It’s that time when you really need your mom’s guidance, but she’s off at an ashram for nine months trying to fi nd herself, and you have to fi gure life out for yourself.”

Kilburn calls the production “the most fun, best music I’ve heard in a while.” She added that there are a couple of ballads, and some really rocking numbers coupled with a lot of dancing and goofi ng off in the school gymnasium. The song “Pandemonium” lives up to its title, she added. “That’s where it all breaks loose.”

Just as this is Kilburn’s fi rst visit to the CFRT stage, it’s also her fi rst production of The Putnam County Spelling Bee.

“I saw the show in LA when the Broadway cast stepped into the tour for a few weeks and loved it,” she said.

While Fayetteville won’t get the Broadway cast, Kilburn says the CFRT cast is not too shabby.

“This is the most brilliant cast. They have been phenomenal to work with, and have been absolutely wonderful and welcoming to an LA outsider coming in,” she said.

While Kilburn may have lived in LA for the past 16 years, she is a southern girl at heart.

“My mother is from Atlanta, Ga., and my brother lives in Wilmington, N.C. My parents retired to the Washington, D.C., area, so I know about the south,” she said. “Coming to Fayetteville was a little bit of a culture shock, but in a good way. It is so much better here. There is a family environment — a graciousness that you don’t see in Los Angeles.

Part of that graciousness will be on display by community notables and audience members who elect to participate in the spelling bee with the cast.

“At each performance there will be four guest spellers that will join our regular six spelling bee contestants,” she said. “We have been pre-scheduling some notable Fayettevillians to join us, but we will also be plucking some unsuspecting people from the audience to play along with us.”

If you are interested in being a part of the cast, you can sign up in the lobby before the show starts.

“They don’t have to worry,” said Kilburn. “They are not going to have to dance or sing, just spell. We will coach them through it. It’s all about having fun with us.”

Kilburn said audience members should leave the show feeling uplifted.

“It is very a very uplifting show. It’s a way of us remembering the joy of us being kids. It’s about our fearlessness in the midst of our confusion in discoving who we are and what we are doing.”

If a speller is eliminated, it’s because they have taken a step forward in discovering who they are. So it’s always fun. I believe that we only grow old when we stop dreaming and this show is a nice reminder of that ideal,” she said.

The show opens Thursday, Sept. 23 and runs through Sunday, Oct. 10. For pricing and show times, visit the website at www. cfrt.org. To purchase tickets, call 323-4233.

4th Friday is always a good time, but this month it is going to be extra special. The Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County has plenty going on as they kick off the International Folk Festival.

“We will host the opening of our Cultural Expressions exhibit on the evening of 4th Friday,” said Arts Council of Fayetteville/ Cumberland County Marketing Manager Mary Kinney.

The exhibit is made up of pieces created by the different cultural groups participating in the International Folk Festival. The call for art included everything from 2D art to sculpture and mixed media.

Several artists will be demonstrating their skills as well.

Participating artists will showcase jewelry design and creation, painting, loom weaving, stenciling and more — including a live performance by Ghanian pop singer Ofori Amponsah.

“He will perform at Friday evenings festivities as well as on the Rainbow stage on Saturday,” said Kinney. “The Arts Council events are really enhanced this month in celebration of the International Folk Festival.”

The downtown shops and galleries will be open late in anticipation of the crowds that routinely fi ll the streets on the fourth Friday of every month. If you are near the Market House check out the Art Guild’s juried exhibition Contemporary Compositions featuring the work of N.C. artists created in 2-D and 3-D including photography, jewelry, pottery and more.

The Cotton Exchange Express will be giving free train rides for kids and their parents. Don’t forget, there is lots of great shopping inside the Cotton Exchange after the train ride!

Sharpen your Ninja skills at Fascinate-U. The Bite Training Center will be doing some martial arts demonstrations and teaching some cool moves, too. It’s free.

At the n2 gallery space at 106 Hay St., Pulitzer Prize-nominated photojournalist Chris Hondros’ works will bedisplayed. The exhibit is entitled “The Current Wars: Images from Iraq and Afghanistan, 2001-2010.”

Hondros has traveled frequently to both countries since 2001 and is one of America’s leading war photographers. His work captures the brutal realities of war as well as the beauty and serenity that can sometimes be found in the more quiet moments in the lives of the soldiers and natives facing such horrors.

“This exhibit really looks at the wars in a very personal, intimate way. I don’t pull any punches on this. Any war is brutal .The Iraq and Afghanistan wars have their share of brutality and some of that is included in the show,” said Hondros. “There are also lighter moments that people might not expect — things that I think are often missing in the coverage of Iraq and Afghanistan — the normal moments of life in these places. Life does go on under any conditions and there is more day to day normalcy in life there than people sometimes realize.”

You may have noticed painters around town last month during the Cape Fear Studios paint out days. The artists captured scenes from around town and will be exhibiting their works in the Plein Air Show through October 20th.

The Headquarters Library always has something interesting going on and 4th Friday is no different. It is hosting a panel discussion with Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistants from Fayetteville State University. There will be visiting scholars from China, Kenya, Nigeria and Kuwait talking about their life experiences and what America means to them. A question and answer session will follow.

“We’ve got some really big events planned this month,” said Kinney. “There is plenty going on downtown for the public to enjoy.”

To find out more, visit www. theartscouncil.com or call 323- 1776.

(Photo top left) July 4th Friday Cotton Exchange train entertains the crowd.

(Photo right)  A photo of General Petraeus taken before the surge of 2007. Taken by Chris Hondros.

Every day, from the moment our feet hit the floor in the morning, we take steps and make moves toward goals. Sometimes these goals are minor. We move towards the post offi ce, the grocery store, towards the laundromat. Other times they are larger, more substantial goals, towards a higher education, a spiritual awakening, a closer relationship with someone we care about. And sometimes the steps that we take can help change the lives of our family, friends or someone we have never even met.

On Sunday, Sept. 19, the community of Fayetteville has an opportunity to progress towards a common goal in The Walk for Lupus, taking place in beautiful Festival Park. This is a great opportunity to get out and show your support for people suffering from this terrible disease, raise money for education and research, and show the 45,000 residents in North Carolina who struggle with this syndrome that they are not alone.

Lupus is a chronic and potentially life threatening autoimmune disease. No cure is in sight and the effects can be devastating, not only for the people suffering but for their friends and families as well. Lynn Rogers, who was diagnosed in 2002, says that having Lupus has drastically changed her life. She has become more health conscious, more aware of the need of others when they become ill and has learned to closely follow the guidance of her physicians. Most importantly, she has learned not to take the simple things in life for granted.

To the walkers, she sends her appreciation. “What they’re doing to raise money for Lupus sufferers is amazing and so selfl ess. Every dollar, every donation, every step is appreciated. It’s amazing what people will do in support of their friends and families, as well as strangers.”

Her daughter, Taleah Grimmage, is standing nearby and chimes in “I think it’s important for the community to show our support for other Lupus sufferers, even if it doesn’t personally affect them. I first started walking when my mother was newly diagnosed, and although she’s doing better now, (Lynn received a replacement kidney in 2004), I know that there are others just like her that still need our help.”

There are two different walks, for all types of physical ability levels. A one mile mini walk around historic downtown Fayetteville or a 5k stroll around the beautiful streets that surround it. If you are not able to physically walk, you can still participate with a Virtual Walker, where you can set up a personalized page to raise money and win prizes.

To find out more visit http://walkforlupusnow.kintera.org/faf/ home/default.asp?ievent=419941.

It is that time of year … (slightly) cooler weather, shorter days, back to school, and the county fair.

The folks at the Crown Center Coliseum Complex are hard at work preparing for the more than 45,000 visitors who come out each year to check out the exhibits, contests, rides and of course the food.

This is the 20th annual Cumberland County Agricultural Fair, and it is scheduled to run from Sept. 16 to Sept. 26. There is a lot going on this year so mark your calendar — you may want to make more than one trip just so you can take in as much of the fun as you can.

Cumberland County Livestock Association, the Cumberland County School System, the Cooperative Extension Service, the local Farm Bureau and several other business and media representatives, along with other volunteers who just have the love for a county fair in their hearts, started working on this year’s fair as soon as last year’s adventure ended.

All of the favorites will be there — the rides, the fair food (think funnel cakes, cotton candy, candy apples and more), the games, the exhibits and competitions.

“I’d like people to know how hard the committee has been working all year long on planning the fair,” said Event Coordinator Hubert Bullard. “There is a ton of entertainment and special attractions — all free once you get into the fair (except the concerts). We have the largest interactive petting zoo in the state, and that includes the state fair. We have several new things this year — the trout fi shing pond is new. Folks can fi sh till they catch a trout. The Star Family Circus is new this year too.”

There are some pretty amazing events lined up too that you won’t want to miss. This year’s event, according to Bullard, features two nights of motor cross racing, professional wrestling, two nights of professional bull riding and each night is full of entertainment showcasing the talents of local singers, dancers and karate groups.

Don’t miss the livestock shows and demonstrations and a sanctioned poultry show. The Cape Fear Cheerleading Championships and the Cumberland County Fair Step Off competition will also be held during the fair.

WKML is working with event organizers to host a country concert that will feature Guy Penrod, the former lead singer for the Gaither Vocal Band, and Joey and Roy, an act that is gaining popularity in the country music scene.

Daily entertainment will include Star Family Circus, Eudora Farms, helicopter rides, trout fi shing — catch & release, bumblebee monster truck rides, chain saw carving demonstrations, toddler driving school and camel and pony rides.

Special events will include Hispanic Day (Sept. 18), Senior Day (Sept. 24) along with Motorcross Weekend (Sept. 17 - 18), Diaper Derby and Parent Olympics (Sept.18), Fair Queens Pageant (Sept. 18), Ring Wars Carolina Professional Wrestling (Sept. 21), Cape Fear Cheerleading Contest (Sept. 16), Cumberland County Invitational Step Show (Sept. 25) and bull riding championships (Sept. 19 & 25).

“We change up our entertainment and add new things every year,” said Bullard. “We also have a number of live stock shows and hundreds of livestock exhibits, too.”

Honestly, there really is something for everyone at the fair, and Bullard and the other fair organizers look forward to seeing their efforts pay off once the fair opens and the crowds start pouring in.

“My favorite thing is seeing folks have a good time — especially the children.” said Bullard. “To see their smiling faces and know that people leave the fair with a warm fuzzy feeling — then we’ve achieved our mission.”

They are even making it easier than ever to avoid the crowds at the gates by offering advance ticket sales to the public. The $20 entry fee includes admission, unlimited rides and more than $25 in coupons for free food and drinks at the fair.

Tickets can be purchased until close of business on the day before the fair begins at local ticket outlets around the city and county and at the Crown Coliseum box offi ce. For the first time this year, tickets can also be purchased from Ticketmaster. Call 438-4100 for additional information. Look for special discount days too. Students get in free on Sept. 22, the military (and military family members) get a discount on Sept. 21 and on the last day of the fair patrons who bring a church bulletin will get in free, too.

To find out more, visit www.cumberlandcountyfair.org or call 309-5785.

Photo: The fair runs through Sept. 26. Don’t miss it!

This week marks a couple of anniversaries. They aren’t the kind that you celebrate, rather the kind that you look back on and probably shed a few tears over and then give thanks that you or your family or your friends made it through.

I’m sure you have figured out by now that I am talking about the anniversaries of 9/ll and Katrina. Both impacted our nation in very real, very painful ways and both found our nation unprepared.

I look back on pre- 9/11 days and marvel at the total lack of security we had in our communities. Think about it: Fort Bragg had just started putting up gates a year or so prior to 9/11, and none of them were staffed. I wasn’t at Fort Bragg’s command center the evening of 9/11, but I know it had to be chaotic. Within a few short hours, Fort Bragg became a veritable fortress.

As I tried to get to work on Sept. 12, I was met with a parking lot on All American. I left my home at 6:30 a.m. and drove to my baby’s daycare on Morganton Road. I got on All American at a little after 7 a.m., and I didn’t walk in the doors of Womack Army Medical Center, where I worked at the time, until after 5 p.m. Everything was stymied. No one really knew what to do, and none of us knew what to expect.

I did not expect to spend a whole day on the All American. I didn’t expect to field phone calls from the hospital’s PAO office all day on my personal cell phone, but I did. Imagine my surprise when I got my telephone bill and it was more than $300.

To me, having my vehicle searched by armed soldiers at the checkpoint for the post, and again at the checkpoint for the hospital, was like something out of a movie. That didn’t happen in our country. Not in my America. But when the Towers fell, our innocence was ripped apart, and the things that we saw on newsreel from foreign countries became our reality.

As I inched my way to post that day, I knew that our lives were forever changed. As a military spouse, I expected my husband to go on training missions and to be gone for a few weeks at a time. Never, in my wildest dreams did I ever think that the infant I dropped off that morning would grow to a 10-yearold, and have his dad deployed to war for more than five of those years.

That morning, as I grumbled about the wait, I couldn’t begin to perceive the loss of talented, caring people who have made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our nation. That wasn’t our America. But it is now.

None of us expected 9/11, but we have adapted because of it. We have changed. And it has made us stronger.

Katrina had a different impact on us. For some, the devestation of the storm shook their faith in our government’s ability to respond to us in crisis. I remember vividly watching the devestation in New Orleans through the lens of news reporters. They brought the hopelessness and the misery into our homes. We couldn’t think about being those people. They were our neighbors, even though they were miles away.

Like New York stood back up in the days and weeks following 9/11, New Orleans staggered to its feet and in its finest tradition thumbed its nose at chaos and chose to come back to life.

If the anniversary of these two events is to be more than sadness, it should be a celebration of the strength of our nation. A testament to our unfaltering ability to get back up when we are knocked down, and a witness to the way we care for one another.