In 1943, Psychological Review published a paper by Abraham Maslow called "A Theory of Human Motivation." Today, this work is better known as "Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs." It uses a pyramid of needs to describe what motivates humans, based on their basic, psychological and self-fulfillment needs.

At the foundation of Maslow's pyramid are physiological needs: food, water, sleep, shelter, clothing and reproduction. Safety needs are the next highter level in the pyramind and include emotional, financial and personal well-being.

Maslow's other needs include belongingness, love and esteem. At the top of the pyramid is self-actualization. Self-actualization is that place in life when a person has reached their full potential. Here is where they find that place in life called "joy."

As a community, we are far from self-actualization. And we are coming up short on many fronts when it comes to belongingness, love and esteem as well. Locally, our preoccupation with the pandemic, civil unrest, unemployment, racial divisions, social justice and criminal justice all play on our collective psyche and create frustration accompanied by fears of a collapsing society. This sows seeds for further misunderstanding and conflict.

I recently took a photo of the Market House in historic downtown Fayetteville. This nationally recognized landmark is now fenced-in — a visual metaphor reflecting our recent turbulent times. I wonder how residents and visitors view and interpret the fence that surrounds it. And the circumstances that led to the fence going up. Does the fence protect the Market House from people who want it destroyed because they view it as a symbol of hatred and suppression? Is it being used to keep people from enjoying it as an iconic backdrop for happy and fun events like family outings, weddings and graduations? Or, does it keep our growing homeless population from using it as an overnight shelter?

With no access to the building, residents wonder what platform the Arts Council will use to celebrate its traditional Dicken's Holiday, which traditionally ushers in the holiday season. Perhaps the fence will stay up for years and become known as the infamous Fayetteville Wall. Maybe the building will become the Fayetteville Market Jail.

No matter how it is defined, it is an uncomplimentary reminder that no one will enjoy the Market House in its current state.

Today, basic human decency seems to be under attack almost everywhere you turn. It is a shame that people call their friends and family names like "fascist" or "communist" based on their political preferences. How are so many willing to sacrifice lifeling relationships on the altar of politics and division?

Meanwhile, our current candidates differ greatly in their views about how to move forward as a nation and as a society. As citizens and constituents, it seems like we do, too. Both political parties/candidates should represent and define those things that are essential to every American — the basics such as food, clean water, shelter, safety and security. These should have the highest priority and should be the issues they address first. Americans should vote for whomever best represents their beliefs of what is best for them, their family, community and country.

This upcoming election would serve everyone much better if all politicians focused on solutions that pursue Maslow's basic needs for their constituents, especially safety and security. This would guarantee a stable, safe and secure American way of life no matter who is elected and would enable us to experience more joy and less fear.

Cape Fear Studios will host “Retrospective - A Varied Path” featuring member artist Stanley Greaves through Oct. 20. Greaves is an internationally acclaimed artist from Guyana who now lives in Fayetteville. He is well-known for his colorful surrealist paintings which have made him popular in the Caribbean art world.

“I am showing examples of work I have done in different regions including recent woodworking activities,” Greaves said. “I have been making boxes, two of them are on show at the exhibition, which showcases a mix of sculptures, examples of my calligraphy and my poems in calligraphic form, and ceramics.”

The name of the exhibition, in effect, would be kind of retrospect because not all of the work exhibited is recent, he said.

Greaves’ exhibition as a member artist at Cape Fear Studios is a glimpse into the heart and soul of an internationally recognized artist, or ‘maker’ as he refers to himself, said Rose Kennedy, also a member artist.

“This is a rare opportunity to experience his work in painting, pottery and sculpture in an intimate, welcoming environment,” said Kennedy, who also serves as the retail gallery chairperson for Cape Fear Studios. “Stanley … is widely recognized throughout the world for his contributions to art and literature.”

Kennedy said Greaves’ artwork isn’t usually for sale, but he has generously donated a pottery piece to be auctioned benefitting Cape Fear Studio’s mission of providing arts and education to the community.

The pottery piece up for auction is called “Key Pot.”

“I had a collection of house keys that I collected over the years and always wanted to do something with that,” Greaves said. “And eventually, the thought came up that you know what, I can use some of these keys and put them on the pot. And that's why I named it a ‘Key Pot.’”

Greaves asks people to bring their own experiences to the exhibition, and he doesn’t think it's a necessity for the artist to explain the meanings behind the work.

“In order for people to look at the picture and read it and extract whatever they can from it. And in that way, those experiences are more valid to them instead of me giving them something,” he said.

Born to Guyanese parents, Greaves studied and lived in the United Kingdom, United States and Barbados. He doesn’t think living in different places has affected his art but instead made him more secure of it, as to not follow trends, he said.

Now living in Fayetteville, Greaves said he tends to avoid big metropolitan scenes and crowds stating the work he’s interested in doing is of no relevance to the art scene in larger
cities.

Although he has received many awards and prizes, including Guyana’s national honor ‘Golden Arrow of Achievement’ in 1975, Greaves says he hardly seeks art exhibitions.

“I am not a competitor, I don't feel the need to show myself that way,” he said, “I have been able to hold exhibitions from time to time, but that's just not for me.”

According to Kennedy, Greaves works in the pottery studio and is very engaging to talk to and a joy to watch as he intently works his magic with clay. He was a natural choice for a feature show because of his stellar work, introspective nature and international recognition, she said.

“Come in to absorb the workings of an extraordinary, creative mind and place a bid in the auction. His work is (usually) not for sale, so the auction is a great opportunity to own a special creation by Stanley,” she said.

Cape Fear Studios is located at 148 Maxwell St. in downtown Fayetteville. “Retrospective - A Varied Path” runs through Oct. 20. Admission is free to the public during their new hours of Wednesday and Friday from 2-5 p.m. and by appointment on Saturdays. For more information visit http://www.capefearstudios.com or call 910-433-2986.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pictured:  (top) Stanley Greaves is a member artist at Cape Fear Studios. (above left) "Key Pot," a pottery piece by Greaves will be auctioned off. (above right) A work by Greaves on display during "Retrospective - A Varied Path" at Cape Fear Studios through Oct. 20.

The N.C. Department of Transportation has begun distributing $132.7 million in street aid to municipalities. Also known as Powell Bill funds, 508 municipalities will receive funding. Half of the allocation went out last week. The other half will be paid by Jan. 1.

The Powell Bill statute requires municipalities to use the money primarily for street resurfacing, but it can also be used for the construction and maintenance of roads, bridges, drainage systems, sidewalks and greenways.

“Powell Bill funding helps local governments improve transportation systems within their communities,” said state Transportation Secretary Eric Boyette.

The amount each city receives is determined from an established formula, with 75% of the funds based on population, and 25 percent based on the mileage of locally maintained streets. Charlotte receives $13.7 million based on its population of 863,985. Fayetteville is receiving $4.9 million.

Fort Bragg’s Employee Assistance Program held an event Sept. 25 to educate and inform the community about substance abuse awareness and resources available for treatment.

The event held at the Soldier Support Center on post was in honor of National Recovery Month. The theme “Join the Voices of Recovery: Celebrating Connections” highlighted two Fort Bragg family members who shared their stories of addiction and sobriety.

“Recovery month gives us the platform to address the total community and Fort Bragg is a big part of that community, to be responsive, our theme this month has to do with community connectedness,” said Lisa Lofton-Berry, Fort Bragg Employee Assistance Program coordinator.

The event allowed people to hear success stories and come away knowing that if they are not satisfied with their level of risk, there are things they can do to make a change, Lofton-Berry said.

The EAP, under the Army Substance Abuse Program, is the branch that focuses on all non-uniform personnel like the Department of Defense civilian employees, military family members, retirees. The goal is to support their work life well-being and mission readiness, Lofton-Berry said.

Military spouse and Alcoholics Anonymous member, Kate (*last name withheld by request), whose alcohol addiction began at the age of 11, said it’s a problem not just in the military but everywhere.

“The most difficult part of my struggle was admitting that I needed help and asking for help,” she said. “I tried to quit several times but was unable to, which surprised me because I am usually able to do anything I want.”

Having struggled with alcoholism for 13 years, she attended her first AA meeting at the age of 24 and is now celebrating 34 years of sobriety.

She said it was much more helpful to talk to people who understood the struggle from personal experience.

“Since I have been sober, I have been very active in AA here in Cumberland County, and the best way to help my sobriety is to help other people,” Kate said.

AA offers in-person meetings, virtual meetings, a hotline, and you can find out more at FayAA.org.

“When I was drinking, I was running from my problems. Because of AA, I can face my problems, walk through them and get to the other side much more easily,” Kate said.
Active-duty family member Jenny Schumacher grew up in a stable, fun-loving house.

Her struggle began following a life-altering deadly car accident in high school, leaving her with a broken pelvis and fractured back, which eventually led to her narcotics addiction later in life.

“That changed the whole turn of everything, the song and the drums that I was dancing to,” she said. “I realized, you know, that I was never going to be a Rockstar, I was not going to be anything that I wanted to be, I was just going to be average, and that was the arrogance of my mind.”

Having moved on with her life, and gotten married, she faced multiple complications during her pregnancies due to her injuries.

Multiple tests, different diagnoses like osteoporosis among others, she was addicted to the drugs to combat her pain.

“Long story short, I wanted to be the mom that can pick her kid up when he's skinned his knee and wanted to be able to run after the other toddler,” Schumacher said.

After losing her marriage and kids, and blowing up her sister's house manufacturing methamphetamine and being sentenced to prison, she chose the path to recovery through a faith-based outlook.

She said every duty station she goes to, the first place she walks into is PWOC — Protestant Women of the Chapel — and she has sisters running up to her.

“If I miss a Tuesday, there's someone there to call me on the phone, and say ‘hey, I didn't see you this Tuesday. Are you sick, do you need some soup, do you need something?’ and vice versa,” Schumacher said.

"We are all there to help each other and hold each other accountable, and I recommend you reach out," she said.

“There are chapel communities out there that are available to help, and it's not just the faith-based community. There are other communities here on post that are here to love on those with substance abuse issues, injury issues, PTSD issues, chronic pain issues,” Schumacher said.

People sharing their story makes all the difference in the world because It’s a personal connection, Lofton-Berry said.

“When you hear real-life stories of how people have experienced challenges and how they have reached out and found ways to turn their lives around in the direction they want, if I'm listening to that, I am like ‘hey if they can do it, I can do it, let me get started today.’” she said.

"We have a weekly class where people know that they can come and get on the path to moving in the direction they'd like to," she said.

“It is a courageous first step, so it is our goal to provide a safe space where people feel comfortable to reach out,” she said. “We manage and invite people to share what's going on and then receive a non-judgmental response.”

Jacqueline Truitt, director of the Addiction Medicine Intensive Outpatient Program at Womack Hospital said she works with soldiers and family members who are in a need of higher-level care to address substance abuse concerns.

“I have patients come and they are in groups five days a week. They get individual counseling as well as other services, (such as) art therapy and meditation to make sure they are ready and really able to integrate with their families and the community,” Truitt said.

"Addiction is a disease, and that’s how we treat it here, and make sure to follow evidence-based practices," she said.

“We want to make sure that people feel confident that when they come in, they receive the help that they need and remove any type of stigma that may be attached with getting help,” Truitt said.

The community can reach them at 910-907-6825; select option 1 to make an appointment and be connected with a licensed clinician.

“This is a huge mission that we have on Fort Bragg. These folks make sacrifices to protect our nation and we want to be there for them,” Lofton-Berry said.

Kate said it is important for people to know they don’t have to struggle. “You can find help with people who understand your problem. We are out there, and we really want to help you.”

“This month is focusing on substance abuse issues, but substance abuse comes from another core issue in our spirit and so if I could say anything, I want to leave people with that message of hope that change does happen,” Schumacher said.

Individuals have an opportunity to explore the level of risk in their lives revolving around substance use by attending weekly classes. They can call 910-396-5784 available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Picture: The Fort Bragg Employee Assistance Program office is located in the Soldier Support Center, Bldg. 4-2843 Normandy Drive on Fort Bragg. The EAP offers resources to non-uniformed personnel (DoD civilian employees, military family members and retirees).

Army soldiers want network communications on the battlefield that can connect at any time, from any place, is secure and reliable.

The Army’s modernization effort is delivering new radios, applications, satellite terminals and cross banding solutions to allow coalition partners to better share information with the troops. All American Division soldiers are at the forefront of this modernization effort, which is called Capability Set 21 and the Integrated Tactical Network.

For more than a year, 82nd Airborne leadership and soldiers have been testing and evaluating new network gear and have provided feedback to help shape technology across the Army.

Feedback from Fort Bragg soldiers has helped the Army prioritize units which will receive new network kits starting in 2021.

Former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders got a lot of mileage with his proposal of “free college for all.”

Other political hopefuls have embraced the same idea, at least in part, since at some level all human beings appreciate something for nothing.

The notion is also appealing because higher education costs have exploded in both public and private institutions and lower income students graduate at lower levels than students from more advantaged families for all sorts of reasons, including money. Young Americans, not surprisingly, love this idea.

Free college for all would also be so astronomically expensive it is difficult to contemplate. But should everyone go to college at all? And, if they do, can they, their families and the larger community expect them to graduate?

The everyone to college question has been around for generations, and the answer is clearly no. Some students are not physically or mentally capable. Others are not interested in any way.

That said, technology has greatly lessened the need for semi-skilled or unskilled labor, and jobs that require a high school degree or less are hard to come by and poorly compensated. Students and their families should understand that when the college decision is being made.

Researchers have long known that college degrees are valuable personal assets. College grads earn more than nongrads almost from the outset and certainly over their working careers. Statistics show that they also live longer, are healthier, divorce less frequently and generally report happier lives.

More affluent families with generations of college goers and graduates understand the value of a college degree, and their children are more likely to graduate than the children of middle- and lower-class families with less college going experience.

The New York Times reported recently on a study by professors at Harvard and MIT that affirms the value of a college degree. Some students in the study were awarded significant scholarships while others paid their own ways. Scholarship recipients graduated at a higher rate than nonscholarship students, especially among minority and financially disadvantaged students, and those whose parents were not college grads. All of that seems to support the notion that a free education would help many students.

Here again, one size does not fit all. Students from families with a history of college-going are likely to graduate anyway, since their families expect them to do so. They may also be more college-ready, having attended high-quality, sometimes independent, schools. It makes little sense to provide tax-payer funded higher education for them.

Targeting capable students from other backgrounds for free education may make sense. American workers now compete not only against each other but against people literally on the other side of world, many in nations that do provide free educations. If we want our nation to be competitive in our global economy, our people must be prepared to do that, and education is an important aspect of that preparation. It would be expensive, of course, but not likely as expensive as a stalled economy or the long-term burden of individuals and families unable to support themselves sufficiently.

So, no, not everyone should go to college, but those who do should have the support they need to be successful. And, yes, an educated and productive workforce in a humming economy benefits all of us, not just those who received the education.

More than ever in today’s small world and global economy, we really are all in this together.

Five years ago, the inaugural Indigo Moon Film Festival weekend was nearly washed out by Hurricane Matthew. Festivalgoers braved strong winds, heavy rains, power outages and the beginning of historic flooding in downtown Fayetteville to take part in a sold-out opening night.

If a hurricane couldn’t cancel the IMFF, there was little chance that a pandemic could.

Instead, IMFF founders Jan Johnson and Pat Wright put their heads together with the festival board of directors to devise a way to continue the festival while reducing health risks associated with in-person audiences.

The solution is a fully virtual event for 2020. All films will be streamed online through a virtual portal. Anyone who purchases a ticket or pass can watch from the comfort and safety of their own home on a computer or television using common apps for streaming.

While some festivalgoers will miss the experience of viewing films on the big screen in one of the traditional venues, Johnson and Wright said the virtual experience has opened up a lot of possibilities for this year and for future festivals, too.

“It’s been exciting learning this new interface,” Johnson said of the process to prepare the virtual venues on the internet site and upload trailers and interviews with filmmakers.

What audiences will see is a streamlined online site that can be searched and selected as easy as ordering any product online.

“If you can turn on your computer, you can watch the films,” Wright said. “Or hook up your computer to the TV, whatever you are comfortable with.”

Festivalgoers can watch trailers and select which films to see, Johnson said.

The virtual experience and online platform allow viewers to watch all of the films if they choose — something that wasn’t possible during past festivals. At four traditional venues, viewers would choose which films or blocks of films to see over a weekend. Using the online platform, viewers have a week to watch as many of the films as they choose.

“Before, each person had to buy a ticket,” Johnson said. With a virtual festival, you buy a pass and can watch films for the entire run of the festival.

There is still a schedule this year, but all films will open on Saturday, at different times. After they are shown, they will be available online and viewers can rewatch them if they want.

Passes are available at VIP, “Three Fer” and student rates. A VIP pass is sold online at $100 and will give access to all films after their scheduled showtime until the festival ends at 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 16. Student and “Three Fer” passes are sold online for $25 each. Viewers can choose to purchase single viewing tickets and can purchase anytime during the festival.

There are more than 60 films in this year’s festival, including opening night’s “Finding Manny,” a documentary directed by Kacey Cox. The movie is inspired by the book “Carved in Stone” and tells the story of Holocaust survivor Manny Drukier, who jumped from a Nazi “death train” at the age of 16 and found refuge in a home for orphans. Drukier was tracked down 71 years later by a German researcher who invited him to return to the orphanage, now a school, to share his story.

“It is a fantastic film,” Johnson said. “The kind of film that makes you laugh and cry.”

In the documentary, as Manny Drukier revisits places that hold some of his darkest memories, he tries to reconcile the past so that he can educate the future.
This sentiment is similar to the motto Johnson and Wright have for the festival — “film inspires change.”

“This is again the season of year and time of our lives we can take a look at how we’re going forward,” Johnson said.

Creating and sharing films can inform and enlighten us — and others — to different experiences, customs and cultures, Wright said. It is a benefit to taking part in a film festival that offers diverse film topics from around the world.

“We get to watch all these films from all over the world,” Wright said. “It’s a way to make our world a little bit smaller and work on these issues that face us.”

One benefit of a virtual festival is that filmmakers can provide Q&A videos to run after the films, Wright said. So far, more than two-thirds of the films will have accompanying Q&As. This introduces viewers to filmmakers and gives some insight to how the films were made.

One Q&A available is from local filmmakers Brian Adam Kline and Nicki Hart who made “Live Vid,” in the Shorts Block: Love.

“It’s about a woman dealing with COVID-19, and I thought Brian’s script was hilarious,” Hart said of the film that takes places in the early stages of the pandemic.

“She is locked down with her husband in her apartment,” Hart said. “She had a social life and friends. Now, all of a sudden, they’re forced to be cooped up and she has no other way to talk to her friends than in a live chat room.”

In the film, viewers see the character talking to her friends, and the responses of her friends, typed out on screen. “She’s really telling them how she’s really feeling,” Hart said.

Making the film was a rewarding experience, Hart said. A veteran of local live theater, this was Hart’s first film to be released to the public. It is also her first producing credit.

Kline, who has directed Hart in multiple shows at the Gilbert Theater, approached her with the script earlier this year.

“In this crazy time of COVID-19, we wanted to do something to make people laugh,” Hart said. “I’m proud of it. It’s a small film, but it’s still impactful. We make you laugh with this film, but we explore that dark underbelly of COVID-19.”

“Live Vid” is also semi-finalist in the Peak International Film Festival, but Hart is proud that her collaboration with Kline was accepted in the IMFF.

“Indigo Moon has a great following and reputation,” she said. “It’s a great, great thing we can claim, culturally, to have a film festival in this town.”

This year’s festival will have Jury and Audience awards that will be presented online after the festival is complete. Viewers will have the opportunity to vote on awards in categories at the end of viewing blocks.

Much of the transition to a virtual festival was made possible by a grant from the Arts Council of Fayetteville Cumberland County, Johnson said.

The 5th Annual Indigo Moon Film Festival will take place Oct. 9-16. To purchase tickets/passes or learn more about viewing, visit
https://www.indigomoonfilmfestival.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

The North Carolina Supreme Court has ruled that three death row inmates will have their sentences reduced to life in prison through the state’s now-defunct Racial Justice Act.

The 2009 law allowed death row inmates to go through an appeal process to receive life without parole if they could prove racial bias was a significant factor in their original death sentences. The law was repealed in 2013.

The American Civil Liberties Union represented Christina Walters, Tilmon Golphin and Quintel Augustine in the original hearings in Cumberland County.

Walters, who led a Fayetteville street gang, was convicted of the 1998 murders of 18-year-old Tracy Lambert and 21-year-old Susan Moore and the attempted murder of Debra Cheeseborough.

Augustine was convicted of killing Fayetteville police Officer Roy Turner Jr. in November 2001.

Golphin killed State Highway Patrol Trooper Ed Lowry and Cumberland County Deputy Sheriff David Hathcock during an I-95 traffic stop in September 1997.

Superior Court Judge Gregory Weeks, in 2012, cited a “wealth of evidence” of racially biased jury selection in all three cases.

 

Pictured: North Carolina Supreme Court

There are real moments of insight and clarity on late night TV if you will only look. Once upon a time, in a galaxy pretty close to ours, came such a moment of clarity. Heck, it was our very own Milky Way galaxy while I happened to be watching a rerun of “Highway Patrol.”

“Highway Patrol” was a 1950s show featuring Sgt. Dan Matthews. Sgt. Dan seldom took off his hat and usually killed a bad guy in the last five minutes of the program. Right after Dan killed the bad guy, a commercial came on selling gold-plated fake buffalo head nickels for only $9.99 each. Each household was strictly limited to being able to buy five fake nickels. What got me interested was the tag line: “AVOID DISAPPOINTMENTS AND FUTURE REGRETS. You must order now!” The low, low price could only be guaranteed for five days due to the ever-increasing cost of gold plating and unlimited suckers with credit cards.

I certainly wanted to avoid disappointments and future regrets. Who wouldn’t want to avoid disappointments and future regrets? If buying a fake gold-plated nickel is a vaccine against future regrets sign me up. If $50 worth of junk will avoid disappointment in the Year of Our Lord 2020, that is a small price to pay. I began pondering, was there a character in Greek mythology who had encountered disappointments and future regrets? Sure enough, consider the story of Paris, the instigator of the Trojan War. Instead of buying a fake gold-plated drachma, he had snatched Helen of Sparta winding up with the Trojan Horse at the gates of his city.

Paris had a colorful background. His baby daddy was King Priam of Troy and his momma was Hecuba. Right before giving birth to Paris, Hecuba had a bad dream that she was going to give birth to a burning torch. Yikes! The oracle cyphered this meant the new baby would end up destroying Troy. King Priam ordered his Flunky to kill the newborn Paris. The Flunky took Paris up to a hill but couldn’t kill a baby. He just left the baby on the hill hoping Paris would have the good sense to die.

Fortunately for Paris, a lactating Momma Bear lumbered along and nursed him back to health. The Flunky came back about a week later hoping to bring Paris’ body back to show the King. As Gomer would say, “Surprise, surprise, surprise!” Paris was still alive. The Flunky decided to adopt Paris. Then the troubles began. (Trigger warning to PETA fans) To prove to Priam that Paris was dead, the Flunky brought Priam a dog tongue claiming it was from Paris.

The gods decided to have a Miss Olympus Beauty pageant to decide who was the most beautiful goddess of them all. The three finalists were Hera, Aphrodite and Athena. Zeus the King of the gods, was asked by the bevy of beauties to decide who was the best looking. Zeus wasn’t King for nothing. He knew whomever he picked, that the other two would hate him. So he delegated the judging to Paris. Paris was no dummy either. He had each of the goddesses undress so he could decide who was the best looking. Miraculously they were all so beautiful he could not decide. Each goddess then tried to bribe him to choose her as Queen of the Hop. Ultimately Aphrodite’s bribe won when she offered Paris the most beautiful woman on Earth, Helen of Sparta.

Let me tell you, Helen was a doll baby. However, there was a catch. Helen was already married to King Menelaus of Sparta. Paris snuck into Menelaus’ palace and snatched up Helen. Then off he ran with her. Helen became smitten with Paris. They went back to Troy to live happily ever after. But there was another catch. Menelaus wanted her back pronto. He gathered up an army of angry Greeks and hightailed it to Troy. Paris refused to give up Helen, noting possession was 9/10s of the law. Menelaus replied to Paris, quoting Bugs Bunny saying “Of course you know, this means war!” Turned out it was the Trojan War.

A whole bunch of fighting, stabbing, dueling and slaying ensued between the Greek and Trojan armies. Lots of Greek heroes ended up dead including Achilles who got an arrow right slam into his ankle. His ankle was the only place he could be killed. When Achilles was a baby, his Momma dipped him into a magic stream that would protect him from all wounds. She held him by his ankle when she dunked him. Medically, this meant his ankle didn’t get wet resulting in an unprotected spot. As luck would have it, Paris’ arrow hit him right in the wrong ankle resulting in Achilles expiring. That is why you have Achilles tendons in your feet to this very day.

The Greeks hung around Troy for about 10 years doing siege stuff that didn’t work. Finally, the Greeks built a giant wooden horse to trick the Trojans into thinking the Greeks had given up. The Greeks filled up the horse with soldiers, leaving a note saying the horse was a gift and that they were going back to Greece. The Trojans saw the horse, read the note, and believed they had won. Counting their chickens before they were hatched, the Trojans hauled the horse into Troy to celebrate. Once inside the gates, the Greeks popped out of the horse and wiped out the city of Troy. Hence the old saying, beware of Greeks bearing gifts.

So, what have we learned today? Once again, not much. While you should never look a gift horse in the mouth, buying a fake buffalo head nickel might lead you to avoid disappointment and future regrets. Neither Steve Reeves or any dogs were harmed during the writing of this column.

The coronavirus pandemic has created many challenges for every part of our daily lives. If you’re a parent like me, you’re probably well aware of the difficulties with remote learning. Unfortunately, these difficulties have impacted some families more than others.

Last month, I heard from parents and school administrators in our community about their concerns that special needs children were not able to access caregiving services during remote learning. This was due to a loophole that restricts families with special needs children from having respite care during the school day. This is an appropriate safeguard during normal times when students are able to attend school. But in a pandemic when children may be kept at home, these safeguards would not allow the program's intended purposes to work to provide care for children and relief for parents.

As soon as I heard about this issue, I got to work. I immediately urged the Trump Administration to take action to rectify this situation and get support for special needs children in our community. After directly appealing to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma, I am thrilled to report that last week, CMS granted a waiver for North Carolina to provide home and community-based services for these at-risk children.

This would not have happened without parents reaching out to my office and is just part of my job to work on behalf of everyone in our community to solve problems. While the COVID-19 pandemic has created many challenges, families with special needs children deserve the peace-of-mind that they can continue to access caregiving services during this time. As we continue to address the coronavirus, I am committed to getting our community the resources we need so that ALL children can succeed.

In addition to supporting students at this time, I also remain focused on rebuilding our economy.

Also last week, I was proud to announce a $13.1 million Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Grant award from the U.S. Department of Transportation for the Aberdeen Carolina & Western Railway.

I have had the pleasure of touring the ACWR rail operations based in Montgomery County. A lifeline throughout our entire region, the ACWR is critical to transporting goods and supporting jobs across the 8th District and our state.

Last week’s announced grant will enable many growth opportunities, particularly in rural areas, between Moore, Montgomery, Stanly, Cabarrus and Mecklenburg Counties. The funding will greatly improve ACWR's infrastructure and freight operations and will attract new industry and jobs into this service area.

It was a thrill to call ACWR Railway President Julie White to tell her the grant was awarded. Julie told me this grant was a “game changer” that will allow critical improvements to the rail line that will benefit farms and other businesses throughout our region. I am also excited about the impact this will have on bringing new jobs to our community.

As your Congressman, I will continue to fight for common sense solutions to rebuild our economy, renew the American dream for all Americans and restore our way of life. You can count on me to keep coming to work every day on your behalf, staying focused on public health, and doing whatever it takes to emerge from this time stronger than ever.

Picture: A loophole prevented families with special needs students from accessing caregiver services during remote learning. After appealing to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, North Carolina was granted a waiver.

Senior Army leaders say they have seen a 30% increase in active duty suicides so far this year.

Army officials said discussions in Defense Department briefings indicate there has been a 20% jump in overall military suicides this year. The numbers vary by service. The Army’s 30% spike, from 88 last year to 114 this year pushes the total up because it’s the largest service. Fort Bragg’s 82nd Airborne Division has endured 10 suicides so far this year, a number that stood at four during the corresponding period last year.

In 2018, six paratroopers in the division took their own lives; four did so in 2017. Maj. Gen. Christopher Donahue, who assumed command of the 82nd in July, believes forced periods of isolation and other stressors caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have been major factors.

“There is absolutely a stigma that’s out there,” Donahue said. “And if we don’t acknowledge that, we’re lying.”

The increase has pushed Donahue to make suicide prevention a priority and a frequent topic of conversation within his ranks. James Helis, director of the Army’s resilience programs, said virus-related isolation, financial disruptions and loss of childcare all happening at the same time has strained troops and their families.

“We know that the measures we took to mitigate and prevent the spread of COVID could amplify some of the factors that could lead to suicide,” said Helis. Army leaders also said troops have been under pressure for nearly two decades of war and that deployments compounded by the virus have taken a toll.

COVID-19 is having a significant impact on commercial real estate. The pandemic directly affects the demand for office space through quarantines, shutdowns, supply chain disruptions, employment loss and a shattering of consumer confidence, according to real estate research experts who spoke with Development magazine. “One investor told me that he cannot close on a building because he cannot get an appraiser to go out and look at it,” said Emil Malizia,” a research professor at the University of North Carolina. “What does that do to occupancy, particularly office buildings?”

“Similar to Fayetteville, office tenants across the country are pausing new office leases as officials re-evaluate how they use their offices and how many employees businesses will have due to financial harm from COVID-19,” said Jordan Jones, manager of the PCH expansion projects in downtown Fayetteville.

“We have to recognize that this is not a financial crisis,” said Timothy H. Savage of NYU’s Schack Institute of Real Estate. “It’s a natural disaster in which it is not the physical capital that is being affected — it is the human capital … that directly impacts the economy.”

PCH developers have proposed building a seven-story office building and a five-story Hyatt Hotel atop the recently completed five-story parking garage on Hay Street. The city of Fayetteville agreed to purchase the garage and did so at a cost of nearly $18 million. The structure will provide parking for the new hotel, the office building, Prince Charles apartment tenants and to a limited extent, the public. The projects were initially slated for completion next year. “We are unable to provide an updated timeline on the projects moving forward,” Jones said. “We remain committed to executing phase two above the parking garage and continue to actively move these projects forward.”

The $40 million Segra baseball stadium to the rear of the parking deck and PCH’s acquisition of the Festival Park Plaza building were also elements of a $120 million economic development undertaking in mid-town. What about the planned hotel? “On the hospitality side, the industry's occupancy across the country (including Fayetteville) has seen a significant decline,” Jones noted.

“Without occupancy, a hotel is not financially feasible.” But a firm with expertise in the hotel industry has concluded that Hyatt is the hotel chain that has instituted the best customer-friendly and customer-safe policies during the COVID-19 pandemic. NerdWallet analyzed and graded the policies of eight hotel companies and found that Hyatt's face mask requirement and staff training procedures set it apart from the others.

The chief executive officer of Hyatt Hotels Corporation is optimistic about the new normal. “I think there is clear evidence that there will be a robust return to travel even without a vaccine as long as you have a really rigorous, committed and vigilant approach to managing the virus,” Mark Hoplamazian said. “The more practice we all have in being vigilant, being compliant, making it a part of our lives, the better off we’re going to be. That’s my aspiration and my hope for the near future.”

Pictured:The PCH expansion projects in downtown — to include an office building, hotel and parking garage — were slated for completion next year, but have been delayed due to the COVID-19 impact.

Registered voters may cast absentee ballots in person during the early voting period. In North Carolina, this period is sometimes called “one-stop early voting.”

This year the in-person early voting period begins Thursday, Oct. 15, and ends Saturday, Oct. 31.

During early voting, Fayetteville area voters may cast ballots at any early voting site in Cumberland County. This is different from Election Day, when registered voters must vote at their assigned precincts.

Find early voting sites and schedules at https://vt.ncsbe.gov/ossite/.

Voting sites and schedules change for each election and are only available through the search tool once finalized.

To see the voting equipment Cumberland County uses for one-stop early voting, go to https://www.ncsbe.gov/voting/voting-equipment, and check the map for “One-Stop Early Voting Equipment, by County.”

In the days following her death, we have all been reminded of Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s legal legacy — championing of women’s rights in all areas of American life. By the time she arrived on the U.S. Supreme Court in 1993, she had already wiped more than 200 discriminatory laws — many gender-based — off the books, and she authored some of the most powerful dissenting opinions in American judicial history. She even wore a special collar on her robe when one of those dissents was coming.

Very personally for millions of American women, we now hold credit cards in our own names only because Ginsburg sued to remove formerly mandatory names of husbands and fathers. Born during the Great Depression and living well into the 21st century, it is more than fair to say Ginsburg’s steadfast and brilliant legal work changed the lives of women and families across our nation. She was an intellectual prize fighter disguised in the body of a tiny woman.

Historians will debate her legal legacy for generations, but it is important to understand that Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a working wife and mother, and later grandmother, facing and knocking down the same challenges as other women of her generation. Even as a graduate of an Ivy League law school, she could not find work as an attorney because she had a young child. She was helped more than many of her contemporaries by a strong and supportive husband and enjoyed and happy 56-year marriage and remained close to her children and grandchildren until her death. In her later years, she unexpectedly became a pop icon, the notorious RBG, nicknamed after a rap singer, and she used her status to speak to generations of younger Americans.

Pundits are writing about RBG nonstop in the days since her death, but the Justice herself spoke about her life and career. It cannot be said that she did not understand exactly what she was doing and why.

On her career, Ginsburg made these observations.

“Fight for the things that you care about. But do it in a way that will lead others to join you.”

“Don’t be distracted by emotions like anger, envy, resentment. They just zap energy and waste time.”

“I don’t say women’s rights — I say the constitutional principle of the equal citizenship stature of men and women.”

“I am sometimes asked ‘When will there be enough (women on the Supreme Court)? and my answer is ‘When there are nine.’ People are shocked. But there have been nine men, and nobody’s ever raised a question about that.”

“I would like to be remembered as someone who used whatever talent she has to do her work to the very best of her ability.”

On life in general and her life in particular, Ginsburg commented. “My mother told me to be a lady. And for her, that meant be your own person, be independent.”

“Women will have achieved true equality when men share with them the responsibility of bringing up the next generation.”

“I remember envying the boys long before I even knew the word feminism, because I liked shop better than cooking or sewing.”

“Every now and then it helps to be a little deaf. … That advice has stood me in good stead. Not simply in dealing with marriage, but in dealing with my colleagues.”

“If you have a caring life partner, you help the other person when that person needs it. I had a life partner who thought my work was as important as his, and I think that made all the difference for me.”

Ruth Bader Ginsburg spent her life, both public and private, making sure that “we, the people” includes all of us, men and women of all colors, backgrounds, and experiences.

Hers was a life very well lived.

 

The Fayetteville Fire Department has been awarded a $2.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The grant will fund all salary and benefit costs for 18 additional firefighters for three years, after which the city will be responsible for funding the employees. “We currently staff a minimum of three fire fighters on all fire engines and ladder trucks,” Fire Chief Mike Hill said. Five of the department’s 15 fire stations house single units — stations 2, 12, 16, 15 and 19. The new positions will be assigned to these stations so they will have a minimum of four firefighters on their respective engines. “This ensures that we provide a minimum of four firefighters on the initial arriving response force,” Hill said.

“This is much safer for the firefighters and more efficient as they initiate critical tasking elements” prior to the arrival of additional engines. Hill told Up & Coming Weekly he hopes to have the new positions on board for training in December and available for assignment by July 2021.

Methodist University’s David McCune Art Gallery is showcasing the “Rembrandt: The Sign and the Light" exhibition through Nov. 18. The exhibition displays a series of 59 etchings by the well-known Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn and is a part of the gallery’s 10-year anniversary celebration.

“One of the things that’s very attractive about this show is Rembrandt's way of storytelling,” Silvana Foti, Art Director and Curator of McCune Gallery said. “The way he captures human quality, almost seems like his subject matter was staged, they're extremely theatrical.”

Rembrandt was a 17th-century Dutch artist who established himself as one of the greatest storytellers in art history through his ability to render people in his work. Rembrandt’s work is known to approach "real life" through theatrical transposition.

Foti described the etchings to have a psychological emotional drama that's connected between the images when looking at them.

The etchings on display offer a variety of subjects, including religious figures, scenes, portraits, figure studies and famous beggars from Rembrandt’s 35-year career. The name of the exhibit is derived from the technique used by Rembrandt in the etchings that are on display.

“There will be some etchings that are very dark, and when you begin to examine them there will be sparks or light that will just illuminate,” Foti said. “A kind of technique used by Rembrandt known as Chiaroscuro, creating a strong contrast between light and dark.”

Each visitor is provided with a magnifier to witness the details in Rembrandt's etchings.

Most people think of Rembrandt as a painter and are surprised by his etchings that profoundly changed the course of art history, Foti said.

“It would be an awful shame to not be able to see this exhibition in person, this is a once in a lifetime for many people,” she said.

The David McCune Art Gallery is known to host two shows per year, a regional show and an international show. Shows are planned a year or two in advance. The different exhibits are selected based on things like familiarity with the artists' names, different time periods, different styles and likes, Foti said.

"The Sign and the Light" exhibition is a part of the gallery’s 10-year anniversary celebration. The gallery has brought some well-renowned names like Picasso, Rodin and Chagall, among others, to exhibitions in the past.

“I think we have been a pretty big gem here in Fayetteville, offering art not just to the university but community,” Foti said.

The gallery has attracted many art lovers from across different states like New York, Georgia, Virginia and more who are surprised to see such shows come to a small university like Methodist University, she said.
Senior graphic design major Tom Gore said that it was amazing for him to see these great pieces of art, right here at Methodist University, without having to travel to New York.

“Methodist sets itself apart from other universities in many ways, but for a university to bring in master artist exhibits such as Picasso, Rodin, Chagall and Rembrandt year after year is just unheard of,” said Bradley Johnson, director of Marketing & Communications at Methodist University.

He said he toured the exhibit with his wife last Friday, and there were visitors in the gallery from Nebraska.

“With Methodist allowing in guests to see original, 17th-century works from Rembrandt at no charge, it is truly a gift to the Fayetteville community and beyond," Johnson said.

The museum has attracted fewer visitors due to the pandemic. The ticketing and limitation rules in place may be the issue since people are usually more impromptu and didn’t have to commit to a time and date in the past, she said.

Foti emphasized the importance of witnessing the exhibit in person and not just virtually to experience and understand the talent, details and technique of Rembrandt’s etchings.

“The main thing is you’re going to be surprised by the etchings, the amount of detail and the way that Rembrandt has the ability to capture your human quality and the world around him,” Foti said.

The exhibit is free to the public but with reserved days, times and face covering requirements due to COVID-19 restrictions. Visitors can go to https://davidmccunegallery.com to reserve a date and time and to access the free ticket.

The gallery is open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on weekends from noon to 4 p.m. The gallery will be closed Nov. 11 for Veterans Day.

For more information about the gallery, exhibit and to access the free tickets, visit https://davidmccunegallery.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pictured: (Left) Aurie and Edward Parker of Wake Forest visit the Rembrandt exhibit at Methodist University's David McCune Art Gallery. (Right) Debbie Stewart of Fayetteville views an etching by Dutch artist Rembrandt van Rijn.

 

I owe a tremendous debt to the military. I am the proud daughter of a veteran, an Army 82nd Airborne Ranger, who was twice deployed to Vietnam. Early on in life, I learned the value of service and honor because I saw it up close in my father, who instilled those values in me. The military also became a support system that cared for my family after my father passed away and provided me with opportunities that changed the trajectory of my life. It’s because of this debt that I’ve dedicated my life to public service, giving back to my community here in Cumberland County, and why I’m running to represent North Carolina’s 8th Congressional district.

It is not fair for our country to ask for the kind of sacrifices required of our service members and their families, and then fail to uphold our promises to them. Time and time again, our leaders in Washington have failed to deliver on their promise, but I will put our military community’s needs at the forefront of my agenda.

The Veterans Affairs Department, an organization that my father depended on, currently has about 50,000 personnel vacancies. These staffing shortages make delivering quality, timely services to veterans more difficult during regular times, and has crippled the institution during the COVID-19 pandemic. As of late-September 2020, there were more than 3,000 active COVID-19 cases in the VA, with more than 3,300 deaths (including 56 employee deaths). It is absolutely unacceptable that the brave men and women who’ve risked their lives abroad are now dying at home because of failed leadership that’s kept their health care system understaffed and undersupplied.

But it’s not enough to just care for our veterans and active duty service members. Growing up with a father who was twice deployed to Vietnam, and with a mother who served as the primary caregiver, I know that when a service member serves, their family serves with them. Far too often, I meet military families who are struggling with the stress and challenges of having an active duty service member while also juggling the challenges of work responsibilities and child care needs brought on by the pandemic. Military families from all over Cumberland County need leaders who understand their struggles.

The voters of Cumberland County have my commitment that I will champion a well-staffed and well-funded Veterans Affairs department that: expands mental health services, addresses the alarming rates of suicide among our veterans, and receives COVID-19 funding that is specific to its needs. I will also always fight to make sure that our military families have access to high-quality healthcare, and that the educators of military children are well-equipped and well-trained to understand the unique experiences these children face.

It doesn’t stop there. Our veterans and military families will need a partner in the White House that respects and honors them, someone that knows from personal experience what it means to have a member of your family be deployed. We need a Commander-in-Chief that recognizes the heroism of those that gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country, not one that calls them “losers” and “suckers.” Joe Biden is the right person for the job, for this moment.

This year has been tough on everyone, but it’s been especially tough for the thousands of families in Cumberland County who have been left behind and disrespected by leaders who simply don’t care to understand their reality. I grew up right here in Cumberland County, and I know the struggles and the resilience of this community. It’s time to bring change to Washington, and for our county to be represented by leaders who keep their promises.

Pat Timmons-Goodson is a former associate justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court and served on the United States Commission on Civil Rights. She is now running for Congress for North Carolina's 8th Congressional District.

Pictured: Patricia Timmons-Goodson

I recently added a new table to the WCLN studios. Nothing fancy. It was crafted from rough and flawed pieces of walnut boards I picked up somewhere. I decided to leave many flaws untouched and even finish it with raw steel hairpin legs as a nod to my oldest son — an artist whose chosen media was metal, before passing not long ago. Seeing the table each day has caused to me think about what craftsmanship means to me in the first place.

Like many people I know, my life is busy. My calendar would be full of gatherings of all shape and form if I dared to keep one. In fact, not acting surprised when I'm reminded of a birthday, anniversary, dance recital or social gathering I should have remembered is something I've developed into almost an art form. And as much as my wife and I are able to participate, we do. But I love to retreat, too.

More often than not, a retreat for me doesn't mean a getaway to the beach or the beautiful North Carolina mountains. Instead, it's more likely to involve an invitation for the family dog to join me on the short walk to the workshop behind our house.

In that calm respite from the busyness of daily life, I create things. Sometimes I work in the quiet with just my thoughts, and other times, I'll turn the music up to drown them out. I work with a number of materials, but wood is easily my favorite medium. The wood in my shop is comprised largely of castoffs. From exotic hardwoods to common lumber, I gather small or otherwise insignificant pieces from industries that see no need for them. To others they are scraps — one step away from firewood — but to me, each piece is a treasure.

More than a hobby, woodworking has become a reflection of the life I've been given to live. Occasionally, I'll make something on commission, but I rarely sell what I create. The whole idea changes the game. Woodworking is about seeing the individual beauty and usefulness of each piece of wood — large or small — and starting a process of preserving, preparing and giving that piece a new purpose. In short, it's about redemption.

Without the grace and redemption I found in Jesus Christ, my life would be nothing. I was probably considered a castoff by many when Jesus found me, but he saw something useful and has been preparing and preserving me since 1981, and even in the times when I feel I have nothing to offer, He assures me there is a greater purpose for my life. For every life.

Diabetic state employees soon won’t have to swallow the rising cost of insulin.

State Treasurer Dale Folwell waived co-pays on insulin prescriptions for members of the State Health Plan, starting Jan. 1, 2021. Folwell hopes to save members $5 million.

Insulin has become a flashpoint in the debate over drug pricing.

The cost of the drug has nearly tripled since 2002, forcing patients to start rationing their insulin. Some have died. Others have gone blind.

More than a million North Carolinians suffer from diabetes. Some 12,000 state employees use insulin, and they’re paying an average $467 out of pocket each year for brand insulin. But that price tag can rise as high as $1,000.

The State Health Plan Board of Trustees voted to nix insulin cost sharing earlier this year.

It hopes to prevent patients from rationing insulin and putting themselves at risk for expensive and potentially life-threatening complications.

“This is a good investment by the State Health Plan,” Folwell told Carolina Journal. “Insulin adherence saves lives and saves money. We all don’t want the cost of insulin to be a barrier.”

Insulin was prohibitively expensive for some families, says Ardis Watkins, executive director of the State Employees Association of N.C. She has talked to patients who rationed their insulin, saying that their diabetes hurt family finances.

“It’s a huge deal, what just happened,” Watkins told CJ. “Insulin can mean life or death. It’s immoral for those medications to make the difference of the family’s budget every month.”

Folwell has long railed against the rising cost of health care. The Republican treasurer forged an unlikely alliance with SEANC after he started a war with hospitals over medical billing transparency.

The State Health Plan risks going broke within four years. It faces some $35 billion in unfunded liabilities.

Folwell wants to save the plan by linking prices to Medicare payments. The plan now faces a significant risk of overpaying or wasting tens of millions of dollars, based on a report by the state auditor. Folwell has described the current system as a blank check.

Folwell hoped to usher providers into the Clear Pricing Project — his plan to drive down costs with billing transparency. But the plan sparked a feud with local hospital systems, who refused reforms.

But enrollment has reopened for providers. Folwell seems to be focusing on recruiting independent providers to join the plan. They can’t charge patients as many fees as hospitals do.

“We’re having fantastic negotiations, especially with independent providers of health care that are excited for the first time that someone recognizes that they exist,” Folwell said.
“We want independent, profitable, accessible, high-quality health care providers.”

During its regular board meeting on Sept. 21, the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners amended an economic development incentives agreement with Campbell Soup Supply Company and approved contracts for Workforce Development Services and Sheriff’s Office uniforms.

Commissioners approved extending the deadline by one year to Dec. 31, 2020, for the company to add at least 100 new employees. The company requested the extension because construction on its new distribution facility in the Cedar Creek Business Center was significantly delayed by hurricanes. The company projects it will have hired 112 employees by the deadline. The board also approved an associated budget amendment for $248,000 for the economic incentive payment due in March 2021 based on the contract terms of reimbursing the company 75% of the county tax.

The board also approved contracts for workforce development services for fiscal year 2021. Two Hawk Workforce Services, LLC, a North Carolina limited liability company headquartered in Lumberton, was selected by the Workforce Development Board to be the provider of both program delivery and one stop operator services. Each of these contracts commences October 1, 2020, for a term ending June 30, 2021, with an option for two one-year extensions.

The N.C. Department of Transportation is seeking public feedback on plans to widen a 9-mile section of Interstate 95 in Robeson County. DOT proposes to increase the number of travel lanes to four in each direction from Exit 13 to just south of Exit 22 in Lumberton. Three interchanges (Exits 17, 19 and 20) will be significantly upgraded, and bridges that cross the Lumber River and CSX rail line will be replaced. A presentation of what the improvements should look like was given during a recent virtual meeting. People will find videos and other project information on DOT’s project webpage.

Questions or comments on the project may be submitted by Oct. 15. The project has an estimated $418 million construction cost, and the department is scheduled to award a design-build contract next summer.

School districts can allow elementary grade students to return to the classroom next month, Gov. Roy Cooper announced during a Sept. 17 news conference, but middle and high school students won’t have the same opportunity.

The announcement — allowing local school districts to provide in-person instruction full-time to younger students — comes a day after Republican leaders urged the governor to offer that option at all levels statewide and let parents decide.

The move is a step in the right direction, Senate Leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, said in a Thursday news release, but the governor should have gone further with his decision.

“His new plan ignores the needs of low-income and exceptional students in middle and high schools for in-person instruction,” Berger said.

On Sept. 16, Berger, along with Lt. Gov. Dan Forest and Catherine Truitt, the Republican candidate for state superintendent, called for schools to fully reopen. A handful of parents took part in the news conference to share their desperation with the remote instruction plans.

Cooper said the move wasn’t connected to Wednesday’s news conference at the General Assembly.

Over the summer, the state told school districts to create three reopening plans, from most to least restrictive. Plan A had the fewest restrictions, allowing in-person instruction with minimal social distancing of students and staff. Plan B required more stringent social distancing and fewer people in the school building. Under Plan C, schools could use only remote learning.

On July 14, Cooper announced school districts could either use Plan B or Plan C. No school district was allowed to offer Plan A, regardless of the COVID-19 metrics in the area.

But now, starting on Oct. 5, school districts can switch to plan A for kindergarten through fifth grade, but older grade levels must stay on either plan B or C.

“We are able to open this option because most North Carolinians have doubled down on our safety and prevention measures and stabilized our numbers,” Cooper said.

Face masks and social distancing are still required under Plan A, but unlike Plan B, schools won’t have to reduce the number of students allowed in the building at the same time.

Neither Cooper, nor Mandy Cohen, the secretary of the state Department of Health and Human Services, gave a timeline for when middle and high schools grades can return to classrooms full-time.

 

Local actors are returning to the stage to deliver the fun and creative performances we’ve been missing since the pandemic closed curtains and theater doors in March.

This month, the Gilbert Theater brings “Barefoot in the Park” to stage Oct. 2-18 with limited seating and social distancing in effect. There will only be 25 seats sold per performance, in order to adhere to COVID-19 guidelines for public gatherings.

“‘Barefoot in the Park’ is a classic Neil Simon comedy,” said Larry Carlisle, the show’s director and the Artistic Director for the Gilbert. “It’s about two newlyweds who move into a tiny apartment in New York City and deal with being newlyweds, weird neighbors and mothers.”

Simon, who died in 2018, was a playwright, screenwriter and author. In his lifetime, he received more combined Oscar and Tony award nominations than any other writer. Widely considered to be a Broadway icon, Simon wrote more than 30 plays, including “Brighton Beach Memoirs,” “Biloxi Blues” and “The Odd Couple.” Simon won the Pulitzer Prize for “Lost in Yonkers.”

The “Barefoot in the Park” cast includes Tanisha Johnson and Gage Long as newlyweds Corie and Paul; Deannah Robinson as Corie’s mother; Gabe Terry as neighbor Mr. Velasco; and James Merkle as the telephone repairman. Carlisle will also have a small role as a deliveryman.

Despite performing to a quarter of the theater’s capacity, Carlisle and the cast agree that producing the show is worth the effort.

“Everyone’s gotten stir crazy,” Terry said about closures due to the pandemic. “The show’s a lot of fun to do.”

Providing live entertainment is something the performers enjoy, no matter the crowd size, Carlisle said. With COVID-19 restrictions, the cast and crew have been able to explore some interesting ways to adapt their performances.

“I’m just excited to get back to stage,” Robinson said. “Granted, it will be limited capacity.”

Safety precautions in place will include masks for theater attendants, hand sanitizer stations, no-contact concessions, temperature checks upon entry and cleaning between performances.

“For all the performances we’re asking all patrons to wear a mask and practice social distancing,” Carlisle said.

Preparing for the masked performances has been a fun challenge for the cast.

“It is interesting because there’s so much (in the story) that involves intimacy,” Terry said.

Robinson added, “We’re working around it, having fun with it, even with the mask.”

The team at the Gilbert is optimistic that the audience will attend and enjoy the show, if only for a short respite from the daily headlines.

“It’s two hours to take your mind off your trouble, don’t worry about everything going on outside,” Carlisle said. “It’s a light breezy sitcom-esque
comedy.”

Johnson added, “Come out and laugh, have a good time.”

Recognizing that some patrons might not be comfortable even with all those precautions, Carlisle said there will be two performances where the actors will also wear masks. Those shows are scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 10, at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.

The Gilbert Theater is located at 116 Green St. in downtown Fayetteville. There are several discounts available including student, military and first responder. Contact the box office for more info on the show or to purchase tickets at boxoffice@gilberttheater.com.

An internationally celebrated exhibit of 25, 6-foot tall, pivoting prisms will be staged in some outdoor areas of downtown Fayetteville as a part of an effort to draw visitors downtown to play, shop and dine. The unusual displays will be posted during October. The Cool Spring Downtown District is partnering with Fayetteville’s Public Works Commission to present "Prismatica."

The Toronto-based, architectural firm RAW Design is responsible for the conception and execution of this art project, in collaboration with ATOMIC3. Prismatica made its debut in 2014 at the Place des Festivals in Montreal, where 50 pivoting prisms transformed the outdoor space into a giant kaleidoscope. Since then, "Prismatica" has been on a world tour, lighting up 26 cities in five countries, to include Fayetteville, Houston, Jerusalem, Israel, London, Lugano and New York City.