The Child Advocacy Center is planning several events surrounding its annual “19 Days of Prevention” campaign, raising awareness around child abuse and prevention.

“On the heels of yet another successful Pinwheel Masquerade Ball & Auction in October, we’re proud to launch our annual ‘19 Days of Prevention’ campaign in November,” said CAC Executive Director Roberta Humphries.

“Our goals with this unique campaign are twofold: to encourage general awareness about child abuse and prevention and to educate the community about the many ways our organization works hand-in-hand with other crucial agencies to address these issues,” Humphries said.

Kicking off the campaign will be the “19 Days of Prevention Art Contest Reception” on Nov. 2.
The CAC collaborated with the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County to recruit art-contest submissions inspired by the theme of “showing kindness to your neighbor.” The winners of this contest will be announced at the reception.

The next event CAC is planning is the “19 Days of Child Abuse Prevention Luncheon,” which is open to the public at the Kiwanis Recreation Center on Nov. 4, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
At this luncheon, sponsored by the Exchange Club of Greater Fayetteville, CAC will be recognizing various agencies and businesses in the community that have received their “Partner in Prevention Seal.”

This special seal is only awarded to those agencies and businesses whose staff (90% or more) has completed the “Stewards of Children Sexual Abuse” training.
Attendees of the luncheon will also hear from Lilly, a young woman and survivor-leader in the anti-human trafficking movement. According to CAC, Lilly “uses her lived experience of human trafficking to educate and support local communities and partners by advocating for change.”

Yet another initiative planned for November is the CAC’s “Body Safety Classes.” These classes will be presented in community childcare facilities, where children will learn five rules for body safety: “1) know what’s up, 2) look for red flags, 3) make a move, 4) talk it up, and 5) no blame! no shame!”

Preschoolers will also have books read to them: “No Means No!” by Jayneen Sanders and “Some Parts Are Not for Sharing” by Julie Federico.
To schedule a class at a childcare facility, interested parties may request a training by going to the CAC’s website at https://www.cacfaync.org/what-we-do/community-outreach-education/body-safety-class.html.

“As the CAC heads into celebrating our 30th anniversary next year, we’re more dedicated than ever to our mission,” Humphries expresses, “and we genuinely hope the public will join us in participating in and spreading the word about our ‘19 Days of Prevention’ campaign this November.”

The tenth annual Veterans Day Parade in downtown Fayetteville will kick off Heroes Homecoming week this year. The Cumberland County Veterans Council created Heroes Homecoming in 2011 as a way of showing all veterans that the community remembers and appreciates their courage, sacrifice and everything they did to defend our freedom.

Michele Harling, a committee chair for the parade says that this year’s theme for Heroes Homecoming Week is “Honoring the Heroes at Home.”

“We made the decision that we would like to honor the heroes that hold the home front. This includes the veterans who stay on post while their units are being deployed. This includes the family members that have to hold the homestead together while their family member is deployed. It's about the veteran community that comes and supports what happens at Fort Bragg,” Harling said.

The committee was looking for a family that would represent the heroes at home and found the Davis family. Harling said that their experiences as a military family and Fayetteville natives make them great representatives of the huge number of families in the community who have supported their family members' military career.

Chris Davis is a veteran, a Pastor of the Force of Life church in Fayetteville, and previously served as a Fayetteville council member.
His wife, Demetria, is the North Carolina Mother of the Year. She is the mother of five children and grandmother to one. Davis, also known as “Mama Dee” was awarded earlier this year by American Mothers Inc., a national nonprofit organization that provides mentoring, grants and other support for mothers and children.

The parade will feature several JROTC groups, multiple high school marching bands, military equipment, various organizations, color guards, churches and groups, such as Scouting and the Shriners. Local sports teams and their mascots will also be making an appearance.

The parade will especially feature members of the Fort Bragg community, including the 18th Airborne Corps and the U. S. Special Operations Command. According to the Cumberland County Veterans Council, there are about 52,000 veterans that live in Cumberland County. That doesn’t include the Fort Bragg population of 52,280 active duty soldiers and their family members.

The parade route has changed. It will start on Person Street, just after B Street, and then move down Person Street to Hay Street, ending just before Segra Stadium. Previously, the parade had to cross the train tracks in downtown Fayetteville, which was a safety hazard.

“We don't have to worry about slowing them down or stopping them on that Saturday, and it'll give everybody a chance to slow down and kind of take their time on the route. In years past, we have been trying to make sure that we got everybody across the road before the train came,” Harling said. “This year, we don't have to worry about the trains coming, so there will be opportunities for various groups to basically perform for the VIP grandstand along the route so that people can see what some of our organizations do.”

The parade will kick off on Nov. 5 at 10 a.m. The City of Fayetteville’s Veterans Day Ceremony will follow the parade at the North Carolina Veterans Park. The ceremony will feature a mayoral proclamation, county and city elected officials offering remarks, a keynote speaker, and a flag ceremony.

Spectators are recommended to arrive early to find parking.

The Fayetteville community has been on an interesting journey over the last 18 months with the initiative to amend the city’s charter by converting our current nine single-member districts to a combination of five single-member and four at-large seats. The net effect would be that voters would have six people on council representing them versus the current two.

On its face, the question seems simple — more representation or less? Does Fayetteville want to join with every major city in North Carolina, as well as the other local governments in Cumberland County, who have determined that a combination of at-large and single-member seats represent the most effective and representative form of local government?

One of the major objections being made against the charter change is that the desire for change is racially motivated to reduce minority representation on the council. The belief is that whites want to exert undue influence on the council. That simply is not true.

An objective look at the facts show this Vote Yes Fayetteville initiative is based on the reality of where our city finds itself today after decades of demographic changes here. A few examples show this clearly to anyone willing to look at the facts.
In Fayetteville today, Black voters outnumber white voters by over 38% with Black voters representing 45.2% of the registered voters and white voters representing 32.7%.

A look at voter turnout in recent elections shows that Blacks and whites vote in the same percentages. In the recent July 2022 City Council election, Black turnout of 13.6% was about the same as white turnout of 13.8%.

Neighborhoods which were racially segregated in the past are not any longer. We are truly a very diverse city with shared values and needs that are not dependent on race. This diversity is just an indicator of us truly being an All-America City and should be celebrated, not ignored.
Qualified candidates of all races have success in raising campaign donations. Mayor Colvin raised $134,000 in the last election, Sheriff Wright raised $118,000 and County Commissioner Charles Evans raised $87,000 in his recent congressional race.

Our community continues to elect qualified candidates of all races. Two of our last four mayors have been Black. Our Sheriff, Clerk of Court and multiple judges have won at-large seats in Cumberland County. Of the current five at-large seats on the County Commission and School Board, three of them are held by Black candidates.
Statistics show that communities with at-large representatives have faster growth, less criminal activity and less poverty than communities without such representation. A cohesive and more responsive government improves quality of life for all its citizens.

The recent census shows our growth is not keeping pace with our peer cities that have it. Our poverty rates and crime rates are higher while voter turnout and the opportunity for good jobs are both lower. These peer cities are the ones we compete with for the type of jobs that can help make Fayetteville a place our children can come home to.

If we want to compete for better jobs and a higher quality of life, then we must have a structure more like the ones used by the rest of the state. The structure used by our peer cities, the ones we compete with every day, the ones that are growing faster, are safer and are providing a higher quality of life for their citizens.

At the end of the day, after all the political rhetoric, voters are left with the simple choice. Do you want our city to move forward and have better quality of life? Do you want a more cohesive and responsive city government? Do you want six people on city council representing your interests or just the current two?

The Fayetteville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (FACVB) unveiled its new name, logo and brand identity, DistiNCtly Fayetteville, on Nov. 1 at the Airborne and Special Operations Museum. Anchored in foundational tourism research that gleaned insights into what visitors find attractive about the Fayetteville area, the then-FACVB team started on a journey to envision a new brand that better reflects the region and all it has to offer.

“In Fayetteville and Cumberland County, radically different experiences create one distinct destination,” said Randy Fiveash, Interim President & CEO, DistiNCtly Fayetteville. “It is time we have a name, look, and feel that celebrates and embraces our region’s energy, diversity, and distinctiveness. Our new DistiNCtly Fayetteville brand does just that. We are ready to share everything that makes the Fayetteville area special — with our community, our region and beyond.”

This journey didn’t happen overnight. In the summer of 2021, the FACVB knew they needed a change. For the first time in 17 years, the destination marketing organization moved forward with a Request for Proposal process to hire a new, full-service marketing and advertising agency. From the beginning, they knew they wanted a North Carolina-based agency.
In August 2021, an RFI was issued to 13 North Carolina full-service marketing and creative agencies. Of that 13, seven asked to receive the RFP, and six proposals were received.

There was an RFP review committee, including city and county tourism industry representatives. Those six proposals were narrowed down to three agencies. Each came to town in hopes of being the next agency of record. After those interviews, one stood out, and the committee knew they had found the agency to take the FACVB in a fresh, new direction. This was no small task.
During their presentation, the winning agency said: “Fayetteville is like this hidden gem that no one knows about. We’d like the opportunity to change that.”

With that statement, the FACVB board voted to offer the contract to a new agency, approving the new hire. Shortly after their contract began, the task of this new branding exercise began. It was nine months in the making, and there is more to come.

In addition to the new name, logo and overarching brand, DistiNCtly Fayetteville will launch a new website and announce a bold new marketing campaign in the coming months. The DistiNCtly Fayetteville team worked with its new marketing and advertising agency, Mythic, out of Charlotte, on the rebrand.

At its core, DistiNCtly Fayetteville is a private, not-for-profit organization responsible for positioning Fayetteville/Cumberland County as a destination for conventions, sporting events and individual travel. It is the tourism marketing arm of Fayetteville/Cumberland County, fueled by research-based marketing.
Anytime you develop a new brand, a brand positioning statement is the foundation for everything the brand does moving forward. The tourism branding statement that was designed for DistiNCtly Fayetteville reads:
Here, history meets history in the making. Where Southern charm meets modern flair. Unexpected thrills bring unexpected respite. And radically different experiences create one unique destination. Discover why it all works in the Fayetteville area.

“As a community-based destination marketing organization, our priority is on growing economic health and increasing quality of life for Fayetteville and Cumberland County while also ensuring a valuable, positive experience for the people who visit this wonderful region,” said Fiveash. “This new brand and our upcoming bold marketing campaign will help us continue to promote our community and broaden our reach to new folks across the region and the nation to come experience, time and again, what makes us distinct.”

Travel and tourism for Cumberland County in 2021 generated more than $608 million annually and accounts for more than 4,550 jobs and $163.2 million in payroll.
Additionally, state and local tax revenues to Cumberland County from travel amounted to $46.3 million, which represents a $138.49 tax saving for each household in the county.

This solid economic travel impact ranks Cumberland County 12th among North Carolina’s 100 counties, behind Mecklenburg, Buncombe, Wake, Dare, Durham and others.

The statistics are from The Economic Impact of Travel on North Carolina Counties study that was prepared for Visit North Carolina by Tourism Economics. Tourism Economics is an internationally respected research organization focused on the travel sector.

To learn more about Fayetteville/Cumberland County and experience what makes the region distinct, visit www.DistiNCtlyFayetteville.com.

Fayetteville faces one of the most important elections in its history on Nov. 8.

This time it is not about any candidate. It's about the city's future and the place it will be for our children and grandchildren to find good jobs and be willing to stay here. Voting Yes to the Fayetteville Charter Amendment will convert four of our current nine single-member districts to at-large, resulting in every Fayetteville citizen having six people to vote for versus the current two. There would still be five single-member districts.

For the past 20 years, we have been struggling with a city council structure that rewards council members for thinking about the few hundred people in their gerrymandered district who voted for them, and too often ignoring the greater needs of the city. Our murder rates are at an all-time high, and the homeless are filling our city streets. Still, our council spends valuable time considering implementing a self-serving retirement plan for city council members to pay them $6,000 a year for life.

We are better than that.

Nine of North Carolina’s largest cities have at-large members as part of their structure. Other local governments in Cumberland County have at- large members, including the County Commission, the Board of Education, and the towns of Spring Lake and Hope Mills. None of those local governments are even considering converting to single-member districts. Does our recent history make us think that Fayetteville's city government has it all figured out and the rest of the state and our county are wrong?

A balanced structure that focuses on both district issues and the big picture is a far better structure for a city council. Fayetteville had at-large members as part of its structure until 2000. We find ourselves falling behind the rest of the peer cities in the state, competing for our children's future.

Over the last ten years, Fayetteville grew by 4% compared to other peer cities that grew four times as much. 20% of the people in our city live in poverty — 40% higher than those same peer cities. Our crime index is 38% higher than those same peer cities.

We are better than that.

Perhaps the most disturbing part of this has been the allegations of racism unfairly introduced by those opposing the change. Supporters of Vote Yes Fayetteville continue to be labeled as racists, even though there are 38% more registered Black voters than white Voters in Fayetteville. Vote Yes supporters, Black members of the city council, and other Black citizens who support the effort continue to be verbally attacked, even though our community for years has elected Black candidates in at-large seats, including the Mayor of Fayetteville, the Cumberland County Sheriff, Clerk of Court and members of the Board of Education and County Commission.

Race-baiting is the act of intentionally encouraging racism or anger about issues relating to race, often to get a political advantage. And it has
to stop.

We are better than that.

There probably is no better example of a city council structure that does not represent all of the city than the council's effort to keep the Vote Yes Charter Amendment from being placed on the ballot. Even though state law requires that citizens be allowed to vote on their structure of government once they have collected 5,000 signatures, the city council voted multiple times not to place the item on the ballot. In fact, they spent an estimated $50,000 of your taxpayer dollars to fight against your right to vote on this important issue.
It is easy to vote against citizens' interests when they cannot hold you accountable at the ballot box.

We are better than that.

You can make a difference on Nov. 8 by voting Yes to the Fayetteville Charter Amendment. We need more representation, not less.

On Nov. 19, the Wingmen Motorcycle Club along with Fayetteville Urban Ministries will be presenting the 40th annual Fayetteville Toy Run.
Members of the Wingmen Motorcycle Club are dedicated to promoting motorcycle touring and brotherhood. It is a veteran-formed and military-based motorcycle club, and most of their membership is prior or active duty military, but you do not need to be a veteran to join.

For over 40 years the mission of Fayetteville Urban Ministry, Inc. has been showing God’s compassion for their neighbors in need, and thus building their community together. With 4 incredible programs that provide faith, hope, love and security to the lives of thousands of Cumberland County residents every year, free of charge, it’s easy to see why there’s never been a better place to give your time, talent and treasure.

Fayetteville's first Toy Run was 40 years ago in 1982. The Wingmen Motorcycle Run decided that they wanted to give back to their community by donating toys to less fortunate children.
Back then, the motorcycle club didn’t have support from the local police station and Fayetteville Urban Ministry so the first ever Toy Run was less organized than it is now.
According to Bill Beard, a member of the Wingmen Motorcycle Club, they decided to wing it the first go round. In 1982, the Toy Run route was from the Bordeaux Shopping Center parking lot to Cross Creek Mall.

The Salvation Army met the motorcycle club at the mall and they turned in their toys there.

“After two or three years of that, it started getting pretty big,” says Beard.

Once the Wingmen Motorcycle Club realized the Toy Run was a huge success, they decided to get help from the city. In 1986, the Fayetteville Police Department began escorting the motorcycle club from point A to point B. The motorcycle club also began to receive the assistance of Fayetteville Urban Ministry. With the help of Fayetteville Urban Ministries, the Toy Run has become an even bigger success.

This year, Fayetteville’s Toy Run will start at Fort Bragg Harley-Davidson at noon. This is also where people register to participate. Kickstands go up at 2 p.m. and participants will ride down to Segra Stadium.
Once folks get to Segra Stadium, they can expect to enjoy some delicious food from the vendors while listening to three awesome rock bands. Fear State, Culture Cult and The Fifth will be playing. Most Fayetteville locals may know of The Fifth, since they have been around for quite awhile. A cool thing about these bands is that they are all local.

You don’t have to have a motorcycle to participate in the Toy Run but to enter the gate, you must have an unwrapped toy or a cash donation.
If any businesses would like to be a sponsor for the event, they can donate either $100 or $250. The $100 sponsorship covers recognition as a sponsor on marketing materials, an event tent, and the company’s name on the back of the T-shirts that will be at the event. The $250 sponsorship offers the same thing except for the name of the company being on the back of the T-shirt. Instead, it would be the company’s logo and they have the opportunity to distribute their own marketing materials.

Don’t miss out on this awesome family-friendly event that gives to those in need in the community. For more information about Fayetteville Urban Ministry, visit www.fayurbmin.org/.

Unbelievable. This past week I listened to a presentation on “Vote No” that exemplified the fact that there continue to be citizens in our community hell-bent on going to any extreme to cause racial disharmony and divide our community.

It was sad to see during the entire presentation how the presenter skirted, dodged and avoided the question: If at-large elections work for electing Black candidates for the Cumberland County Commissioners, the county Sheriff, Board of Education, Hope Mills and the Town of Spring Lake, why would it be bad and inappropriate for the city of Fayetteville? The answer: So a few can retain power. Even more astounding is that the entire “Vote No” presentation, objection and resistance is based on an article I penned in the June 3 edition of Up & Coming Weekly newspaper two and a half years ago. It centered on one particular sentence that they conveniently took completely out of context and have been mulling over ever since.

These are sad and desperate actions for those who supposedly are doing the people’s business. Unfortunately, that article is as relevant today as it was two and a half years ago as it relates to our Fayetteville leadership. But don’t take my word for it. What follows is the same editorial with a few minor updates.

You can be the judge.

The Sequel: The May 30 riots.

As I write this editorial, no doubt city officials have already met to “circle the wagons” to come forth this week disseminating a consistent and coherent message, as they pat themselves on the back, proclaiming to the public what a great job they did in managing the protest, riots and unrest that took place over the May 30 weekend. Many of us will certainly disagree.

On Sunday evening I watched with a heavy heart the devastation and violence and destruction that has been perpetrated on our community in the name of George Floyd. His death was a travesty; however, to loot, steal, burn and pillage personal property in his name is beyond reprehensible. Fayetteville, North Carolina, our hometown, was transformed into a criminal flashpoint — as were about 30 other cities across the country. In Fayetteville, our leadership really blew it on multiple fronts. I have written several times about the lack of vision, talent and leadership in our community. The horrifying events of that weekend only confirmed this.

As I watched the carnage taking place on Hay Street and across our community, my only thoughts were: Where is the mayor? Where are the police? Where is the Fire Department? Where are our community and government leaders, and why are they not present? [Here’s comes the flashpoint.] It is incomprehensible and unacceptable that in the city of Fayetteville and the county of Cumberland, where we have people of color in the most trusted, prominent, and vital positions of leadership — the mayor, city manager, city attorney, seven out of nine City Council members, the police chief, fire chief, Cumberland County Sheriff, Cumberland County Schools superintendent and three Cumberland County Commissioners** — that no one stepped up to even try to address the protesters and calm the crowd for the safety and welfare of the community. Where were all the Black pastors and clergy from the dozens of African American churches in the community? Where were all these encouraging voices of love, fellowship, compassion and reason?

The good reverend, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., must be turning in his grave after witnessing the criminal acts being invoked in his name. The leadership capacity of City Hall is meant to serve and protect Fayetteville citizens. These duties are not just reserved for law enforcement. Here, Mitch Colvin and all of the City Hall departments were derelict in their duties. Not just because our leaders were unsuccessful in their efforts — but because they didn’t even try! They were complicit in the carnage and must be held accountable. Saturday night in downtown Fayetteville was a horrid spectacle. It was made worse by the fact that no effort was made to protect the citizens, personal property, city property or the businesses that employ hundreds of residents and have been the lifeblood of the downtown revitalization effort — the very economic revitalization that our leadership supposedly has been advocating for and the taxpayers have been generously paying for. Yet, they collectively acquiesced and sat back and did nothing. Fayetteville and Cumberland County leaders need to rethink the vision for our future and how they are going to get us there.

A good friend told me something that rang so true: “In every case,” he said, “friction eventually destroys.” He is right — car engines, marriage conflicts, employee relations, personal and business relationships — friction eventually destroys any opportunity for progress or resolution. Our community will never be all it can be with leadership that is so self-absorbed in unilateral racial motives. This protest and rioting situation have exposed the ugly but inevitable truth that race alone doesn’t make a person a leader, nor does it make someone smart. And it definitely doesn’t keep a person from being an opportunist — especially when they yield to protest organizers and allow them and their disciples to become the pied pipers of destruction, looting and criminal intent. Fayetteville and Cumberland County are at a crossroads. Real leadership is the only thing that can save this community. Who will step up? More importantly, who should step down? Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

**Those who are trying to racially divide this community wrongly, falsely and intentionally interpreted these words to mean I was saying our community had too many Blacks in prominent positions and that I was calling them out. How ridiculous! When in fact I was saying just the opposite. Collectively, as a community, we showed no racial bias in placing these folks in prominent positions yet no one stood up or spoke out to defend that premise. In other words, with this being the case, Fayetteville should have been the last place to look for racial bias or injustice. Again, no one spoke to that point. And, that is what I found unacceptable.

There will be four referendums on the general ballot this November for Fayetteville voters. Three of them are under the GO Bonds, which have been approved by City Council to go forward to the people. The last referendum is a Charter Amendment which would change the structure of City Council.

For the GO Bonds, if approved, a tax increase for homeowners will happen. However, the city does not break down that tax increase per bond, rather they only state what the tax increase would be if all three of the bonds pass.

According to the City of Fayetteville, it is estimated that for every $100 value of a property, the tax will increase by up to 4 cents. For a home price of $100,000, the property tax increase would be approximately $3.33 per month or $40 a year. A homeowner with an average home value of $200,000 would increase their property tax by approximately $80 a year or $6.67 per month. Should voters decide to pass the referendums, new property tax rates would be adopted in 2023 to take effect during the fiscal year 2024.

PUBLIC SAFETY IMPROVEMENT BONDS

This bond would authorize $60 million to be used for public safety. According to the referendum, the purpose of these funds, together with any other available funds, will be used for acquiring, constructing and equipping the Fayetteville Police Department and the Fayetteville Fire Department with facilities and improvements for Fayetteville. This could include buying land, improving or building facilities, and buying equipment. The city of Fayetteville has stated they would like to use the money to construct new fire stations, a new logistics center, renovate existing fire stations and renovate the police department call center.

However, the plans can change.
If approved, a tax increase for homeowners will be expected. See above for more details. This tax increase will take place in 2024.

VOTE YES: You would approve of the bond and $60 million would be used towards public safety, with the understanding there will be a tax increase for homeowners.

VOTE NO: You do not approve of the bond and no bond for public safety will go forward at
this time.

STREETS, SIDEWALK AND CONNECTIVITY IMPROVEMENT BONDS

This bond would authorize $25 million to be used for various transportation-related improvements inside and outside the corporate limits of the city. These projects could include sidewalk improvements, street repair, intersection improvements, bike paths and lanes, bridges, curbs and drains, traffic controls, and greenways.

If approved, a tax increase for homeowners will be expected. See above for more details. This tax increase will take place in 2024.

VOTE YES: You would approve of the bond, and $25 million would be used towards streets, sidewalks and transportation improvements, with the understanding there will be a tax increase for homeowners.

VOTE NO: You do not approve of the bond, and no bond for transportation improvements will go forward at this time.

HOUSING BONDS

This bond would authorize $12 million to be used for various community development programs to provide and rehabilitate multifamily and single-family housing inside the corporate limits of the City, principally for the benefit of persons of low and moderate-income. This bond would help with the funding of construction or rehabilitation of housing or neighborhood revitalization improvements, programs to provide loans and other financial assistance to individuals, and to public and private providers of housing.

According to the city, there are no concrete plans or projects yet as to how to use these funds, but they do state that some of these projects could include a housing trust fund, homeownership programs, new housing initiatives and innovative solutions to meet the critical housing needs of the community.
If approved, a tax increase for homeowners will be expected. See above for more details. This tax increase will take place in 2024.

VOTE YES: You would approve of the bond, and $12 million would be used towards the building, planning, funding or renovating housing projects, with the understanding there will be a tax increase for homeowners.

VOTE NO: You do not approve of the bond, and no bond for housing improvements will go forward at this time.

CHARTER AMENDMENT

This amendment would change the structure of the City Council. Currently, the city council has nine members (excluding the mayor), each being elected from their district. This amendment would consolidate the nine districts into five. Each district would vote for one representative. The other four members would be at-large - meaning the whole city could vote for them.

Those against this amendment state that changing the structure of the city council would create more expensive city-wide races and add additional barriers to working-class people. Also, nothing is stopping all four at-large council members from being from the same district. Furthermore, they note that the proposed change will require districts to be redrawn and consolidated. The Vote No campaign states that this would attempt to dilute the voting power of minority voters.

Those who support this amendment state that this would give people more representation. If approved, citizens of Fayetteville can vote for six people onto the city council versus the two they currently can vote for (their district representative and the Mayor).

VOTE YES: You approve the changing of the City Council structure so that five members are elected from five districts and four are elected at-large (from the city as a whole).

VOTE NO: You do not approve of the change, and the City Council structure will remain the same, where each member is elected from one of nine separate districts.

Today I want to express my condolences, care and compassion to Fayetteville City Councilwoman Courtney Banks-McLaughlin and her family. It is an effort to ecourage you beyond the long days you’ve already endured, the highs and lows of the road ahead, and for the weight of emotions you’re under on this very day.

As a resident of the district you serve, we’re neighbors. As a veteran family, we share a patriotic bond. And as members of a society which we never wished to join, we share an indelible mark on our souls.
As I’m certain you’ve already experienced, emotions following a tragedy of this magnitude run the gamut. From anger to compassion, hope to despair, and peace to anxiety beyond belief to those who have not walked the road you’re on.

All of this is only compounded and multiplied by the thousands of eyes to which your grief is visible.
As a morning radio host at the time of our son’s murder, my perception of the weight of expectations made it difficult to talk about.

Public figures like you and I often try to appear to be above the personal impact. Our actions one way or the other are perceived by many to be the barometer by which they may respond.
For me, I laid low. I needed to be okay. I wanted to be okay. And I’m fairly sure you want to be okay. And you will be. Until you’re not.
Don’t fight the emotions. God made us in His image. As such, we are at once compassionate and logical, we can reason and be angry, we can celebrate that which is good, and we can forgive what is not.

Above all, we can love. We can even choose to love those who have done unthinkable wrong to us — directly or indirectly — to the extent that we forgive them for it.
That’s where we find our peace. That’s where we become more like the creatures God created us to be. When we forgive. When we realize the most hurtful thing ever done to us could have been done by us. Or by our son. Our daughter. Or husband or wife. And in that illogical moment, we begin to see the same situation through the eyes of mercy.

No amount of anger or outrage will bring our children back.
No rethinking of the days or weeks that led to our tragedies will change the outcome.

And no words of condolence can heal a wound which cuts so deeply as this.
So I want to encourage you to embrace the memories. Kindle the love and pride you have for your daughter and know that the God of this universe loved you enough that He willingly went through what you’re going through to give you hope. To give us life beyond the few years we inhabit these bodies on earth. Sacrificing His own son, God showed us what love looks like.

Ours is to recognize what He has given us as an opportunity to show love and compassion to others.
I will commit to praying for you and your family, and I know others have and will as well. You’re not alone. You never were.

The American Guild of Organists, in conjunction with First Presbyterian Church, will be sponsoring the Salute to Veterans concert for all who serve, Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. in Fayetteville.
The concert is going to be patriotic music played on the organ, with choirs, trumpets, piano, handbells and percussion, said Marcia Mervin, First Presbyterian Church musical director.

“It’s going to be a very festive occasion, honoring our veterans and first responders,” Mervin added. “We welcome [veterans and first responders] to attend in uniform [because at] some point, they will be recognized during the program.”

“God Bless America,” “Fanfare for the Common Man,” “Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory,” “America the Beautiful,” “The Star Spangled Banner,” “Salute to America,” “Prelude to Thaxted (I Vow to Thee My Country),” “Prayer for Those Who Serve” and “Star and Stripes Forever” will be performed during the approximately one hour program by local members of the AGO.

Possessing multiple tiers of keyboards, buttons and twice as many foot pedals as a piano, organs are not easy to play. The Salute to Veterans is meant to display the art form of the organ in a meaningful setting. In fact, some music will be performed by two organists playing the same organ.

“The organ is the oldest keyboard instrument of all instruments,” Mervin said. “It was invented in 300 B.C., it’s had an extremely long life [and] it’s gone through various innovations and renovations.”
First Presbyterian Church was built in 1832 on the location of another church that burnt down. The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

“We thought that Veterans Day would be a good opportunity for an event because we don’t typically get many people coming down for music during that holiday. We wanted to change that,” said Connor Larson, senior organ student at Campbell University. “Being so close to Fort Bragg, we thought it would be especially appropriate to pull together some resources and put this thing on,” Larson added.

“This church is the oldest church in Fayetteville,” Mervin said. “We are over by the Market House, about a block off of Person Street, at the intersection of Ann and Bow Streets... across the street from Wells Fargo and right on Cross Creek... [and] Lafayette Park.”

First Presbyterian Church worships weekly at 9 a.m., in the chapel, and 11 a.m., in the sanctuary. If you can’t make it to the sanctuary in person, First Presbyterian Church live streams sanctuary services on its website and Facebook, as well as archiving them for later viewing.

The American Guild of Organists is a national nonprofit organization promoting the art form, heritage and continuance of the organ.
According to the AGO, the organization was founded in 1896. Presently, the guild serves roughly 275 chapters and 12,000 members in the United States and around the world.

To learn more about the AGO, visit www.agohq.org. To find out more about Fayetteville’s First Presbyterian Church, visit www.firstprez.com.

Rolling Thunder North Carolina Chapter 1 invites everyone to remember fallen veterans, honor those who serve and teach your children the value of freedom through the annual Ride for a Wreath.
This is the 4th Annual Ride for a Wreath for Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery, but this tradition has existed for 12 years. Registration will start at 8 a.m. at the Fort Bragg Harley-Davison off Sycamore Dairy Road. The ceremony begins at 10 a.m.

The Escorted Ride for a Wreath will take off at 11 a.m. and the ride will conclude at noon at Dirty Whiskey Craft Cocktails in Hope Mills. This event is open to the public, and all vehicles, cars, jeeps and trucks are welcome along with motorcycles. The ride is $20 per motorcycle, $10 per passenger, as well as $20 per vehicle.

The event raises funds for Wreaths Across America, a nonprofit organization established in 1992. The project continues to grow. This year there will be 3,400 participating locations nationwide and overseas dedicated to providing a wreath for those who served and are buried in veterans cemeteries. Local donations will provide wreaths for Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery.

If you cannot participate in the event, you can still donate. For every two wreaths sponsored, an additional one will be given for free. Wreaths cost $15 each, $30 for two, but the most popular donation is five wreaths for $75. Please make sure that the location to support is Sandhills Cemetery when donating.

Ann Provencher, the program coordinator, says “So far, we have 1,510 wreaths sponsored and we have 1,490 to go. We are halfway to our goal.”
Provencher goes on to say, “Every year we have had enough wreaths for every veteran buried in Sandhills State Cemetery.”
Nationwide, the wreaths will be placed on the graves of the Veterans Cemetery on Saturday, Dec. 17. The ceremony will be held promptly at noon. Locally, volunteers are encouraged to be at Spring Lake Fire Department at 9 a.m. Saturday morning to load the wreaths onto the trucks. There will be highway patrol and motorcycle escorts to lead the convoy of trucks carrying the wreaths at 11:30 to the Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery.

Parking is limited at the Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery, so organizers suggest parking outside the cemetery to ensure room for the convoy of wreaths. For people who need assistance getting to the cemetery, there will be four golf carts carrying people from their cars to the event.

When the wreaths are placed at the graves, their names will be said out load by the volunteer placing the wreath.

“People die twice. Once when you actually die and secondly when you are forgotten,” Ann says.

The veteran’s name is said so that they will never be forgotten and to honor their legacy and sacrifice.

Fort Bragg Harley-Davison is located at 3950 Sycamore Dairy Road. Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery is located at 8220 Bragg Blvd. in Spring Lake, which is not on the Fort Bragg military installation. To sponsor a wreath please visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/pages/166832 which will designate the location. Donations are accepted all year long.
For more information or to volunteer, please contact the Rolling Thunder NC Chapter 1 President, Ann Provencher at 910-670-9280 or ann3989@yahoo.com.
The local Wreaths Across America Facebook page is www.facebook.com/WAASandhills.

The Fayetteville City Council on Monday unanimously approved an affordable housing plan for the wider Murchison neighborhood, the first step in a potentially long federal approval process. The plan consists of renovating 110 units at Elliot Circle and the 60 at Murchison Townhomes. The townhomes are over 50 years old, and the city considers them to be in poor condition.

The plan is one of the initial steps in a long process with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development — a process that could take until 2024 or beyond to complete. The approved housing plan could result in renovations at properties on Elliot Circle and public housing units at Murchison Townhomes.

The city formed the plan after several community meetings in the neighborhood, said Chris Cauley, Fayetteville’s economic and community development director. Based on this community feedback, the city decided to invest in affordable housing units and improve existing low-cost housing.

Awarding of planning grant

In 2020, HUD awarded Fayetteville, along with just 10 other cities, a $450,000 planning grant under the agency’s Choice Neighborhoods program – an annual award given to local governments, housing authorities and nonprofit organizations with the purpose of improving public housing and creating affordable housing. In this case, the grant was awarded to the city of Fayetteville and the Fayetteville Metropolitan Authority.

Use of the $450,000 included coordinating a plan for affordable housing, infrastructure improvements and free community Wi-Fi for the Murchison Townhomes.

As it pertains to the renovations, the funding was only for the planning, which means community members will not see any improvements yet. To see the plan put into action, the city and the housing authority will need to apply for the implementation grant within the HUD program or receive money from some other funding source to cover the costs. Cauley said the city and the housing authority intend to apply for this implementation grant, the amount of which can range from $30 million to $50 million.

“We can’t do it without money,” Cauley said. “If we get the $30 (million) to $50 million, this is the plan that we will be executing.”

About the Murchison Choice Neighborhood Housing Plan

The grant was awarded to focus on affordable housing in the Murchison Road Corridor, a neighborhood that city staff who completed the HUD application referred to as the historic center of African American culture in the city. It is also home to Fayetteville State University, a historically Black university founded in 1867. The neighborhood has public schools, community medical clinics and is near downtown.

But it is also one of the poorest communities in Fayetteville.

The household median income in the census tract that makes up most of the neighborhood is just over $26,000, about three-fifths of Fayetteville’s figure of about $46,000, according to Census Reporter, a project out of Northwestern University that analyzes population data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The majority Black neighborhood has a poverty rate just under 40%, about double that of the whole city’s. Sixty-nine percent of children in the Murchison census tract live in poverty.

The affordable housing plan, whose research the grant-funded, focuses on building lower-cost units in the neighborhood, as well as improving affordable units that exist already.

Cauley said that after each renovation to both the Elliot properties and the Murchison Townhomes, the complexes must, per HUD requirements, have the same number of units that will be affordable afterward, meaning that families making 60% or below the AMI must be able to afford to live there.

For the Murchison Townhomes, the 60 units would have the housing authority’s voucher system, as they do now.

For current residents of both sets of units, the city would be required to provide housing that meets their needs, such as staying in their child’s school district. The residents also have first claim on the units after renovation.

Cauley said that depending on other factors, such as cost, the properties may be expanded beyond their current count to include units for moderate-income families, up to 80% AMI.

Beyond funding the affordable housing plan, the grant could fund, upon HUD approval, the building of little free libraries, streetside cabinets that contain books for members of the community to take home and read. The grant could also fund infrastructure improvements such as enhancements to bus stops.

One step in the process

But this is all in the planning stages since the funding Fayetteville was awarded in 2020 was to start planning for ways to increase housing affordability.

To make the plan a reality, the city and housing authority would need to be awarded HUD’s $30 million implementation grant, which is highly competitive. HUD only awards the grant to about four cities nationwide each year, Cauley said.

The deadline for implementation grant applications is in January. But it’s a lengthy process to finalize an application, Cauley said. The housing authority wouldn’t submit an application until January 2024 at the earliest. To make themselves more competitive, he said some communities make locally funded investments before applying for the implementation grant.

“Communities can sometimes spend millions of dollars on revitalization efforts in order to be competitive,” he said, referring to what Fayetteville could hypothetically do to increase its approval odds. “We would be looking to execute some projects … like community centers, like mental health centers and teen and youth enrichment centers before we even apply for the grant.”

There are currently no plans in place to do the things that Cauley shared as examples.

If the city is not awarded this grant it would need to find funding from other sources to move forward with the changes in the plan.

The city and the housing authority are required to submit the final implementation plan to HUD by Dec. 29. Cauley said the city plans to apply for the implementation grant to carry out these activities by 2024 at the earliest.

Fayetteville’s lack of affordable housing

Murchison is just one neighborhood in Fayetteville that lacks affordable housing.

Three-quarters of city households that earn 60% or below the area median income are cost burdened, meaning they spend 30% or more of their annual income on housing costs, according to an affordable housing study the city conducted last summer.

That study also found there is a shortage of 20,000 affordable housing units in the city.

“Those households are paying way too much,” Cauley said. “It is precluding them from building a savings account, from paying bills on time.”

In recent years, rents have skyrocketed in the area, as reported by Apartment List, a service that tracks local rent data nationwide.

Last month, the average rent in Cumberland County was over $1,400 a month. A year ago, it was $1,333. Before the pandemic in September 2019, the average rent was $965.

Across the state, in cities such as Asheville and Charlotte, communities are dealing with a similar problem with affordable housing. They are coming up with solutions to tackle this problem.

According to a 2019 report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition, 41% of low-income renting households in North Carolina are cost burdened. Low income is defined as an annual income anywhere from 51% to 80% of the AMI.

And there isn’t a clear way to move forward, according to Cauley.

“At the end of the day, this is one of those big issues,” he said. “We call it wicked problems, and there’s not a lot of easy fixes.”

The Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra invites one and all to experience “Something in the Wind” on Saturday, Nov. 5 at St. John's Episcopal Church. The mellow sounds of brass and woodwind instruments are the perfect accompaniment to the falling leaves and autumn weather as the calendar picks up speed toward the holidays.

The 75-minute concert will feature string performances while bringing special attention to the trumpet, bassoon, flute and oboe.

“I know for certain these instruments and their beauty will provide such a warm feeling in a venue like St. John,” shared Meghan Woolbright, marketing manager for the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra. “It’s the perfect way to start the season.” 

From the pews of St. John’s, guests will be treated to selected pieces from Guissepe Torelli's “Concerto in D Major,” Vivaldi’s “Concerto for Bassoon,” and other uplifting selections which will highlight the skills and talents of four FSO soloists.

Dr. Timothy Altman will perform a trumpet solo during the event. Patrick Herring will solo on bassoon, Sarah Busman on flute, and Jessica Miller on oboe will bring the music of classical masters beautifully to life in a concert meant to stir the heartstrings.

“I believe everybody, no matter where you come from or who you are, deserves the opportunity to be inspired by beautiful music,” Woolbright stated. “We strive to entertain, inspire and educate people with the music we play — we believe our music can resonate emotionally with people, and we want to share that.”

November 5th’s ticketed performance is the first of four to be held in churches around the city this concert season. Events are a mix of ticketed, and community concerts focused on the holidays and will infuse some musical joy into the most wonderful time of the year.

Early December will bring a collaboration with Cumberland Choral Arts to perform Handel’s “Messiah” and a festive concert entitled Holiday Brass. In January, the symphony will perform Dan Forrest's “Jubilate Deo” at First Presbyterian Church.

The Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra has been a mainstay of the arts community for more than 50 years. Their professionalism and genuine love for the craft of music have made them a leading force behind music and arts education in the region.

First and foremost, the FSO believes in promoting, supporting and creating beautiful music easily accessed by the public in an effort to build a more culturally engaged community.

“I believe anyone who enjoys music and live performances will love this show,” Woolbright admitted. “Anyone who seeks to be entertained, educated, and inspired should come to listen —it’s an awesome opportunity to spend time with your family and friends. The orchestra isn’t for any certain class of people — we try to make sure our concerts are for everybody.”

Guests can purchase tickets by calling 910-433-4690 or online at www.fayettevillesymphony.org. Tickets are $32 for adults and $25 for seniors, military and Cumberland County School employees. Student and children's tickets are $8 and $5.

St. John's Episcopal Church is located at 302 Green St., and guests are permitted to park at the church during the performance which begins at 7:30 p.m.

We recently attended one of the city’s bond referendum sessions. It was a PowerPoint briefing which basically reiterated the points in the city's current web page.
From our perspective, it was a check -the-block, we informed the citizens, pat ourselves on the back, presentation. It was not a meeting where citizens could bring up concerns for city representatives to address.

The primary issue of the meeting was to inform the citizenry regarding needed housing, emergency services and city infrastructure. What this session didn’t do was explain to Fayetteville what the economic impacts of these bonds are, why they weren’t addressed in previous city budgets, who is accountable for accumulated funds, and who is receiving these funds should the bonds be approved.

None of the recent city budgets on record go into a by-line-item review or detailed explanation of where or to whom any of the city’s money is directly going. The city officials and representatives at the meetings could provide no answers.

The Public Safety Improvement Bond addresses the needed improvements to the 911 call center and city fire stations. These have had critical needs beyond just the last few years. When asked when those were first identified as a requirement, the 911 representative stated that since she's been there for over 20 years, it was initially identified 28 years ago.

The fire chief stated that with the increasing radius of the city that they require additional fire stations with those increases. Then why weren’t these issues addressed and budgeted in the last 10 years of budgets at a rate of $97 million divided by 10? Instead, we get watershed studies at the cost of $3.5 million per year.

In regard to the $12 million affordable housing bond, this bond will be used to incorporate stop gap loans for developers that cannot get a loan for the total amount of their development. The city will cover the deficit and the developer will repay the city. We asked what happens to the money they repay each time it is used, and how is it quantified and when does it come back to the people? City officials were ambiguous on whether it would even go back to the people or how it was accounted for after the developer paid it back. This sounds like an agenda slush fund to us.

Another portion of the $12 million, unidentified as the exact amount, would be going to down payment assistance for citizens in the city to purchase a house. So to clarify, the city is asking residents to give the city money so the city can then give forgivable loans to other residents to help them with down payments that the city will then forgive if they stay in that house for a set amount of time.

The amount of down payment assistance would be the difference between the purchase price of the house in order to get it down to a no more than 30% of income based payment. There is no grandfather clause in the program to offset homeowners that saved to purchase a house prior to this bond program. How does it help current homeowners that are struggling to keep their house? Again, no response from city officials.

We further outline that a greater percentage of residents in the city were struggling just to maintain their house and there was no program to help them keep their mortgage afloat.

The city officials should answer this question publicly: Is it right to take millions of more dollars from taxpayers who can’t even put food on the table? We have charities now supporting other charities and city leaders are talking about building castles and infrastructure.

After the meetings, we are more convinced that the $97 million bond will have a lack of oversight and enough holes in the program for whomever wants to move money around, to easily move money around.

After listening to the city's deliberate propaganda, if any of you want a better city, you must fight for it. If we had not attended the meetings, it would have been a one-sided conversation. Not everyone in Fayetteville lives in a gated community and can afford a tax increase. How about letting people keep enough of their tax money so they can eat?

Take a stand and vote NO on the bond referendums.

Visit a local haunt and get your spook on at the 1897 Poe House. The Cape Fear Museum of the Historical Complex is hosting night tours with a Halloween historical twist. Visitors to Halloween Revels: Night Tours will be transported back in time and witness a series of short vignettes. The guests will become immersed in early 20th-century cultural norms, music and poetry.

“You're actually watching a scripted play with different scenes and skits in each of the rooms of the historic Poe House. So you get guided through. And what makes it fun, of course, is it's after dark, it's at night. And we have the actors from the Gilbert portraying members of the Poe family, and they do different Halloween scenes, including customs, poems, and music that would have been appropriate for the time period of the early 1900s. So you're kind of traveling back in time to a Halloween 100 years ago, over 100 years ago.” Megan Maxwell, the education coordinator of 1897 Poe House at the Museum of the Cape Fear Complex, said.

The tour is played out like a scripted historical theater show. Actors from the Gilbert Theater will give the night tours even more realism. One of those actors is a local fan-favorite, James Dean. Dean recently was in “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.” He's also played Scrooge in “A Christmas Carol” in the past. He will be taking on the role of Mr. Poe this year.

This will be the eleventh year that the Museum has held these ‘spooky’ Halloween tours. It first started as a free and small event with actors who mainly improvised as there was no script. Two years into that, a script was finally written and every year it changes.

“I try and change the script up every year so people that come every year don't see the same thing," Maxwell said. “So this year we have a new script, new scenes, new actors. So if you’re a repeat visitor, it's not going to be the same show. You're going to see something different this year.”

The tours are family-friendly; however, it is dark and spooky. Parents must make their own judgment on whether their child can handle it. The $5 tickets must be bought beforehand; however, if the tour is not sold out, there may be tickets at the door. Tickets are only good for the time slot purchased.

Guests should arrive at least 15 minutes before their tour time. Check-in is at the front table in the front yard.

“It's going to be a little dark because we like it spooky. So when people come up, they get a program, they check in, they can relax on the front porch until it’s their tour time and then they’ll have guides that lead them through the house, so they'll get an introduction about what to expect. And then we’ll start the show,” Maxwell said.

There are two nights left for the tours — Oct. 27 and Oct. 28. Tours will run on the half hour each night and will be limited to 15 people per tour. Touring hours begin at 6 p.m. and finish at 10 p.m.

Joe Biden may not be able to walk and chew gum at the same time, but he sure can eat ice cream and answer questions about the economy simultaneously. When a reporter asked him recently in an ice cream shop about the state of our economy, Biden, almost in mid-bite, replied that it is “strong as hell.”

This assessment might come as a surprise to most Americans, who know from regular visits to a grocery store or a gas station that our economy is many things, but “strong as hell” isn’t one of them.

In issuing this proclamation, Biden has demonstrated why no one should vote for any Democrats in the upcoming midterms. There are two ways to interpret his response: Biden either knows the economy is in terrible shape and is lying to avoid taking responsibility for it, or he is clueless about conditions in our country and the hardships Americans are dealing with every day. Neither one of these explanations is a good look for him or his party.

Why should any of us be surprised at this point by the probability that Biden and everyone in his party are either pathologically dishonest or detached from reality or both? I cannot think of a single thing Democrats have done since gaining control of both houses of Congress and the White House that has benefitted Americans.

What have Democrats done regarding our energy policy? They have allowed their obsession with climate change and their hatred of the fossil fuel industry to make us energy dependent after a brief period of energy independence under Trump.

By reducing oil and gas production in our country and pressuring banks to stop lending to fossil fuel companies, Biden and his cohorts have created serious financial and geopolitical consequences for America.

Because the price of fuel is connected to almost every sector of our economy, an increase in fuel prices has created an increase in the costs of goods and services. We pay more for food, clothing, entertainment, and transportation. This winter, we will pay more to heat our homes.

Because the Biden administration refuses to produce more oil in America — which would not only lower fuel prices but also create thousands of jobs — we are going hat in hand to other oil-producing countries asking them to sell us oil. So far, all of them have refused.
This issue alone demonstrates the lunacy of Democratic policy. We sit on some of the largest oil reserves in the world, and we produce the cleanest oil. Yet the ideologues in charge would rather buy dirty oil from countries that mock and despise us than reopen the refineries at home. If this isn’t madness, I don’t know what is.

Can you think of one aspect of our lives that has improved since the Democrats took control? We spend more on necessities than we did just two years ago. We live in cities where crime rates have increased dramatically, causing businesses and residents to flee. We have had 2-3 million immigrants enter our country illegally because our southern border is wide open (although the Democrats deny this). As a result of our open border, we have a fentanyl crisis that has claimed the lives of tens of thousands of Americans and is now the leading cause of death among adults between the ages of 18 and 45.

In less than two years, the Democrats have wreaked havoc on our country, and now they are asking for our vote so they can continue implementing their dangerous policies. If they maintain control of Congress, they will continue their out-of-control spending, further weakening our economy and creating even greater hardships for Americans.

They have worked hard through their radical policies and persistent dishonesty to lose our trust, and they should be appropriately rewarded by losing our vote.

On the Fourth Friday of every month from March to November between 6 and 10 p.m., museums, galleries and businesses in the downtown Fayetteville historic district become artistic venues, featuring the arts in all forms, for all ages. Fourth Friday is like an old-fashioned art crawl combined with the performances and fun of a street fair. Folks of all ages get a taste of Fayetteville’s arts and entertainment while enjoying the local independent galleries, bookstores, bistros and shops full of unique items.

On the Fourth Friday of this month, downtown Fayetteville will be hosting the 12th annual Zombie Walk and Prom. Hay Street is turned into a scene from a zombie flick, with creatures and characters on display.

All are invited to come downtown with your best zombie costume and enter the costume contest. If you need a little help adding that extra flare to your costume by adding some makeup, don’t fret because the Paul Mitchell Hair and Makeup School will be painting faces at the beginning of the Zombie Walk.

Ring Wars Carolina will be performing on the corner of Hay Street and Ray Avenue during the Zombie Walk. Ring Wars provides quality entertainment that’s fun for the entire family. Wrestlers will be dressed in their zombie best. Come out and cheer them ringside.

If you get a little tired of walking during the Zombie Walk and Prom, take a ride on the Rocky Horror Singalong Trolley. Janet! Brad! Dr.Scott! will take you on a strange journey for the Rocky Horror Singalong Trolley at 7 and 8 p.m. featuring A Yellow Beanie Project. Tickets are $30 a person. The Trolley will depart from Bright Light Brewing Company located at 444 West Russell Street.

The Zombie Walk and Prom will also have live musical performances from Lotus Sun and the Living Dead and Nirvani: A Nirvana Tribute Experience that will perform.

As with regular Fourth Friday events, guests can expect food trucks, vendors, performers, artists and more.
For more information visit https://www.facebook.com/events/849249152747861.

At this time of year, things at Sweet Valley Ranch turn a bit spooky.

Legend says that Delray Delamorte and his family members were spotted cruising down Hwy 95 South in a hearse with ligaments hanging out the trunk. They left the following note: “Dr. Surgeon, we are heading south and will return next year. We left you some body parts that you can feed your dinosaurs. SIGNED — Delray Delamorte, Slaughterhouse Manager.”

Through Oct. 30, Sweet Valley Ranch is transformed into “Backwoods Terror Ranch, ” — a frightening adventure sure to produce some shrieks! “Backwoods Terror Ranch” is one of the biggest outdoor haunted events in the county. It will take patrons over an hour to get through six spooky mazes including a ¼ acre cemetery.

For information or tickets, visit https://www.sweetvalleyranchnc.com/or call 844-622-3276.
Sweet Valley Ranch is located at 2990 Sunnyside School Road in Fayetteville.

Official trick-or-treating hours throughout Cumberland County will be Monday, Oct. 31 from 6 to 8 p.m. However, throughout the entire weekend prior to Halloween, there are plenty of opportunities to check out different areas of town, go trick-or-treating and get your spook on.

Friday, Oct. 28

The Town of Hope Mills Parks & Recreation and Rockfish Elementary School are partnering once again to bring a Trunk R Treat. The event will take place at Rockfish Elementary. Kids are welcome to get dressed up and bring their own bags. The event starts at 5:30 p.m.

If you want to go somewhere dog-friendly, head over to Gaston Brewing Company Taproom located at 421 Chicago Drive. Gaston Brewing Company and Busybee's Barkery & Co. are presenting a dogs' night out at the Taproom! Bring your pups and kick off the Halloween weekend with an evening of craft beer, live music, corn hole, homemade baked dog treats, and a food truck for the humans.

If you love animals, but want a more kid-friendly environment, go to Clark Park for their Grumpy’s Halloween Spooktacular. Grumpy the snapping turtle invites friends and families for an evening of Halloween fun at Clark Park Nature Center. There will be games, crafts, candy and prizes. Dress in your best costume for the contest at 5 p.m. This free event is open to kids of all ages.

Saturday, Oct. 29

On Fort Bragg, the Throckmorton Library will be hosting their second annual Trunk or Treat. No tricks, just wear your favorite costume and head down to Throckmorton Library. Get yourself a haul of candy and vote for the best-decorated trunk! This event is open to all ages and the library will be open after the event. The Trunk or Treat starts at 9:30 a.m. and will end at 11:30 a.m.

If you can’t make it to the Throckmorton Library, on the other side of the military installation will be a family friendly Halloween event at the South Post Exchange. Games, safety information, a community Trunk or Treat and a candy cannon will be available. The event starts at 3 p.m. and ends at 6 p.m. The Trunk or Treat will start at 4 p.m. and be held in the parking lot on the left side when facing the building. The Trunk or Treat will all be determined by the number of participants who want to decorate their trunks for a chance to win a $50 Exchange gift card. The candy cannon blasts will start at 5 p.m., on the left side field of the building.

The candy cannon are air-powered cannons that will launch candy into the air, and kids will then collect the candy.
In Fayetteville, go trick-or-treating at the 1897 Poe House Museum. This trick-or-treating event is free and will be more than just giving out sugar to little kids. Trick-or-treaters will receive a treat bag and can play old-fashioned games in the backyard. There will be hayrides, games, music and entertainment. All activities will take place outside in the backyard of the Poe House. Joy the Clown will be performing a magic show with live animal acts at 1 p.m. and she will be providing balloon twisting and face painting throughout the event. This event will kick off at 11 a.m. and end at 4 p.m.

Over in Hope Mills, head over to the Hope Mills Municipal Park for the town’s official Bites, Boos & Brews event. They will be hosting over 20 food trucks, carnival rides, a petting zoo, and live music. Musical guests include Lee Jean Jr., Whiskey Pine and Legacy Motown Revue. There will also be a live fireworks show. The event will take place at 4 p.m. and end with the fireworks show at 8 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 30

Join Dirtbag Ales for their fifth annual Trick or Treat the Market. Come trick or treat at the farmers market while enjoying delicious food trucks, live music and more. This event is open to all ages. Wear your coolest, hippest, or scariest costume and trick or treat with the family. Advance tickets are required. Tickets are $10 per family to participate (cash only). Stop by the Dirtbag Ales Taproom prior to the date of the event to pick up your tickets.
The store, Kraken-Skulls, will be hosting their third annual Trunk or Treat. They recommend everyone, especially the kiddos, to get in that Halloween spirit and set up a car/truck with a decorative trunk/bed. Trophies will be awarded to best setup, best costume and kids choice award. The event will take place from 4 to 7 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 31

Join the Village Baptist Church for one of Fayetteville's largest Trunk or Treat and Fall Carnival events. Enjoy a parking lot full of festive trunks, carnival games, bounce houses, food and tons of candy. Wear your best costumes, and bring your family, friends and neighbors ready for some fall fun. This event starts at 6 p.m. and is completely free to everyone in the community.

If you want to trick-or-treat and support local businesses, check out downtown Fayetteville. Join local businesses, merchants and retailers in the downtown area as they pass out candy to trick-or-treaters of all ages from 5 to 7 p.m.

If your kiddo likes the aspect of dressing up, but not so much the trick-or-treating, this Halloween Costume Party in Hope Mills may be for them. The T.J. Robinson Life Center is hosting a free family night of fun. There will be a costume party, arts and crafts, games, moon bounce, zombie laser tag and prizes. Admission is free for everyone. However, some attractions may have a small fee. There will be candy handed out so make sure you bring your own bucket, bag or even a pillow case. The event will take place at 4221 Black Bridge Road from 5 to 8 p.m.

The month of October is breast cancer awareness month and in 2022 about 287,850 cases will be diagnosed in women in the U.S. I recently took a fitness training seminar and at lunch sat with one of the attendees. Getting acquainted, we talked about ourselves, and her input was that she is a breast cancer survivor.

She shared with us how important exercise has been to her for her well-being, and the struggles and victories she has had in the process. By conversation, it was apparent that her breast cancer has been serious. Her driving force to overcome, heal and continue pursuing the fitness industry was obvious in her language and approach to the session.

I left my seminar with much more than continued education. I left inspired by an individual with determination. Building an exercise program based on the type of cancer a person has and treatment can be an important step in the healing process. Sometimes exercise is done as part of the rehabilitation program and there is a difference between exercise and rehabilitation.

Rehabilitation may be the first step before you can implement an exercise program. Once the person is cleared to begin activities the benefits of exercise can help reduce treatment-related fatigue, and maintain lung fitness, strength and physical ability.

Exercise can also be beneficial for feelings of anxiety and depression and improve the quality of life and new studies suggest the importance of overall healing.
The type of exercise and or aerobic activity is solely based on a doctor’s recommendations. However, there is an overview of exercises that may be beneficial if the person is cleared to begin an exercise regimen. Stretching can help improve flexibility and posture, increasing blood flow and oxygen to the muscles.

As an example, radiation therapy can limit your range of motion causing your muscles to stiffen.
Regular stretching can improve mobility and flexibility and help break down scar tissue.

Loss of balance can be a side effect after treatment. Balance exercises can help you regain your stability and fear of falling. Some treatments can cause your feet to feel numb and hard to maintain balance. Incorporating balance exercises can help offset instability. Aerobic exercise can help increase your heart rate helping you feel less tired. Walking can be a good start for just a few minutes per day increasing the amount of time and your pace. Seated exercises can be done with paper plates under your feet while moving your arms and feet to a favorite song.

Strength training is important for muscle loss and is done with light dumbbells or stretch bands. Increasing your muscle mass and endurance can help with your core and stability. Seated exercises can also be done with the use of dumbbells and stretch bands.

Start slowly with your exercise and listen to your body. Rest on the days that you have the treatment and if your energy level is low adjust the amount of time that you exercise or rest. Staying hydrated and eating nutritious foods is an important part of fueling your body.

If your health provider has cleared you, ask questions concerning what is and is not advised, such as: what time of day is best, what am I cleared to do or stay away from, how much time do you suggest starting, should I begin my exercise seated, can I go to a fitness center, work with a trainer, and what medications affect exercise?

Live, love, life and strength.

No doubt about it, six is more than two. Six is also better than two, especially when it comes to choosing our elected city leadership.
Who wouldn't want to have more choices on who runs their city? So why are our existing city leadership so adamantly against the VOTE YES Fayetteville Charter Referendum?

You would think that giving every citizen (every Democrat, every Republican, every Independent) resident four more choices in determining Fayetteville leadership would be a stimulating campaign message that would resonate among voters.

Well, the hard truth is city officials are not being honest with the citizens of Fayetteville. This is very concerning. Even more concerning is Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin and staff along with several members of our City Council are systematically trying to divide our community racially for the sole purpose of maintaining their seats, power and stranglehold control over our local government for their personal gain.

This opinion is based on information, observations and facts that their supporters have chosen to ignore to the detriment of our entire community. It is unconscionable that they would perpetrate a lie so egregious as to state that increasing city representation by adding four "at large" seats and providing each citizen six votes rather than two is a racist maneuver to get Blacks out of power.

This is absurd, ridiculous and an insult to the Black community. We currently vote for "at large" positions in the elections for Cumberland County Commissioners, Cumberland County Board of Education, and board members of both Spring Lake and Hope Mills.
All of which have an impressive amount of Black representation. So, why not Fayetteville?

The answer lies in the thread of incompetence and corruption that has permeated our local government and manifested itself under Mitch Colvin's leadership.
The only way to eradicate this cancer and rid our city of fiscal irresponsibility, incompetence and mismanagement is to Vote Yes for the Fayetteville Charter referendum that will provide us more citywide representation so we can be the city we need to be and take our place in the respectable ranks of other first class North Carolina cities.

You deserve it. We deserve it. Fayetteville deserves it. Vote Yes.

And remember, six is always more than two!

Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

If you enjoy country music from the 1990s, you don’t want to miss Clay Walker and Tracy Lawrence performing at the Crown Theatre on Nov. 4. The show is part of the 87th annual Community Concerts lineup.

Long-time country music fans know that both Walker and Lawrence have a history of hits beginning in the 1990s. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Walker was discovered in the early 1990s by James Stroud, producer and head of Giant Records. He was in his early 20s and gave fans songs like, “This Woman And This Man,” “Hypnotize The Moon” and “Rumor Has It.”

He considered himself having a sound like George Strait and Clint Black, but Stroud pushed him into pop a bit. Walker has not slowed down either. His most recent album, “Texas To Tennessee” came out in 2021. Lawrence has Texas roots, too. He hails from Atlanta, Texas, and signed to Atlantic Records in 1991.

He has over 30 years in music and is considered a traditionalist. His first album was “Sticks and Stones.” Lawrence has an impressive catalog, selling more than 13 million albums and charting 18 number one songs including “Time Marches On” and “Paint Me a Birmingham.” His recent music includes, but is not limited to “Good Ole Days” and the album “Made in America.”

Kicking off the show for Walker and Lawrence will be special guest Alexandra Kay. Kay is an independent country music artist who has been building a fan base among country music fans and fellow stars. She will make her Grand Ole Opry debut later in November. Kay started writing songs at the age of 15 as an outlet. She grew up in Waterloo, Illinois.

No stranger to the entertainment industry, she booked voice over work and commercials. Her skills have been used in musical theatre. She even auditioned for “American Idol” in 2011. Her first single “No More” spent three weeks at #1 on the New Music Weekly Top 40 pop chart. Kay has toured with Walker and Lawrence before, and also toured with Tim McGraw earlier this year.

For tickets or information, visit https://www.crowncomplexnc.com/events/detail/clay-walker-tracy-lawrence-tour.

Are you looking for a way to make a lasting impact in the lives of those who are “up and coming?” Perhaps you are someone, or you might know someone, who could benefit from individuals who have real-life experience in this world.

If you fit either one of these categories, then Fayetteville Technical Community College’s Minority Male Success Initiative is for you. A statement by one of the most prolific individuals in our great history — Benjamin Franklin — provides the foundation for this life-changing program, “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I remember, involve me and
I learn.”

In this program, success originates from the purposeful, direct interaction that students have with the mentors who walk with them through their life experiences.
The Minority Male Success Initiative, or MMSI, is not an ordinary college club — it is a community that fosters holistic development as well as genuine belonging. MMSI’s primary mission is to increase the engagement and success rates of students at Fayetteville Technical Community College by way of mentoring through exposure to academic and social/career-based activities and opportunities.

Across the FTCC campus, students, as well as faculty and staff, acquaint MMSI with its coined program name, the Y.E.S. Mentoring Initiative (You + Effort = Success). Herein lies the thrust of MMSI — the student exerts the necessary effort to actively engage in the numerous opportunities presented by Y.E.S., resulting in the achievement of personal successes — both in the classroom and in life.

The Y.E.S. Mentoring Initiative provides services that encourage college, career and character enhancement. In particular, students participate in mentoring and success coaching, college and career planning, tutoring in a wide variety of subjects, opportunities to meet and engage with key campus and community stakeholders, activities that build networking and social skills, and prime access to scholarships.

The Y.E.S. Mentoring Initiative hosts workshops throughout the academic year that equip students with the necessary tools for academic achievement, career readiness and life development skills. Previous workshop series have been conducted on “How to Maintain Healthy Relationships — Dating, Marriage, Parenting, and Beyond,” “Building Positive Rapport with Instructors,” and “Mastering Soft Skills and The Workplace Culture.”
Additionally, Y.E.S. students participate in college tours across the state of North Carolina to assist in the transfer process after they complete their program of study at FTCC.

The Y.E.S. Mentoring Initiative is open to all current Fayetteville Technical Community College students and all activities are free.
As the MMSI Coordinator, the most rewarding aspect of my job is seeing students move from feeling hopeless and on the verge of giving up to realizing their purpose/passion in life as they begin to overcome life challenges while achieving their dreams.
If you would like to serve as an MMSI mentor or become an MMSI student participant, please contact mcdonalr@faytechcc.edu, 910-486-3940, or visit https://www.faytechcc.edu/campus-life/yes-initiative/.

The circus is coming to the Cape Fear Botanical Garden for one weekend only to celebrate Halloween. Carnival games, live entertainment, music, food trucks, candy stations and more await under the Big Top this year. The Imagine Circus from Raleigh will be coming down to show off some of their acts as part of the overall carnival theme.

“We will have a real person who will be doing stilt walking, a hoop artist and a juggler that will be showing through the garden,” Sheila Hanrick, the director of marketing, programs and visitor experience for Cape Fear Botanical Garden, said.

As with every year, the BOO-crew will be out as well. These skeletons will be acting up in the garden by showing off their carnival side.
While there won’t be any live animals at the event, there will be some “wild” ones. The topiary exhibit, “Garden Gone Wild” will still be in full force. Elephants, butterflies, gorillas, and more will all be on display as part of the larger-than-life animal topiary sculptures. A topiary is a living sculpture that is created using live plants.

This family-friendly event invites people of all ages to come in their costumes and enjoy the Garden completely differently. Even the topiary sculptures will be dressed up.

As part of the event, you can walk the pathways of the Garden, which will be lit by hundreds of lights designed by Mosca Design and jack-o-lanterns. There will be ten trick-or-treat stations throughout the garden for people of all ages to check out.

The event is all outdoors, so plan your costumes accordingly. Trick-or-Treat bags and flashlights are encouraged for the darker areas of the Garden.
For one night only, on Oct. 27, dogs will be welcome. Bring your costumed fur friends with you, and they could get a doggy treat as well.
This fun, spooky event is one of the major events for the Cape Fear Botanical Garden and all the funds go back into planning more events like it.

“Any time we have a public event like this, any proceeds that are placed at end of the event go back to the garden, whether it's supporting our horticulture or our environmental education or therapeutic horticulture. All money is turned around, and put back into the operating fund of the garden,” Hanrick said.

The BOO-tanical Garden will be available from Oct. 27 to Oct. 30. The events start at 5 p.m. and run until 9 p.m.
Tickets range from $7 to $12. Children 2 and under can get in for free. Members can buy tickets for $10. Children above the age of 3 would get a $7 ticket.

Tickets are non-refundable and are good only for the date/time of the ticket.
Henrick does recommend buying tickets early as last year, the event was sold out.

Tickets can be purchased at https://www.etix.com/ticket/v/26840/cape-fear-botanical-garden.