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  • 11 aw creative fI TKWjKYls unsplashLife’s been weird, right?

    I don’t know how else to start this article. What do you say? What is there left to say? I don’t even want to really talk about it any more, if I’m being honest.

    Quarantine has been weird; social distancing has been weird. The world — the literal whole world — being shut down has been weird. I guess since this is being published, I should use a 50-cent word and say its “unprecedented,” but let’s be real.

    This. Has. Been. Weird.

    And heartbreaking. Devastating. Frustrating. Intimidating. Scary.

    There will most likely never be another time in our generation — so we pray — where doing absolutely nothing can help save the world.In a society that is used to things changing in an instant, we’ve gone from moving a hundred miles an hour to moving at a snail’s pace as we’ve waited for COVID-19 to pass us by. Waiting is not our strong suit. 

    We’ve lived seemingly invincibly for so long, thinking nothing will touch us here in America — no wars on our turf, no major catastrophes, no major economic downfall — yet here we are, stuck with the great equalizer — rich or poor, tall or short, young or old, no one is immune. 

    For me, it has been a break. I’ve been very fortunate to have the privilege to work from home, and my husband has been able to continue his job. My son has been at home with me instead of daycare, and my dog now favors me over my husband because I get to take her outside so much more and give her treats. For me, it is a big win.

    For others, this pandemic has hit them hard — so hard, they may not recover for a  long while, which brings me back to my first thought. What do you even say?

     Just one piece of dumb advice, if you haven’t done it already — don’t cut yourself quarantine bangs. Put down the scissors, Judy. It just isn’t worth it. You’ll end up looking like you feel and right now — that is, unreliable. Just wait for your stylist or barber, not that I know from experience. Dear God, help me.

    But on a more serious note, I had a realization in all of this that I don’t want this not to change me. I want to remember and honor the elderly. I want to remember that everyone is going through something, so I mind my words and my impatience. I want to spend more time at home. I want to spend less money on nonessentials. I want to cook more at home. I want to remember that whether I realize it at the time or not, my actions do affect the people around me, even people I don’t know.

    I want to remember that just because someone is famous, it doesn’t make them a hero, and that advertising and Hollywood don’t own me. I want to remember what it's like not to hug my family so I’ll never pull away or take another hug for granted. 

     What is normal anyway? Whatever it is, it's overrated, overexpected and just plain over. I’m done with normal. I want keep some of this weirdness and be changed for the better.

  • 06 history centerFrom the beginning, the North Carolina Civil War & Reconstruction History Center has been about inclusion and transparency. The wheels were set in motion in 2007 with a planning grant from the N.C. General Assembly. While the ground has not yet been broken for the facility, plans are moving ahead, and it’s to the benefit of many historically underutilized businesses in North Carolina. This category of businesses includes companies owned by women, African Americans, Native Americans and others.

    “The State of North Carolina believes highly in small businesses, which is what drives our economy,” said Tammie Hall, assistant to Machelle Sanders, the Secretary of HUB and the HUB Division Director. “It is important to get them engaged in what we do.”

    According to nccivilwarcenter.org, once complete, the four-acre History Center site will include a 60,000-square-foot main museum built outside the U.S. Arsenal’s archaeological footprint, protecting the remnants of the asset seized by Confederate forces in 1861 and leveled by William T. Sherman’s engineers four years later. The existing 1897 E.A. Poe House and three Civil War-era structures are incorporated into the larger, interpretive plan. This project offers the public a repository, not merely of artifacts, but of information and a context for it.

    Three Civil War-era houses, known as the history village, were moved to the southern end of Arsenal Park in October 2018. Work on the three houses is on schedule for completion later this month. A total of $2.5 million was budgeted to move and renovate the houses and the job has come in under budget.

    In a recent press released, the History Center announced that work on the buildings include: 

    •  The Arsenal House was renovated primarily for K-12 students. It includes a classroom, a distance learning studio and a technical support room, all part of the Digital Education Outreach Center. The Outreach Center will be an online educational resource to teach the history of the period before, during and after the Civil War to public school students across North Carolina.

    •  The Culbreth House was renovated for higher education purposes. It will become the Center for the Study of the Civil War and Reconstruction in North Carolina. A catering kitchen and upstairs offices were added, as was a library, which will house an extensive collection of Civil War and Reconstruction books. It will be used as the offices for the Center’s Foundation.

    •  The Davis House required extensive renovation following damage from the move, including adding structural elements, new floors, walls and updated rewiring and heating and air. Plans are for it to be a support building for the buildings and other developments for that end of Arsenal Park.

    The next project will be an educational outdoor pavilion area, which is scheduled to be completed next year. Also planned for the site is the 60,000-square-foot building, which will replace the Museum of the Cape Fear and house large scale exhibits, an auditorium and the Center’s operations going forward.

    The Center’s use of historically underutilized businesses as contractors is at 82.09%. “It is a huge accomplishment to receive 80%,” said Hall. “It’s a huge plus for our economy.  … (The) state recognizes it as investing in small businesses, which are the ones who grow our communities, and which grow our school systems. Small business is what grows our North Carolina economy.” 

    “ … Our goal with the Center is to be inclusive with all North Carolinians, not only with our present and future programming, but with our operations and construction, as well.” said John M. “Mac” Healy, chair of the North Carolina Civil War & Reconstruction History Center Board of Directors.

    Find out more about the History Center at http://nccivilwarcenter.org/, or call 910-491-0602 to learn more.

  • 12 blue marlinWhat is the big news in North Carolina?

    For some, it is not the bad news that the coronavirus has shut us up in our homes for weeks and weeks and undercut the economic lives of so many.

    It is, instead, the good news that, starting April 21 with the release of Lee Smith’s latest book, “Blue Marlin,” there will be something to ease the discomfort of our confinement.

    “Blue Marlin” is short, about 120 pages, each filled with Smith’s warm and sympathetic storytelling gifts and characters who reach out and remind us of people we knew growing up.

    Smith confesses in an afterword that for all the stories she has ever written, “this one is dearest to me, capturing the essence of my own childhood — the kind of unruly, spoiled only child I was; the sweetness of my troubled parents, and the magic essence of Key West, ever since January 1959, when these events actually occurred.”

    Smith then explains that not all the events in her book happened. The book, she says, is “autobiographical fiction, with the emphasis on fiction.” She explains, “I can tell the truth better in fiction than nonfiction.”

    In the book, the “Lee Smith-like” character, Jenny, age 13, discovers her small-town lawyer dad — think Atticus Finch — is having an affair. Soon everybody in town knows. Her dad moves out of their home. Her depressed mom seeks treatment at a hospital in Asheville. Jenny is sent to stay with her mom’s cousin Glenda in South Carolina. Jenny fights this placement. Glenda is tough and deeply and out-front religious. Soon Jenny feels at home, adjusting and then thriving under Glenda’s no-nonsense orderliness.

    Meanwhile, her parents decide to try to put their marriage back together on a trip to Key West. When they pick up Jenny at Glenda’s, Jenny brings a white New Testament that Glenda gave her, a necklace with a cross that Jenny stole from Glenda’s daughter and a growing interest in Jesus and boys.

    Riding to Key West in the back seat of her dad’s new Cadillac, Jenny begins a list of good deeds she will do on each day of their monthly trip “which ought to be enough,” she thought, “to bring even Mama and Daddy back together.”

    But the question is, will the time in Key West do the job?

    Things get off to a good start. Their hotel, the Blue Marlin, is a positive, not just because of its swimming pool and water slide. The motel is full of a movie crew, including actor Tony Curtis. 

    “Mama and I were crazy about Tony Curtis,” says Jenny. Both were big movie fans and read the fan magazines together. About Curtis, they “squealed together.” Then they learn Cary Grant is part of the movie’s cast, and things are off to a good start.

    Jenny settles into Key West. She walks the streets, visits the old Catholic church, reads the texts in the graveyard, gets to know a group of strippers, and does her good deeds every day. Still she asks whether they were working. “My parents were endlessly cordial to each other now, but so far they had never slept in the same bed. I knew this for a fact. I checked their room every morning.”

    To find out whether Tony Curtis’s help and Jenny’s good deeds can bring about real marital reconciliation, you will have to read the book.

    But, here is a clue from Smith’s afterword. After the real trip to Key West to help her real parents’ troubled marriage, Smith writes that the Key West cure worked. “Mama and Daddy would go home refreshed, and stay married for the rest oftheir lives.”

  • 05 01 Revenue downturnThe COVID-19 economic shutdown is taking a toll on government finances as a dramatic downturn in sales tax revenues is expected to disrupt the financial health of local government. The city of Fayetteville has asked the Public Works Commission to contribute millions more than it usually does in the fiscal year ahead to offset an expected reduction in revenues. PWC annually transfers $12 million to the city in lieu of taxes.

     Fayetteville Budget Director Tracey Broyles told City Council she anticipates a significant loss of sales tax proceeds and other revenues in FY21. She predicts the city could lose about $7.7 million. City Councilman Johnny Dawkins, who represents the city on the North Carolina League of Municipalities, said actual losses could be a lot more. PWC’s charter allows the utility to provide additional funding to the city in emergency situations. “We have a once in a lifetime issue here,” said city manager Doug Hewett. Councilmember Chris Davis made the motion to ask PWC for as much as $11 million — the first $8 million covering budget shortfalls, with the additional money being set aside for unforeseen COVID-19 issues. The motion passed unanimously. 

    05 02 Paratroopers at Pope FieldPope Army Airfield infrastructure neglected

    A recent audit found Fort Bragg’s Pope Airfield to be among the Army’s worst maintained facilities. Pope Airfield is a staging area and launch site for the 82nd Airborne Division’s Immediate Response Force. Paratroopers can deploy anywhere in the world within 18 hours of notification. Lawmakers are worried Fort Bragg’s lift capabilities are being underfunded, The Army Times first reported. The airfield is now part of Fort Bragg. The Army took it over from the Air Force in 2011. “These infrastructures serve as primary training airfields for USASOC — United States Army Special Operations Command, JSOC — Joint Special Operations Command and others, including the immediate response force,” said Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C.Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville and Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy said funding has already been planned for the airfield, and more is on the way. “We have an approved project of $25 million for airfield lighting repair, and in the 2021 budget we plan to spend $65 million to repair the runway and taxiways,” the secretary and chief said in a joint statement.

    05 03 PWC LinemanLocal electricity rates decline 

    Fayetteville’s Public Works Commission has approved a reduction in electricity rates for residential customers as well as small and medium business customers, effective May 1. The off-peak rate was reduced from 9.1 cents to 8.4 cents per kilowatt-hour. Off-peak rates apply during 88% of the average week. On-peak rates, which remain the same, occur four hours a day during weekdays. A typical PWC residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours of power per month would see a decrease of $5.20. The rate reduction comes after a renegotiation of PWC’s contract with electricity provider Duke Energy, resulting in $33 million in savings. “We will not begin to see the financial savings of the contract changes until January 2021,” said PWC CEO/general manager David Trego. “However, it’s important to note that providing these savings to our customers was of the utmost importance, and the PWC Board wanted customers to receive the savings benefit as soon as possible and set the decrease to begin May 1, 2020.” 




    05 04 Rental ScamRental housing scam
    Fayetteville police are seeing a resurgence of cases involving real estate fraud involving social media and classified rental property ads. The listings are not from established property management companies and are usually listed as for rent by owner. “This fraud scheme may even involve a written “lease” that appears legitimate, but the communications and paperwork will not be done in person,” said police spokesman Sgt. Jeremy Glass. The suspect will ask prospective tenants to send the rent money through a cash application, like PayPal or the United States Postal Service, usually before written leases are provided. Glass said scammers will not be available to meet in person. They will ask you to mail, wire or using a cash-sending appl to send money. Listings often include poor grammar, typographical errors and excessive punctuation.

  • 10 onlineclassesEvery day for the past few weeks, we’ve all awakened to a new way of life. We continue to navigate our days with modified lifestyles, including staying at home as much as possible to protect ourselves and others during this COVID-19 pandemic. Over the past weeks, I have found myself often being reminded about the incredible accomplishments that are occurring as a result of everyone moving together in harmony to follow the important health and safety guidelines currently in place. This spirit of comradery and teamwork seems to make things that are heavy feel much lighter and things that are rough feel much smoother. It’s always good to focus on positivity and look for opportunities to help us strike a healthy balance between optimism and the realities we face, and now is a time for us to stay connected to something positive in our lives.

    At Fayetteville Technical Community College — even during this pandemic, our faculty and staff members have not stopped performing their jobs to continue the mission of our college: to serve our community as a learning-centered institution to build a globally competitive workforce supporting economic development. I am very proud of our faculty and staff who share the belief that education changes lives in positive ways and continue to effectively serve our students through distance education to prepare students for their futures.

    FTCC ended the first week of April with two great pieces of news: 1.) The college provided thousands of items of personal protective equipment to Cape Fear Valley Health System and donated gloves to the North Carolina State Veterans Home, and 2.) the college was awarded a $961,200 grant by the Golden LEAF Foundation to renovate and equip an existing space into a dedicated simulation suite for training nursing students. The Golden LEAF grant will help FTCC train more nurses and represents a wonderful opportunity for FTCC to contribute significantly to our community by increasing access to high-quality healthcare — a vital area whose importance has been highlighted during this pandemic. Our healthcare providers are the heroes working the front lines, and we thank them most sincerely and are very proud of them.

    The pandemic is a crisis situation unlike anything we’ve experienced before — certainly not in recent years. It’s important for us all to remain optimistic and follow up with positive actions. It is uplifting to see how this experience is bringing us closer together, not only in our local communities but also across the globe. Even though some of the news stories now may cause anxiety and uncertainty, we have opportunities to balance our mental health and awareness by staying connected to something positive. At the heart of our mission at FTCC lies an important objective, to remain — during good times and difficult times — the smart choice for education. As we continue to navigate life each day with new challenges, we at Fayetteville Technical Community College stand committed to serving you and thank you for this privilege.

  • 06 proffittpicThe coronavirus crisis has unsettled every age group, as we are all worried about our health and that of our families and communities. And if you’re in the millennial generation, generally defined as anyone born between 1981 and 1996, you might also be concerned about your financial future, given the sharp decline in investment prices. How should you respond to what’s been happening?

    Your view of the current situation will depend somewhat on your age. If you’re an older millennial, you had probably been investing for a few years when we went through the financial crisis in 2007-2008. And you then experienced 11 years of a record bull market, so you’ve seen both the extremes and the resilience of the investment world. But if you’re a younger millennial, you might not have really started investing until the past few years, if you’ve started at all, so you’ve only seen a steadily climbing market. Consequently, you may find the current situation particularly discouraging, but this is also a lesson in the reality of investing: Markets go down as well as up.

    But no matter where you are within the millennial age cohort, you might help yourself by taking these steps:

    • Enjoy the benefit of having time on your side. If you’re one of the younger millennials, you’ve got about four decades left until you’re close to retiring. Even if you’re in the older millennial group, you’ve probably got at least 25 years until you stop working. With so many years ahead, you have the opportunity to overcome the periodic drops in investment prices, and your investments have time to grow. And, of course, you’ll be able to add more money into those investments, too.

    • Invest systematically. The value of your investments will always fluctuate. You can’t control these price movements, but you may be able to take advantage of them through what’s known as systematic investing. By putting the same amount of money at regular intervals into the same investments, you’ll buy more shares when the share price is lower — in other words, you’ll be “buying low,” which is one of the first rules of investing — and you’ll buy fewer shares when the price rises. Over time, this strategy can help you reduce the impact of volatility on your portfolio, although it can’t ensure a profit or protect against loss. Plus, systematic investing can give you a sense of discipline, though you’ll need to consider the ability to keep investing when share prices are declining.

    • Focus on the future. You’re never really investing for today — you’re doing it to reach goals in the future, sometimes just a few years away, but usually much further out. That’s why it’s so important not to panic when you view those scary headlines announcing big drops in the financial markets, or even when you see negative results in your investment statements. By creating an investment strategy that’s appropriate for your risk tolerance and time horizon, and by focusing on your long-term goals, you can develop the discipline to avoid making hasty, ill-advised decisions during times of stress.

    As a millennial, you’ve got a long road ahead of you as you navigate the financial markets. But by following the suggestions above, you may find that journey a little less stressful.

  • 13 Mark KahlenbergThe local sports scene took another hit last week as state American Legion baseball officials announced there would be no season for the sport this summer in North Carolina due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    That followed an earlier announcement by the American Legion that regional and national playoffs were also canceled.

    Mark Kahlenberg, who coaches the lone Cumberland County entry, the Hope Mills Boosters, said discussions had been ongoing about the fate of the season in recent weeks, with state Legion officials announcing they would reach a decision on baseball this summer somewhere around April 13.

    While no official American Legion baseball season is planned, there has been talk among coaches of some of the teams coming up a non-Legion baseball alternative that would provide those programs around the state that wanted to participate a chance to have something.

    Kahlenberg said he’d seen a list of some 10 to 12 teams interested in the alternative season. He also said some teams from the northern part of South Carolina had expressed interest in joining the North Carolina teams if South Carolina should decide to cancel its American Legion baseball season.

    But Kahlenberg had multiple reservations about the possibility of a non-Legion baseball league. To begin with, he’s not certain the backer of the Hope Mills Boosters, the Massey Hill Lions Club, would be willing to fund something not affiliated with American Legion baseball.

    Further, there would be more expense involved than just paying for officials and travel. Any Legion teams that played in the alternative league would not be allowed to use their official American Legion baseball uniforms or even the official baseballs stamped with the American Legion logo.

    Another big concern would be providing for insurance for the players. Kahlenberg said he’s almost certain any policy the teams could purchase would be unlikely to include coverage for the COVID-19 virus. “If something did come up with the virus, I don’t think I would want that on my plate,’’ Kahlenberg said.

    Finally, he expects there will be a problem for many teams finding a place to play. The Boosters traditionally play their home games at South View High School. As part of the Cumberland County Schools, South View’s facilities are closed because of the virus, and Kahlenberg doesn’t think they will be opened just for a team that’s not affiliated with American Legion baseball.

    The Boosters were also scheduled to play two games at Campbell University, which is also currently shut down.

    Kahlenberg is about a month away from the time he would normally have been organizing this year’s team for its first game. According to longtime American Legion baseball coach Doug Watts, who retired in 2018 after 51 years with the program, this will be the first time since 1965 that Cumberland County hasn’t fielded an American Legion baseball team.

    Kahlenberg had planned an ambitious 25-game schedule, about five or six more regular season games than Hope Mills normally plays.

    A change in the enrollment numbers meant Hope Mills might have been able to add another school to its base this season.

    The thing he will miss most, Kahlenberg said, is the camaraderie with the players.

    “You have your late nights on the road,’’ he said. “That’s a lot of stories we still talk about. That’s the fun part of it.’’

  • 05 StayhomeDuring these unprecedented times, I want to reassure all Cumberland County residents that North Carolina is managing a statewide response to COVID-19 that protects the health of our citizens while balancing the well-being of our economy. Gov. Roy Cooper and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy Cohen have done a tremendous job acting early and aggressively to “flatten the curve” in North Carolina. Gov. Cooper’s administration is actively working through the next steps of preparing North Carolinians and our business community to emerge from this pandemic stronger in this “new normal.”

    While I proudly represent you in the North Carolina Senate, I am also a father and small business owner. I’ve seen the damage inflicted by this pandemic on multiple fronts. I’ve heard from many of you directly, and I appreciate your thoughts, opinions and concerns. Along with my constituent services staff, I have helped people register for unemployment and spent time talking to small businesses across our community and state. I remain committed to ensuring that the voices of all residents and small businesses in Cumberland County are represented, working with Senate colleagues on both sides of the aisle to draft specific COVID-19 legislation for our legislative session on April 28, and staying in constant contact with our local elected officials to make sure we are supporting them at the state level. Please know that I am listening and acting to create solutions. I want to assure you that we will get through this together.

    During this crisis, I am reminded of the resiliency that our community displays time and time again. Community members and organizations are rallying to support our children in need, our small businesses and our at-risk demographics.

    One thing is clear — social distancing works. Because of the stay-at-home and social distancing orders in place, our efforts to flatten the curve and save lives are working. But we know we cannot stay home forever. As the state considers how and when to ease restrictions, there are three important pieces to consider, including testing, tracing and trends. We need a major increase in testing capabilities to isolate and track new cases of COVID-19. This means having the supplies and lab capacity to do more diagnostic testing as well as reliable antibody testing that can tell us who may have experienced mild or asymptomatic illness and has now recovered. We have to boost our public health workforce to trace and track new cases of COVID-19. Contact tracing can be effective at containing new outbreaks, but it requires a lot of people and legwork. When a new positive case pops up, the tracing efforts will work to identify people who have been in contact so they can get tested and take the right precautions. In order to ease restrictions, we have to see COVID-19 trends moving in the right direction. This includes trends in the number of new positive cases, hospitalizations and deaths, as well as available supply of personal protective equipment, hospital capacity and more.

    My wife Jenny and I continue to take precautions such as working remotely, social distancing, washing our hands and wearing masks when we go out to the store or to pick up food from a local restaurant. We are encouraging others to do the same. Please help me make sure we all do our part to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Jenny and I keep our community in our prayers and ask you to keep us in yours.

    My staff and I are working overtime to handle any and all constituent concerns. I encourage anyone who needs resources to visit www.SenatorKirkDeViere.com/Coronavirus, contact my office at 919-733-5776 or via email devierela@ncleg.net. Stay safe.

    In this together,
    Senator Kirk deViere
    North Carolina Senate, District 19
     
  • 12 IMG 2087Restaurants aren’t the only food-related enterprises who’ve had to change the way they operate because of COVID-19.

    The ALMS HOUSE ministry in Hope Mills has had to alter how it helps the underprivileged in the area and is in need of extra support during this difficult time.

    Delores Schiebe, executive director of the ALMS HOUSE, said people are still coming in to get food, but new restrictions have been put in place to safeguard both the staff and the clients.

    The only part of the ALMS HOUSE that is completely shut down is the organization’s clothes closet.

    Another major change involves access to the ALMS HOUSE’s popular food pantry.

    Clients can no longer just show up to browse the shelves. The food pantry is only open Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m., and all those planning to visit must call ahead for an appointment.

    They will need to bring their Social Security card and proof of residence, preferably a current utility bill that includes their physical address.

    The ALMS HOUSE can still only be accessed by people who live in the general area of Hope Mills. Schiebe said that basically covers what she described as a big circle around the town, except for a few odd twists and turns. Generally, it includes the area as far out as Raeford Road and almost all the way to the Robeson County line.

    People who aren’t sure if they live in Hope Mills area can call Schiebe at the same number to make appointments to visit the food pantry, 910-425-0902, to confirm if they meet the residency requirements.

    From noon until 12:30 p.m. and from 5 until 5:30 p.m., the ALMS HOUSE is still serving meals to anyone in need, but they are now strictly takeout.

    Schiebe said the ALMS HOUSE has been helped greatly by local businesses that have donated meals for them to distribute. Among them are Fayetteville Realtors, The Diner by Chef Glenn, Sammio’s on Raeford Road, Superior Bakery, Marci’s Cakes and Bakes, Robin’s on Main and Big T’s.

    Grandson’s Buffet also donated meals until the restaurant had to shut down because of the additional restrictions imposed by the governor’s executive order, but Schiebe said she hopes they will be able to resume in the near future.

    One critical part of the ALMS HOUSE outreach, the Kids Assistance Program, is in danger of having to shut down due to a lack of items. The KAP was designed to provide school-age children with a source of food they could prepare on their own in their homes to make sure they had something to eat over the weekend.

    Even though school is currently closed, Schiebe said school social workers are still coming to the ALMS HOUSE and picking up prepared bags of food to deliver to children in the areas where their schools are located.

    But Schiebe said supplies of the kind of food used in the bags have been wiped out at local grocery stores. She especially mentioned things like ramen noodle soup and Chef Boyardee products in microwaveable containers.

    ALMS HOUSE will accept those donations during regular hours, she said, with no need to make an appointment to drop them off. “We are eager to get it,’’ she said, “especially our need for items for the kids program.’’

  •  04 Ernest worrellFollowing in the path of the two Corinthians, here are some more gossamer threads of hope upon which to cling during these highly interesting times. Folklore says the worst curse the ancient Chinese could throw on someone was to wish they live in interesting times. The ancient Chinese may have been right about that, but Chairman Xi and his round-the-clock cover up of Corona Cooties ranks like Avis in a strong second place for misery. But enough about the Chinese Communists. They know who they are.
     This stain upon world literature is written about 10 days before it appears in Up & Coming Weekly. Much can happen between the writing and the publication. There’s many a slip between cup and lip. The news of the day when this drivel was extruded was Dear Leader’s retweet of a Tweet with the hashtag #FireFauci. Dr. Fauci had just committed the sin of saying publicly that if the administration had started preparing sooner, fewer people would have died. The over/under on when Fauci will be fired is April 30. I’m taking the under. The good news is the usual uninformed sources report that Fauci will be replaced by that noted epidemiologist, Dr. Ernest P. Worrell, Ph.D. Old-timers may recall that Worrell used to sell Pine State Ice Cream many years ago.

     Some people think that because Worrell is deceased that he is not a good replacement to be head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Those people would be wrong. Dear Leader prefers a scientist who cannot contradict his magical thoughts of banishing the Corona Cooties by tweet. As Joe Diffie almost sang, “Prop Dr. Worrell up by the juke box even if he’s dead/ Fix him up with a mannequin, just remember he likes blondes/ He’ll be the life of the briefing room, even when he’s dead and gone."

     A dead Worrell who will keep his mouth shut and not cause Dear Leader trouble is better than a live Fauci who keeps trying to interject science into Fantasy Land. Consider Ernest’s cinematic accomplishments, which have the common theme of him not knowing what he is doing. Worrell starred in such excellent films as “Ernest Scared Stupid,” “Ernest Saves Christmas,” “Ernest Goes to Jail,” “Ernest Goes to School,” “Slam Dunk Ernest” and “Ernest Rides Again.” As the science advisor to Dear Leader, Ernest’s incompetence is a consummation devoutly to be wished.

     To take your mind off being stuck at home, I am once again plagiarizing my Facebook page wherein I post a daily dose of good news. Here are some other happy thoughts for you to ponder as you wait like the Eloi in the movie “The Time Machine” to hear the siren sound the all clear, signifying the Morlocks of Corona have left so you can come blinking out of your homes into the light of a Corona-free world.

      Although barbershops and beauty salons are closed, leaving people looking like Cousin It of the “Addams Family,” it doesn’t matter. Due to excess hair, no one will be recognizable. Let the mighty comb-overs begin. Despite the nationwide lack of Corona testing supplies, Granny of the “Beverly Hillbillies” has whipped up a double still full of Granny’s Spring Tonic, which will cure what ails America. Like Roger Miller sang, one swig of Granny’s Spring Tonic and “Chug a lug, chug a lug/ Makes you want to holler hi-de-ho/ Burns your tummy don’t cha know? Chug a lug, chug a lug.”

    That is exactly what America needs, something that makes you holler, “Hi-de-ho!” Look for Granny in the far corner of your nearest Walmart parking lot.

     Understanding that America has suffered enough, Yoko Ono has vowed not to sing another note until the Corona Cooties have been left behind in the nation’s rearview mirror. Not to be outdone by Yoko, insurance agent Needle Nose Ned Ryerson of “Ground Hog Day” fame has promised not to try to sell any more life insurance policies until Corona is no more. As Ned would say, “Am I right? Am I right?”

    Dear Leader has narrowed his choices for Acting Acting Secretary of the Navy to replace the Bozo who fired Captain Brett Crozier of the carrier Theodore Roosevelt to either Captain Crunch or Captain Kangaroo. Either one would be an improvement over former Acting Secretary Thomas Modly, who walked the plank after he fired Crozier and then told the crew of the Roosevelt that Crozier was either stupid or naïve.

     Finally, and perhaps the brightest light in the gloom of the Corona forest comes the news that the entire medical crew of the MASH 4077th Unit has come out of retirement and reenlisted in the Army to treat Corona patients. That’s right. Hawkeye, Hot Lips, Radar, Col. Potter, Klinger, Trapper John, Frank Burns and Father Mulcahy are coming back to help our real-life medical heroes and heroines save the lives of Americans despite the danger to themselves.

     Heroes still walk among us. Thank you, First Responders. We could not get through this without you.

  • 03 margaret picWho knew that anything could overshadow United States presidential politics?

    Every four years, Americans — and many people from other parts of the world — are gripped by the dramas of which presidential candidate said what, who is supporting whom and who will be tapped for the number two spot. We learn about their families and somehow come to believe we actually know them. It is a process that takes months, sometimes years. Some presidential cycles are marked by stunning twists and turns, and some feel more like coronations.

    COVID-19 has upended and eclipsed all of that.

    The only campaigning is online. Political party conventions, including the one scheduled for Charlotte, will very likely be virtual if they happen at all. The legitimacy of our electoral process is in real question, particularly following the controversial primary in Wisconsin earlier this month. Will our states and territories be able to conduct free and fair elections in November? And if so, how? Can we trust voting machines? Can we trust absentee ballots?

    If there is a single undecided, waiting-for-more-information voter in the United States, I have yet to meet him or her or even to see such a voter on television. We are a nation as divided as at any time in our almost two-and-a-half centuries as a country. This is particularly true in a purple state like North Carolina, where political contests are so partisan and bitter that polls struggle to capture an accurate picture. As of this writing, state polling operations favoring Democrats report Democratic candidates ahead of Republican candidates, and Republican polling operations report similar results for their candidates. None of it means anything more than six months ahead of the election.
    The truth is that we simply will not know until voting takes place in November under whatever circumstances that occur. The intervening months of campaigning will be unlike any Americans have experienced. Here are some thoughts on the presidential contest.

    Love him or loathe him, Republican Donald Trump is a known quantity. What we have seen is exactly what we would get during a second term in office. Trump’s shoot-from-the-hip, confrontational and controversial personal style of governing has great appeal to some Americans; at the same time, it repulses others.

    The presumptive Democratic candidate, Joe Biden, is a veteran of half a century of public life and service in the U.S. Senate, but Americans can only speculate about a Biden presidency. His career as a legislator has been one of working across the aisle and inclusion of various constituencies, including selecting a woman as his prospective running mate. Americans could reasonably expect a moderated and traditional presidency from Biden.

    In elections past, Americans have said, “I support candidate A, but I can live with candidate B if that is who voters choose.” No one is saying that now. The contrasts between Trump and Biden are clear and stark. While most of us already know which candidate we support, decisions still loom. What face do we want to show the rest of the world? And what does that choice say about the people of the United States? Will we actively campaign for our candidate? Will we participate with our time and treasure? Most importantly, will we get off our sofas and actually cast our votes?

    COVID-19 will force Americans to stick close to home for months to come, giving us plenty of time to think through such questions. What we decide will not only chart our nation’s course for at least four years. It will tell us who we are at this point in our national and international life.

  • 02 newspaperThis letter was recently sent by Publisher Bill Bowman to Representative Richard Hudson in support of journalism and local community papers.

    Dear Congressman Hudson,

    Nineteen Democratic senators sent a letter to the Senate leadership and the leadership of the Committee on Appropriations in support of local journalism and regarding the inclusion of funding earmarked to support local journalism and media in general. To my surprise, the letter was signed only by Democratic senators calling for support and with no support from Republicans. Were you aware of this? Your assistance in this matter, Congressman Hudson, would greatly help build momentum for including the preservation of the Fourth Estate in the next round of targeted stimulus funding. For many community newspapers, like myself, it could mean our very survival. Nearly everything in the letter pertains to our 25-year-old community newspaper, Up & Coming Weekly, here in Fayetteville, Fort Bragg and Cumberland County. However, I write to you on behalf of the nearly 60 weekly community newspapers in North Carolina and the 1,500+ across America.

    Thank you for the great job you are doing for District 8. Our community could not ask for better representation. Locally, District 45 Rep. John Szoka is serving on the North Carolina House Select Committee on COVID-19 and Economic Support Group. That committee is also working on similar draft legislation that would also assist small North Carolina businesses like mine, and it is needed to help us survive this pandemic. The purpose of this letter is to make you aware of the dire situation that exists here in Fayetteville and Cumberland County as it pertains to local news media. Fayetteville and Cumberland County are critically close to becoming a media and news desert. This is a very serious situation.

    As you probably already know, Fayetteville does not have a local TV station. And now, with Gannett-Gatehouse Media slowly dismantling our only daily newspaper, The Fayetteville Observer, we are treacherously close to creating a District 8 community of 310,000 residents without a local media advocate. This would be devastating to local businesses and would sharply hinder future economic growth and development prospects, not to mention the loss of First Amendment rights and insights into the dealings (or misdealings) of our local government. Cumberland County and Fort Bragg, as a media desert, would be the worst thing that could happen to our community at this time. Or anytime.

    Solutions are not simple, yet they can be mitigated. Like many small weekly community newspapers, Up & Coming Weekly (www.upandcomingweekly.com) is on the ropes, struggling to survive unless we can get financial support and relief very soon. Without financial support, Cumberland County risks losing a 25-year-old trusted conduit for local news, information and the need-to-know and do in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a free news publication, we are the key media and information source that reaches all the municipalities in Cumberland County and Fort Bragg, providing truthful, honest and accurate information to all citizens — including the poor and underserved. Local media, specifically newspapers, are in a state of crisis, which is being exacerbated by the COVID-19 situation. For over a decade, companies like Alden Media Group and Gannett-Gatehouse Media have been at the vanguard, destroying local newspapers by closing down offices, selling off assets and laying off reporters and journalists. Now, this public health crisis has made the problem worse. We have lost over 50% of our advertising revenue, as we depended on local restaurants, entertainment venues, nonprofit fundraising events and dozens of other nonessential businesses that have closed as the nation attempts to “flatten the curve.”

    Currently, I have retained all my employees by reducing expenses and cutting everyone’s salary by 20%. I have applied for the PPP funding, but I’m afraid that won’t be enough to survive. This weekend, I received the update from PNC Bank on the status of our PPP loan. I am incredibly disappointed, but not surprised, at the news that the PPP program was out of money — especially since we were one of the very first applications processed by PNC. I did not waste a moment in doing what was necessary to keep my newspaper open and our employees on the job. I want you to know, Congressman, how initially skeptical I was of the process when I found out that even before our local Fayetteville financial institutions (PNC Bank, Bragg Mutual Federal Credit Union and First Bank) were set up and in possession of the resources they needed to process loan applications, Fox News reported that Bank of America had already processed $3.5 billion in loans. Now, while thousands of struggling small businesses receive their “Sorry, out of PPP money” letter, companies like Ruth’s Chris Steak House, which recorded $48 million in profits last year, netted $20 million of PPP funds intended to assist small business. And, American Airlines received a whopping $5.8 billion. Two incredible and disgusting displays of governmental program manipulation and abuse.

    The Up & Coming Weekly newspaper plays an essential and indispensable role in this county. The only reason we exist today is that we have been the county’s most reliable, honest, trustworthy and unbiased source of local news, views, cultural arts coverage and other relevant information. We have been that relentless local government watchdog and business development advocate, as well as the city and county’s biggest cheerleader and quality-of-life advocate. Our newspaper plays a critical role in covering a wide range of issues that impact Fayetteville, Fort Bragg and Cumberland County. Each week, tens of thousands of local readers depend on us for community news, city and county updates, education news, health and wellness advice and information concerning issues specific to their town or neighborhood.

    Social media outlets are fueling fake news with unverified sources and now multiple consumer scams, making it even more difficult for people to find trustworthy and reliable sources of news and information. People in Cumberland County need to have access to trusted local news and reliable life-saving information. Just as important, people need a positive outlook, enjoyment, fun and entertainment in their lives to ease the tensions brought on by the stress, confinement and uncertainty of this terrible crisis. This is the comfort we bring to the community. This is what community newspapers do, and we don’t want to disappear.

    Again, I am not just speaking on my behalf, but for all the community newspapers throughout North Carolina. When this bill surfaces in congress, I hope you will look upon it favorably to support local media and the preservation of journalism and the Fourth Estate. Such a consideration should be tailored to benefit local community media and local newspapers that have made long-term commitments to providing high-quality local news services. It should not be extended to mega newspaper conglomerates like Alden Media Group or large regional dailies like McClatchy or Gannett-Gatehouse Media. These companies are the primary source of the problem and not part of the solution, and they certainly have little respect for journalism and unbiased reporting.

    In closing, Congressman Hudson, please help community newspapers survive to serve local citizens, protect First Amendment rights and preserve journalism and the Fourth Estate. First and foremost, we must prevent Fayetteville and Cumberland County from becoming a news media desert. That would be disastrous for the future of our community.

    We need your advice and leadership in this matter. Please let me know if you need more information or have any questions.
     
  • Private business owners likely wish their employees could be paid by the government when they’re out of work. Dozens if not hundreds of Cumberland County’s “full-time and part-time employees who receive benefits are being paid,” said Assistant County Manager Sally Shutt. “No county employees have been furloughed.”
    Shutt said the county has an Emergency Closure Leave policy. It prescribes that when an emergency closing of a county workplace occurs, such as the courthouse, schools and libraries, the county provides paid time off for employees. The policy governs the guidelines of closings that result from emergency declarations. Shutt also noted that the Families First Coronavirus Response Act requires the county to provide its employees with paid sick leave and expanded family medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19.

    Gas prices approach a modern low

    Gas prices could still drop 15-35¢ per gallon in the weeks ahead. An OPEC deal to cut oil production will not have a near-term impact on prices, according to Gasbuddy.com. The most common gas price across the country stands at $1.79/gal. As of this writing, 14 states had gas prices at 99 cents a gallon. A Fayetteville gas station is in the top 10 in North Carolina, with the lowest prices at the pump. The Circle B station, at 802 Bragg Blvd., was selling regular unleaded gas at $1.21 a gallon, Gasbuddy reported. North Carolina prices would be even lower if not for the fact that our state has one of the highest gas excise taxes in the country.

    Veterans Affairs is in more hot water

    More than a million veterans will receive instructions from Veterans Affairs officials on how to determine if they are eligible for thousands of dollars in medical cost reimbursements as the result of a court decision last fall. Tens of thousands of veterans were turned down for financial relief for bills they received for nondepartmental emergency medical care. That move comes over VA objections concerning an ongoing lawsuit over the issue, which could add billions in new costs to the department’s budget. Last fall, the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims ruled that the department’s current regulation for veterans who seek nondepartment medical care violates federal law. The court ordered the VA to reexamine more than 72,000 rejected claims and update its rules. The case centers on veterans whose unpaid emergency room expenses were denied under existing policies. The plaintiffs both had part of their bills paid for by other insurance but were left with thousands of dollars in personal costs. VA officials argued in court that they did not need to handle the unpaid balances because the veterans were primarily covered under other insurance plans. The VA is considering appealing the ruling.

    Fort Bragg soldiers are on COVID-19 deployment

    Soldiers with Fort Bragg’s 82nd Sustainment Brigade are ready for deployment to assist communities battling the COVID-19 pandemic. The brigade’s 249th Composite Supply Company received “prepare to deploy” orders three weeks ago, according to Sgt. 1st Class Jaquetta Gooden, a brigade spokeswoman.
    Gooden said the entire company of 162 paratroopers is prepared to join the fight against the virus, if needed. The unit is equipped with general supplies, fuel support, water purification and shower and laundry services. About 270 Fort Bragg soldiers have already deployed in support of operations at the Javits Convention Center in New York City. The 44th Medical Brigade troops are helping local officials move patients in and out of the Javits center’s temporary hospital facility, according to brigade Command Sgt. Maj. Fergus Joseph. The Army said Fort Bragg units are supporting local, state and federal operators under the joint leadership of U.S. Army North and the U.S. Northern Command.

    Railroad grade crossings being repaired

    CSX Corp. has informed the North Carolina Department of Transportation that it will temporarily close several railroad crossings in Cumberland, Robeson, Harnett and Johnston counties for track maintenance. The railroad began work in Robeson County last week. In a few weeks will move northward into Cumberland, Harnett and Johnston counties. A crossing closure typically lasts three to five days. Because of the scope of work and the use of several crews, it’s impossible to say in advance which railroad crossings will be closed. Drivers should use caution on roads near any railroad crossing and be prepared for a temporary closure. Detour signs will be posted.
  • 09 Greg 01When Greg Weber and his wife Marge Betley decided to move to the East Coast from their home in Tulsa, Oklahoma, they knew precisely the kind of community they were looking for. They sought an energetic, dynamic and hospitable community brimming with opportunity. With more than three decades of nonprofit management and development experience, Weber was eager to use his know-how and talents to make a meaningful impact on the community by advancing local cultural and artistic initiatives.

    After countless weeks of researching major towns and cities, most were not poised for growth. But when Weber saw the position for the president and CEO at the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County, he was intrigued. And, he liked what he saw — a vibrant community bursting with potential and a perfect opportunity to use his training, education, experience and passion for supporting and developing the arts and the artists. His resume matched his enthusiasm with his qualifications for this newly chosen endeavor. Weber earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in Theater Technology from the University of Missouri in Kansas City and a bachelor’s degree in theatre design and technology from Ball State University in his native Indiana. He also completed a residency in technical theater from the Moscow Art Theater in Russia. Weber has served as managing director to general director and CEO of the Tulsa Opera, Inc. Before that, he worked as the director of production for the San Francisco Opera Association and as technical director for the Houston Grand Opera Association. And, he is already putting these talents to good use.

     Artistic Director of Cape Fear Regional Theatre Mary Kate Burke commented: “Greg Weber has been a welcome addition to the arts scene here in Fayetteville. Greg is passionate about marketing the arts and has increased Fayetteville’s visibility as a tourist destination through his strategic efforts. We look forward to seeing how the economic engine of the arts in Cumberland County thrives under
    his tenure!”
    Weber hit the ground running. After a short transition period with outgoing president, Deborah Mintz, who spent 25 years at the Arts Council, the last 17 years at the helm leading the organization, Weber and his wife received a warm reception from the Fayetteville community. “We loved Fayetteville from the very start.... When we came to visit, what impressed us most was the love and care shown by the front-line folks — the artists I met, the creative talent that manages the theaters and galleries — these folks are dedicated and working hard to make the community better. They put their self-interests on the shelf and push forward for the benefit of the greater good.”

    Fayetteville’s creative community is one that radiates a genuine and refined appreciation for the arts and encourages and supports economic growth endeavors, impresses visitors and guests and enhances the quality of life of the residents of Fayetteville, Fort Bragg and Cumberland County.

    From festivals to gallery openings and craft shows to theater performances, you will likely find Weber in attendance in support of the local artists. Arts development is his passion, and he generously shares his education and experience developing raw artistic talent while leveraging support and goodwill to the benefit of the arts community. Considering the amount of cultural activity in the community, the number of local artists and galleries and the enthusiasm for visual art, Weber was surprised that a city the size of Fayetteville was without a museum of art. The success of the public art program demonstrates Fayetteville and Cumberland County residents’ value and desire visual art in their lives. Weber hopes with the help and guidance from community leaders that there will be a museum of art in Fayetteville’s future.

    It’s been a little over a year since Weber took the helm of the Arts Council, implementing creative initiatives, nurturing existing relationships and creating new ones that can grow and strengthen the awareness of cultural arts. He is a constant cheerleader for the community and puts forth a convincing argument that a healthy arts community is a worthwhile investment that pays big dividends. He is also not shy about telling people that in addition to art, Fayetteville is a community that has something to offer everyone: culture, history, sports, family-friendly entertainment and an overabundance of great restaurants serving international cuisine from all over the globe. 

    “My colleagues from around the world, when they found out I moved here, said ‘Fayette what? Where is this place and why are you going there?’ It piqued their interest in wanting to know more about Fayetteville,” Weber said. He found Fayetteville very easy to talk about, admitting that there is so much more here than people realize. He boasts about the many working studios, galleries, talented artists and the local commitment to arts education at all levels — public/private schools, Fayetteville Technical Community College, Fayetteville State University and Methodist University. Weber is not shy about his enthusiasm for Fayetteville and continually invites people to come and experience it firsthand.

    Weber’s brand of optimism, enthusiasm and passion for the arts is hard to come by, even on the best of days. Now, throw in a global pandemic, and maintaining that level of spirit and commitment can be a real challenge. But he sees it as just another opportunity to be creative. Weber was forthcoming in his opinion that this worldwide COVID-19 pandemic makes people rethink their position on a lot of things. “My favorite movie is ‘Miracle on 34th Street.’ said Weber. “At the end, the little girl thinks everything is going to collapse around her — and she is mumbling to herself as the world is collapsing – ‘I believe … I believe … it’s silly, but I believe.’” Well, that is exactly where he and his commitment to the arts stand in Cumberland County. He believes in innovative ideas, hard work and, most of all, he believes in humanity. And, he believes we will all bounce back from this crisis.

    It is this kind of positive and progressive thinking that inspires an artist’s creativity. One example of this is the Arts Council’s newly launched initiative, Hay Street Live, which is a virtual jam session created by Weber and his staff. According to Weber, they select local artists and art venues to share with the general public. Visit https://www.wearethearts.com/hay-street-live to learn more. They also invite other local special guests to add more fun and variety and to support other local businesses through the crisis. One popular idea was to reach out and connect with local restaurants and bars to bring on their top mixologists to showcase their signature drink and share their recipe with the audience while and promoting the mixologist’s restaurant.

    The Arts Council is not the only arts organization using innovative ways to connect with and serve their audiences. Online art and music classes, online watch parties and digital gallery tours are a few other vehicles closing the gap between creators and consumers. Singers, songwriters and bands use apps to come together (separately) and make music and then share it for free. Nationally, celebrities from all art disciplines welcome their fans into their private homes via social media and online streaming. It’s an intimate and entertaining experience, much more so than a recorded studio performance. The Arts Council hopes more local artists will do the same.

    Weber will be the first to admit that during the COVID-19 crisis, it was the outpouring of support, encouragement, attitude and the neighbor-helping-neighbor  community  that attracted him and his wife to Fayetteville in the first place.  It’s times like these, though uncomfortable and frightening, that bring out the best in people. Art enhances our lives. “This crisis will not last forever,” said Weber. “I want people to remember that during this time, many of the things that kept us sane, happy and moving forward were not political, mathematical or cynical. What kept us going was talking to our neighbors, our kids and interacting with our families.”

     Art is one of the soothing amenities that will help humanity through this crisis. And in the end, it is people like Weber who will ensure that the arts continue to grow and prosper in the Fayetteville and Cumberland County community.

  • 14 01 Ashton FieldsAshton Fields
    Jack Britt  • Volleyball/softball/unified bowling • Junior
    Fields has a grade point average of 4.375. She is student body vice president. She is in the National Honor Society, Key Club, Britt Life and co-editor of the Jack Britt yearbook. In volleyball, she led Cumberland County Schools with 140 blocks last fall. She was on the 2019 North Carolina American Legion softball state championship team.

     

    14 02 Carlie MyrtleCarlie Myrtle
    Jack Britt • Softball • Junior
    Myrtle has a grade point average of 4.450. She was chosen as a Junior Marshal for graduation. She is editor of the Jack Britt yearbook. She is a member of the Student Government Association and Britt Life. When softball season ended she was 5-0 with 62 strikeouts and a.600 batting average
    .

  • 11 sonriseThe SonRise evangelistic outreach ministry based in Hope Mills has had a simple philosophy since it went into operation six years ago.

    Scotty Sweatt, one of the founders of SonRise, said the purpose of the organization is to meet people where they are and show them who Jesus Christ is.

    Since the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, SonRise has added another role to its outreach purpose, one that’s more hands-on than just sharing the message of the Gospel.

    They recently instituted a program called Adopt-A-Granny. In a nutshell, it’s aimed primarily at senior citizens who are wary of getting out and shopping for themselves because of risk to exposure to infection by the COVID-19 virus.

    To help that group, SonRise will go and do the grocery shopping for at-risk people who would prefer to remain home bound then deliver the purchases to their door in a safe manner, observing proper social distancing restrictions.

    While the SonRise operation is based in Hope Mills, it has no physical location by design. The headquarters for SonRise is a converted school bus that includes a chapel and a kitchen inside. On the outside, the bus is decorated with the words “The Church has Left the Building” on front and back.

    Membership of SonRise includes people who represent a variety of denominations. Sweatt was a youth minister for nine years at a small country church.

    The concern for the elderly started weeks ago when Sweatt began to realize some of his elderly neighbors didn’t have family available to check on them. His wife also began checking on people in need. That led Sweatt to get the entire SonRise team involved.

    Currently, the SonRise team tries to reach out to anyone in the general Cumberland County area, but they are limited by whether or not someone involved in the ministry actually lives where people who reach out to them are located.

    Sweatt said he recently got a call from a woman in Spring Lake. They weren’t able to send someone directly to help with shopping, but Sweatt said the woman was actually just glad to talk to someone who would listen to her and offer words of comfort.

    While SonRise isn’t actively seeking donations, Sweatt said anyone who would like to contribute to the ministry to help with the Adopt-A-Granny outreach is welcome to do so.

    In order to arrange a delivery, the number to call is 910-960-7786.

    The process is fairly simple, Sweatt said. The caller provides SonRise with a list of the items that they would like to have purchased. SonRise then sends someone to buy the needed food and deliver it to the home. The food is wiped down with disinfectant and the person who delivers it wears a mask and drops it off outdoors, standing a safe distance away to confirm delivery was made and to speak briefly with the person who the food was delivered to.

    While the emphasis of Adopt-A-Granny is on senior citizens, Sweatt said the SonRise team is happy to talk with anyone regardless of age who is homebound or at risk and would rather not venture out during the pandemic.

    “We are not going to rule out anybody,’’ Sweatt said. “We’ll give them a smiling face if nothing else.’’

  • 08 EarlySchoolDismissalAlice Cooper’s “School’s Out (for Summer)” was a hit song a generation ago. In a nutshell, it describes the situation today for thousands of North Carolina high schoolers. The North Carolina State Board of Education has approved a recommendation from the state Department of Public Instruction to pass high school seniors if they were passing their classes as of March 13.

    “We have aligned our local graduation requirements for the 2019-2020 school year with the recommendations issued by the State Board of Education,” said Cumberland County Schools Superintendent Marvin Connelly Jr. Cumberland County school officials agreed to reduce the number of semester hours required for seniors to graduate. They will receive grades for fall courses that will count in their final grade point averages.

    Gov. Roy Cooper ordered that public schools statewide will remain closed for in-person instruction until at least May 15. “I know that these actions cause hardship and heartache for a lot of people, but (they) are necessary to save lives,” Cooper said at a news conference.

    Cooper said he wasn’t giving up on the school year, and education officials are working on online instructional assistance. End-of-year exams would normally be held a month from now, with classes ending May 22. Students will either “pass” or “withdraw” based on their grades March 13, the last day they were in school.

    School districts are providing online opportunities for students who had failing grades so that they can improve their scores. If grades are not improved to “passing” by the end of the school year, students would not be eligible for graduation. The state Board of Education has told districts that they cannot require students to earn any more than a minimum of 22 credits to graduate. Normally, Cumberland County schools require 28 credits for graduation.

    “We encourage students to continue completing assignments from their teachers,” school spokesman Lindsay Whitley said.

    “Although teachers are facilitating courses remotely, the content is still important and will help students prepare for their postsecondary aspirations. School administrators or teachers will reach out to students and parents to develop a plan for students to improve their grades if they were not passing a course needed for graduation as of March 13.” Cumberland County Schools comprise North Carolina’s fifth-largest school system of 115 districts in the state, with roughly 50,000 pupils.

  • 12 IMG 7034The COVID-19 pandemic has created the worst possible situation for high school coaches and their athletes. They are prevented from even seeing each other for the most part, much less engaging in any kind of organized workouts.

    Athletes who want to try to stay in some semblance of competitive shape as they await the day they’ll be able to return to the practice and game fields have to do the best they can with working out at home.

    Sheri Squire, who has been an athletic trainer for nearly 20 years, almost a decade of that time at Terry Sanford High School, said it’s important to set limits and follow common sense guidelines when doing any kind of home workout for any sport.

    Squire suggests limiting yourself to about five days of working out a week with a maximum of 30 minutes of workout per day. It’s important to vary the type of workout so the body doesn’t get used to a routine of what to expect. “That’s why three-sport athletes are wanted by the pros,’’ Squire said. “They learn to adjust their muscles for different sports. Don’t do the same exercise each day.’’

    One critical part of working out at home, especially now, is to make sure all the muscles have been properly warmed up before beginning. This will help prevent the possibility of injury, which is the last thing an athlete needs with access to proper care limited by the quarantine and an already overly taxed professional healthcare system.

    When putting together a home workout, Squire said the safest thing to do is remember what coaches have taught in the past. Many coaches are sending their athletes home workouts that involve exercises the athletes have already done, or minor variations of those exercises.

    “They’ve been taught how to do them and do them safely,’’ Squire said. “They’re not going to say jump on the roof and let’s see what your vertical is.’’

    Workout clothes should fit properly and be suited to the weather you’ll be working out in if you’re outdoors. Check your workout shoes to make sure they are in good shape and ready to wear.

    It’s also vital that the athlete eat well before working out and make sure he or she is fully hydrated.

    One of the biggest problems with home workouts is coming up with equipment for weightlifting if the athlete doesn’t own a set of weights. Makeshift weights an athlete can try are soup cans, which weigh about a pound each. A milk jug filled with water or sand weighs about eight pounds. Filled paint cans are about 11 pounds.

    Squire said athletes need to be careful trying to lift heavy objects that are not uniform in shape and weight. She compared it to trying to lift barbells with 30 pounds on one end and 80 on the other.

    To make sure your weight is evenly-balanced and works well, she suggests getting in front of a mirror to see what it looks like in use.

    Working out at home with family can be a good experience, but Squire issued caution about asking family members to help with spotting heavier weights when doing weightlifting.
    Parents and siblings who don’t have experience spotting for someone lifting heavy weights shouldn’t be put in that position and risk getting someone injured.

    In some cases, it may be better for the athlete to look into something safer. As Squire said earlier, stick with basics and things you know rather than trying to push the limits.
    Another suggestion on heavy equipment is to decide if it mimics something actually used in normal workouts, like the blocking sleds used in football practice.

    Squire has seen athletes tie a rope to farm equipment and try to pull it. “It is similar to the sled they try to pull or push?’’ she said. “Be smart about it.”

    Some athletes use family pets, like dogs, to lift, but Squire said you shouldn’t assume the dog is going to like that. “Make sure the dog isn’t going to freak out and scratch you,’’ she said.

    When using things like resistance bands, if you attach them to something make sure the bands are in good shape and that the attachment is secure so it won’t break free mid-workout and cause injury.

    Some athletes may be able to work out with friends if they can get outdoors to a large open area and practice social distancing. Squire said she has seen residents of an assisted living facility gather in a cul-de-sac while moving to music to stay loose.

    The biggest worry about working out at home in the time of COVID-19 is doing something that will result in any kind of injury. Squire said it’s crucial that athletes listen to their bodies and be aware of the signals they’ve gone too far.

    “If you are pushing beyond the limit, your body will tell you,’’ she said. “You’ll have pain, swelling or fatigue.’’

    Once that happens, the athlete needs to stop working that area of the body and give it time to recover. The basic rules of dealing with injury are set down in the acronym PRICE: protection, rest, ice, compression and elevation.

    If an injured area like an ankle becomes sore or red, you can use ice and elevation to give it a rest. If it doesn’t subside, you can seek medical advice. In the current situation, some professionals are doing tele-medicine and offering advice via smartphone images.

    If there’s deformity in the injury, you can’t move it or you feel nerve damage, it’s time to try to schedule an office visit.

    Above all, Squire said listen to your body. “You can tell when you’re tired,’’ she said. “You know to back off.’’

  • 07 IMG 3797A shortage of blood is nothing new at Fayetteville’s Blood Donor Center. About 900 donors provide blood supplies for Cape Fear Valley Health System in a good month.
    “We transfuse 1,100 units of blood a month,” said Marketing and Outreach Coordinator Lindsey Graham. “The past year has been one of the most critical years ever.”

    For the first time in Graham’s 12 years at the blood donor center, Cape Fear Valley hospitals have had to cancel elective surgery because of the blood shortage. Graham said the COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to the shortage.

    The Cape Fear Valley Blood Donor Center is a community program that serves the needs of patients at the health system’s hospitals in Cumberland, Hoke and Bladen counties through blood donations by individual donors, community organizations and businesses. With public school out for an indeterminant period, there will be even fewer donations.

    “High school students provide half the blood supply,” Graham said. They are the most reliable providers in our community, she added. Graham is at a loss to understand why, in a major military community, there isn’t more donor enthusiasm because, Graham said, “The need is great.”

    O negative is the most common blood type used for transfusions when a patient’s blood type is unknown, making it the universal blood type. And, it is the safest blood for transfusions for immune-deficient newborn babies. Because of its versatility for transfusions, it is in high demand.  In an emergency, it is the blood product of choice. O negative is the first blood supply to run out during a shortage, and that is the case locally, according to Graham.

    Since the community requires a continuous, safe blood supply, the Blood Donor Center encourages donors to give on a regular basis. Donors are eligible to donate whole blood every eight weeks. “Each donation can save up to three lives,” Graham noted.

    Blood is a living tissue circulating throughout the human body and is comprised of red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and plasma. It is most often collected as whole blood and separated into major components before transfusions. In the U.S., the collection, testing, preparation, storage and transportation of blood and blood components is governed by Food and Drug Administration regulations.

    The Cape Fear Valley Blood Donor Center is located at 3357 Village Dr. It is always open for donations Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the third Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. As members of the Blood Assurance Plan, donors can build blood credits. Each donation equals one blood credit that may be kept by the donor or transferred to a family member or friend in need. Blood credits may be used to replace blood or platelet unit charges for patients of the Cape Fear Valley Health System. 

    Bloodmobile drives are scheduled for Saturday, April 18, 1-4 p.m., at Bright Light Brewing Company at 444 W. Russell St.; Wednesday, April 22, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., at Chick-fil-A, 4611 Ramsey St.; and Saturday, April 25, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., at Fort Wagg Pet Supplies, 2672 Highway 24-87 in Cameron.

  • 11 marc olivier jodoin TStNU7H4UEE unsplashEnough gloom and doom. The COVID-19 crisis has come to pass. And pass, it will.

    The individual days of the past few weeks have all blended together for so many of us. We've each claimed a share of the thoughts, emotion and uncertainty as we watched schools close, events cancel, and businesses either shutter their doors or repurpose their operation to adapt to a situation that changed daily. All the while, though, hope has been looming before us, beckoning us forward.

    Your first reaction to this crisis might have been much like mine: sheer disbelief. I mean, we're Americans, right? We tend toward a heady resilience that that automatically rejects the notion that any calamity of grand proportion will ever find us. Then the tornadoes. Or the hurricane. Or the second hurricane right behind it. Or this... a  pandemic we are more accustomed to reading about in some distant or third world country. Not in Idaho. Or Kansas. Or Raleigh.

    As a person of strong faith, I try to be keenly aware of the needs around me. Situations like this health-driven economic disaster are where we're to shine, and unfortunately there's plenty of seeming darkness to illuminate. But offering a light of hope isn't limited to the faithful, so let's get to shining!

    Just as we've all had a share of the disaster to call our own, we as a community can all participate in providing our share of light to the shadowy situation around us. As the government-provided economic stimulus has begun to appear for some and promises to for the rest of us, we need to consider how we'll put that to use to the benefit of our community. There are hundreds of small, locally owned businesses operating in some capacity which need your help to survive. They're your neighbors. They're your friends. Their employees have kids in school and on the ball team with yours. Many are offering touchless delivery to your door or curbside pickup. You can shop locally, and you can shop safely.

    For those businesses you frequent in better times — even those temporarily closed — you can help in other ways:

    Buy gift cards today.

    Use those gift cards when they reopen and restock.

    Spread the word on social media about your favorite locally owned businesses.

    Tip generously for delivery or curbside services.

    Please don't overlook the nonprofits and churches supporting our community in so many ways. Whether it's time, money or other resources, your donations and support mean more now than ever before.

    To the people of faith, commit to prayer. Pray that God will use this unexpected downtime for good. The place we're all standing is level ground. Let's pray we see reconciliation and quick resolve to painful situations more often than not as we move forward from this as a acommunity, a country and as citizens of the world population.

  • 10 IMG 0889Here are some items taken from the latest reports compiled by Hope Mills Town Manager Melissa Adams and other town officials.

    The Town of Hope Mills announced that the collection of recycled materials was suspended effective Monday, April 13.

    Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, town sanitation crews have to focus their efforts on an increase in household trash caused by people staying at home more due to the current shelter in place order.

    Recycling trash containers, the ones with yellow lids, can be used for regular trash and placed curbside with the regular trash container.

    The town will notify citizens as soon as possible when recycling will resume.

     A temporary hold is likely to be placed on new sculptures for the town that have been previously provided by the UNC-Pembroke art classes of Professor Adam Walls. Walls informed Parks and Recreation director Lamarco Morrison his classes will likely be held online for the rest of the current semester.

    Even if face-to-face classes started immediately, Walls said he didn’t think students would have sufficient time to create new original pieces.

    Walls is hopeful if the fall semester starts on time, his students will be able to produce new pieces by the middle of the term.

     The town is working on holding a video virtual meeting of the Board of Commissioners on its next scheduled meeting date, April 20. Plans are being developed to allow members of the Board of Commissioners, town staff and the citizens of Hope Mills to take part via Zoom.

     The process of putting together the town budget for 2020-21 is on schedule despite the quarantine. Finance Director Drew Holland has gotten all the requests from the town’s department heads. Holland and Melissa Adams began meetings with department heads last week. Adams plans to have her recommendations back to the department heads by April 27. Following input from the full Board of Commissioners at their April 20 meeting, a budget workshop will be scheduled in May.

     Two public hearing items are currently on hold. They include the Sign Ordinance Amendment and the initial zoning for Caliber Collision.

     The physical work on moving the Hope Mills Police Department to its temporary headquarters at South Main Street began the week of April 4-10. There will be some temporary disruption of administrative services during the move but no interruption in patrol operations. Call 911 for anything requiring a police response.
     
  • 09 Wesley HolmesLike ministers across the country, Pastor Wesley Holmes of the Hope Mills Church of God has been making major adjustments in how he relates to his congregation as everyone copes with the challenges presented by the COVID-19 quarantine. But in  many ways, Holmes thinks the situation has pulled church members even closer and helped increase the sharing of the message of the faith.

    Once it became clear that traditional church operations were going to have to be drastically curtailed, Holmes divided up the names in his church’s directory and shared them with a handful of families in the congregation. Each family was asked to stay in regular contact with the members on the list they were given.

    The church also has a phone tree, typical with many congregations, that allows Holmes to spread messages with everyone. Holmes said the leaders of his denomination have stressed since the start of the pandemic, the more contact with the membership, the better.

    Before the quarantine was put in place, Holmes had been using things like Facebook and YouTube to share video presentations with his church.

    Initially, Holmes was doing his Sunday worship service live on Facebook, but he soon encountered a problem. The internet speed his church was using was not adequate enough for the task. Too many people were trying to log into the live feed and Holmes and his videocast kept getting bumped offline.

    Since then, he’s decided to tape his services in advance. He does a weekly Bible study on Wednesdays that he uploads the same day as the study. The Sunday morning worship service is normally uploaded on Saturday night.

    Facebook controls allow him to schedule the time on Sunday morning when the worship service will become available for public viewing.

    He’s kept the services fairly simple, usually doing them from the sanctuary at the church. He takes care of the majority of the service, with his wife Heather contributing the children’s message. His teen-age son Isaiah is off camera handling the music and sound for the broadcasts each week.

    “It is a challenge,’’ Holmes said. “Talking with other ministers, they are having to step out of their comfort zones.’’

    Some churches don’t have the live streaming capability that Holmes does, so he’s heard of other congregations that are doing drive-in church in the parking lot, keeping their members sequestered in their cars with windows rolled up, which the minister broadcasts the sound of the outdoor service over their FM radios in the car.

    Holmes said there have been positives to the live streaming church sessions. “They can share it with their families that don’t go to church,’’ Holmes said. “We’re getting a lot of people we don’t minister to regularly on a Sunday morning.’’

    People are also able to watch the Sunday service over and over during the week when it’s posted on Facebook. The only major downside Holmes sees to the video services is people might have distractions in the home setting versus the typical peaceful scene Sunday morning in the sanctuary.

    Like many pastors, Holmes said his sermons in the initial days of quarantine have focused on positive, uplifting themes trying to help people deal with the situation. But he plans to move forward from that in the coming days and share more about the major themes of the Gospel message.

    “I truly believe we can still get the message across, even though we are not gathered in the sanctuary,’’ he said. “We have to continue getting the message out.’’

    There have been isolated reports of ministers in some congregations refusing to honor the quarantine and holding large meetings of their members. Holmes doesn’t agree with that practice, especially because of the number of elderly members in his congregation. “We don’t want to do anything that may cause them to get sick,’’ he said. “I want to be part of the solution and not part of the problem.

    “I’d rather scale back and not have services for several weeks than to try and have services, say we are going to do it no matter what, and some people get sick.’’

    In some ways, Holmes feels what is happening now is a return to the church as depicted in the second chapter of the book of Acts. 

    “A lot of people were having to do church at home,’’ he said of the stories from Acts. “I think it’s brought the church back to its roots.’’

  • 08 HogsNRags34th0POSTPONED 1For 14 years, the Hogs & Rags Annual Spring Rally has only gotten bigger and better. Already known as one of Eastern North Carolina’s largest motorcycle, car and truck rallies, organizers of this year’s event were taking it to even greater heights. They were adding more excitement and community involvement with a particular emphasis on honoring the thousands of military veterans living in the Fayetteville/Cumberland County community. This year’s ride was scheduled for Saturday, April 25, as part of the 39th Annual Fayetteville Dogwood Festival. Well, as most of our readers know by now, neither of these events will happen — thanks to COVID-19.

    If you are not familiar with the Hogs & Rags motorcycle and car rally, it is Fayetteville’s premier charity fundraising event that supports three important local nonprofit organizations serving Fayetteville, Fort Bragg and Cumberland County. The Hogs & Rags Rally raises money for the local branch of the American Cancer Society; the Special Forces Charitable Trust Foundation, which supports our brave Special Forces soldiers and their families; and the Kidsville News Literacy and Education Foundation, which provides reading and educational materials (free of charge) to children in all Fort Bragg and Cumberland County Schools.

    For 14 years, hundreds of motorcycle, car and truck enthusiasts, volunteers, sponsors and law enforcement agencies have come together in support of these causes to make this community a great place to live and work.

     Good things last, and this charitable event is no exception. Two of the original organizers of the rally are still active participants. It is the hard work, dedication and perseverance of people like Gardner Altman and Bobby Bleecker of Bleecker Automotive Group fame —  who have mentored the organization —that have enabled the event to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for these community charities. Their concept at the inception of the rally was to create a countywide event that was a win/win for everyone involved. Although the money raised benefited local charities, the other objective was to bring people and organizations together for fellowship in support of a common goal — to make the Fayetteville/Cumberland County community a better place to live, work, play and raise a family.

    The objectives and success of this event caught the eye of another community-centric citizen, Tammy Thurman, Eastern North Carolina’s community relations manager for Piedmont Natural Gas. Seeing the impact the H&R event had on such a large segment of the community, PNG got involved by becoming the 2020 H&R presenting sponsor. Next year, PNG hopes to expand the charity ride to additional eastern Carolina cities. As the presenting sponsor, Thurman would have led the ride accompanied by two distinguished guests serving as the 2020 H&R Grand Marshals — the Honorable North Carolina Secretary of State Elaine Marshall and Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army Dan Dederick. Their dedication and contribution to our country, state and community are a matter of record, and their support of the rally is reflective of their goodwill, generosity and commitment to humanity.

    We have an entire year to recover from this COVID-19 situation, so here is a sneak peek of what you can expect in 2021. The rally fun always begins with an official Hogs & Rags Welcome Party on the Friday before the event. This fun-filled meet-and-greet starts around 6:30 p.m. and is sponsored and hosted by Rodney Sherrill and his staff at Rodney Sherrill/State Farm Agency. This pre-rally party is a tradition filled with food, fun, fellowship and great music, featuring Fayetteville and Cumberland County’s most popular, talented, patriotic and award-winning band, Rivermist. Admission is free with registration.

    The next day, Saturday, at 7:30 a.m., the action starts at the Airborne & Special Operations Museum. After registration, coffee and doughnuts, hundreds of motorcycles, cars and trucks will get into position as participants fellowship and greet the rally’s special guests. Opening ceremonies begin with a greeting from  Fayetteville’s mayor followed by a prayer and the Rivermist’s acapella rendition of the national anthem as the Special Forces Association Parachute Team performs a spectacular aerial demonstration while delivering a huge American Flag.

    Immediately following the presentation of colors, event sponsor Fort Bragg Harley-Davidson’s local HOG Chapter Road Captain gives the safety briefing. Then it’s kickstands up, start your engines, and everyone sets out on the first leg of the rally, with a full police officer escort, which will end up in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

    The first stop is Rock’n-A-Ranch in White Oak, North Carolina, where dozens of dedicated volunteers will have cooked up one of the most memorable and outstanding low-country Southern breakfasts you’ve ever had. It’s here that we again thank our rally sponsors and introduce our special guests. Then we are back on the road and headed to Myrtle Beach. After a short water break in Tabor City, we reach our final destination — Wild Wing Café in North Myrtle Beach. Here, the party starts as participants listen to great music and enjoy an awesome lunch as event organizers recognize the rally sponsors, give away prizes, have a live auction and announce the winner of our 50/50 and gun raffles. The raffle and auction items are outstanding every year and usually include three or four rifles and pistols, valuable artwork — like a signed and numbered limited-edition David Uhl HD painting — and our traditional exclusive one-of-a-kind handmade Hogs & Rags quilts. No one is ever disappointed.

    Well, that’s the sneak preview of next year’s event. Will it happen exactly as described? Who knows? We do promise an experience you will never forget. Just remember, all the money raised each year stays here in Cumberland County and benefits local charitable organizations. Also, the Hogs & Rags Rally is an all-inclusive community event — this means cars, trucks and any kind of motorcycle you ride (on two or three wheels) is welcome. Everyone is invited. Come solo, bring a passenger — or the entire family — you will be among friends, and you will make friends while having the time of your life.

    Next year, the cost of the ride will remain the same at $50 per person, and what a great value that is. You get to support three charities, fellowship at the  Friday Night Welcome Party with the live band Rivermist, partake in doughnuts and coffee, take home an official H&R T-shirt, enjoy a low-country breakfast at the Ranch and have a great meal and party at Wild Wing Café. There will also be door prizes, raffles and an auction. Wow! What’s not to like?

    We missed you this year, but don’t miss us next year. Mark your calendar for Saturday, April 24, 2021, and join Piedmont Natural Gas, State Farm Insurance, Fort Bragg Harley-Davidson, the band Rivermist and the entire Hogs & Rags committee as we rally for three great charities and a wonderful Fayetteville/Cumberland County community.
    Stay in touch with us at www.hogsandrags.org, and check out our Facebook page at Hogs and Rags of Fayetteville for more information. In the meantime: Stay safe, healthy and get ready to ride next year when you hear “KICKSTANDS UP!”
     

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