New Year's Eve is a popular night to go out on the town. It is customary to usher in a new year with friends and family members, and such gatherings tend to run late as celebrants anxiously await the stroke of midnight.

The later a New Year's Eve celebration goes, the more likely revelers may have to battle a little fatigue on the first of January.

With that in mind, celebrants can consider these ways to rebound after a fun New Year's Eve.

• Make a concerted effort to rehydrate. Though it may be best to avoid or limit alcohol consumption, many people throw such caution to the wind on New Year's Eve.

If you went a little overboard in your New Year's Eve revelry, make a concerted and consistent effort to rehydrate upon waking up on January 1. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism notes that mild dehydration is one of the contributing factors to a hangover.

The NIAAA notes that alcohol suppresses the release of a hormone called vasopressin, which sends signals to the kidneys causing them to retain fluid. When a person is drinking alcohol, they tend to urinate frequently and, as a result, experience an excess loss of fluids.

Rehydrating the following day can help the body begin to heal.

• Do not consume more alcohol. Most people have heard of the phrase "hair of the dog that bit you," which refers to drinking more alcohol after waking up the morning after overindulging.

Though the NIAAA notes that this can provide temporary hangover relief, it also may prolong the hangover, the symptoms of which will return once the "hair of the dog" wears off.

• Engage in some light exercise. Various sources advise against sweating out a hangover, an approach that typically calls for individuals to engage in high-intensity, potentially lengthy exercise.

Such exercise can exacerbate feelings of dehydration. A low-intensity workout can help, however. Such workouts, which may include light jogging, can still release endorphins, which can help to improve mood and increase oxygen flow to the brain.

• Take a nap. Alcohol consumption adversely affects sleep quality. According to the Sleep Foundation, though alcohol can have a sedative-like quality that induces sleepiness, excessive alcohol consumption has been linked to poor sleep quality and duration.

In essence, the sleepiness associated with overconsumption of alcohol can quickly wear off, interrupting sleep overnight. A New Year's Day nap can have a restorative effect.

It is unwise but not uncommon to overdo it when celebrating New Year's Eve. Though it's always best to avoid overconsumption of alcohol, regardless of the occasion, some simple strategies can help people feel better come New Year's Day.

You know how to operate your business, and you’ve built it into a very successful enterprise.

Congratulations! However, the time has come to move on, whether it is for a new challenge or to kick back and enjoy the fruits of your labor. No matter the reason, you are ready to sell. However, too many small business owners mistake the knowledge they have accrued running their business as giving them insight into selling that company, which is a very different process. Here are the five most common mistakes you want to avoid when selling your small business.

Mistake No. 1 — Overpricing

You are proud of your business and what you have accomplished. When determining a listing price for your company, you must base the valuation on quantifiable criteria, not your estimation of worth or what your circle of influence estimates as the value.

This is why you need an objective third-party valuation. An outside expert understands the current market and can provide research on the sales of businesses in the industry in your area for comparison.
Finally, it is essential that you honestly represent your earnings to prospective buyers versus overstating your earnings. Presenting this information in the best possible light is fine, but don’t stretch the truth.

Mistake No. 2 — Lack of preparation

Another error many make is not having all their financial documentation in order. It is one of the biggest reasons owners need help selling their business at the best value. Be sure to properly prepare the business for sale, whether that means physical improvements or dealing with staff issues, etc.

Also, even though you may be leaving the company or passing it on, that doesn’t mean you should wind down your business, causing profits to fall, before you sell. Even if you aren’t thinking of selling, it’s a good idea to have a plan in place should an involuntary need to exit arise, like death, divorce, disability, distress or disagreement.

Mistake No. 3 — Plan for after the sale

Start by making sure you are ready to sell. You may need to wait if you aren’t fully committed to moving on. Next, think long and hard about your vision for your next stage. It would help if you had a framework for what you want to do after the sale, so you aren’t floundering.

During the sale process, be sure you stay connected to the business. This helps to ensure the business maintains profitability and your buyer doesn’t have a reason to step away. While everyone hopes for a smooth and seamless transition, it’s good to consider what transition-related issues may arise and have plans on how to address these.

Mistake No. 4 — Walking away from a good deal

A good deal may not be perfect, so it’s imperative to be open to all offers, including deferred payments, seller financing or help obtaining third-party loans. You want to find multiple qualified prospects before starting serious negotiations to help you maximize your sales price. However, it’s essential to recognize that, more often than not, the first offer you receive is likely to be the best offer you will get. Consider it carefully.

Mistake No. 5 — Not seeking help

Finally, don’t sell your business without help. Look for and vet the necessary professionals, including accountants, financial advisors, brokers and lawyers, to help you manage this complicated process. In terms of a professional broker, you want to find a business advisor who can help confidentially market your business and vet potential buyers.

While you want to let the broker do their job, you still should stay involved with the sale to be aware of progress. But until you sign on the dotted line, your primary focus should be running your business to keep it healthy and viable.

There’s no doubt that deciding to sell your business is an exciting and stressful time. At Transworld Business Advisors of Eastern NC, our advisors are some of the most sophisticated and experienced in the industry.

Transworld Advisors have the training and know-how to help. For a free consultation, contact Ashley Kelsey with Transworld Business Advisors of Eastern NC at 910-302-6447 or email akelsey@tworld.com.

“We are still very young,” says Phillip Lin.

Lin is the owner of Fayetteville Fury, an indoor and outdoor soccer team in Fayetteville. Lin, who has been with the team at least as a minority owner since its creation, has seen a lot of change in the team in its short time with the Fury coming up on its third season. He honestly hopes to see more change and growth in the future.

Fayetteville Fury was started by Andrew Haines and a partner as part of the National Indoor Soccer League.

Seeing the potential in Fayetteville and North Carolina, the Fury was born in the All America City. At the time, Lin was just a minority investor but the only owner local to North Carolina.

“They felt like there was a lot of potential in Fayetteville,” Lin says. “There was good infrastructure. It was easy for games.”

Midseason this year, Lin took over the entirety of the ownership. He said he had always wanted to be a sports owner.

“The Fayetteville Fury helped me start that,” he said. “There was no local ownership so I came to all the games. I got to know the players, the fans. I fell in love with Fayetteville as a city.”
And so, the ownership changed hands.

“I want to see soccer grow … that’s why I decided to take over the Fury.”

Fayetteville Fury hosts soccer games and practices all year long by being an indoor and an outdoor soccer team and includes both male and female players. The potential for playing, the ability to play year round and the potential for growth in the area didn’t just attract Lin but also professional players from other areas like TJ Hurd, one of the Fury’s team captains from last season.

“Fayetteville is very interesting to say the least,” Hurd laughs. “There were a lot of roads and opportunities to expand the soccer team there.”

And Lin and others feel like it’s just at its beginning. At least, that is what the team is hoping with programs the Fury does, like Fury Future and Fury Next. Fury Next focuses on helping high school age kids to college age kids by hosting games against soccer teams on a collegiate level.

“That way, the university can see them,” Lin says. “And parents don’t have to pay.”

Fury Future focuses on the younger players by allowing those younger players to work out with the Fury’s players. The team evaluates what the younger players are good at and where they think the players can improve. This includes all kids ages five and up.

“We want to streamline this thing,” Lin says. “We can help develop the kids. From there we can feed it into UPSL … and then they can go pro. We want to make soccer affordable and accessible.”

Lin dreams of Fayetteville Fury being a team that can help be a stepping stone for players like Hurd who is currently in pro trials out in California. Hurd hopes to know in a month or so if he’s made an actual team roster.

“I appreciate them helping me in my playing career,” Hurd says. “For any clubs in Fayetteville and people that are interested in the game more seriously, Al and Phil have people’s best interest the whole way through. The project that they are working on takes time.”

This sentiment is something that newly hired social media coordinator for the Fury, Emily Hyde, agrees with completely. When thinking of Fayetteville Fury, Hydes notes the family feel of being a part of the team and its dedication to improving the community.

"They want to give back to the community," she says. "I really want them to be seen by the community... they are a relatively new club."

Lin’s plan is for the Fayetteville Fury to help train young players and players who are hoping to go pro so that one day the team can put Fayetteville, North Carolina on the map.

“They can get on a big stage one day and they say this person is from Fayetteville, North Carolina.”

The players and management at the Fayetteville Fury are also trying to provide a place for women soccer players to go as well. The Fury has both men and women players. Lin says they are getting ready this summer to expand that.

“Number one, my focus is now to improve the community,” he says. “I think Fayetteville Fury is part of that. I’m hoping that as Fayetteville Fury grows, that the community will see the impact.”

Above all else, Lin emphases the goal of making soccer both affordable and accessible in the community. He thinks the Fayetteville Fury will do just that.

“I knew it was going to take on a life of its own,” says Kathy Jensen, owner of the store An Affair to Remember, about her annual fashion show.

For years, Jensen was asked by others to put on a local prom fashion show and for a few years, Jensen said, it was something she saw in the future but not at that time. Now, 14 years later, Jensen is putting on the 13th annual prom fashion show. This year’s theme will be “A Girl to Remember,” which has been a sort of slogan or tagline for her store.

“We always wanted to do it,” she says about the theme. “We said, ‘What is a girl to remember?’”

The show will take place on January 6th at 7 p.m. and last for about two hours at the Crown EXPO center. The event is open to the public.

“I would say, it’s a great girls' night out,” Jensen says. “You don’t have to have somebody in the show to enjoy it. You get to see the new fashion that is coming out.”

To be in the show, Jensen says the only requirement is to have purchased a prom or pageant dress from An Affair to Remember. Girls in the show will be for those ages 7 and up.

“This is all about women’s empowerment,” she says. “Every time you get up on the stage, your confidence builds.”

To that end, the show will also host a portion called Women of Power. This segment of the fashion show focuses on women in the community that have made positive impacts. They will also be dressed up and walking on stage during the show.

Jensen felt that the efforts of many women in the community were not showcased and often would be done without much notice.

“I just started looking around Fayetteville and seeing all these women doing great things,” she says.

She hopes the segment will change that. The “Women of Power” will walk two times during the show. The show will have about 100 models this year.

They have had anywhere from 20 to 120 in the years prior. The models will be anywhere from a size triple zero to 30.

“When I started the show it was about 20 girls and they were mostly beauty queens,” Jensen says. “ .. and it just grew. I decided if anyone has bought a dress from me they are going to be able to do the fashion show.”

For Jensen this show will be about empowering women, giving back to the community through donations to CEED and about giving back to her customers by allowing them to participate in the show without any other financial commitment.

“It has turned into a tradition,” she says. “I have girls that started out at 7 and 8 years and now they are seniors in high school. It’s just what we do."

Joining the folks at An Affair to Remember will be Next Top Model Judge, Marian Verrkerk, who will direct the runway show as well as pageant coach Bill Alverson and Jovani designer Julie DuRocher.

Jensen urges anyone who wants a girls' night out or who would enjoy watching a runway show to come out to enjoy drinks, food and vendors as well as the show.

“You will feel like you are in New York at Fashion Week … with more comfortable seating,”Jensen laughs.

“It’s a night of fun.”

For more information, visit An Affair to Remember's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/lifeisanaffair/

One of the most hauntingly beautiful songs you’ll ever hear at Christmastime originated right here in North Carolina.

John Jacob Niles was born in Louisville, Kentucky in 1892. At the age of 18, he got a job with the Burroughs Adding Machine Company, selling the hand-cranked devices to businesses and schools. While visiting his customers, Niles continued his longtime hobby of transcribing the folk songs he heard.

When America entered World War I in 1917, Niles went overseas as a member of the U.S. Army Air Service. Wounded in France, he began formal study of music there. He continued it at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and became a singer on stage and radio.

He also resumed his hobby, making several journeys through the southern Appalachians in search of distinctive lyrics and melodies. One such trip took Niles to the Cherokee County seat of Murphy, North Carolina in the summer of 1933.

A poor family of revivalists, the Morgans, had camped in the town square for some time. After many complaints from local residents, the police approached the family and insisted they leave. Preacher Morgan (I was unable to discover his first name) replied that they lacked the money to feed, clothe, and bathe themselves, and couldn’t even afford the gas necessary to drive their ramshackle car out of Murphy.

John Jacob Niles described in these words what happened next:

A girl had stepped out to the edge of the little platform attached to the automobile. She began to sing. Her clothes were unbelievable dirty and ragged, and she, too, was unwashed. Her ash-blond hair hung down in long skeins.... But, best of all, she was beautiful, and in her untutored way, she could sing.

She smiled as she sang, smiled rather sadly, and sang only a single line of a song.

Niles quickly scribbled down the line. In exchange for seven donated quarters, Annie Morgan repeated the fragment seven times. Then the family departed Murphy — and the visiting artist departed with the raw materials and inspiration of what has become a standard, “I Wonder As I Wander.”

Its first performance occurred ninety years ago this week: on December 19, 1933 at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, which straddles the border between Cherokee and Clay counties. Niles himself sang the composition, which was published the following year in his Songs of the Hill-Folk: Twelve Ballads from Kentucky, Virginia, and North Carolina.

I’ve heard the song performed many times, in many different arrangements and settings. I even recorded it myself decades ago, on one of the annual Christmas albums my friends and I used to produce.

There’s more than meets the eye (and ear) in its first stanza:

I wonder as I wander, out under the sky,
How Jesus the Savior did come for to die
For poor on’ry people like you and like I;
I wonder as I wander, out under the sky.

There’s an ambiguous word here, “on’ry.” When the song is performed, some pronounce it phonetically while others slip in another “r” to render it “or’n’ry.” Some printed versions of the song actually use the latter spelling.

What’s going on here? The contraction “on’ry” is generally understood to mean “ordinary.” Niles needed two syllables, not four, to fit the meter of his song. But the word “ornery” popped up in the early 1800s as a Northern English or Scottish version of “ordinary,” then by mid-century had evolved into its current meaning of “cantankerous.”

In the largely Scotch-Irish culture of the southern Appalachians, the term “ornery” was common — and used as much as an expression of pride as an accusation that someone else was being troublesome or bull-headed.

Assuming the songwriter’s account is accurate (Niles was known to shade the truth), couldn’t you see little Annie express amazement that God would become flesh to save “poor, ornery people” like her family?

I can.

To all my fellow North Carolinians, I wish a very Merry Christmas!

Editor's note: John Hood is a John Locke Foundation board member. His latest books, Mountain Folk and Forest Folk, combine epic fantasy with early American history (FolkloreCycle.com).

2023 was the year America jumped the shark. In 1997, “The Fonz,” from the hit TV show “Happy Days,” jumped a shark. Over time, the term "jump the shark" transformed into a scathing critique, implying that a subject has strayed far beyond its original purpose, degenerating into an absurd or excessive caricature of what it once was.

2023 ushered in the introduction of Artificial Intelligence while Americans grapple with figuring out how to check themselves out at Walmart. Who knew we would all add cashier, bagging clerk, payment processor, weight checker, age verifier, customer service assistant, technical troubleshooter and honest consumer to our resumes?

In the 2023 elections, the Republican red wave election went blue. Eight Republicans joined the presidential race. Now, there are five, including former President Trump. On the Democrat side, President Biden announced that he was running for reelection.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. joined the race to challenge Biden. Although RFK’s father and uncle were assassinated, he has been denied Secret Service protection. The Democratic National Committee turned its back on him by changing the rules in favor of Biden. RFK is now running as an Independent.

As of this writing, Former President Trump leads in the polls with a whopping 47-point lead in the

Republican race and 4-points over Biden. Trump also leads with 91 charges in four indictments. He has 13 indictments in Georgia, and he still has a 26-point lead over Biden there.

In shocking news, people were thrilled to hear that Biden remembered he was President, and a judge has a gag order on Trump. Hunter Biden, who is the son of the most anti-2nd Amendment President, had a plea deal thrown out by a judge on his gun charges and nine federal tax offenses. FYI, Hunter’s net worth is estimated at $230 million. If you are wondering, “middle-class Joe Biden” (his words, not mine) now has a net worth of $10 million.

Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was removed from office and later resigned. Congressman Santos (R-NY) was also removed. At the same time, Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and his wife were indicted for acting as a foreign agent of Egypt and he still has an active security clearance.

North Carolina person of the year was Democratic State Representative Tricia Cotham from Mecklenburg County. In April, she jumped a shark over to the Republican side, giving the Republican Party a supermajority in the Capital.

The new supermajority overruled Gov. Cooper's veto of the “Guarantee 2nd Amendment Freedom and Protections.” Other laws changed the state’s abortion, voting, workplace language for state workers, and others.

Most Americans believe their wallets jumped a shark. Although the stock market is up 4,000 points since last year, our inflation rate has increased 3.2%. With interest rates at a 22-year high of 5.25 to 5.5% and home interest rates averaging 7.5%. The numbers do not meet the reality of the stress striking people while they dip deep into their savings and credit cards to make ends meet.

As we leisurely skied behind the boat, the government was driving the boat right over the shark. While screaming that China is taking your privacy, there are extremists everywhere, and TikTok is spying on you. It appears we have no privacy. At the end of December 2022, it was exposed that the FBI was working with Twitter, paying for users’ account information, and removing and censoring accounts, thus making Twitter the U.S.’s first seven-letter intelligence agency.

Under new ownership, Elon Musk changed “Twitter” to “X,” allowed banned users back on the platform, and became one of the media's most hated foreigners for standing up for free speech and the 1st Amendment. By July, a federal judge ordered the Biden administration to stop agencies from communicating with social media companies.

Your safe isn’t safe, either. It was reported that the FBI obtained the default codes to Liberty gun safes. Little did anyone suspect that a “safe” company kept digital backdoor information on your safe.

Nothing hits Fayetteville and Ft. Liberty harder than unrest around the world. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin told Congress that if they do not provide funding for Ukraine, it is "very likely" it will lead to U.S. troops in Europe. The Army ramped up recruiters due to low enlistment goals.

On October 7, Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 Israelis and foreigners. As of this writing, there are still eight American hostages in Gaza. At the end of November, there have been 78 attacks by Iranian-backed forces against U.S. forces in the Middle East since the attack. Congress moved to freeze the $6 billion that Biden gave to Iran in September.

China flew a lovely spy satellite across the country and over North Carolina, passing near Ft. Liberty and Camp Lejeune before Biden allowed the military to shoot it down over the ocean. Biden’s biggest infrastructure project was the superhighway at the southern border enabling 2.4 million people (and growing just this year) to cross into the U.S. The FBI has warned that the threat to the U.S is the highest this holiday season since 9/11.

Ft. Bragg became Ft. Liberty, while most veterans did not feel liberated with the new name. Amazon’s biggest delivery to Fayetteville has been that big empty building, which can be seen from I-295. In January, Fayetteville got a new Chief of Police, Kemberle Braden. This month, former police chief Gina Hawkins received a $200,000 settlement from the city for alleging a hostile work environment.
2024 will bring new challenges, new joys, and new sadness. We could see a transition from inflation to deflation (still not good).

It would be wise for all of us to know who and what we are voting for. It is said that all politics start at the local level. So do love and respect for one another. A community that works together builds and succeeds, but one that is divided will fall into rubble with pride.

Happy New Year, and may God Bless you and your family.

Come one, come all to a festive New Year’s event sure to regale you with wonder, whimsy, and wine! You read that right, coming this New Year’s Eve, the Fayetteville Dinner Theatre, Gates Four Country Club, Up & Coming Weekly newspaper, and Beasley Media Group will be hosting a New Year’s Eve American Bandstand Dance Party in the ballroom of the beautiful Gates Four Country Club. And, the public is invited.

“The event is being hosted by four local business entities to assure its success and to meet the expectations of our guests. Gates Four provided the venue and entertainment, Up and Coming Weekly and the Fayetteville Dinner Theatre coordinated the evening’s activities while Beasley Media Group coordinated the marketing and promotion of the event. It is a collaborated effort. We want to offer residents and guests a New Year’s experience they will never forget. The Fayetteville Dinner Theatre always incorporates a WOW! Factor in all their productions,” said Bill Bowman, publisher, Up and Coming Weekly.

Local Fayetteville catering company Two Brothers Catering/The Vine will be providing heavy hors d'oeuvres with a carving station and Cape Fear Winery & Distillery of Elizabethtown, North Carolina will be hosting a free wine tasting.

The British Invaders of Wilmington, North Carolina will headline the dance party, playing the hits of great bands like the Rolling Stones, Beatles, Dave Clark Five, the Monkees and the Kinks.

Yes, the British are coming to Gates Four for a night of food, fun and great music, Sixties style. Partygoers will be singing and dancing to music that is legendary.

Guests are encouraged to dress the part with cash prizes being awarded to the best dressed sixties man, woman and couple. There will also be numerous door prizes, a Twist & Shout dance contest, and after the midnight New Year champagne toast, the Fayetteville Dinner Theatre and Cape Fear Winery & Distillery will give away a Grand Prize of Dinner and Overnight stay package at the Winery valued at $450.

For those unaware, with The Beatle's meteoric rise to international fame came what was colloquially known as “The British Invasion”. Several British born musicians, bands and performers became popular in American culture, and their music will provide the backdrop to the New Year’s Eve party.

Tickets for the event are $125 per person, with couples’ tickets priced at $200 for a pair. These tickets include a midnight champagne toast, a New Year’s breakfast, access to the buffet and bars, and door prizes. VIP tickets are also available for purchase and include premium dance floor seating and a bottle of wine. With everything planned for the event so far, it will be a lovely night out filled with food, drinks, fun, networking and music.

“The Fayetteville Dinner Theatre aims to add meaning, purpose and personal connections to all their events. We love to party and celebrate with people and businesses that support each other while enhancing Fayetteville’s quality of life,” said Bowman. “For instance, the proceeds from the wine sales are donated to Cumberland County’s Kidsville News Literacy and Education Foundation for providing educational resources to the children and schools free of charge. This New Year’s Eve event is a Party with a Purpose.”

With so much in store for the evening, one can understand why so much thought, effort and time has gone into the New Year's event.

It stands as a yearly reminder and opportunity for people to come together and experience some of the finer things our community has to offer to others and each other; a moment in time where anyone who wants to can come out in support of one another and the local businesses that go into defining our city’s culture and future prosperity.

From publishing companies to radio broadcasters, and even our own local wineries, this event promises to be a staple in developing the love and sense of community between local individuals, their businesses, and their goals for the future of our still blossoming city.

For a night at one of the most esteemed and luxurious places in Fayetteville filled with dancing, prizes, spirits, and partying, it seems to be well worth the money; especially knowing that any additional amenities will be going to fund and support the education and prosperity of the next generation.

After all is said and done, the party plans to wind down with a traditional New Year's toast and a breakfast after the event for those still present, a nice nightcap for the nocturnal nature of the event.
The public is officially invited to come out and support the local community and business owners in a night of celebration this New Year's Eve.

For more information on the event and where you can purchase tickets, please visit https://fayettevilledinnertheatre.com/ or call Fayetteville Dinner Theatre at (910) 391-3859.

And from all of us here at Up & Coming Weekly we wish you all a happy new year filled with festivity, friendship and joy. Thank you for being a continued reader and supporter of this local publication.

January is filled with anticipation and enthusiasm. It marks the beginning of a fresh year, brimming with untapped potential. Individuals are actively setting goals and aspirations, eager to seize the opportunities that the new year presents. New Year’s Resolutions are so 2023.

This January, there are plenty of alternative and highly efficient approaches to initiate a new beginning. Strategies that will assist you in monitoring your objectives throughout the year.

Be Specific About Your Goals

The initial step involves determining which objective, routine, or modification you intend to include in your New Year's plans. This aspect is relatively simple. The more challenging aspect lies in the execution.
To aid in this process, it is important to be both practical and precise. If your aim is to lead a healthier lifestyle in the upcoming year, you must break down what exactly that entails. Will you increase your gym visits, plan more nutritious meals, or eliminate sugar from your diet?

Make A Plan

Now that you have identified your objectives, it is time to create a strategy with practical steps. Keep in mind that achieving lasting change requires time and commitment, as studies suggest it takes approximately 60-90 days for a new habit to become ingrained.

Therefore, be prepared for the long-term journey ahead. It is unrealistic to expect a complete life transformation in just two days. The most simple approach to deconstructing a goal is to begin with the intended outcome and proceed in reverse.

Take note of all the actions necessary to achieve your goal or establish a lasting habit.
Here are a few excellent methods to start your year off on the right track:

• Pick A Theme or Word for the Year
• Consider what is missing in your life and the aspects you wish to improve upon.
•Make the word actionable.
•“Try on” a few different words to see how they feel and resonate.
•Keep it simple and don’t over think it.

Mini Bucket List

Add to your mini bucket list of destinations you wish to visit, the activities you desire to engage in, and the social gatherings and occasions you must not overlook. Should you wish to broaden your horizons, consider creating a separate list for each season or month.

Do A Life Audit

A life assessment involves examining your present life and identifying any disparities between it and your ideal life.

Get out a piece of paper and write down these 8 topics: career, finances, personal growth, health, family, relationships, physical appearance and environment. Then rate each area on a scale from 0 (not satisfied) to 10 (very satisfied).

For all the topics that did not score a 10/10 think about why they are not very satisfactory to you. Set goals over the next 12 months that bring you closer to your desired life.

“When you buy something from an artist, you are buying more than an object. You are buying hundreds of hours of errors and experimentation. You are buying years of frustration and moments of pure joy. You are not buying just one thing, you are buying a piece of a heart, a piece of a soul...and a small piece of someone else’s life," said Rebekah Joy Plett

Cape Fear Studios presented the Annual Holiday Members Exhibit on Nov. 24. The exhibit is open to Jan. 9, 2024, at Cape Fear Studios in downtown Fayetteville. Pieces from the members will be on sale throughout the exhibit.

“Cape Fear Studios, Inc. is a non-profit arts organization in historic downtown Fayetteville. We have been active for 32 years. Our mission is to involve, to educate, and to enrich Cumberland County and surrounding communities with the opportunity to create and freely view art,” said Steve Opet, Cape Fear Studios board president.

Members of Cape Fear Studios are Ray Im, Stanley Greaves, Sara Jane Lee, Sandie McFarlane, Rose Kennedy, Karen Moore, Helen “Pat” Zumbahlen, Steve Opet, Angela Stout, Edwinna Clark, Annette Szcezktek, Guy Jencks, Curtis Barnes, Jill Dieffenbach, Nancy Edge, Jaylene Nordgren, Pandy Autry, Larkin Pfeffer, Linda Sue Barnes, Gail Ferguson and Thea Cinnamon.

Ray Im is “a Korean-born lens-artist and ceramist. He executes German Deadpan aesthetics to imply cool and detached photographic gaze on a subject.” He received an honorable mention in the 2019 London International Creative Competition.

Stanley Greaves has the art specialty of sculpture and painting. He has received National Honours in Barbados, Santo Domingo, and the Gold medal for sculpture in the United Kingdom.

Steve Opet created the black and white cartoons for the 10th Mountain Division publication, “The Mountain View.” It is part of a permanent collection of the 10th Mountain Division Museum, Fort Drum, New York. His cartoons appear in “Armed with Abundance” by Meredith H. Lair. Barefoot Swingers won an Award of Excellence in West Virginia Governor’s Annual Exhibition in 2003

Angela Stout has artistic interests that range from contemporary painting, printmaking, sculpture and photography. She is a graduate of Fayetteville State University. She teaches painting and art classes at the Cape Fear Studios. –

Sara Jane Lee “expresses the complexity of human emotion evoked by an image drawn from nature. She is currently working with the medium of crayon. The textural energy of the wax and the vibrancy of the color, the crayon medium combines and expresses the whimsical side of her personality.”

Annette Szcezktek is a self-taught artist. Her specialty is florals. Her series of paintings, entitled Calla Lilly, are featured on notecards in the Georgia O’Keefe Museum Gift Shop in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Her paintings are featured in corporate collections across Fayetteville. Her work can be seen at the Health Pavilion North, Department of Social Services, Women Wellness Center, First South Bank and Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation.

The gallery features paintings, photography, sculptures, pottery, wood and glass art and fine jewelry. Art classes and workshops are available for personal enrichment. The artwork and workshops are wonderful gift alternatives to hats, gloves, scarves, ties and perfume.

Come to the Annual Holiday Members Exhibit until Jan. 9, 2024. The location is 148 Maxwell Street in downtown Fayetteville. The exhibit is free to attend during studio hours, Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call 910-433-2986.

Whether parents are looking for a fun gift for the kids or a new sport for them to try this holiday season, Hidden Acres Horse Farm has the perfect holiday program. Open for ages 7 and up, this holiday horse camp offers a great blend of equine therapy and the holiday spirit. Kids can create exciting new memories to cherish through this horse camp.

Hidden Acres offers a four day horse event from Dec. 27 to Dec. 30. Horses and helmets are provided upon arrival. This event will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is full of exciting activities and the chance to learn more about horses.

Nestled in Wade, NC, Hidden Acres Horse Farm looks to create a safe and fun environment for all participants. Parents can relax knowing their children are surrounded by professionals including a Certified Horsemanship Association riding instructor and a 4-H Equine Science Club Leader. 4-H is a program to provide young people with a safe environment by enlisting equestrian professionals and volunteers who strive to create positive learning environments.

Horseback riding is more than just an enjoyable activity for people of all ages; it teaches lifelong skills while the horses relax your mind. Horses and riding offers a variety of physical, emotional, and mental benefits. Horseback riding promotes overall fitness, balance, coordination, and core strength, all wonderful qualities for a growing child to gain. Interacting with any animal can make us happy, but horses have a special ability to foster true companionship with their riders.

Horseback riding is incredible for young minds that are ready to soak in new and exciting information while enhancing problem-solving skills and stress relief. People of all ages can benefit from riding, offering a way to grow confidence and self esteem.

For children specifically, horseback riding presents a range of developmental advantages like motor skills and teaches them how to love and take care of an animal with responsibility and discipline.

For those looking to sign their kids up for a wonderful holiday camp, contact (910) 670-1716 or visit https://www.facebook.com/events/hidden-acres-horse-farm/holiday-horse-camp/1515705665907368/ to fill out the camp form. The cost of Hidden Acres’ horse camp is $250 with a deposit of $50 to hold your spot. The Holiday Horse Camp will only host 10 campers to join their four day learning experience.
Not only will children enjoy the activities and horses, but they’ll get to socialize with fellow campers and potentially make great friends before the year is over. With plenty of overwhelmingly positive reviews, Hidden Acres Horse Farm is the best place to go year-round.

The camp is set to be held at 6150 Wade-Stedman Rd, Wade, NC 28395.
Hidden Acres Horse Farm has plenty of activities to get involved with year-round and is a great place to start to get into the world of horseback riding.

Kudzu.

It's a word. It is a plant. Something that will perk up North Carolinians when they hear that word.

In one sense it is a bad word in North Carolina because it reminds us of the fields and fields of otherwise good farmland taken over by an exploding mob of plants.

We see telephone poles and lines covered with that plant taking over everything everywhere.

But it also brings welcome memories of the late Doug Marlette's comic strip named “Kudzu,” set in rural North Carolina. This was itself the inspiration for a musical named “Kudzu” which featured the music of legendary Bland Simpson and the Red Clay Ramblers and was performed by them with enthusiasm.
Now there is another creative work that features our history with the kudzu plant.

“The Kudzu Queen” is the debut novel of Mimi Herman and is set in rural North Carolina in the early 1940s. It was a time when representatives of the U. S. Government scoured the countryside to encourage farmers to plant kudzu as a crop.

Herman explained to me recently this background about kudzu in the early 1940s: “The government saw kudzu as being the savior plant. So, it was a plant that we could plant to prevent erosion. Think about the time right around the Dust Bowl. And people were looking for erosion preventatives. Also, we're just past, the Great Depression.

“And here's a plant that literally grew a foot in 24 hours. What better thing to feed your animals and your family? And there was all this stuff you could do with it. I mean, you could cook it, you could make things out of it, you could make baskets, you could make clothes out of it. It was a headache cure. It was a heart attack cure. Kudzu was an alcoholism cure.”

In this special kudzu time, Herman builds her story.

There is a popular adage that says there are only two plots in all literature: “You go on a journey, or the stranger comes to town.”

In Herman’s novel, the stranger is James T. Cullowee who arrives in Cooper County, North Carolina, in a green Chevy truck loaded with kudzu plants.

He is charming and full of plans to promote kudzu planting.

Herman writes, “We watched him drive down Main Street, the crowd parting to let him pass. As his truck diminished in the distance, even the dust that rose behind him seemed magical, lightly tinged with green and gleaming with hope.”

Fifteen-year-old Mattie Lee Watson, the story’s narrator, is immediately charmed by Cullowee, who becomes known as the Kudzu King.

When he plans a kudzu festival with a beauty contest and a Kudzu Queen, she aspires to win that crown.
Mattie’s family, including her wise and kind parents and two brothers, are respected in the community and provide a solid base for Mattie’s dealings with her friends and fellow contestants in the Kudzu Queen contest and her crush on Mr. Cullowee.

Mattie’s best friend, Lynette Johnson, and her troubled and poor family live next door. They provide a connection to the challenges knocking down poor farm families at every turn.

Lynette’s mother is ill, and her father is a drunkard. For some reason the Johnsons invite Mr. Cullowee to stay with them. But when Mrs. Johnson dies, Mr. Cullowee moves in with Mattie’s family.

Another of Mattie’s friends, Rose, lives nearby in a sharecropper family on land owned by Mattie’s father. When they were younger, Rose and Mattie were best friends.

But Rose, being black, was assigned to a separate school, and their friendship faded. However, as Mattie struggles with the pressures of the Kudzu Queen contest and her mixed feelings toward Mr. Cullowee, Rose is there to provide wise advice and support.

Even without the Kudzu King and the festival contest to drive the action, Herman’s story of Mattie’s growing up and struggles of farm life would be a welcome learning gift to North Carolina readers–especially as we remember the tenacious presence of the kudzu vine in our landscape.

Editor's Note: D.G. Martin, a retired lawyer, served as UNC-System’s vice president for public affairs and hosted PBS-NC’s North Carolina Bookwatch.

Everyone knows the best part of Christmas is the lights. The search for holiday lights is in high demand from apps to neighborhood Facebook groups, and the season of riding around to see the most festive decorations has begun. Cool Spring Downtown District is hosting a one-of-a-kind event to bring Christmas decorations to the backdrop of Downtown. Light Up the City is a “friendly” decoration competition between downtown businesses.

The Viewer Choice Award is where the fun starts. This award will go to the business the community thinks did it best. Voting started on Dec. 1st and ends on Dec. 31st. Voting can be done via the website at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NQD9KH2. The winner will be announced in the second week of January.

Light Up the City is a new enjoyable concept for the Cool Spring Downtown District. Mimicking the mesmerizing window displays of the New York City holiday season, community members will be able to walk the streets of downtown Fayetteville and delight in all the different sceneries created by local businesses.

“The Cool Spring Downtown District fosters economic vitality through arts and entertainment in Downtown Fayetteville” something they have truly done with this community collaboration. This is a perfect opportunity for a date night, family outing or an outing for your organization. Enjoy light displays and grab a bite to eat from one of the many downtown restaurants, like Blue Moon, Circa 1800, or The Salad Box, warm hot chocolate from Rude Awakening, or hot tea or cocktail from WinterbloomTea. This is an amazing opportunity to experience the beauty of downtown Fayetteville and all it has to offer.

Lauren Falls, Marketing and Events Director for the Cool Spring Downtown District came up with the idea of Light Up the City, said “I created this event because of my love of driving around neighborhoods to view the holiday lights. I wanted to replicate that joy in Downtown Fayetteville. Our friendly competition is one of many ways we encourage visitors and residents to “love where they live” by supporting our small businesses.”

Businesses were asked to be as creative as possible in exploring the theme of the Holiday Season. Businesses can have window displays or bring the theme into the storefront. Imagination is the limit in this decoration contest.

Some businesses have already created their masterpieces. Falls said, “We have one business with a Frosty setup, another with a pink theme, and many with decorative storefront windows.”

Falls is excited about the setup of the Districts Winterscapes. “We have 11 Winterscapes that include our 22 ft. Carolina Fir Tree, Augmented Reality Photo Stations, Letters to Santa, and digital Winterscape projection. You can view all our Winterscapes on our website visit downtownfayetteville.com.”

Downtown businesses that want to participate still have time. Those wanting to register can do so by emailing Lauren Falls at lauren@coolspringfay.org or by calling the Cool Spring District Office at 910 223-1089. This event is only open to Downtown businesses. Participating businesses should keep decorations up until at least December 25th.

Spirits, stand-up, and a supportive community are what you can expect when you walk into the comedy events hosted at Paddy's Irish Pub.

Hosting The Locals Comedy group, Paddy's Irish Pub is home to two of the most inclusive comedy nights in all of Fayetteville. Alternating between "The Comedy Couch" and "Cocktails & Comedy," The Locals Comedy team fills our guts with laughter while bartenders, like Ashley Pickel, fill our stomachs with spirits.
Helmed by the triumvirate of tomfoolery, Dennis Villanueva, Mitchell Fowler and Brandon Dyer, The Locals Comedy helps to bring laughter to the table via the organized oration of jokes, spoken poetry, stand-up and all things funny. The group's philosophy focuses on the representation and expression of, you guessed it, local peoples' proclivity and propensity for puns, quips and humor. With local talent being a focus, The Locals Comedy prides itself on effectively representing, organizing and connecting local performers and entertainers with businesses, venues and each other.

Local soldier and comedian entertainer extraordinaire Khalil Ajlani is one such performer. After his set on last week's Comedy Couch, Up & Coming Weekly was able to catch up with Ajlani and get his thoughts on The Locals Comedy and the current scene of comedy present in Fayetteville.

"When it comes to The Locals, they're a hard-working group trying to increase the size of the comedy scene. They [The Locals Comedy] are trying to create a larger organized scene that everyone can enjoy."

This sentiment was echoed by one of the group's founders, Brandon Dyer. Speaking on his personal philosophy for comedy, Dyer said this.

"We want to show people that this is the kind of talent our town has to offer. We want people to come out and laugh with us, at us, and enjoy a good time with one another. One night we could have a local business owner up on stage, the next it could be your boss."

Not only comprised of local talent, The Locals Comedy group also brings nationally recognized poets and comedians to our local stages to connect us through the art of humor and shared experiences.

Much of this can be cultivated because of the perfect environment provided by Paddy's Irish Pub. Paddy Gibney has created what some describe to be a perfect comedy club scene in the Church at Paddy's. The dim-lit atmosphere, intimate seating, stage lighting, good drinks and well-cultivated culture all combine to create a place that not only encourages the audience to relax and enjoy themselves but also allows the performers to feel comfortable and welcome on stage.

Built by locals, for locals, The Locals Comedy pairs itself with Paddy's Irish Pub to bolster and develop Fayetteville's comedy landscape. According to Mitch Fowler, "The comedy scene in Fayetteville is alive and well. A lot of us have come together to create something to help keep that up. Because we've collaborated with other performers, we've been able to branch out from just comedy to now we're bringing amazing poets on stage like tonight."

Whether you're looking for a laughter-filled good time, looking to quench your thirst, or just enjoy supporting local talent, the "Comedy Couch" and "Cocktails & Comedy" at Paddy's Irish Pub have exactly what the doctor ordered: shots to your funny bone.

Both comedy events alternate their place at Paddy's Irish Pub every Thursday, with "Comedy Couch" taking the spot for this week's entertainment. For further information on this and future events, and to find out where you can get your tickets for the next comedy show at Paddy's Irish Pub please go to https://paddysirishpub.com or https://www.facebook.com/TheLocalsComedy/

Let’s spend some time with Aesop today. Aesop was churning out fables 2500 years ago.

For someone who existed before the NY Times or Fox News told him what to think, his stories have a remarkable shelf life.

Consider the story of the frogs who wished for a king. Spoiler alert: Be careful what you wish for. Now you can skip the rest of this drivel. Go directly to the crossword puzzle.

For both of you who are still reading: Once upon a time there was a pond full of frogs. The frogs had no government. It was pondemonium. They did froggy things all the live long day. When they felt froggy, they jumped. Eventually, the frogs got bored with froggy freedom.

They decided they needed a government to provide bread and circuses to keep them entertained. They asked Zeus to send a king to their pond.

Zeus thought this was a stupid request. Fortunately for the frogs, Zeus was in an upbeat mood. He decided to indulge them and grant their request. Zeus threw a large log into the pond telling them the Log was their new king.

The huge splash scared all the frogs into hiding in the cat tails for several days. Eventually Pierre, one of the braver frogs, slipped out of the cat tails, touched the Log, and jumped away.

The Log just lay there like a bump on a log. Pierre gathered up his courage and touched Log again. Finally, Pierre jumped on Log and nothing happened.

All the other frogs came out and began using Log as a diving platform. After a while, they got bored with King Log and asked Zeus to send a more active King.

This time, Zeus was irritated by the frogs’ whining. Uh oh. Zeus decided to teach the frogs a lesson by sending them a more active king. Zeus sent them a Heron to replace their passive Log King.

The Heron King was hangry and began stabbing and eating the frogs in a royal frenzy. The frogs pleaded with Zeus to take the Heron back from their pond. Zeus refused. He told them that they wanted a King and now they were going to be King Heron chow.

Aesop was a good prognosticator. Currently, both Republicans and Democrats have Herons. Former Guy Trump was asked if he was elected, would he abuse power and be a dictator?

Former Guy said “I want to be a dictator for one day. You know why I wanted to be a dictator? Because I want a wall, and I want to drill, drill, drill.”

Very few rulers who become dictators only do it for one day. It’s too much fun dictating to quit after just once. People of a certain vintage may remember the old Lays Potato chip ad in which the Devil says, “Betcha can’t eat just one potato chip.’ Betcha Former Guy can’t dictate for just one day.

Dictating is like eating potato chips, he ain’t gonna stop dictating after Day One. If you want an Orange King Heron to eat up your freedoms, vote for the Former Guy.

Maya Angelou said: “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.” Who you gonna believe? Former Guy or your lying eyes?

On the left side of the political pond, we have the three Presidents of Harvard, MIT, and Penn who could not bring themselves to say genocide of Jews is antisemitism.

Willful blindness is not a pretty sight. It is not confined to frogs who want an Orange King.

Pro tip: Genocide is defined as: “The deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular nation or ethnic group with the aim of destroying that nation or group.”

If someone wants to kill a group of people because they are Jews, that qualifies as antisemitism.

Perhaps the Academics believe George Costanza’s theory that “It is not a lie, if you believe it.”

It remains unclear if the Presidents believe their lie or are so divorced from reality by political correctness that they are astoundingly stupid. Apparently, perjury is just for the little people, not Academic Lords or Tobacco CEOs.

Watching the three Academic Presidents twist themselves into moral pretzels to hide behind the word “context” about genocide reminded me of 1994 when seven tobacco company CEOs testified before Congress that they did not believe nicotine was addictive.

Upton Sinclair noted: “It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it.”

What have we learned today? Not much. Both political extremes are goofy. Avoid Orange Herons and Politically Correct Academic Morons. Otherwise, you may find yourself between the Devil and the Deep Blue Cheese.

Happy New Election Year!

 

Because I spend much of my time encouraging constructive engagement across political differences, through such programs as Duke University’s North Carolina Leadership Forum, readers sometimes ask me if I think political differences are more appearance than reality — that if we just tried hard enough, we could reach a broad public consensus on many seemingly contentious issues.

That’s not what I believe at all. I think political differences are very real, very deeply ingrained, and very difficult to bridge.

Learning how to disagree without coming to blows or resorting to personal ridicule and attack is important precisely because the political divide is a semi-permanent feature of our cultural topography.

We can’t pretend it isn’t there. We can’t wish it away. And we shouldn’t expect it to wither away as a result of inevitable social forces.

Why not? Because the political divide isn’t primarily an artifact of statistical claims or carefully reasoned political ideologies. It’s about differences in how we see the world and our place in it.

The Cato Institute’s public opinion analyst, Emily Ekins, provided a fascinating example in her “Welfare, Work, and Wealth” poll. Conducted in partnership with YouGov, the survey asked a representative sample of 1,700 Americans a wide range of questions about political, economic, and social issues.
Most relevant here is the battery of questions about what psychologists call “locus of control.”

If you tend to believe that the major events in your life are largely the consequence of your own choices and efforts, you are considered to have an internal locus of control. On the other hand, if you tend to think what happens to you isn’t greatly determined by your choices and efforts, you have an external locus of control.

“While in reality both external forces and personal choices play a role,” Ekins observed, “the question is what individuals emphasize.”

Their answers appear to be related to political identification. While Americans as a whole lean towards internal locus of control to a remarkable degree — much more so than Europeans and Asians tend to do — American conservatives are more likely than American progressives to express the internal-control view.

Consider this statement: “My life is determined by my own actions.” While 52% of respondents identified as very conservative agreed with this statement, only 33% of very liberal respondents agreed.
Here’s another one: “When I get what I want, it’s usually because I worked hard for it.” Support was 53% among the very conservative and 30% among the very liberal.

Perhaps even more to the point: “I feel like what happens in my life is mostly determined by powerful people.” Fully 61% of the very conservative disagreed with this statement, while only 34% of the very liberal did.

I’ve long cited another survey finding when I teach classes on navigating political differences. At first glance, you may find this Pew Research Center question to have little bearing on politics: “Would you prefer to live in a community where 1) the houses are larger and farther apart but schools, stores, and restaurants are several miles away; or 2) the houses are smaller and closer to each other but schools, stores, and restaurants are within walking distance.”

Americans as a whole lean toward the former over the latter, with 57% favoring spread-out communities and 43% wanting their community amenities within walking distance.

When you adjust for political views, however, a striking pattern emerges — 72% of Republicans and 77% of conservative Republicans say they prefer the lower-density, automobile-oriented lifestyle while 56% of Democrats and 65% of progressive Democrats say they prefer higher-density, walkable communities.
These are correlations only. We can’t say for certain what the causal factors are. What we can say is that our political differences extend far beyond our contrasting views on specific pieces of legislation or electoral candidates. Deeply held feelings and values are at play, including preferences for how we live, work, and play. These differences aren’t easily modified. The best we can do is accommodate them.

Editor’s Note: John Hood is a John Locke Foundation board member. His latest books, Mountain Folk and Forest Folk, combine epic fantasy with early American history (FolkloreCycle.com).

The Man Who Recaptured Joy

The cul-de-sac on Lakewood is small — only a couple of homes sit nestled on the shallow inlet that abuts Mirror Lake in the neighborhood of Vanstory Hills.

Most of the year, the small street would go unnoticed. There is nothing that would make this street any different from the next. But just after Thanksgiving, sometime around the beginning of December, a transformation happens at the modest, ranch-style brick house in the middle of the cul-de-sac.
The lawn becomes a sea of lights and characters dressed in red, white or both. Behind a display of at least 70 Christmas inflatables, the house is hardly visible.

At the end of the driveway, a giant red and fully functional letterbox sits perched on the curb with the words "Letters to Santa" written on the front. A gigantic joy sign shines bright on the opposite side of the yard. Its letters stand more than 5 feet tall, with twinkling lights inside each one.
Signs in front of the yard direct passers-by to a radio station they can tune into for a synchronized musical experience.

At this time of year, the home is hard to miss, even from a distance.

Just inside the house, sits Bryan Lake, dressed in a short-sleeve button-up shirt and jeans. His wife, Stephanie, sits beside him, listening to him recount how their yard came to be so decorated. The living room shelves behind them display Christmas Village tiny homes, string lights and puffs of cotton made to look like snow. He has lights and raw wiring strung across the floor near a tree he is working on. Bryan details his history of the love of both Christmas and its decor.

Bryan grew up in what he would refer to as a solidly middle-class family. Even so, he recalls the decorations of his childhood home being more than average.

"It was ingrained in me since childhood," he says, smiling.

During his childhood, Christmas was a special time of family gatherings and celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. To this end, he still hangs a lit cross above an empty manger at the end of his display. He would prefer passers-by to remember the reason for the celebration.

At the age of 14, Bryan says, the light-hearted feel of Christmas dimmed.

Bryan sits up straighter on the couch. He starts his sentence, stops and then restarts as his voice trembles softly. Bryan begins to tear up as he tries to get the words out. Stephanie is, too, sure of the story he is starting to tell.

"My mother got sick and passed away. I remember the Christmas before she got sick and then the last Christmas she had — She passed away shortly after."

And for many years after that, Bryan admits, Christmas was different. His world had changed completely.

"Christmas became a pretty depressing time. You put on that happy face, but you struggle with things that you spend a lifetime dealing with, quite frankly. Christmas was a difficult time for me for a lot of years until my kids came along."

Many years later, Bryan would find joy in Christmas again. He and his wife Stephanie purchased an inflatable Minnie and Mickey Mouse for their front lawn in 2013 or 2014.

"That's what started it," Bryan says. "Seeing Christmas again through the eyes of children. That excitement … happiness that I had lost somewhere along the way."

Both Bryan and Stephanie smile at the memory.

"It has come full circle back to where it can be my favorite time of year," he says.

While the original Mickey and Minnie have since been retired, Bryan and Stephanie have held onto them.

Maybe one day, Bryan admits, he'll get them back up and out of disrepair. He is sentimental. He still holds on to an old Christmas tree that belonged to his parents.

His voice breaks a little when he mentions it.

The original inflatables led to a few more inflatables and then more lights. Year after year, Bryan would buy more inflatables on the postseason sales. As packed as his yard is this year, Bryan says he has probably 30 more inflatables that he just hasn't put out yet.

The lights he puts out for Halloween always help him get a jump start on the infrastructure for Christmas, but even still, it's an undertaking.

Bryan takes off most Thursdays and Fridays in November to begin his prep work for the Christmas display. Sometimes, his kids will help, but often, he'll be out during the day or after dark adjusting cords and wires and configuring a diagram for the display.

"It gives me time to think and reflect on some of those childhood memories. Sometimes, it's freezing cold or dark, but I kind of like it. My alone time, I guess."

By the time Bryan completes his display, he has put in more than 150 hours and ends up with 70 inflatables, dozens of lights, and other displays. He plans every year to have it all out by the Sunday after Thanksgiving.

"I don't know the last time I made that," he says lightheartedly of his self-imposed deadline.

A couple of years ago, Bryan switched all the lights to LED. He and Stephanie say they can't tell the difference in their power bill because they have natural gas, and the bill usually drops in the winter anyway.

The best guess they have is a couple hundred dollars. This number is generally surprising for people with the amount of lights and inflatables.

"It's probably too much for her," Bryan says, pointing at Stephanie. He takes a glance over at her and then continues. "It probably crossed the line of tacky a few years ago."
Stephanie smiles as she looks over at Bryan.

"No, it's nice to know that other people enjoy it, and it brings joy to them," Stephanie says.

The Lakes welcome anyone to come by and see the lights. Most nights, it will be up and running until after 10 p.m. The music will mix old and new, spanning about an hour and a half. Bryan might even be seen handing out candy canes to those who exit the vehicles to get a look.

He loves having conversations and discussing Christmas or the lights or music. Every year, Bryan says they will add new things.

There is one thing, however, that will never change about his light show.

Currently on the music lineup is the song "Christmas Shoes." The song details a little boy trying to buy shoes for his dying mother and being unable to do so without the help of a stranger.

Bryan's voice breaks frequently when recalling the story. He sits up straighter, wipes away some tears and readjusts.

"That song always makes people leave. I refuse to take that out of the show," Bryan says.
He stops for a second, pulls his lips in tight and he tries to get his thought out while holding back tears.

“I am the boy in the song."

 

The Boy Who Tinkers

Just a mile from the Lakes, across Raeford Road, is the home of John and Lacy Kells.
Out front, in the mix of bushes, lights and inflatables, is JP Kells. He walks around the yard, frequently adjusting an inflatable or tweaking a cord.

His mother would say he is tinkering, per usual. Many of the inflatables that surround him are 10 times his size. This does not stop him from adjusting any that aren't standing up straight or fixing the lights on others. As he does this, both cars and walkers pass by his yard.

"You bring us so much joy," says a mom to JP and Lacy while walking her two toddlers to the house.
JP shyly waves to them and smiles. He continues his work around the yard as one of the toddlers runs to see "Snoopy's Tree Lot." JP added that particular part of his light show just this year.

Setting up synchronized light displays and 12-foot inflatables are usually the jobs of grown men, but this will be 12-year-old JP's sixth Christmas assembling his light show.

He was just five when he asked for the control system for the lights as a Christmas present. Much like Bryan Lake, just a mile away, every year since he adds new touches and inflatables.

In the future,JP hopes to add a walk-through element and expand into his neighbor’s yard.
“We are trying to get into there,” JP says pointing toward the adjoining yard. The yard just so happens to belong to his maternal grandparents who live next-door.

“He’s very slowly convincing Gigi to let him expand into their yard,” Lacy says laughing.
JP bounces a little and smiles. His excitement for future plans is palpable. He’s pretty sure he is about to convince his Gigi to use some of her yard.

He has already commandeered the use of his grandparents' basement where, in his spare time, he can be found “tinkering.” JP, who wants to be an engineer when he grows up, has learned a lot through producing his light shows. He has learned to solder and has more knowledge about amps and wires than most boys his age.

“He works on things for months leading up to it. He’s constantly checking wires and fans and outlets and other things,” Lacy says. “It’s a lot.”

As for the design of the yard, the new sections he’ll add or what features he will bring in each year, his mom says it’s all in JP’s head.

“He knows what it will look like before he goes out there."

He and his father, John, will spend nights in November setting up the light show for Christmas. While other holidays can be done in a weekend or even less, Christmas is always an undertaking, JP admits. Like Bryan Lake, it consumes most of JP’s time in-between Halloween and December.

Like most boys, JP already has his Christmas gift list in order. However, unlike most boys, most of it has to do with inflatables or the light show.

“That is what he asks us and both sets of grandparents for … that’s what makes him happy,” says Lacy.
This is the same for his birthday, which falls at the end of October — just in time to put up the Christmas lights show. JP will watch YouTube videos on inflatables or monitor websites on the night of the release of the next year’s inflatable line up.

Each year, a couple weeks before Christmas, JP will also host a hot chocolate fundraiser out of his grandparents' driveway to support a local project. Last year, he raised funds for a local elementary school. The event will entail the light show, hot chocolate goodie bags JP usually makes for the kids that come by.

“We do it to give back,” Lacy says. “We are so fortunate to be able to do this … it’s important to give back.”

As for why JP does it all, his answer is pretty simple.

“I find it fun doing it and it's fun seeing people come by every night.” JP says. “Last night we had a line of cars out there.”

A smile breaks out across his face as he says the last part.

Next year, JP will have a few new inflatables to add to the mix and maybe, just maybe, he’ll convince Gigi that the show requires two yards instead of one.

New Year's Eve is right around the corner. Whether you plan to host your own celebration or have received an invitation to attend someone else's party, we are here to provide you with our top recommendations for the best champagne options! The lovely ladies at The Sip Room have put together an excellent selection of champagne choices that cater to all tastes and budgets. Before we delve into the details, let's start with a brief introduction to Champagne.

What is Champagne?
To be labeled as "champagne," a bottle of wine must be produced in the Champagne region of France and undergo the traditional fermentation method to create carbonation. Champagne is primarily made from Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier grapes, although the specific grape varieties used in Champagne can differ.

What is the best serving temperature for Champagne?
For optimal enjoyment, it is recommended to serve sparkling wines, such as Champagne, at a cool temperature ranging from 43 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
What type of glassware is ideal for serving Champagne?
According to many professionals, it is widely suggested that flute glasses are the optimal choice for serving sparkling wines. The prevailing belief is that the slender shape of the flute enhances the effervescence of the bubbles, enabling them to flow through a greater quantity of wine before reaching the top of the glass and releasing the delightful aromas of the wine.

What is the proper way to safely open a bottle of Champagne?
Sparkling wine and Champagne are both under significant pressure when stored in bottles. The pressure is even greater in Champagne bottles compared to sparkling wine. Here is how to open your bottle safely:
1. Remove the foil and slightly loosen the wire cage. It is crucial to ensure that the cork remains firmly in position as soon as the wire cage is loosened.
2. Tilt the bottle, holding it at approximately a 30-degree angle while gripping the cork. Use your other hand to grasp the base of the bottle.
3. Carefully stabilize the cork and gently remove it from the bottle. The aim is to release the gas pressure smoothly and quietly, preventing any sudden explosions or the cork flying off.

And now the suggestions you've been waiting for!

 

Best Brut Rosé: Jacquart Brute Rose
The Brut Rosé is created by combining Chardonnay, Meunier, and Pinot Noir grapes that have been fermented as red wine. The Jacquart Brute Rose showcases aromatic hints of red berries (mature redcurrants, cherries, and wild strawberries) with underlying tones of plum, peach, and apricot. This particular Rose exemplifies a refreshing and rich flavor profile, culminating in a delicate and satisfying conclusion.

Best Blanc de Blancs: Perrier Jouet Blanc de Blancs
Blanc de Blancs Champagnes are effervescent beverages produced exclusively from white wine grapes such as Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Blanc. The Perrier Jouet has a harmonious, intricate, and arid profile with refreshing acidity. It possesses a moderate body and a pleasingly prolonged aftertaste. On the palate, there is a gentle expression of grapefruit, lemon, apple, pear, white peach, brioche, and mineral notes.

Champagne on the Sweet Side: Laurent-Perrier Harmony Demi-Sec
Demi Sec is a French wine expression that translates to "half-dry". Demi-sec sparkling wines usually have a slight to moderate sweetness. If you prefer a slightly sweeter taste, consider trying a demi-sec instead of a brut. Laurent-Perrier offers the perfect level of sweetness to enjoy on its own or to complement rich dishes such as fried foods and cheese dishes.

Best Champagne Under $50: Andre Clouet Champagne Brut Grand Reserve NV
Champagne is categorized based on its level of sweetness. The driest type is called Brut, derived from the French word meaning dry or raw. The Andre Clouet’s finish of the fruit is rich with a chalky-mineral quality and refreshing in its salty finesse and elegant notes of yeast. The addition of lemon juice flavors adds an extra burst of invigorating taste.

Best Splurge: Dom Pérignon Brut Champagne
If you're looking to commemorate a truly extraordinary occasion, Dom Pérignon is the go-to choice. Renowned as one of the most iconic brands in the world of champagne, it offers a delicately balanced, light-bodied experience complemented by the subtle opulence derived from the Chardonnay grapes carefully selected for each annual vintage.

Alternative Options for Champagne Worth Considering

Prosecco: An Italian sparkling wine, produced using the Prosecco grape variety, typically exhibits a greater emphasis on fruity and floral flavors. Due to its specific aging techniques, this wine tends to be sweeter and showcases lighter, less effervescent bubbles that do not linger as long as those found in authentic champagne.
Recommendations: LaMarca, Botegga and Mionetto

Cava: A Spanish sparkling wine crafted from Macabeo grapes closely resembles champagne in terms of its production process. However, the use of different grape varieties results in a bubbly that is characterized by floral and fruity notes.
Recommendations: Marques de Monistrol Brut Cava, Borrasca Rose Cava, and Conde De Caralt Semi-Seco Cava

Make sure to visit The Sip Room for your celebration essentials. Situated on 106 Hay Street, The Sip Room is the perfect destination to find champagne, sparkling wine, and wine for the upcoming year or any special event.

New Year’s Eve is fast approaching and plans are being made around the world for the most celebrated night of the year, New Year’s Eve.

Fayetteville is no different. No need to take a plane, train, or Uber anywhere else. This year marks the third year the Cool Spring Downtown District is bringing fun, music, and food to Downtown Fayetteville with the Night Circus: A District New Year’s Eve Spectacular.

Gates open to the Night Circus in Festival Park at 7 p.m. and the party doesn’t stop until 12:30 a.m. Jan. 1st. Parents, not to fear; a sensory-friendly and bedtime-friendly countdown will take place at around 9 p.m. for those wanting to wrap up the party and get the little ones back home.

Organizers have taken great care in planning this year’s event, with this year promising to be better than last. Setting the mood from beginning to end, attendees will be met with carnival performers of all kinds.
Ashanti Bennett, Director of Special Projects for Cool Spring Downtown District said, “Contributing to the festivities, we will have stilt walkers, fire dancers, aerialists, magicians, tarot readers, face painters, and more!”

Food trucks will be on hand to sling the food amongst the fun. CQue BBQ, Fry Papi, The Carnival Cart, and Popcorn Is Us are among those slated to be parked in the park, along with other favorites and downtown staples.

Attendees will be on their feet dancing the night away with two 90s legends taking the stage. Performing on the stage at this year’s event is the multitalented, Brooklyn native and third member of the Hip-Hop group, Salt-N-Pepa, DJ Spinderella, bringing classics like "Push It" and "Whatta Man."

Coheadling is Baltimore-founded, Billboard and Soul Train Award-winning R&B group, Dru Hill, led by the blonde crooner himself, Sisqo, bringing their hits like "Beauty," "5 Steps" and "These Are the Times." Attendees can expect to sing and dance the night away with these artists hitting the stage.

Last year brought Tony! Toni! Tone!, another popular 90’s group.

Bennett said this was done with purpose.

“The Night Circus has had great success with its 90s theme. The music from that era is cross-generational and widely popular across diverse audiences.”

Anyone who knows 90s music knows these are some big names coming to Fayetteville to ring in the New Year. Bennett explains the process of getting these big names was no small feat, but one that produced perfect alignment for this lineup.

“We have several booking agents that we work with for our events; we start with sending them a wishlist roster of artists, and then we work with the agents to determine availability and budgetary concerns, a process that takes lots of phone calls and emails, over many weeks. I like to think it was a bit of Night Circus magic that aligned the stars so that we could welcome both Spinderella and Dru Hill to our Fayetteville NYE Spectacular.”

As the night winds down and the clock winds up, the celebration will conclude with a spectacular showcase. Raleigh has the acorn and New York City has the ball, but nothing compares to the Fayetteville star. At midnight, attendees will watch the iconic (you heard it here first) LED “custom built” 18 foot star drop from above the stage as fireworks illuminate the night sky, a celebration not to miss.
Last year’s celebration brought in 12,000 people. Bennett would love to see 15,000 people this year and has plans to make this event bigger and better next year.

“For next year, we have a number of ideas to shake things up and keep the event fresh, but we are not quite ready for any kind of reveal at this time. Audiences need not worry though - we will definitely still bring the party that Fayetteville has come to expect and love!”

Cool Spring Downtown District isn’t slowing down; Night Circus, is just the beginning (literally).
After a much-needed break, Bennett said the team will be back in the office and ready to work on several events coming in the spring..

"We will put our energy toward the return of 4th Friday in March 2024, our Arts in Motion trolley event series, the third annual Juneteenth Jubilee, and many more. That's in addition to our public art projects, downtown marketing and promotion initiatives, and economic development projects that make up the work of managing an arts and entertainment district," she said.

For more information about upcoming events or to learn more about the Cool Spring Downtown District, follow them on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/CoolSpringDowntownDistrict.

Many people consider New Year’s Day the unofficial end of the holiday season.

That often means that New Year’s Eve is an opportunity to socialize, gather and party one final time before returning to the routines of daily life.

The first known instance of New Year’s celebrations can be traced to around 2,000 B.C. in the region of Mesopotamia.

Celebrants would gather in March, rather than January, as this was the time of the vernal equinox, when the darkness of winter subsided, and agricultural life could begin anew.

As individuals count down the days until New Year’s Eve festivities, these planning tips can make the celebrations occasions to remember.

1. Consider a theme. Everyone is having or attending an NYE party. Let your event stand out from the throngs of others with a theme. Guests can come dressed as dynamic duos (like Mario and Luigi) or the party can evoke a bygone era, such as the roaring 1920s. Let guests know what they can do to play the part.

2. Start late. You do not want guests wiped out by the time midnight arrives. Therefore, start the party at around 9 or 10 p.m. and anticipate it lasting into the wee hours of the morning.

3. Tailor drinks to the season. Utilize seasonal ingredients when crafting drinks or serve drinks that are expected this time of year, such as a boozy eggnog or cranberry Moscow mules.

4. Provide various activities. Plan fun activities during the party. Offer card games or board games to give guests something to do. Karaoke or group activities like trivia can also spread out the fun.

5. Beverages should be accessible. Unless you are hiring a bartender who will be on call to pour drinks, having drinks ready to go is a smart idea. In addition to cans/bottles of beer or malt beverages, have ready-to-go mixed drinks available by selecting a signature drink and
preparing a bulk batch.

6. Curate a winning playlist. Ask guests to submit a list of their favorite tunes so you can create a collection of songs that will ebb and flow with the evening’s events. Be sure to include some sing-along favorites like Don’t Stop Believin’ or Tiny Dancer .

7. Offer self-serve foods. Much like having drinks ready to go, make foods accessible as well. Finger foods and bite-sized morsels will not require guests to carry plates, reducing the chances of spillage. Sliders, miniature quiches and dessert shooters should suffice.

8. Tie decorations into the theme. Classic New Year’s Eve decorations include balloons, streamers and confetti. Think about a very festive balloon arch or backdrop that also can serve as a place to pose for photo opportunities.

9. Offer takeaway gifts for designated drivers. Encourage guests to stay sober and volunteer for designated driving duties by offering prizes. Ideas include gift cards to coffee shops or restaurants.

10. Be ready for midnight. Have a large television at the ready to show the midnight countdown and start pouring champagne roughly 20 minutes before midnight to ensure all glasses are full when the clock strikes 12.

New Year’s Eve celebrations get an extra boost from a well-planned party

“The City is excited to issue this Notice of Funding Availability to local non-profits,” said Chris Cauley, Economic and Community Development Director.

“The Economic and Community Development Department funds non-profits to help address homelessness, mental health, youth engagement and violence interruptions in an equitable, transparent, competitive, process with limited amounts of Federal funding.”

“The Community Development Block Grant program provides annual grants on a formula basis to states, cities, and counties to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing and suitable living environment and by expanding economic opportunities principally for low-moderate income persons. The program is authorized under Title 1 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1974, Public Law 93-383 as amended 42 U.S. C. 5301 et seq. The program is designed to reinforce several important values and principles of community development……design and implement strategies to their priorities……consolidated plan……. technical assistance activities and set asides for grantees build capacity of these partners,” according to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.

“The 2024 Consolidated Plan has identified the following priorities. Economic Development Strategy- increase and promote job creation, job retention, self-sufficiency, education, job training, technical assistance, economic empowerment of low- and moderate-income residents of Fayetteville. Housing strategy- Improve, preserve, expand affordable housing inventory for low-and moderate-income families. Special Needs Strategy-Improve, preserve, and expand opportunities and services for persons with special needs and the disabled in Fayetteville.

"Community Development Strategy -Improve, preserve, and create new public and community facilities, infrastructures, and public services (limited to 15 percent) to ensure quality of life to all residents of Fayetteville. Homeless Strategy-Improve living conditions and services, increase housing availability for homeless persons and families in the City of Fayetteville and eliminate unfair housing practices that may lead to homelessness.

"The Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Area-Special consideration and weighted allotment will be made for any programs or activities in the above categories designed to target Murchison Road NRSA and support the Murchison Choice Initiative, as this is a high priority for the City of Fayetteville” (NOFA – Fayetteville Economic and Community Development)

The approximate dollar amounts for Community Development Block Grant administration is $3,711,190: Public Services – $278,392, Non-Profit Capacity Building -$111.911, Neighborhood resources -$140,000, Rehabilitation-$654-458, Economic Development-$300,000, Home Administration-$112,128, Home, Affordable Housing Development- $1,912,772 HOPWA funds -Administration capped 3 percent -HOPWA-$834,891, HOPWA Administration- $25,821 and CDBG Rehabilitation – population-80 percent below AMI, elderly, disabled, experiencing emergent needs.

The City of Fayetteville has opened the application process for proposals for non-profits to address the specific priorities from the Consolidated Plan. Submit the proposal to www.FayettevilleNC.gov/ECD under What’s Happening. The deadline for receiving proposals is January 28, 2024, at 11:59. The funding year is July 1, 2024-June 30, 2025.

The Community Development Block Grant has a citizen public feedback component.

“In accordance with the City’s Citizen Participation Plan, the Economic and Community Development Department will solicit feedback for the 2024 Annual Action Plan which covers July 1,2024 to June 30,2025,” said Cauley.

Four public meetings will be starting Feb. 12, 2024. There is a thirty-day time limit for the review of drafts by the public after the public meetings. These will be held at Feb. 13, 2024, Massey Hill Recreation Center, 7 p.m.; Feb. 22, 2024, Smith Recreation Center, 6 p.m.; Feb. 28, 2024, Westover Recreation Center, 6 p.m.; and March 7, 2024, EE Miller Recreation Center, 7 p.m.

The City of Fayetteville strives to reflect transparency and opportunities for all citizens to provide feedback on the plan.

“Furthermore, residents that cannot attend any public meeting may submit written comments from Monday, Feb. 12 to March 15, 2024, at EconCommDev@FayettevilleNCgov” said Cauley.

The long-term overview of the Community Development Block Grant is:
1. Stakeholders Meeting and NOFA Release (November /December)

2. Proposal due for Community Partnerships – January 28, 2024

3. Draft Plan & Public Comment – February/March

4. Fayetteville Redevelopment Commission -March 2024

5. Council Work Session- April 2024

6. Council Approved -April 2024

7. Submit to HUD- May 2024

8. Fund Projects -July 2024

Publishers note: When we ask the question: What do Fayetteville and Cumberland County need most? The most resounding response is: "Honest and competent leadership." However, encouraging good people to run has been the biggest challenge. I am encouraged that a bi-partisan movement is afoot to recruit candidates with the integrity, knowledge, and desire to lead Fayetteville and Cumberland County into the 21st century. Below is a statement from such an individual. Hopefully, others will follow.
Bill Bowman
Publisher

 

Over the last year, as I stepped back from elected office and spent more time with my family and in my business, my desire to serve the people of our community has not diminished.

This period of reflection and engagement in everyday community life has only deepened my focus on our local needs and challenges. My desire to serve your interests has grown stronger, and it is with this renewed commitment that I am seeking the office of Cumberland County Commissioner in one of the three District 2 seats.

Now, more than ever we need leaders solely focused on strengthening our community not dividing it and ensuring that everyone has opportunities for a better life.

I have always believed in “deeds not words”, and I hope my consistent actions as a state senator and city councilman have proven that I am the leader who will continue to put the people of this community first over the political games we often see play out. I will deliver results not promises.

Over the next several years our community will make major investments in moving forward and we need steady, experienced leadership.

Experience matters now more than ever and I will bring my experience at the state and local levels to the board of commissioners at a time when two long-term incumbents have chosen not to seek another term.
I will continue championing issues like clean water, job growth, infrastructure growth, mental health, education, veterans, quality of life, and ensuring people have better opportunities.

In previous elected positions, I have delivered for our community in these areas and will deliver again as your county commissioner.

I am ready to roll up my sleeves and get back to work for you. I love this community and want to help build a life for our children to have opportunities to come home to, where they can live and raise their own future families.

I am committed to always doing what is best for our community, being respectful of others even when we disagree and focused on solutions even when they are difficult.

In response to unprecedented job growth and urgent requests from employers, Fayetteville Technical Community College recently announced plans to expand its Dental Assisting program from 30 to 36 students for the 2024-25 school year.

Dental assistants play a vital role in helping dentists improve the health and well-being of patients. Some dental assistants focus on conducting in-depth examinations of new patients. Others work with orthodontists to give patients million-dollar smiles. Increasing numbers of dental assistants work in cosmetic dentistry, helping with dental restorations and bleaching. Dental assistants also have the option to continue their education, complete a bachelor’s degree, and teach dental techniques to the next generation of dental assistants.

The dental assisting program at FTCC is a one-year, three-semester program that begins in the fall and concludes at the end of the summer each school year. Coursework includes classes in topics such as clinical procedures, dental materials, dealing with infections, preventative dentistry, and radiography.

The program is fully accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation, which is the accrediting body for dental assistant programs across the country. Since CODA accreditation is respected across the United States and in many foreign nations, the FTCC Dental Assisting program is a great career choice for anyone, even individuals who plan to eventually leave North Carolina.

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, dental assistant jobs are expected to grow by 7% annually from 2022 to 2032, making it one of the nation’s fastest-growing fields. New dental assistants can expect to earn $18 to $23 per hour with excellent opportunities for advancement and increasing wages as they gain experience.

Starting in the fall of 2024, a limited number of students who complete their prerequisite coursework at Robeson Community College will enjoy the opportunity to complete their dental assistant training at FTCC.

Are you worried that you can’t afford college? If so, we have great news. FTCC is one of the most affordable colleges in the region. Most students receive generous financial aid packages, and many students can complete their education at no cost to them.

Applications for entry into the FTCC dental assistant program for the 2024 - 2025 school year will be accepted from Nov. 1, 2023, to Jan. 30, 2024. The program is highly competitive. Anyone interested in the program should apply today.

For more information, contact FTCC today!

Dental Assisting Department Chair: Sandra Walker
walkers@faytechcc.edu
910-678-8574
Health Technologies Center
Room 101-H, 2201 Hull Rd.

“The Sandhills Trolley Company is the only entertainment venue on wheels in the Sandhills of North Carolina. From Karaoke, Trivia, brewery hopping and family-friendly events, we have a cruise for you,” according to Sandhills Trolley Company website.

The Sandhills Trolley Company Festival of Lights Cruise is on Dec. 21 and 22 at 8:30 p.m. in
Pinehurst, North Carolina.

The Festival of Lights Cruise will feature an enormous display of Christmas lights at Eagle Springs. Five acres of 10,000 lights, created by the Williams Family, make up the light cruise.

Leanna Allen, known as the “Trolley Queen of the South,” shares her insights about the Sandhills Trolley Company. “My journey with this incredible venture began with the simple pleasure to spread joy through unique experiences as an entertainer on board.

"Being the first host hired set the stage for an exciting and fulfilling endeavor. Throughout my journey as a host, I was given the name ‘JoMama,’ which previous trolley goers have called me many times even while shopping for groceries,” she said.

“When the opportunity to buy the company arose, a close family friend and I couldn’t resist. Adding an interesting twist to the story, my co-owner Michael, is my ex-husband. Despite our personal history, our collaboration with the Sandhills Trolley Company is a testament to our shared commitment and friendship to create something special beyond the past,” Allen said.

“The success of the Trolley Express: Festival of Lights Cruise is a source of immense joy for us. It has become a beloved tradition, consistently selling out, and prompting us to consider adding more dates. The overwhelming response from the community is truly heartwarming,” she said.

The Sandhills Trolley Company is more than just a party bus, it is an immersive entertainment experience.

“Our individualized touch, combined with the success of the Festival of Lights Cruise reflects our dedication to provide an experience that goes beyond a simple ride. It is a journey filled with laughter, camaraderie, and unforgettable moments.

"As we continue steering the Sandhills Trolley Company toward new horizons, our cruises symbolize our commitment to spreading joy, one trolley ride at a time,” said Allen.

Celebrate the Christmas Trail of Lights with treats of hot chocolate, coffee, apple cider and cookies. Enjoy the mesmerizing experience of over ten thousand Christmas lights on five acres of land. The Sandhills Trolley Company, Festival of Lights Cruise is on Dec. 21, and 22 at 8:30 p.m.

Attendees can bring their own wine and beer, but are asked to not have glass containers or hard alcohol.
Tickets cost $28. Tickets can be purchased by calling 910-549-1327 or visiting their website at https://www.sandhillstrolley.com.