It’s rare that a body of original works of art is exhibited in Fayetteville, N.C. It is rarer still, that our community has the opportunity to experience, fi rst hand, the expansive richness and diversity of African-American art in one exhibition. Art of the Masters: A Survey of African-American Images, 1980-2000 is such an exhibit and opens Jan. 22 during 4th Friday at the Arts Council of Fayetteville and Cumberland County at 301 Hay Street.

After opening at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in New York City, Fayetteville is the traveling exhibit’s only stop in the Southeast before moving on to Chicago. How the exhibit was scheduled to stop in Fayetteville is equally relevant — especially when the economy remains a signifi cant concern for people and businesses.

The Back Story

For Calvin Mims, arts services director at the Arts Council, and Dwight Smith, instructor of painting at Fayetteville State University, it all began with an outing last year to the North Carolina Art Museum in Raleigh. The men were attending a social event hosted by the Durham Friends of African and African- American Art to unveil the newly purchased sculpture titled Tippy Toes by Allison Saar at the museum. A crowded event, Mims and Smith left with the idea that Fayetteville was ready for such an organization.

With the support of Deborah Mintz, president of the Arts Council, Mims created a steering committee to plan events and begin the fundraising for the Arts Council’s new affi liate — Fayetteville’s Friends of African and African American-Art, known as FAAA.

What began as an effort by Mims, Smith and the steering committee to collect $25 memberships for the FAAA grew into major sponsorships by local businesses and an institution of higher learning to make it possible for Art of the Masters and its suopporting events to become a reality in Fayetteville.

Art of the Masters is touring exhibit through the National Conference of Artists, Michigan Chapters. Specifi c to the exhibition, Mims had this to say, “The purpose of bringing the Art of the Masters exhibition to Fayetteville is to continue our mission at the Arts Council of educating the community of the breadth and depth of contemporary creativity in the African- American community.”

The Exhibit

Visitors to Art of the Masters will experience fi rst hand, the “depth and breadth” of four generations of artists in the African-American community by seeing more than 60 original works of art from 36 national and international artists. Original works by most of the major African-American artists already included in art-history texts are on exhibit. Works by John Biggers, Elizabeth Catlett, Jacob Lawrence, Robert Colescott, Betye Saar, Benny Andrews, David Driskell, Sam Gilliam and many others are there for visitors to the Arts Council to view not just once, but several times.

To view such a renowned group of internationally known artists is to celebrate the importance of these works. Halima Taha, art historian at the Museum of Modern Art, best states this opportunity in the exhibit’s catalogue introduction: “Within the concluding quarter of the 20th century, African-American art — specifi cally functioning within the collective activity of artists, dealers, collectors, curators, auction houses and critics — has become the most actively sought work by private and institutional collectors worldwide. Major collectors of American art are recognizing the historic and aesthetic gaps in their American art collections; and African-American artists are combining a rich and diverse blend of aesthetic traditions from Africa, Asia, Europe, the Caribbean and the Americas. Consequently they are attracting an international audience of collectors to a varied aesthetic with a historic precedent since 1793.”

The varied aesthetic Taha refers to will become immediately obvious. The use of patterns in the works of Frank Smith, Murray Norman DePillars, Willis “Bing” Davis and Shirley Woodson are in contrast to the watery abstraction of Samella Lewis, the stark realism of Hugh Grannum, or the fl oating “Mumbo Jumbo” of Betye Saar.

The Educational Component

Rosenthal Gallery, on the campus of Fayetteville State University, partnered with the Arts Council to host an educational component to the exhibition. Thirty educational panels about most of the artists have been prepared and installed at Rosenthal Gallerty to educate visitors about the artists, including quotes from the artists, biographies, their infl uences and references to the styles of each artist.

Visitors to Rosenthal Gallery can read information about the works before or after they visit the Arts Council to see the original works. While seeing the abstracted fl oating iconographic symbols of Betye Saar, the educational panel includes a quote from the artist’s Web site which gives us insight into her purpose: “I am intrigued with combining the remnant of memories, fragments of relics and ordinary objects, with the components of technology. It’s a way of delving into the past and reaching into the future simultaneously.”

In the case of Sam Gilliam, visitors will learn that he was part of the late abstract expressionist movement that took place with a group of painters in Washington, D. C. Gilliam is attributed as the fi rst artist to paint on stretched canvasses that hung without the support of stretcher bars.

Collectors, art patrons and students of art history will be familiar with the themes of Robert Colescott — satire and social commentary on race, sex and interracial relationships. But it is North Carolina native John Biggers, who is most known in this region by the general public. Biggers was born in 1924 and is one of the pillars of modern African-American art.

An example of the information you will discover about John Biggers in Rosenthal Gallery is the following: “… Biggers became interested in the continent of Africa while attending Lincoln Academy. The principal, previously a missionary in West Africa, urged his students to learn and value African culture. Biggers later attended Hampton Institute, where his Professor Viktor Lowenfeld, a Jewish immigrant from Nazi Germany, re-enforced in him the signifi cance of studying his African heritage. Lowenfeld also introduced him to the art of the Mexican muralists, a style for which he is best known. While at Hampton, artists and intellectuals such as Charles White and Elizabeth Catlett, Hale Woodruff and Dr. Alain Locke infl uenced Biggers’ work.”

His quote on the educational panel in Rosenthal Gallery refl ects the teacher in Dr. John Biggers: “I … see art not primarily as an individual expression of talent, but as a responsibility to refl ect the spirit and style of Negro people. It became an awesome responsibility to me, not a fun thing at all.”

For many that quote rings true, particularly today, about the need for artists, people in a community and agencies in a community to be responsible for, as the artist Romare Bearden once said, “Adding to our existing concept of reality.”

Parallel to the meaning of the words of Bearden, Dr. James Anderson, chancellor of Fayetteville State University, had this to say about the Art of the Masters exhibit and the educational component in Rosenthal Gallery, “Few things are more wondrous than the moment when the image of an artist moves the spirit and opens a new reality to a viewer. The work of each of these renowned artists represents a national treasure that serves as visual evidence of the vast range of the human experience. Savor the complexities of color, form and fi gure with a child’s inquisitive eye and each picture will have a differentmeaning for each viewer.”

The Lecture Series

Another educational component of the Art of the Masters includes a series of lectures scheduled at Rosenthal Gallery and the Arts Council during the exhibit by local university art professors. The Chancellors’ Distinguished Speaker Series at Fayetteville State University is sponsoring a special event, a lecture in Seabrook Auditorium by the historically important artist David Driskell.

Driskell is a renowned painter, collector of art and is one of the leading authorities on the subject of African-American art and the black artist in American society. His paintings can be found in major museums and private collections worldwide. \Driskell has written several books. His essays on African-American art have appeared in major publications throughout the world, and he has written more than 40 catalogues for exhibitions he has curated.

Although Driskell is known for many achievements, since 1977 Professor Driskell has served as cultural adviser to Bill and Camille Cosby as the curator of the Cosby Collection of Fine Arts. In 2000, in a White House Ceremony, Professor Driskell received the National Humanities Medal from President Bill Clinton.

In addition, a lecture and book signing by Driskell for local- and regionalart students at colleges and universities has been scheduled at the Arts Council. The Arts Council is also sponsoring activities for children and has developed a study guide.

The Schedule

Art of the Masters is a different type of exhibit in Fayetteville that runs from Jan. 22 to March 6. It is not something you visit once, people in the community and the surrounding counties have two months to return the Arts Council or Rosenthal Gallery to refl ect on how, according to Chancellor Anderson, “An artist moves the spirit and opens a new reality to a viewer.” In addition, throughout the months of January to early March many free events have been planned around the exhibition.

Being highly aware of all the effort and work that went into the fi rst year of FAAA, resulting in the Art of the Masters and its scheduled events, it’s easy to take the bigger picture for granted. Mintz stated, “The most wonderful part of FAAA and the exhibit is that it is truly a community endeavor. People from the community came together to raise the money for the exhibit, develop the activities and create the educational components — every piece was planned and undertaken by individuals in the community. It is a community production, sponsored by the many individuals who joined the $25 membership and sponsors from organizations and businesses.”

All the activities are free and open to the public. For a complete list of the events, visit www.TheArtsCouncil.com. Call the Arts Council at 910-323-1776 for information or to schedule a time to have a large group tour Art of the Masters at the Arts Council.

It’s easy to see David McCormick is a visual artist with a sense of humor. Titles like Cloning of America, Miss America and On My Honor all lead us into his world of humor — add skillfulness and an underlying serious message.

McCormick is the first “must-see” exhibit of the 2010 exhibition schedule at Gallery 208, located at Up and Coming Weekly on Rowan Street. Visitors who attend the opening reception or the exhibit later will see a large body of work by a highly respected and extremely skillful artist. An artist who admits his work is “more of an introspective journey.”

The opening reception for McCormick’s one man exhibition is on Thursday, Jan. 21, 2010 between the hours of 5:30-7:00 p.m. Visitors to the reception will fi nd McCormick to be likeable, his work colorful and a mixed media blast of materials — gouache, India Ink, enamel paint, acrylic paint, pastels, pencil, wax crayon, textural papers, kinds of cardboard, cloth photographs, wire, embroidery thread and more.

David McCormick has been the Chair of the Art Department at Southeastern Community College in Whiteville, N.C., since 1993. Local artists who visit the exhibit may recognize his works from a local exhibition or competition. The indulgence now is to be able to see a large body of his work and to see a body of work that is very different than what is being created in the immediate area.

Earning his Master of Arts from New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas, N.M., McCormick’s major was painting with a minor in drawing. The drawing in his work is a testament to his exceptional skill level; his drawing is the underpinning of his style.

In the work titled On My Honor (pictured above) a group of Boy Scouts are all seated in an outdoor setting. McCormick then adds a series of likely and unlikely objects across the surface of the mixed-media work to prompt perplexity and raise questions about their purpose in the work. A supersized snake slithers across the surface of the picture plane in contrast to a series of diagonal marks, the Boy Scout insignia fl oats, and a small fi re is blazing in the right corner. Details, pattern and repetition unify the variety of textures.

In the mixed media painting titled Cats, McCormick celebrates the idea of “catness” in his sophisticated use of color, contrast of shapes, mixing text and the pictorial, line and plane, washes and opacity. Just as he uses a mix of mediums, he also uses a mix of elements of art and design to create a unifi ed work.

The artist will briefl y speak at the reception and answer questions about his work. McCormick will address the direction of his artworkand how it “has evolved to become more auto-biographical in recent years.”

He stated, “I believe it’s a given that most creative people in the arts draw on their lives for their work, but I intentionally used my life experiences for this body of work. I recollected both positive and negative influences, actions, people and events that have impacted my thinking and incorporated it all into my artwork. As a result, the artwork has become increasingly, very personal.”

In talking to McCormick about this body of work he shared that he did not want to only show the autobiographical direction, but that he wanted to share some of the positive and negative infl uences. He noted, “The work titled One Small Step is a celebration of my time when I worked at NASA and the Apollo program as an artist. The painting titled Cats simply expresses my love of the many felines I have owned.

“Others are much darker and sadder and double as an attempt to work things out for myself. The work titled Eye of the Storm is about a bad relationship; Skyway is about the growing pains of boyhood; and the work titled 621 Mockingbird is about an early lesson on the preciousness of beauty and life,” he continued.

For me, the best thing about seeing the body of work by McCormick is that his work is fresh and very different from what people in the area are accustomed to seeing. Not only does he rely heavily upon drawing in his work, but he also has an exacting way in which he approaches the narrative in painting and drawing. He has a masterful use of composition, layout and design.

His personal history as an artist is interesting and varied. Between earning two degrees, he worked in Houston for several years in two different television stations as an artist, cameraman, set constructor, light technician and photographer.

Early in his artistic career McCormick worked for Lockheed Electronics and TRW, Inc. as a graphic artist and draftsman. Both corporations were under contract to NASA and were related to the space program or the Earth Resources Program. McCormick worked on the Apollo missions 11, 12 and 13. Later he worked at NASA for several years as a technical artist before becoming a college art educator.

During the past 27years he has worked at four different educational institutions in four states: Kansas, Wyoming, Louisiana and North Carolina. McCormick is in his 16th year at Southeastern Community College.

At Southeastern McCormick teaches art classes, doubles as the gallery director, created and has managed two annual national shows during the past 12 years: Watermark and Frameless. A dedicated member of the faculty he has taken students and faculty on seven different tours to Europe and will be on his eighth tour to England this May.

McCormick’s expertise is evident in the more than 100 one-person exhibitions, national competitions and invitational exhibitions he has participated in during the last 25 years. To name only a limited number of the places he has exhibited would include St. John’s Museum of Art in Wilmington, N.C., The Downtown Gallery in New Orleans, Gallerie Verlag in Vienna, Austria, International Gallery in Kanazawa, Japan, and Southdown Museum in Houma, La.

Visitors to Gallery 208 will quickly understand why McCormick was selected to be the fi rst artist in an exhibition schedule coordinated by the newly formed Visual Art Alliance. During the year each member organization of the alliance will assume the responsibility of coordinating an exhibit.

Works by David McCormick was coordinated by Chris Kastner, executive director of the Cape Fear Studios. Works by David McCormick opens Jan. 21, at 5:30 p.m. and closes in early March. Visitors who do not attend the open reception can see the exhibit during regular work week hours at Gallery 208, Monday-Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. For information call Kastner at the Cape Fear Studios, (910) 433-2986.

“Discrimination is a hellhound that gnaws at Negroes in every waking moment of their lives to remind them that the lie of their inferiority is accepted as truth in the society dominating them.” Martin Luther King, Jr.

What would Martin Luther King, Jr. say about the present state of America? He had a dream for freedom, opportunity, and justice for all. In a turbulent time in America’s history, King was a voice of change, a voice of reason, a voice of vision.

On Jan. 18, the Fayetteville/Cumberland County Ministerial Council will celebrate that voice, that dream and that vision at the 17th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Prayer Breakfast. The event will be held at the Charlie Rose Agri-Expo Center from 7:30 -10 a.m.

The guest speaker at the prayer breakfast will be Fayetteville State University’s Chancellor James A. Anderson. Anderson came to FSU in June 2008 from the University of Albany in New York where he served as vice president for student success and vice provost for institutional assessment and diversity. He was also a professor in the department of psychology.

“I think it is important to talk about not only the vision and the kind of framework that Dr. King addressed, but to talk about it both in its historical context and how we need to almost retranslate his language to talk about it in the 21st century,” said Anderson. “We have young people and more diverse groups who may not understand the original context of Dr. King’s message.”

Anderson added that one of the things he wants to focus on in his message is Fayetteville as a community and what it means in the context of a message like Dr. King’s and other great leaders to come together as a community to be successful in terms of our economic and human rights transformation.

“I was honored to be asked by the Minister’s Council to serve as the speaker of the prayer breakfast because that’s a group I think so highly of,” said Anderson. “I am glad that there has been such a good response in terms of people who want to participate in this event.”

Individual tickets are $18. Corporate and group sponsorships are available. For more information call 672-1474 or 868-9640.

Some things never go out of style. The little black dress and a simple string of pearls. A ’66 Mustang convertible. And the Doo Wop music of the ‘50s and ‘60s. Who can help but sing along and dance a bit when hearing such hits as “Only You” and “My Girl” and “Under the Boardwalk”? Good times, good times.

Chime in and groove to these and other classic tunes when Myles Savage and the Stars from The Platters, The Coasters, The Drifters and The Temptations Salute the Troops during their “Farewell Tour” with a performance at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 23, at Methodist University’s Reeves Auditorium. Funds will be raised for V.W.F (Veterans of Foreign Wars) Post #6018 and V.W.F. Post #670, Fayetteville, N.C.

In a recent phone interview, Savage, who was recruited as the lead singer for The Platters in 1976, explained the tour’s title.

“Well, farewell in the sense that all of us have our solo careers that we’re going off to. I’m looking forward to going to opera. I’ve always wanted to do that.”

Savage will be joined by Barry Gunn, lead singer from Cornell Gunter’s Coasters; Ira Greig, lead singer from Beary Hobb’s Drifters and Wolf Johnson from Richard Street’s Temptations as each performs his group’s hits, backed by members of the other groups.

And it’s a long farewell, thanks to the popularity of their music and dynamic performances.

“We started off about eight years ago after playing the Sahara Hotel and Casino. The bill at that time was The Platters, The Coasters and The Drifters. I met a Temptations friend in Las Vegas,” said Savage, “and he said, ‘Hey, you know what? Why don’t we put together a tour that would encompass going around the world to all the nooks and crannies, and we’ll call it the “Farewell Tour” of the Stars of The Platters, The Coasters, The Drifters and The Temptations.’ And so we did, and it’s been continuously touring because people just keep asking us to come, no matter where we are. They ask us to come, so we’re just very, very happy to have such a wide and large market for the music of the ‘50s and ‘60s, even though the radio stations have basically dropped their ‘50s and early ‘60s format. The people, when they fi nd that we’re coming to town, just crawl out of the woodwork because they want to hear their music. It’s the baby boomers who want to hear their music, and we’re so happy to bring it to them with some of the members who actually have sung with the groups that made these wonderful hits famous so many, many years ago. We’re just overwhelmed. It’s just more popular that we thought it would be.”

And these “Royalties of Doo Wop” don’t expect their audience to take their farewell sitting down as they listen to “The Great Pretender,” “Charlie Brown,” “Poison Ivy,” “My Girl,” “Get Ready” and “Up On The Roof.”

“We make our show an audience participation show because it’s not just for us to sing the songs. We like people to get involved. Once they get involved, they have a fantastic time,” Savage said. “I had one lady tell me she came in with a cane and she had to throw it down and start dancing, so I guess the music must be healing. We do the shake, the rattle and the roll. We do the Twist, and everyone’s twisting out there. We see these grandmas and great grandmothers twisting out there, and it’s just a fantastic time.

“It’s so delightful to hear after the show, when people say, ‘Oh, my gosh, you made me feel like I was 16 years old again,’ and that’s just wonderful. It just brings back some fantastic memories, but we also make some memories on each night of the concert. All of us are veteran entertainers from over 40 years of performing, and we know how to go out in the audience and just have a good time. Everyone’s dancing. It’s 1955 or 1956 all over again.”

All along the tour, the stars have raised money for veterans of foreign wars.

“We have veterans of foreign wars all over the country, and we raise money for their community projects. It’s our opportunity to serve them because they have served us so well,” said Savage. “They come to the show, they stand and I acknowledge them on songs like “My Prayer.” We just enjoy serving. We’ve raised over $2,500 in many venues, sometimes $3,000.”

After a recent show in Wilmington, N.C., Savage looked across the Cape Fear River at the USS North Carolina, and a sign caught his eye.

“It said, ‘All gave some, and some gave all.’ And I know that our group is doing the right thing, and we’re proud to do it.”

Savage noted that in challenging times, people want to feel good, and music lets them do just that.

“Oh, yeah, especially in times like these. We try to keep our ticket price very low so that everybody can come out and enjoy it. The music’s for everybody. It always was at that time, and our philosophy is to keep it at a price that people can afford. We just want to have a good time.”

Tickets for the performance are available at V.F.W. Post 6018, 116 Chance Street, (910) 323-3755; Brooks “Pro” Sound, Lighting and Video, 715 West Rowan Street, (910) 483-7160 or through TicketsWest, 1-866-464-2626 or www.ticketswest.com. Tickets range in price from $25 to $35.

Hoping to start the new year off with some interesting entertainment?

Look no further than Givens Performing Arts Center at UNC Pembroke. They’ve got an assortment of productions that cover a variety of tastes.

“We really have a world class line up for the end of our season,” said Givens Performing Arts Center Director of Marketing Tasha Oxendine. “We scan the globe for great entertainment and we have a lot of really fun things coming up. There is truly something for everyone.”

The lineup kicks off Jan. 19 with a performance by the Band of the Irish Guards at 8 p.m. Queen Victoria formed this group in 1900 to commemorate the bravery of the Irish Regiments who fought in the South African campaigns. With 49 musicians, the band plays for the Mounting of the Queens Guard at Buckingham Palace and on other ceremonial occasions like Royal Weddings, State Visits and theQueen’s Birthday Parade.

“The Band of the Irish Guard — the Queens band — is an opportunity to see one of the best bands in the world,” said Oxendine. “They performed for Queen Victoria at royal functions, and have a distinguished history.”

The band has toured around the world visiting many countries including Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Switzerland and Japan to name just a few. This tour marks their debut in the U.S.

Tickets are priced between $5 and $33. The performance starts at 8 p.m.

On Jan. 21, former WNBA all-star Sheryl Swoopes will be speaking at 7:30 p.m. as part of the Distinguished Speaker Series.

Swoopes has an impressive athletic resume. She’s a three-time gold medal winning Olympian, a four-time WNBA all-star leading vote getter, three-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, the 2002 WNBA MVP and the fi rst female athlete to receive a shoe endorsement from Nike – the Air Swoopes. She’s also the founder of the Sheryl Swoopes Foundation for Youth.

As part of the Nostalgia Concert Series, Let’s Get Down Tonight, featuring the Boogie Wonder Band will be rockin’ the night away on Jan. 23. Think bell bottoms, disco balls, platform shoes and leisure suits as the the performers bring back the greatest hits of the ‘70s.

The 10-piece band features singers Stardust, Kat Brown and JJ Martinez, backed by Boogie Cindy (bass), Luke Andersen (drums), Eddie Toussaint (percussion), Jack Wrangler (guitar), Erotic Eric (sax), Dr. Tony Fever (trumpet) and Chico Murphy (keys), playing “I Will Survive,” “Jungle Boogie,” “That’s the Way I Like It,” “I Love the Nightlife,” “It’s Raining Men” and much more. In their 11 years of touring more than 300 cities, the Boogie Wonder Band has shared the stage with Kool and the Gang and the late Rick James.

Tickets cost between $5 and $24. The performance begins at 8 pm.

Return to the ‘80s with Robbie Hart — everyone’s favorite wedding singer. That is until he is left at the altar. Broken hearted, he turns every wedding performance into a disaster. Enter Julia, a charming waitress who wins his heart — unfortunately she is already spoken for. Can Hart win the girl of his dreams away from her successful stockbroker fi ancé? 

Hailed by the Wall Street Journal as “among the most ingenious and amusing musical adaptations of a Hollywood fi lm ever to reach Broadway,” The Wedding Singer is based on the 1998 hit fi lm starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore. 

There will be a faux wedding reception following the performance. The show begins at 8 p.m. on Jan 28. Tickets are between $12 and $32.

The On Stage for Youth Series features the children’s classic Are You My Mother? A baby bird hatches. Her mother is no where to be found. Baby bird sets off to fi nd her mom. Based on P.D. Eastman’s book, this program is for the K-2 audience. Tickets are $7-10. Show time is 10 a.m. on Feb. 5.

The Web site www.uncp.edu/gpac has plenty of details and info about other upcoming events at Givens, or give them a call at 521-6287.

The Jonas Brothers and Hannah Montana are icons and they reign supreme in the minds of most young people. In my generation, the Jackson Five reigned supreme. I, (along with three friends), used to practice for hours the ways we would approach the front door of the Jackson compound in Encino, Calif., and boldly knock on the front door. We would scream and laugh about what our reactions would be if either of the Jacksons opened the door and greeted us. We collected every printed picture of the group and plastered them on our bedroom walls. We bought every album. Oh…to be 12-years-old again.

Emma Carter is 12-yearsold but instead of shrieking and screaming over today’s music superstars, she’s enjoying listening to — and making music of a different kind — Christian music. Carter also reigns as this year’s Young Miss Fayetteville Dogwood Festival. She received the highest interview score of all the contestants in the pageant. This very talented and gifted young lady makes no apologies for her faith and her strong Christian beliefs. She’s not afraid to talk openly about Jesus (who she accepted when she was only 7) and to share her faith with others.

Carter admits that the challenges she faces are similar to those of other 12-year-olds. She has non-Christian friends whom she enjoys being around but sometimes feels the pressures to listen to secular music or be influenced in other negative ways. However, she cares about her friends and just prays that she stays on track and continues to live for Christ around them.

Music has been a part of her life since she was born. Her grandparents, Jay and Mary Stone, formed the Southern gospel group, The Jay Stone Singers. Until recently, The Stones, their son Jeff Stone (of Cape Fear Music Center) and the Carter family (Bobby, Sharona, Stone and Emma) all performed together. The group has been mainly comprised of the Carter family, with Emma and Stone playing various instruments. Emma is also very active in her local church youth choir and has won many music awards, both locally and nationally.

She loves all types of Christian music but she has a few favorites which include Toby Mac and Group 1 Crew. She said that the difference between contemporary Christian music and secular music is the lyrics and that people should listen to the message in the songs.

Her advice to young people who are wrestling with how to live for God and avoid peer pressure is they should “Pray every night when they have a problem and read their Bible because that always helps me.”

For booking information, please visit www. JayStoneSingers.com

Fayetteville Technical Community College has received a $35,000 gift from The Wachovia Wells Fargo Foundation. Jerry Dean, senior vice president and market president of Wachovia Community Banking, presented the check at FTCC on Dec. 1 to FTCC President Dr. Larry Keen and Susan Ellis, department chair, FTCC Dental Hygiene Department.

The money will be used in support of the Dental Hygiene Department’s Equipment Plan.

“Fayetteville Technical Community College is honored to receive this generous gift from The Wachovia Wells Fargo Foundation. We are also gratifi ed by the trust and confi dence that The Wachovia Wells Fargo Foundation has placed in FTCC as evidenced by their contribution. With the fi nancial help of our corporate citizens, our community colleges can achieve goals at a higher level, with the end results being the ultimate benefi t of our students and the communities we serve,” said Keen.

FTCC’s graduates from the past eight Dental Hygiene classes have achieved a 100 percent pass rate on the National Dental Hygiene Board Exam. FTCC graduates have also enjoyed exemplary pass rates on the state/national licensing exams as well as high job-placement rates following graduation.

Spring 2010 Registration Ends Jan. 9

The Spring 2010 Registration cycle at FTCC is quickly coming to a close for classes that begin the week of Jan. 11.

Current students can register for classes from Jan. 6-9:

• Use Web Advisor (www.faytechcc.edu)

• Contact Faculty Advisor (Jan. 6-7

• Open Registration (Jan. 6-9)

Newly approved students can register for classes from Jan. 6-9:

• Contact Faculty Advisor (Jan. 6-7)

• Open Registration (Jan. 6-9) Open Registration is available from Jan, 6-9, at the Tony Rand Student Center on Main Campus, at the Spring Lake Campus and at the Fort Bragg Soldier Development Center, as follows:

• Jan. 6, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

• Jan.7, 9 a.m. -6 p.m.

• Jan. 8, 12-4 p.m.

• Jan. 9, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. (Main Campus/ Spring Lake Campus)

Fayetteville Technical Community College was established in 1961 and serves more than 34,000 students annually by providing150 affordable occupational, technical, general education, college transfer and continuing-education programs to meet students’ needs and desires as well as the needs of the community.

2010 marks the beginning of a new decade that will be one of the most important periods of time since Fayetteville’s birth nearly 250 years ago. We have the opportunity to not only grow and prosper but to transform the culture and economy of our community and improve the lives of future generations.

This is truly Fayetteville’s time. During this traditional time of making New Year’s resolutions let us resolve to enjoy these special times and to be thankful for the many blessings we have as well as ensuring we seize the opportunities in front of us.

The signs of positive change are clear and all around us. It only requires that we pay attention to the subtle but unmistakable signs of a community transforming itself into a culturally diverse and economically vibrant city that is poised to lead North Carolina.

In the past several years, the growth in our local economy received national attention with Fayetteville now ranking 13th out of 366 urban areas in the entire country for growth. Our housing market led the entire nation and was even recognized in Parade magazine. Our school system had the highest percentage of schools meeting federal benchmarks among North Carolina’s largest school systems. Newsmax magazine ranked Fayetteville among the 25 cities in the country that best express American values. The number of passengers departing and arriving at our airport saw double-digit increases, in spite of a national business recession. A higher percentage of people had jobs in the greater Fayetteville area than most places in the entire state and nation.

Local taxes and fees in Fayetteville ranked 27th among North Carolina’s largest cities according to state reports. We were ranked among the best mid-sized cities in which to locate a business. Fayetteville’s per-capita income grew by 7.7 percent, ranking us Number 1 in North Carolina and 12th in the entire United States. We’ve opened military contracting offices for new names like Boeing and Booze Allan Hamilton and grown our own with K3, RLM and the Logistics Company. Hundreds of our local citizens got involved in helping position this community for well-planned growth. We saw young professionals move here or return home in increasing numbers and begin to take their roles in leading us forward.

And the new year looks just as exciting as we break ground on the $15 million North Carolina Veterans Park and the Hope VI project with its projected $113 million investment in our city. We will begin to see the arrival of the first wave of well-paying Department of Defense jobs with the relocation of the U.S. Army Forces Command and the U.S. Army Reserve Command. We will continue to address the visual blight and rebuild our city. And we will see our beloved military come home to their families and to the community watching over them.

We, as a community, will have to find solutions to our challenges. We won’t have the funding in place to build all the schools and roads we need. Parking is a growing issue in our downtown. We still too often see the plight of poverty and the homeless. Crime continues to challenge even our best efforts. We still wrestle with the challenges of rapid growth and the impact of a tightening state budget. And there is never enough money to do all that needs to be done.

But we have been so richly blessed, and we know the great things happening here are not happening in other cities around the country.

Perhaps Fayetteville’s greatest blessing is that we have come to a true understanding of what we are and an even greater appreciation of what we can become.

We are in the midst of a cultural and economic transformation unmatched in our proud history. It will require our best efforts, yours and mine, to make sure we take full advantage of the many opportunities coming our way. I encourage you to get involved in our journey to an even greater city. Volunteer for a board or commission, help a child, reach out to feed the homeless, thank a military family, tell friends about the great city we are becoming, and pray for God’s continued blessings on each of us.

Ten years from now people won’t remember who the mayor or city council was, but they will know that this city changed and that those changes improved the quality of life for all of our citizens for generations to come.

May God bless you during this New Year season and may God continue to bless our great city.

Wow, I’m glad 2010 is here and we have closed out a decade most of us would like to forget.

Really!

Ahhhhh, this is the first issue of the brand new year and, now, only 51 more to go and we are definitely up to the task. Many people I know have made out their New Year’s resolution lists, but me, I only have a “wish list” and I will gladly share it with you:

I wish … our local economy would continue to stabilize and grow. I wish … the Fayetteville Museum of Art would reestablish its venues and restore dignity and harmony in the arts community.

I wish … a parking deck would get built in Downtown Fayetteville and in the “correct” location.

I wish … the city would get around to repaving Russell Street.

I wish … that Gov. Purdue would continue to fight for and be an advocate of keeping convicted murderers, rapists and child molesters in jail... for life.

I wish … our downtown city leaders and developers would come to realize the damage the “parking gestapo” is doing to the morale and positive image of our city. Their frenzy and enthusiasm to issue parking tickets has almost made it a recreational sport.

I wish … the end of extreme political correctness when it defies common sense and threatens our safety, welfare and quality-of-life.

I wish … for an honest Congress that starts listening and respecting the wishes of their constituents.

I wish … for greater transparency at all levels of government and the end of partisan “pay-to-play” politics that is making a mockery of Constitutional Rights.

I wish … the Cumberland Country leadership would make an exerted effort to cooperate with the City of Fayetteville for the betterment of all Cumberland County residents.

I wish … to see the Prince Charles Hotel demolished so our downtown can develop with dignity.

I wish … the American judicial system would begin to respect the rights of crime victims with as much conviction, vigor and vitality as they do the rights of criminals.

I wish … we would allocate more money toward Cumberland County’s children. They are our best investments in our future.

I wish … we would continue to enhance efforts to beautify our city.

Finally, and my biggest wish of all, is the safe and swift return of the thousands of dedicated and patriotic military men and women serving our country around the world. Our hearts, thoughts and prayers go out to them and their families each and every day.

Well, I’m not done yet but I have run out of space. This is my short list.

If you have a wish for our community and would like to share it please email me at bbowman@upandcomingweekly. com. I would love to hear from you.

In the meantime, thanks for reading and supporting Up & Coming Weekly.If you would like to receive the VIP Early Bird Edition of Up & Coming Weekly register for a free subscription at www.upandcomingweekly. com. Again, thanks for readin

If you ask Mayor Tony Chavonne what he thinks about the upcoming year, you are going to get an earful. Chavonne sees 2010 as the pivotal year for the city in a lot of different ways. It is his job, along with the members of the Fayetteville City Council, to ensure that everything is done to capitalize on the city’s momentum going into 2010 and move the city forward. It’s a job he takes seriously.

“This is a very critical year for us,” he said during a recent telephone interview. “This is the year where it all starts to happen. We are really going to see things coming out of the ground this year.”

Chavonne means that literally and fi guratively. The beginning of this year will see the groundbreaking of the N.C. Veterans Park in downtown. The $15 million project has been years in the making, with the most intensive working being done over the past few years. City residents will watch the corner of Bragg Boulevard and Hay Street transform into a park that rivals that found in cities around the nation. The project will incorporate water features and quiet walking paths alongside a modern visitor’s center. While bringing construction to the downtown, part of its beauty is its protection of green spaces within the city center.

On a less celebrated portion of the city, the Hope VI project will take off. The $20 million project, funded by a grant by the U.S. Housing and Urban Development was the seed money for the Old Wilmington Road Revitalization project. The entire project will be funded with approximately $100 million in public and private funds. The primary focus of the project is to provide high-quality housing that is accessible to a wide range of incomelevels. Included in the project is the demolition of Delona Gardens and Campbell Terrace, two public housing areas that will be replaced with modern housing that refl ects the architecture of Fayetteville. The distribution of low-income housing in the area will drop from 100 percent to 30 percent creating a more diverse and mixed-income neighborhood.

“This year is going to be the payoff for a lot of hard work over the past few years,” said Chavonne.

Besides physically seeing projects come out of the ground, the council is hoping to set a vision for the city for years to come.

“We have been pretty serious about the planning process,” said Chavonne. “Coming up in 2010, one of our priorities is going to be the passage of the Unifi ed Development Ordinance. We’ve been working on it for more than a year, and we hope it will set the standard for what Fayetteville will look like in the coming years.”

The UDO is a complete overhaul of the city’s zoning ordinances. It will spell out what can and can’t be done in certain areas of the city. Chavonne said the last overhaul of the ordinance occurred in the 1960s. The new ordinances will help address the visual blight that has been an ongoing problem for the city.

Chavonne said one of the city’s big problems is the lack of planning, which has residential neighborhoods inundated with businesses. “You can ride down the street and see it,” said Chavonne. “There are residential homes, and then there is a lawnmower repair shop. We are going to put standards into place that will clean that up.”

Chavonne said that other issues such as signage and the development of “cookie cutter” neighborhoods need attention as well.

“There’s a lot of middleground from where we are – almost unregulated to super regulated. We’ve worked very hard with stakeholders to try and fi nd that balance. The UDO is a big step in making our city a more attractive, clean, peaceful city,” he said.

One of the biggest topics the city will tackle this year is crime. “Our number one priority is going to be fi ghting crime. Statistics show that we are getting much better in some areas, but we will continue to work on it. We are still dealing with a lot of issues — like gangs — but we will address those issues,” he said.

They’ve only been there a matter of weeks, but Enrique Castaneda and Juan Macias Jr. are excited to have the doors of Via 216 open and to serve the customers who have been enjoying a meal and/or drink with them.

Located in the former home of the Broadstreet Cafe at 216 Tallywood Shopping Center, Via 216 boasts a full bar complete with 27 different beers on tap, a pool room, a dance floor and several televisions with more on the way. What the owners want you to remember though is the great food and friendly atmosphere — and the good time that you had at their bar and grill.

Castaneda and Macias Jr. are both veterans of the restaurant business.

“My dad owns MiCasita. I’ve been working for him for years and I wanted to branch out and startsomething new,” said Macias.

“I am trying to have my own thing here. “I worked for my dad for the longest time and then Enrique came in and opened up a new world for me. He showed me that it is not just serving people and giving them drinks and food and taking their money — it is actually enjoying what you do and giving a different aspect of what you put into the work. There is a lot more that goes on behind the scenes than people would expect.”

A friend of the Macias family since 1995, Casteneda was one of the owners of the Trio Cafe before he moved to Atlanta to expand his culinary reperatoire.

“We've talked for years about doing something,” said Castaneda.

“It was a little hard for me to move back here but we also have some friends here who said ‘Come on Enrique we can really do something here in Fayettevile...now we have this. It is not too fancy, but we have a good presentation and good food at a good price.”

The menu boasts not just standard pub fare, but also a few unique items and many of the old time favorites have been given a new spin in what Castaneda calls New American Fare.

“We are bringing to Fayetteville new American Food. What it is, is the regular stuff that you grew up with but stronger flavor,” said Castenada.

“Maybe you can see that we have ribs but we have the chipotle barbecue sauce. We added the peppers and bring the Latin flavor to it.”

If you aren’t up for a late night, Macias pointed out that they are open for lunch and have a “Fast Via Lunch” menu that includes kid friendly options too. He also pointed out that everything is made fresh daily — from scratch.

“It is a nice, big place people can enjoy,” said Macias.

“We are putting alot of effort into making sure everything looks good and that this place has something special.”

For more information stop by or give them a call at 486-7832.

“This tour is like a traveling festival,” says Newsboys keyboard player Jeff Frankenstein of Winter Jam.

“It is a lot of bands and speakers and all sorts of stuff going on. It is pretty cool that in this sort of economy you can get a 10 dollar ticket to see a big bill like this. That is pretty unheard of.”

The tour will stop in 44 cities and features some of the top artists in Christian music. They’ll be in Fayetteville on Jan. 9 at the Crown Coliseum. Bands like Third Day, Newboys, NewSong, Tenth Avenue North, Fireflight, Sidewalk Prophets, Robert Pierre, Revive and guest speaker Tony Nolan will be rocking the Crown with a variety of music and activities.

In their more than two decades of performing the Newsboys have earned five gold albums, sold more than six million records, had 25 number one radio hits, several Dove Awards and Grammy nominations. Frankenstein has been a member of the group since 1994. In that time, the band has weathered many changes yet maintained a high level of success and popularity.

The most recently happening has been the switch over in their lead singer. Peter Furler is moving away from the mic to pursue interests in producing and songwriting and DC Talk’s Michael Tait is stepping up to fill the position.

According to Frankenstein, this is a very exciting time for the band. With a new lead vocalist comes a new sound that they are eager to share.

“It will be a good opportunity for everyone to come see what the new band is like and the new changes,” said Frankenstein.

“There are some pretty obvious changes. We went from a white Australian (singer) to a black guy fromD.C. Mike is obviously a world class singer. He is probably a top five vocali,st in the world really, and he has been a friend of ours for a long time. He is an incredibly talented vocalist.”

To showcase their new sound the band has been in the studio working on their next album which they hope to release this spring. Their current concern though is how to crunch 20 years of music into the few minutes they will have on stage at Winter Jam.

“We’ll throw in a couple of old D.C. Talk songs and mix it up,” said Frankenstein.

“I think we only play for about 35 minutes compared to two hours a night when we are on tour.”

Luckily, there will be no shortage of entertainment between the musical talent of so many established and award-winning bands and the quirky comedy of Tony Nolan.

“Our vision has always been to bring together great music, the Gospel message and a low admission price in some of the biggest venues in the country,” said Eddie Carswell, NewSong founding member and Winter Jam creator.

“We want families and youth groups to enjoy a night of top-notch entertainment that serves a greater purpose.”

The fun starts at 6 p.m. call 438-4100 or visit www. atthecrown.com for more info.

With New Year’s Eve just around the corner, here is a peek at some of the local festivities for
ushering in 2010 in style.

The Fayetteville Dogwood Festival’s Party in the Parkwill feature live entertainment and a chili
and wings cook off. Hot Sauce and Nantucket will be the entertainment as folks are mingling and
kids are taking advantage of the craft corner and bouncy houses. There will be food vendors, as well
as party favors, available. Look for an early fireworks show at about 8:45 p.m. so that the little ones
can enjoy the fun of celebrating the new year. A dogwood blossom will drop at midnight as a live feed
from Times Square is broadcast on the Festival Park stage screen. The fun starts at 6:30 p.m.

Holiday Inn Bordeaux is offering a room package that includes overnight accommodations
with a late check out (1 p.m.), brunch in Cafe Bordeaux and hourly shuttle service to and from the
Party in the Park. Cost per couple is $109. Call 323-0111 and book yourself and someone special an
evening of fun.

Temple Theater in Sanford is celebrating with some down home bluegrass tunes this New
Year’s Eve featuring mandolin player Mike Aldridge, Stan Brown on the banjo, Tommy Edwards
strumming his guitar, bass player Thomas “Snuffy” Smith and Keith Thomas on the fiddle. Tickets
are $13, and the show starts at 8 p.m. Get more info at www.templeshows.com or by calling (919)
774-4155 and be a part of a true Bluegrass experience.

LocksCreekis offering a special menu selection, $24.95 per person or $47.95 for two. Choose
from prime rib with au jus, horseradish cream and jumbo grilled shrimp served with garlic whipped
potatoes and perfectly seasoned broccoli or lump crab stuffed salmon with a lemon butter sauce
served with rice pilaf and shoestring green beans with wild mushrooms.

The Mash House is serving a special New Year’s Eve menu featuring Oyster Shooters, She
Crab Soup, Pear and Goat Cheese Salad, Hickory Tenderloin Roulade, Chicken Florentine, Absolut
Citron Salmon and Red Velvet Cake. Choose four courses for $50 (also available a la carte). Regular
menu items will be offered through out the evening as well, with entertainment lasting until 2 a.m.

Some of Fayetteville’s standard party venues are throwing down with great gusto on Dec. 31.
IT’Z Entertainment City is featuring live music by David “The Piano Man” Parker. Fractured Fairy
Tales, Bound n Gagged, Loudwater Fury and Lost Cause will be on stage at The Rock Shop. The
Dog House’s annual New Year’s Eve party is showcasing local favorite The Fifth. Paddy and Billwill
be sharing the stage with Autumn Nicholas at Paddy’s Irish Public House as 2010 comes rolling
in. At  partiers will find New Machine, The Omega Cell, Salvation and Joey and Adrian
entertaining the crowds.

As I contemplate and refl ect back on 2009 I can only think “Wow! Double Wow! What a year.” It was both exciting and challenging to say the least.

Actually, the last 16 months have been the most bazaar experience I have ever had since I started Up & Coming Weekly 15 years ago.

January marks our 15th year publishing this newspaper. Time flies when you’re having fun and I must admit I have been blessed with a wonderful, wonderful job. I think it was Confucius who said “A man who finds a job he loves will never work another day in his life.” Truer words have never been spoken. Publishing Up & Coming Weekly has been rewarding to me in many ways. Has it made me wealthy? No, not hardly. Has it made me popular or given me elevated status in the community? Doubt it.

Nor has the company ever been profi table enough to wow the suits of Wall Street. However, Up & Coming Weekly has been extremely successful in being a million points of light shining down on the Fayetteville, Fort Bragg and Cumberland County communities illuminating our uniqueness, our southern hospitality and grand quality-of-life. It was for these reasons the newspaper was founded in 1996. Though I have never become monetarily rich the rewards and treasures from serving this community have been overwhelming.

I put my son through college and created dozens of jobs with benefits. My very first editor, Joy Kirkpatrick (at the tender age of 23 ) is now the newspaper’s co-publisher working alongside one of my very first writers, Janice Burton, whose very first assignment was to ride a casino bus to Atlantic City. I don’t think she ever forgave me for that. We saw Cumberland County’s original children’s newspaper Kidsville News! become the nation’s number one educational resource. We’ve located our offices downtown to support and invest in Fayetteville’s dream of revitalizing Fayetteville’s historic downtown. We shut the pump off of a $ 240 million ethanol plant that would have destroyed communities as well as our civic pride. At this same time we alerted Cumberland County Commissioners and officials that $875,000 of taxpayers’ hard earned money was in jeopardy of padding the pockets of scoundrels. This allowed them time to vote against the disbursement.

I could go on and on. I have 15 years of memories.

However, my real reward has been in serving this community by showcasing local news, views, entertainment and arts and cultural venues that make our community and its people so enjoyable, diverse and unique. And this, my friends, could not have been done without you.

Up & Coming Weekly is a “free” community newspaper. You are the reason we have been around for 15 years. Local people, businesses, institutions and organizations have supported us and our mission. It is also your trust and support that will keep us here. So, from me, the staff, our wonderful and talented writers and our dedicated weekly delivery crew we want to say “thank you, thank you, thank you” and wish you a very, very wonderful New Year.

You have our commitment that we will continue to serve the community with the same level of excitement, dedication and enthusiasm you have come to know and expect. Again, thanks for the fi rst 15 years. Keep your eyes and ears open for an invitation to our anniversary party coming soon to a community near you.

God Bless.

P.S. You don’t have to wait until Wednesday morning to pick up a copy of U&CW. Subscribe to the FREE V.I.P. online edition delivered to your home Tuesday afternoon at www.upandcomingweekly.com.

As the clock ticked away the last minutes of 2008, the nation stood poised for the new year. What it would bring — to the world, nation, and our community — loomed like a giant question mark.

For some, there was the hope of change with the election of President Obama. For some, that change was frightening. Perhaps the biggest story of all was the continuing crash of the economy and the worldwide financial crisis that ensued. Corporate bailouts, the crash of the housing market and rampant unemployment dominated the headlines. Shuffled to the inside pages were stories on the ongoing War on Terror in Iraq and Afghanistan. As the year progressed, and the number of deaths in Afghanistan escalated, those stories made it back in the headlines with President Obama’s plan for a 30,000 troop surge in Afghanistan.

While terrorism, and terrorist acts, remained a constant threat, the idea of homegrown terrorists took firm root throughout 2009. From arrests in North Carolina and Detroit, to the shooting of soldiers at Fort Hood, and finally the attempted bombing of a Detroit bound plane as the year ended, Americans began to take a closer look at their community and their neighbors.

Across the world, another threat quickly took hold in 2009 — Swine Flu. From the first reported deaths in Mexico to outbreaks around the world, health officials warned of an impending pandemic. Widespread deaths were forecasts. Communities were urged to make emergency plans to deal with the threat. Vaccines were at a premium, and while the world prepared, the flu fizzled.

While these stories played out on the world stage, closer to home much of what was going on throughout the nation was reflected in our own neighborhoods. Here are some of the top stories of 2009 in the greater Cumberland County community.

ECONOMY

While Fayetteville suffered from the economic downturn turned recession, our community is fortunate to be somewhat insulated due to our military neighbors and their economic impact on our community. The unemployment rates did rise locally but no where near the heights of other areas in our state and nation. In October, unemployment rates here were at 7.5 percent while other areas in the state were 11 plus. And, Fayetteville ranks near the top for jobs outlook in 2010 according to Manpower Inc.

THE HOUSING MARKET CRASH

Cumberland County also fell victim to the housing market crash. Foreclosures climbed and houses, built in anticipation of BRAC moves to the community, remained empty throughout the early part of the year. As the economy began to turn, so did the housing market, but it’s not out of the woods yet. However, our homes have shown 13.4 percent appreciation, the highest in the country.

DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT

Fayetteville residents continued to keep their eye on downtown and its revitalization. While there was much talk about growth — rumors of a nightclub district and a retail tower — little changed on the downtown landscape in 2009. The city hired a manager to deal directly with downtown and its merchants, but the 300 Hay Street project stalled amidst lawsuits and faulty building. 2010 will usher in the ground-breaking for the N.C. Veterans Park, and along with it, the hope of more tourists, which should feed the need for restaurants and housing.

BASE REALIGNMENT AND CLOSURE (BRAC)

For the past five years, much of what has happened in Cumberland and its surrounding counties has been driven by the specter of BRAC. The Congressionally mandated base closure and realignment plan will bring the U.S. Forces Command and the Reserve Command to Fort Bragg. As surrounding counties jockey for the new residents set to move from Fort McPherson, many may be disappointed, as estimates from McPherson show that only about 40 to 50 percent of their current staff will make the move. That does however, open the window for new employment in the community.

THE ARTS

The Fayetteville Museum of Art dominated the arts headlines throughout the year. Whether or not the museum would be built in Festival Park was the early question. Later in the year, the question became whether or not there would even be a museum.

In November, the museum’s board chairman Meredith Stiehl announced that without substantial community support, the museum, which had already slashed its hours, programming, staff hours and pay, would be forced to close. Community supporters rallied and bought the museum some time, and, the museum announced a Salvador Dali exhibition. With a “For Sale” sign decorating the lawn at the museum, the question remains: Where will the exhibit be?

EDUCATION

Longtime Superintendent of Public Schools Bill Harrison resigned his post in Cumberland County to accept an appointment by Gov. Bev Perdue as CEO of the state’s school system. But there was a little problem. State residents elect the superintendent of public schools, and June Atkinson, the elected official didn’t take kindly to Perdue’s appointment. Harrison resigned from the CEO role, but remains the chairman of the N.C. State Board of Education.

In Cumberland Co., Harrison’s replacement Frank Till had little time to get acclimated before faced with a grade scandal that rocked the community. Terry Sanford’s football team was declared ineligible by the N.C. High School Athletic Association after it was found that one player did not meet eligibility requirements. The ensuing investigation resulted in the dismissal of the principal, and uncovered widespread grade changing throughout the system. Till’s take on it: No more grade changing.

LAW ENFORCEMENT 2009 was not a banner year for law enforcement in Cumberland County. Cumberland Co. Sheriff’s Deputies were charged with double dipping — working at parttime events like football games and still staying on the roll of the department.

And in Spring Lake, the entire police department was stripped of its authority after two Spring Lake police sergeants were arrested and charged with a host of crimes including embezzlement, obtaining property by false pretense, larceny, obstruction of justice, failure to discharge their duty and solicitation to commit a felony. Cumberland County District Attorney Ed Grannis asked the State Bureau of Investigation to investigate the department, and dismissed all misdemeanor charges pending in the department. In recent weeks, the city has hired a new police chief, Troy McDuffie, who has a vision to rebuild the department. It will take time to see if the public can again put their trust in the department that failed them so miserably.

VIOLENCE

Cumberland County is no stranger to domestic violence and child abuse. But 2009 brought the problem into perspective with the death of 5-year-old Shania Davis. The child was taken from her home, raped and killed. Authorities allege that her mother sold her to her attacker. As the county reeled from the accusations, questions were raised as to why the girl was allowed with her mother, who had been under observation by the Department of Social Services. While both Davis’ mother and her attacker are awaiting trial, and the Department of Social Services response to the situation is under scrutiny, the community has been forced to take a closer look at itself and the way it protects its children.

POLITICS

Cumberland County politics are always exciting. 2009 saw a resilience in the Democratic party, with the election of the nation’s first African-American President, and the defeat of Republican Congressman Robin Hayes by Larry Kissell. The year also saw the county mourning the loss of one of its most active Democrats, Grainger Barrett, the county attorney.

In early Fall, longtime N.C. Senator Tony Rand announced he would resign his seat in the N.C. Senate to take on an appointed role as the chairman of the state’s Parole Board. Rand again made the news this month as ethics allegations surfaced regarding Rand’s ownership in a company known to do business with the state. As the year winds down, nothing has been resolved; however, Gov. Perdue maintains that Rand is the man for the job on the Parole Board.

THE PRINCE CHARLES

In December of 2008, a number of bidders gathered in the conference room of the Prince Charles Hotel. At auction was the historic hotel itself. Over 80-years-old, it has 83 rooms and 3.32 acres of land. John Chen, a native of Taiwan and a New York businessman, won the silent auction with a bid of $1.9 million.

The hotel had definitely seen better days. Estimates were that at a minimum $6,000 per room would need to be spent to get the hotel back into shape. Chen appeared to have deep pockets and a desire to make something of the hotel.

Chen unveiled plans to turn the hotel into a “boutique-style” hotel, complete with shops and office space. As the year progressed, Chen’s plans seemed to come to a halt. The occupancy rate dropped and the outside of the building, in need of much work, became a point of contention between Chen and the city. Because of its National Register of Historic Landmarks status, all repairs must be in keeping with the original structure. Chen replaced wood windows with vinyl, and began wracking up fines with the city. The heating and cooling system was problematic, so window air conditioning units began to appear in the hotel’s windows — another source of problems with the city. Chen opened the doors of the hotel as an “extended stay” apartments, renting rooms for $400 a month. In early December, the residents of the hotel were forced from the building as fire inspectors declared the building a hazard, having warned Chen a number of times of safety violations. As the new year comes around, the residents are back in the building, and Chen is threatening legal action against the city.

Who knows what 2010 will bring to one of the city’s historic landmarks and our community in general? We’ll see.

Editor’s Note: D.G. Martin is unavailable this holiday season. The story below is an old favorite.

John Garwood brought down his apples from the mountains the other day.

He brought small sacks for some of us — and a big box full just to be doubly sure that nobody would be left out.

When you break the skin of one of his apples the sweet juice bursts into your mouth and the world is right. Somehow the apples we buy down here just never taste that good.

Eating John Garwood’s apples recently got me thinking about Christmas. And that got me thinking about all the presents I still have to buy for family and friends. And that got me thinking about how frantic the next few weeks are going to be. I started wondering if Christmas — the way we treat it now — is all that good a holiday. How am I going to get the right presents — ones that really last?

All that got me back around to John Garwood, because he really brings the best kind of present. We remember him all year long — thinking about those good tasting apples and hoping that he doesn’t forget us next year.

Who brings you the presents that you remember all year long? Earl Danieley and Maxine O’Kelley and Bob Wendell brought me tomatoes last summer. Fresh from their gardens they were full, red, soft and ripe, firm and juicy — and for just a moment — just right. Salt, pepper and mayonnaise, perhaps, or sometimes, just straight. No chef, no five-star restaurant, at whatever the price, could prepare a dish to top a ripe summer tomato from a friend’s garden. What a gift!

In spring and summer, Candy Owen’s flowers make their way to our desks and bring her garden inside. Watts Auman brings a bag of peaches fresh from his orchard. Ripened on the tree, yellow with touches of red and soft orange, giving in the hand, its smooth fuzzy skin sends up a flowery scent preparing us for the first wonderful juicy bite that never disappoints.

At Christmas time, when their fathers were still alive, Branson McRae and Joe Malamo brought wines — crafted and personalized by their dads. These wines would not wait. They had to be uncorked and sampled and enjoyed immediately. More than the hearty taste, we celebrated the old men who thought enough of others to crush the grapes with care and love, and then watch and treat them with measured attention thinking only toward the moment of our delight

Granny Wall — until she was in her 90s — brought us pecans. Picked up and packed up from her Anson County home place, put in small bags. And she giggled with us as we cracked them up and ate them.

My wife’s mother’s chocolate fudge, packed into a Christmas tin, so rich and sweet, so compelling. Better enjoyed, I guess, if it were put away and measured one piece at a time for desert each day. But it is all gone in an hour—except for its memories that bring juices rushing to my mouth at any season.

A cassette tape of lovely songs sung by a friend comes with a note. “These songs are my present to you. Your listening to them — just once — is your present to me.”

Passing into a season when holy happy feelings are always attacked by a frenzy of mechanical buying, these thoughts of remembered gifts suggest some guidelines: Give of yourself. Give real. Give simple. Give what gives you pleasure to give — and want nothing in return.

It is not often that you meet someone like Wesley Bauguess. Her softspoken manner of speech and alwayspresent smile puts you at ease the moment you meet her. But at the same time there is a toughness about her that, despite her gentle ways, shines through her. You can’t miss it. She has resolve. She has the resolve to provide support to the wounded warriors of the 82 Airborne Division. She has the resolve to raise her two young girls as a widowed mother. She has the resolve to give others hope and encouragement through the memory of her late husband Larry. 

In 2007, shortly following the death of her husband, Bauguess was asked to start the 82nd Wounded Warrior Committee (82WWC). She jumped at the chance and has been the committee head ever since. The 82WWC is an outreach that provides support to wounded soldiers of the 82 Airborne Division through a variet of ways. The all-volunteer and completely donation-funded committee makes hospital visitations monthly to Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC), twice a year to Brooke Army Medical Center and volunteers meet wounded soldiers who arrive at Womack Army Medical Center. The committee provides items such as fleece jackets and blankets for the soldiers. The outreach helps them feel connected to their units and to know that their particular needs are considered. It gives them a way to get specialty items that might be particularly helpful due to the nature of their injuries. For example, pants with snaps up the sides have been a special request from soldiers with leg injuries.

It is easy to see Bauguess’ passion for helping others after spending any amount of time with her. In fact, her passion is contagious. She has never had to recruit volunteers for the 82WWC or organize fundraising for it. People hear about the committee and spread the word. The positive impact of the outreach speaks for itself and compels individuals and organizations to donate the money needed to buy the gifts for the soldiers.

On a typical visit to WRAMC, Wesley makes the drive to Washington D.C., with another volunteer or two as well as a full load of gifts in her trunk. She packs anything she thinks the soldiers might ask for: backpacks, pillows, blankets, T-shirts, water bottles and jackets. She also always has plenty of thank-you cards and candy on hand. Once a month, volunteers gather at Bauguess’ home to put together all of the items. Each item is carefully packaged by hand and embellished with the 82nd logo. Cards are handmade. It is important to Bauguess and the rest of the committee that each item is a beautifully-presented gift to emphasize the importance of each individual soldier.

Upon arrival to WRAMC, Bauguess meets with the division liason, who ensures that the 82 Airborne Division wounded soldiers are receiving the care that they need. He knows the schedules of the soldiers and takes her around the medical center to visit with all who are available. She spends time chatting with them and hands out some of the committee’s gifts, then finds out if they need anything in particular. She usually concludes the visit by taking everyone out to lunch at a local restaurant. Bauguess’ goal is that every wounded 82nd soldier knows that their sacrifices are greatly appreciated and that they are never forgotten.

As Bauguess herself knows, life often presents us with circumstances that we do not wish for. At a recent luncheon to honor wounded soldiers, she mentioned that her husband Larry always said, “It doesn’t matter what happens to you in life; what matters to you is how you react to it.” The way people react to the difficult things that happen to them shows their true character. In Bauguess’ case, there is no question as to the kind of character she possesses.

What could Winston Churchill, Whoopi Goldberg, Rudyard Kipling, Sigmund Freud, Che Guevara, Mikhail Baryshnikov and King Edward VII possibly have in common?

A passion for a good smoke. Cigars, that is.

In fact, in choosing Churchill as number one on its list of Top 100 Smokers in its November/December1999 issue, Cigar Afi cionado magazine relates the story that Churchill, who smoked eight to 10 Cuban cigars a day, asked that a special oxygen mask be made that would let him smoke in a nonpressurized cabin during a highaltitude fl ight. Such a mask was created. Who would say no to Churchill? 

Today, despite the pressure of political correctness, potential health risks and upcoming legislation that goes into effect in January in North Carolina banning smoking in nearly all restaurants and bars, cigar lovers may still enjoy the pleasure of their predilection. Private clubs and cigar bars are exempt from the no-smoking restrictions, and Kelly Rosser and his wife Sandy, of Highlander Cigar Co., located at 308A Hay Street, offer cigar smokers of the Fayetteville area not only a selection of fi ne cigars and pipe tobacco, but also opportunities to enjoy them with other enthusiasts in Historic Downtown Fayetteville.

Rosser, formerly with the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department and now working in Raleigh as a police offi cer, opened his storefront downtown the last weekend in September during the International Folk Festival.

“I started smoking cigars about 10 years ago, and I’ve got a friend who owns a cigar shop in Southport. I plan on retiring from police work in another six or seven years, and I’ve wanted to get into cigars, and he suggested that I go ahead and get my license. Along with the store, over the past six years I’ve been doing cigars at golf courses, restaurants and nightclubs, putting in humidors and going around on my days off and restocking them. And that’s how I got into it, and I guess one of the reasons that we decided to go ahead and do this now instead of waiting until I retire is because in January, the law changes, and that will cost me a lot of my wholesale customers.”

After consulting with his wife and the owner of the previous shop, Necessary Things, Rosser bought the inventory of the convenience store and added the retail option to his own business.

“We’re slowly turning it more from convenience store items to tobacco. We started with the cigar and cigarettes, and now we’ve added pipe tobacco and some chewing tobacco. We’ll start adding accessories, pipes, humidors, lighters, cutters.”

And of course, Rosser offers the Cigar and Pipe Club.

“What we do is have people who want to, come in and give us their e-mail, and we send them e-mails with cigar specials. Every Thursday night, if the weather permits, people come out, and we bring out some extra chairs and talk cigars. We have extended hours on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, and we’re open for First Friday and all the special events downtown.”

“We’d like to expand the customer base over the next couple of years and then fi nd a larger space down here and have a smoking lounge.”

And while cigar smoking is generally associated with men, Rosser acknowledges that his clientele includes “more women than I would have thought.”

“We’re starting to see more women. A young lady stopped by this morning. She’d just started smoking, and she wanted to ask some questions about cigars and lighters. The only difference I see is that they go for a smaller cigar.”

Rosser carries a nice cigar selection that he intends to expand. His best sellers include Rocky Patel, Cohiba, Arturo Fuente and Romeo y Julieta cigars.

“I carry fi ve or six different kinds of the Romeo y Julieta. I also get a lot of requests for Acid cigars (Drew Estate). I would have thought it would have been a 20-something cigar, but all ages come in and ask for them.”

“My favorite all-round cigar is the Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series.”

And while no tobacconist today can offer –– or could offer in the past for that matter — the “really good fi ve-cent cigar” Vice President Marshall declared the country needed in the early 1900s, Highlander Cigar Co. does offer custom gift packs, gift sets and accessories perfect for those cigar afi cionados on your holiday shopping list.

Kudos to Fayetteville’s Fire Marshall Ron Lewis for the action he and his department took last week by safely evacuating residents from the neglected and potentially dangerous Prince Charles Hotel. This action demonstrates the concerns and sensitivities our city has toward Fayetteville residents and their well being.

This mandate was responsible, over due and somewhat heroic contrary to Chen’s claim that the evacuation was disrespectful to the Prince Charles inhabitants. What? Disrespectful?

Chen knowingly put dozens of innocent people in harm’s way since he was fi rst warned on Oct. 29 that the building had no less than 18 safety and fi re-code violations. He then intentionally ignored the city’s warnings and discounted their courtesy attempt of providing him ample time to correct the serious defi ciencies. Instead, he willingly chose to place dozens of men, women and children in harm’s way. Shame on you, John Chen.

Thumbing your nose at our local authorities, government leaders and agencies whose job it is to protect the health, safety and welfare of our residents is irresponsible. This total disregard of humanity does not sit well with a caring community working too hard to enhance its image and develop its brand of History, Heroes and Hometown Feeling.

We are a generous and forgiving community, Mr. Chen. However, three strikes and you're out. Counterfeit windows, illegal air conditioners, code violations and no building permits.

Hey, I think already you’ve been given one strike too many! Now, that’s generosity! And you boasting that you are going to bring the City of Fayetteville to its knees and “change our culture.” Well, I’ve got news for you, Chen, we are very well pleased with our culture whether you like it or not. So you better bring your A game to court. You saw how fast the Fayetteville community residents, churches and agencies responded to assist your refugees. That’s our culture, Mr Chen.

Your $1.9 million auctionblock bargain isn’t worth the lot it sits on without the respect and support of this community. Here in Fayetteville Mr. Chen, we take care of our own. Had you come into our community with respect and attempted to become a part of the city instead of doing it your own way, You, too, would have been counted in that number. But that wasn’t the case, and soon justice will take care of you.

 Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly. Have a comment or opinion? We would love to hear from you. Call 391-3859 or bbowman@upandcomingweekly. com

Get dressed up, go to dinner, go home (or to a friends house) and await the dropping of the ball in Times Square. For decades this scene is what families in Fayetteville have had to look forward to every New Year’s Eve. And for years, there has been talk that this really needs to change. A town this size and with this many venues surely can offer more to its citizens, young and old, on such a festive and jubilant occasion.

Well, leave it to the folks at the Dogwood Festival to be the fi rst to redefi ne New Year’s Eve for greater Fayetteville. Just like the favorite festival, the inaugural Party in the Park promises to be huge and fun — lots and lots of fun.

“It’s a free event for families and people of all ages,” said Carrie King, Fayetteville Dogwood Festival executive director. “We will have a wing and chili cookoff and there will be a kids area with activities for kids of all ages — craft activities and bounce houses and things like that.”

Its not just local restaurant owners who will be offering up their fi nest chili and wings, but local citizens can also compete for bragging rights to Fayetteville’s Best Chili and/or Wings, as well. King expects some fi ery recipes, especially if the weather is cool that night. They specifi cally chose these foods for their warming potential.

“It is a great way for everybody to keep warm and it will give them something to do,” said King of the contest. “The fun thing about the wing and chili cook-off is that we will have judges and they are celebrity judges. We are going to keep that under wraps for every body to come out and see who they are.”

If chili and wings aren’t your thing, not to worry, there will be food and beverage vendors serving up everything from hot chocolate and hot cider to beer and champagne.

If midnight is too much of a stretch for the little ones, not to worry. There will be an early countdown at 8:45 complete with fi reworks, paper horns and cheers. That way, King fi gures that families will still be able to experience the fun they have planned for attendees, even if they have to cut out early.

“We are definitely catering to the families with children,” said King. “I’ve always noticed that there is nothing to do on New Year’s Eve. We always go to dinner and hang out in the back yard and just kind of wait, and this is something you can bring your kids to and buy some party favors and just hang out and listen to the bands.”

Speaking of bands, local favorites Nantucket and Hot Sauce are going to be rocking the stage in Festival Park throughout the evening with dance tunes and high-energy entertainment.

When the clock strikes midnight, not only will the live feed from Times Square appear on the big screen, but there will also be a local icon dropping from the sky to welcome in 2010. Local artist Greg Hathaway has custom designed a 12 foot dogwood blossom that will “bloom” for the party goers as it descends to greet the new year.

“During the event the petals will be up and it will look like... if you take a dogwood fl ower and lay it fl at it would sort of form a bowl — that is what it will look like,” said Hathaway. “It will be hanging like a big bowl,and the back part of the petals will be painted with butterfl y wings. So during the party it is just going to be this big round bowl that looks like a butterfl y and then as we begin the countdown we will open it up and as we open it up it’ll hang vertical and it will be a dogwood fl ower.”

A staunch supporter of the arts, and a well established artist in his own right, Hathaway is happy for the chance to support this event.

“The fl ower was my idea. I was all for it coming right out of the gate,” said Hathaway. “In fact I’ve been preaching that they needed to do a New Year’s Eve function — I’m really glad they are doing it.”

The party starts at 6:30 p.m. There will be disabled parking available. For more info visit www.faydogwoodfestival.com.

Charlotte-based power/pop alternative rock quartet The Stellas, consisting of vocalist/guitarist Adam Middleton, guitarist/vocalist Shaun McFall, bassist Josh Knight and drummer Jacob Worden, will perform along with Lumberton’s own Dark Water Rising (featuring 2004 American Idol semifinalist Charly Lowry) and What’s Good Friday, Dec. 18 at The Rock Shop. They are generating major industry buzz with their brand of highly-caffeinated alternative pop/rock.

Combining ‘60s British pop (The Beatles, The Kinks) with modern rock (Weezer, The All-American Rejects), The Stellas sound features strong melodies and catchy hooks that put on a kinetic performance that has been amping up audiences everywhere. The band’s debut CD, Cry Baby Cry, was released in the summer of 2008.

The Stellas have shared the stage with such notable acts as Athenaeum, Blind Melon, Safetysuit, The Pink Spiders, Jimmie’s Chicken Shack and Jealousy Curve and the band continues to tour worldwide, including a recent 16-day tour of southwest Asia and the Middle East to perform for troops.

“I saw a band talking about it in Spin magazine,” says bassist Josh Knight, 29, an Air National Guardsman whose job has taken him to the Middle East numerous times since 2002.

“I was kind of nervous. I’d never left the country before,” admits Middleton, 26. The closest the band came to danger was switching planes in Afghanistan.

“Nothing happened, but they told us we were lucky (because) they weren’t shooting that day.”

The concert at The Rock Shop is $7; $10 for those under 21. Doors open at 8 p.m. For more information, go to www.therockshoplive. com or call (910) 321-ROCK. For more on The Stellas, check out their official MySpace page at www.myspace.com/thestellasband.

Christmas is less than 10 days away. If you still need to get yourself in the Christmas spirit, a trip to Lu Mil Vineyard’s Festival of Lights, might do the trick.

Lu Mil Vineyard is located in Dublin, N.C., approximately 30 miles outside of Fayetteville. The light show consists of an approximately 40 minute ride on a double-decker bus through the vineyard, which is elaborately decorated with displays of Christmas lights. Holiday music is playing throughout the tour and at several points during the ride, the bus stops as the song playing synchronizes with the twinkling lights.

Some highlights of the show include a patriotic display in honor of America’s men and women serving in the armed forces and a narration and depiction in lights of the story of Jesus’ birth. The cost of the tour is $5 per person and includes a free cup of hot or cold muscadine cider from the gift shop after the tour. The tours last from 6 -10 p.m. through Dec. 23. There are also tours on Dec. 26 and Dec. 27.

I attended the Festival of Lights recently on a Saturday night. There was a crowd, but it was not so busy that I couldn’t get on the second tour for the evening. I was glad that I had worn warm shoes and several layers of clothing because I stood in line outside for about 20 minutes before the bus came for the second tour of the night. I suggest bringing gloves, a hat and a blanket. Patrons can either ride inside the bus or on top. The top has a better view of the lights, but the bottom is warmer.

After the tour, I was more than happy to step inside the Lu Mil gift shop to redeem my free cup of cider. Mr. and Mrs. Claus were sitting in the back of the shop, happy to speak with anyone who wanted to stop and say hello. The gift shop offers a wide selection of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic ciders and wines as well as jams and jellies. There are unique cider fl avors, such as peach and strawberry, and customers can sample any variety before purchasing. Lu Mil is also currently offering a special Christmas buffet on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights for $10 per person.

The Lu Mil Festival of Lights offers patrons a chance to experience the fun and beauty of Christmas lights at a family-friendly establishment for a reasonable price. Just be sure to bring warm clothing to fully experience the fun.

For more information visit the Web site at www.

Ho! Ho! Ho! Christmas is just around the corner and there is so much to be done. The Lake Rim Recreation Center will lend you a hand through its program to watch children to allow parents to finish their last minute Christmas shopping on Monday, Dec. 21 and Tuesday, Dec. 22 from 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

“The parents will come and drop their kids off so they can do their shopping,” said Jaime Osborne, assistant recreation center supervisor. “We will first have free-play in the gym for about an hour and then start our craft activities.”

Holiday-themed arts and crafts are planned for the kids such as making paper snowflakes, decorating Christmas cookies, decorating reusable bags and making candy cane reindeer.

“We will make some ornaments that the kids can put on their Christmas tree,” said Osborne. “We are also going to make snowmen out of Styrofoam balls and the kids can decorate them.”

Osborne added that the children will decorate wreaths and donate them to an assisted-living facility in order to brighten someone’s day.

“We try to wait and see how many kids we will have before we determine which crafts we are going to do,” said Osborne. “If we have a small number of kids we are going to do technical crafts and if we have a larger number of kids we will do easy crafts.”

Osborne added that there is a staff on site specifically for this program. Games will be played with the kids as well as watching holidaythemed movies, which is the culminating activity of the day.

Participants, ages 6-12, must bring their own non-perishable lunch each day. The cost is $10 per day. For more information, call 867-1147.

The Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County opened its doors for the 4th Friday in November with its newest exhibit — The College Invitational. Due to the crowded Dickens Holiday celebration, many people visited the Arts Council to enjoy scheduled activities and were able to view works by area art students.

Four institutions of higher education were invited to select 10 works from their respective students to highlight their program. The visual art programs at Fayetteville Technical Community College, Fayetteville State University, Methodist University and the University of North Carolina at Pembroke participated in the exhibition. Each institution selected a body of work to share with the community.

The University of North Carolina at Pembroke is exhibiting a group of paintings. Students exhibiting include Mary Brazelton, Davone Eady, Chris Fowler, Arlene Grady, Tasheeia Green, Candice Johnson, Rebecca Lowry, Sheena Mature, Alexandar Saunders, Meriel Smith, Stephanie Webb and Matthew Wilson.

Most of the paintings from UNCP are still lifes — studies in composition and color; all are oil on canvas. The students seem to be focusing on a direct approach to painting from life, interpreting subject matter and exploring ways to express their ideas about the subjects.

Arlene Grady’s supersized object in warm colors titled Big Vase contrasted with the arrangement of brightly arranged making by Candice Johnson in Still Life with Dripping Candle. Grady’s painting, an analogous color palette, evokes stability and the monumentality of an object compared to the busy movement created by the brushy and varied color of Johnson.

The body of work from UNCP was a way to see fi rst hand what the students study to become painters, the still lifes they work from and how they interpret the still life stylistically. What became paramount was the way in which the students focused on creating their compositions.

I particularly enjoyed the painting by Alexander Saunders from UNCP titled New York State of Mind. Saunders, in a neo-expressionistic style, combined a twisted lighthouse in the foreground with a city line at night and a series of light sources to move the viewer through the painting. Light sources were also used as elements in the composition to balance the collage image and the overall darkness of the night scene.

Methodist University selected students to exhibit a series of drawings using pen and ink, several paintings and a couple of photographs. Students from Methodist University included Joscelyn Abreu, Jordan Adams, Haley Beauchamp, Aaron Casteel, Linden Hiller, Kacey Jenkins and Hansel Ong.

There are several triptychs in the exhibit from Methodist University. Using pen and ink, an unforgiving medium, Kacey Jenkins’ work titled HoneyB Triptych is an example of hatching and cross-hatching drawing techniques to create space. An abstract design, Jenkins’s technique does not describe a surface; instead she created a space fi lled with movement and a sense of play.

Haley Beauchamp demonstrates her expertise in observation and creating value by using pen and ink in the technique of pointillism. The triptych, three close ups of butterfl y and moth wings, is a subtle reminder of the details in nature we miss. From the strong patterns of a monarch butterfl y to the delicate transitions of tone in a moth, Beauchamp demonstrates her skill and partiality for nature.

Aaron Casteel is exhibiting a triptych titled Birth, Life and Death in his series of pen and ink pointillist drawings. An organic form depicted on the top panel, Casteel recreates rising smoke in his second panel and a brick mortared wall is depicted on the lower panel. All three images are close up studies, abstracted from the close up, yet enough realism remains for us to identify the forms.

Hansel Ong is exhibiting a photograph and a large painting titled Lazarus (a Resurrection). Ong’s painting depicts the biblical narrative of the raising of Lazarus from the dead after being entombed for four days. An obvious fl are for painting, Ong paints the subject in muted tones with highlights of color. Large in scale the painting is neo-expressionistic in style and compelling in subject.

The faculty at Fayetteville State University decided to exhibit a broad range of studio concentrations to include sculpture, painting, photography and computer graphics. Students exhibiting include Yashika Burgess, Marcela Casals, April Harmon, Lamar Hill, Richard Kenner, Emmanuel Lynch, Clayton Newsome, Cassandra Ortiz and Jason Stewart.

The various sculptures by Newsome, Casals and Harmon ranged from a free-standing steel sculpture, a copper raised relief sculpture and a mixed-media wooden sculpture suspended from the ceiling.

The mixed media wooden sculpture by Harmon is titled Transitions. A large cylinder constructed of bent cedar strips is suspended from the ceiling. A ladder, approximately 8 feet in height, was fabricated from a tree limb and combined with commercial milled pine; the ladder extends from the fl oor into the cylinder. At the bottom of the ladder, three dead birds, cast in aluminum, are arranged around its base.

Lamar Hill challenged the viewer with his photograph titled HIV Awareness and his computer graphic image titled Days of Breaking Oppression. Hill is a student whose voice refl ects the political in African-American culture.

The paintings by Ortiz, Kenner, Lynch and Stewart are as diverse as their subjects and include an interpretation of the North Carolina landscape, an abstract fi gure in repose, a colorful and impressionistic still life and one conceptual work using an oversized x-ray of the artist’s spine as a background for his painting.

Fayetteville Technical Community College selected many ceramic pieces to exhibit, collages in graphite, a woodcut print and a collagraph print. Artists exhibiting include Georgia Britton, Davone Eady, Rena Israel, Amor López, Yeojeong Love, Nanette Manchion, Heike Nolan, Gracia Reddick and Martha Sisk.

Since only one ceramic work is on a gallery stand, visitors need to make sure they stop at the showcase to see the many excellent ceramic works being exhibited. The forms range from small free-standing and relief sculptures to the functional.

The ceramics techniques vary from glazed to slip stained ware, the subjects as diverse as the students. Manchion’s ceramic work titled Free Form contrasts the Wall Shell by Heike Nolan or Slip Stain Design by Reddick.

Since printmaking is a new course at Fayetteville Technical Community College, the college wanted to exhibit some of its fi rst examples of the medium. Included in the exhibit is a woodcut by López titled Vincent and a collagraph by Martha Sisk titled Aspen Divergence.

López was direct in his approach in the relief process and carefully delineated descriptive qualities of the fi gure, using a balance of negative and positive space. Sisk, known in the community for her art quilts integrated textiles into her print. Warm earth tones echo the texture of an open weave material as a background to the centered interpretation of a grouping of Aspen trees. Both works are sensitive and well crafted.

The College Invitational may become a biannual exhibit for the region to view what students are doing at area colleges and universities. It’s a wonderful opportunity for public school teachers and their students to view the work and for prospective students thinking about attending a regional art program. The exhibit will remain up until Dec. 19, and can be viewed seven days a week. For more information and the hours on weekend, call the Arts Council at 323-1776

In 1995, Cyna Rubin saw a photograph of a soldier from World War II. That photo stayed with her, and almost ten years later, became the inspiration for The American Soldier: A Photographic Tribute to Soldiers and Marines, now on exhibit at the Florence Civic Center.

In 2004, Rubin began reviewing photographs for the exhibit. In total, she looked at more than 4,000 photographs spanning the nine major wars the United States has been involved in since 1861. Her intent was to select photographs that could tell the story of the man (and woman) at war.

She selected 116 photographs for the exhibit, which she felt refl ected how America’s wars have “looked on the ground” through the eyes of the men (and, in more recent years, women) who have fought them, and through the lenses of the photographers who have bravely accompanied America’s combat forces into battle.

The exhibit begins with the Civil War and follows America’s Soldiers and Marines through time up to the present day confl icts.

Kendall Wall, the general manager of the Florence Civic Center, noted that while the photographs are different, they are really the same.

“You see it in their faces, their eyes,” he said. “The confl icts have changed, but the spirit of the American Soldier hasn’t.”

Wall, a former general manager of the Crown Coliseum Complex, said hosting the exhibit was a new idea for the center.

“This isn’t something we’ve done before, but we saw the exhibit, and thought it would be an incredible thing to bring to the area,” he said. “It’s open to the public at no charge, and we thought it would be a great gift to the community.”

The exhibit also ties in nicely with the Veterans Park that is adjacent to the facility. Wall said that many people may not think about Florence as a destination for these kinds of events, but he hopes Fayetteville residents will take advantage of the proximity to see this international show while it is in the area.

“Florence is only about 15 minutes further away than Raleigh,” he said. “So it would be a short ride down I-95 to view this wondeful exhibit.”

He noted that the civic center is co-located to the Florence mall and a number of restaurants, so making a day-trip would be quite feasible.

If you decide to make the short trip down to Florence for the exhibit, you might want to consider one of these three special days:

Dec. 19 has been designated as Marine Corps League Day, and will feature speakers from the Marines, including Lt. Clebe McClary, a highly decorated Marine offi cer; Sgt. Maj. William C. Rice of Camp Lejeune; and Sgt. Maj. Andrew Yagle, Depot Sergeant Major, Parris Island. Entertainment for the event will be provided by the Liberty Bells, a touring troup with the USO who will do a special Christmas performance.

Jan. 9, 2010 is the Vietnam Veterans of America Day. Guest Speakers will include: Lt. Joseph Marm, a Medal of Honor recipient, and Maj. Gen. Robert E. Livingston. Entertainment will be provided by the 282D Army Band, based out of Fort Jackson, S.C.

Jan. 23, 2010 is Disabled American Veterans & Purple Heart Society Day. Guest Speakers will include: Cpl. Roldolfo Hernandez, a Medal of Honor recipient; Maj. Gen. Stanhope Spears, the Adjutant General of South Carolina; and Lt. Gen. John W. Rosa, the president of The Citadel. Entertainment will be provided by The Citadel Regimental Band & Pipes and Rifl e Legion Drill Team.

The exhibit will remain on display through Feb. 2, 2010. The show is free to the public, and is open Monday-Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information, visit www.fl orenceciviccenter.com or call (843) 679-9417