Walt Disney was no stranger to adversity. He grew up in a large, itinerant family of modest means. His first film studio went bankrupt. But Disney never gave up. And he never stopped learning from his mistakes.

“All the adversity I’ve had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me,” Disney once said. “You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.”

Celebrating the virtue of perseverance may sound old-fashioned. In reality, however, it is a sound application of modern social science. In education, for example, there is a growing empirical case for the proposition that if we ask more of our children instead of trying to protect their supposedly fragile egos, they are more likely to enjoy success in school and beyond.

A new study of grading practices right here in North Carolina has gained significant national attention. Seth Gershenson, an associate professor at American University’s School of Public Affairs, looked at the records of some 350,000 North Carolina eighth- and ninth-graders who were enrolled in the state’s Algebra 1 course from 2006 to 2016. Gershenson chose these students because they had the same teacher for the whole year and were required to take an end-of-course test to assess their mastery of the subject.

For all 8,000 public-school teachers covered in the study parameters, Gershenson averaged the grades they gave their students and used a variety of statistical controls to adjust for student background and prior performance, teacher background and credentials, and other variables that might influence the grade averages. He then compared those average grades to the performance of the same students on the end-of-course test for Algebra 1.

The idea, in other words, was to see if the students of tougher-grading teachers were more or less likely to succeed than were students of easier-grading teachers — all other things being held equal.

Gershenson’s results suggest that tougher grading practices are an example of “tough love.” By expecting more at the front end as a student takes Algebra 1, the teacher makes it more likely that student will eventually achieve mastery in the subject. On average, students assigned to the toughest-grading quartile of North Carolina teachers scored 17% of a standard deviation higher on the exam than if those same students had been assigned to the easiest-grading quartile of teachers.

That’s not a small effect. “To put this difference in perspective,” Gershenson wrote, “consider that it amounts to a little more than six months of learning. It is also larger than the impact of a dozen student absences or replacing an average teacher with a teacher whose students consistently outperform expectations.”

Even moving from the easiest-grading 25% of teachers to one of the middle quartiles still boosted student learning by a significant amount. Gershenson also found that having a tough-grading teacher for Algebra 1 made it more likely a student would do well in subsequent math courses such as Algebra 2 and Geometry. And the benefits of higher academic expectations extended across all racial and family backgrounds.

That last point is particularly important in light of another of Gershenson’s findings: tougher grading standards are not equally distributed across public schools. Suburban schools and those with relatively low shares of poor students tend to have teachers who give lower grades. Rural and high-poverty schools tend to have teachers who give higher grades.

It is at least conceivable that teachers and principals in the latter groups of schools worry that rigorous grading might discourage students who are already facing significant challenges to their academic success. Their concern may be well-motivated but this study shows that acting on that concern is not well-advised.

As North Carolina students leave high school for college or the workplace, what matters most is how well they retain and apply what they’ve learned, not how students feel about themselves. Easy grades early in life can set them up for a hard landing.

The Rev. Danny Anderson hails from the state of West Virginia, but his entire preaching career has been spent in North Carolina.He recently added Highland Baptist Church in Hope Mills to his resume as he became the church’s pastor in mid-February.

Anderson and his wife Lisa came to Hope Mills after previously serving Baptist congregations in Carteret County, Havelock and Pollocksville.

He also attended college in North Carolina, studying at Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs. He graduated from Newburgh Theological Seminary in southern Indiana near the border with Kentucky.

Anderson said other churches had approached him but he felt the calling of the Lord to choose Highland Baptist. “We took to the people immediately,’’ he said. “As things progressed, the Lord just took care of it.’’

Anderson’s pastorate at Havelock brought him in contact with military personnel at the Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station. He feels that experience will help him connect with both active and retired military from Fort Bragg who live in the Hope Mills area.

“I’ve learned from that how to be in a community that’s military-based, very patriotic and loves their country,’’ he said.

While Anderson doesn’t take a cookie-cutter approach to working with each pastorate he’s served, there is a basic order of settling in that he follows.

“I see what the needs are, either being filled or needing to be filled, and take a plan of action from there,’’ he said.

Anderson said the emphasis of his ministry is one-on-one. “Everywhere I’ve been in smaller areas I’ve gone door-to-door,’’ he said. “I made sure my card was in each house.’’

His approach is to find out if they have specific prayer concerns, while at the same time trying to establish a rapport without being too intrusive into their private lives.
“That will be most likely what I’ll do immediately,’’ he said, “get the word out that I’m in the field.’’

As far as working with the staff at the church, Anderson prefers a team effort and reaching out for suggestions on what’s needed to best serve the congregation.

“I do trust the people we have on staff, their calling in different areas,’’ he said. “My managerial approach is not to micromanage. I generally allow people to use their gifts, getting all those talents together, everybody contributing a certain part to the puzzle to meet the needs.’’

Anderson estimates it will take anywhere from six months to a year for him to become comfortably educated about the Hope Mills community, learn all the names and get a feeling for the local culture.

Once that happens, he’ll feel more comfortable about instituting any major changes that might be needed. “I’m not one to change or institute things for the sake of instituting something,’’ he said. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’’

Anderson said his main concern will be building relationships. “People are people,’’ he said. “Human nature is human nature.

“Just being there at the time of need and developing that trust is basically the way I approach it.’’

Trigger warning. If you are easily offended by anything, kindly skip this column and go directly to the cross word puzzle. Today will have something everyone can find offensive. Let me count the ways of those who will find this stain on world lit objectionable — fans of Silent Sam, enemies of Silent Sam, feminists, Dook fan and, most importantly, UNC Tar Heel basketball fans. If you fit into any of these categories, this column is not for you. It is my position that the Ol’ Roy and the Tar Heels’ Terrible, Horrible, No Good and Very Bad Season is a direct result of the curse of Silent Sam. Allow me to retort.

 Unless you have been living under a rock, and admittedly many Tar Heel basketball fans wish they were living under a rock, UNC’s round ball team is having less than its usual stellar season. I attribute this to the events of Aug. 20, 2018, when a mob tore down the statue of Silent Sam on McCorkle Place at UNC. Already the folks that tore down the statue are offended because I called them a mob. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Sam bit the dust and the troubles began in earnest.

 A bit of history of Sam. Sam was erected on the campus of UNC in 1913 by the Daughters of the Confederacy as a monument to UNC students who fought in the Civil War. At the dedication of Sam, Julian Carr gave a speech that included “One hundred yards from where we stand, less than 90 days perhaps after my return from Appomattox, I horse-whipped a Negro wench until her skirts hung in shreds, because on the streets of this quiet village she had publicly insulted and maligned a Southern lady…” If this statement doesn’t offend you, may God have mercy upon your soul, because I don’t.

Sam more or less stood around for the next 100 years. Like the Sphinx, he don’t say nothing. When I arrived on campus in 1970, as part of the official new student campus orientation tour, we were told he was called Silent Sam because when a virgin walked by he would fire his rifle. He never fired his rifle. We all laughed because this was way before the #MeToo movement. Herein, feminists are invited to be offended. So Sam’s name comes from a stupid joke. People who appreciate good jokes are herein invited to be offended.

 Toward the end of the 2010, protests about Sam gathered steam. The University managed to spend almost $400,000 protecting Sam from attack and vandalism in the 2017-2018 school year. Fun fact — in-state undergraduate tuition and fees for that academic year at UNC was about $9,000. Forty-three students could have received full scholarships to UNC for the cost of protecting Sam that year. Drums kept getting louder, and eventually, a mob pulled down Sam. Having worked as a lawyer for 40+ years, I do not believe in vigilante justice. The offense that Sam gave as a symbol of the Confederacy and slavery is understandable. The remedy the mob took in tearing him down is not. The legal system is supposed to deal with issues, not street violence.

 Having said that, the rule of law took a mighty strange turn after Sam went into storage in a “secure undisclosed location,” possibly with Dick Cheney. The UNC Board of Governors, ironically abbreviated as BOG, followed Dean Wormer’s advice and made a double secret deal with the Sons of the Confederacy. The BOG agreed to a settlement with the SOC to give them Sam and pay them $2.5 million dollars to give Sam a new home. Fun fact — that $2.5 million would have funded 277 in-state scholarships. As a spineless sweetner, the BOG paid the SOC $74,999 as a bribe not to come on the UNC campuses to demonstrate for five years. Apparently the BOG forgot Congressman C.C. Pinckey’s famous 1797 statement “Millions for defense but not one cent for tribute.” Upon seeing the light of day, the BOG’s double secret settlement was roundly criticized and ultimately set aside by the same judge who originally approved it. Fifty-two thousand dollars of the $2.5 million was paid to the SOC’s attorney, and the SOC gets to keep the $74,999 in tribute to leave UNC alone. That $127,000 is gone with the wind, along with the 14 in-state scholarships it could have funded.

So what does this have to do with the Tar Heels’ basketball team? Sam has put a curse on the team. Sports curses are real. The Boston Red Sox sold Babe Ruth to the Yankees in 1918 and didn’t win another World Series for 84 years. The Chicago Cubs evicted Murphy the Goat from game four of the World Series, which led to a 108-year absence from winning the World Series. The Heels have lost a series of heart breakers due to last-second miracle shots by their opponents. It’s the curse of Silent Sam expanding the goal for our opponents to the size of a hula hoop and shrinking UNC’s goal to the size of pin heads. Nothing else can explain what has happened in our winter of discontent.

 What is the remedy? Bring in the three witches from “Macbeth” to lay on an anti curse? Send Sam and the members of the spineless BOG on a long cruise on the good ship Corona Princess? Melt Sam down into commemorative coins and give half to the Sam protestors and half to the Sons of the Confederacy to sell to raise money for their respective causes? Pay the Dook refs more than Dook pays them?

 Some problems don’t have answers. But this losing of incredibly close games by the Tar Heels has just naturally got to stop. Mob rule versus double secret Spineless Board of Governors rule? Choose your poison. Forget it, Jake. It’s Chinatown.

Every month, The Cool Springs Downtown District puts on an event called Fourth Friday. During the event, the community is invited to celebrate all that downtown Fayetteville has to offer. It involves gallery openings, arts and entertainment, shopping, dining and more. Fourth Friday will take place on Feb. 28 from 6-9 p.m.
The Arts Council will host a spoken word event as a part of its “Troublesome Presence” exhibition. This spoken word event is the last programming installment in the exhibition.

Metoya Scott is the public relations manager for the Arts Council. When asked about what she is looking forward to most about this event, she said, “Just basically looking forward to how these local poets interpret the art and learning from that.”

For more information about “Troublesome Presence”, contact the Arts Council at admin@theartscouncil.com or 910-323-1776.

The Cool Spring Downtown District also has much going on for Fourth Friday. This month’s theme is called “Lasting Impressions.” The intent of this theme is to honor Black History Month by dedicating the theme to black-owned businesses. They are partnering with the Greater Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce and Circa 1865 to focus on our community’s rich black history while also promoting black business owners.

Cape Fear Studios has special exhibits planned as well. It will host a military art exhibition where the works on display are created by military personnel who are active duty, reserve, national guard, veterans and retirees. The dependents of these military personnel will be welcome to enter pieces as well. Those who attend must be 18 years or older. The art exhibition will be called the “2020 Alpha Romeo Tango Exhibition.” A People’s Choice Award will be presented. This exhibition will be on display from Feb. 26 to March 24. Two entries per artist may be submitted. All styles and subjects are welcome. On Fourth Friday, a reception will take place. The reception will last from 6-7:30 p.m. At 7 p.m. the People’s Choice Award will be announced. Voting for the award will begin on Feb. 27, at 7 p.m. Voting will end at 6:45 p.m. opening night. The event will be free and open to the public. For more information on the Alpha Romeo Tango Exhibition, contact Cape Fear Studios at artgallery@capefeartstudios.com or 910-433-2986.

The Fascinate-U Children’s Museum also hosts an event for Fourth Friday. Susan Daniels, the executive director of the Fascinate-U Children’s Museum, said that the museum has been working with Fourth Friday for years. This month, there will be an arts and crafts event. During this event, children will make newspaper polar bears. For information on the Fascinate-U Children’s Museum, contact sierra@fascinate-u.com or 910-829-9171.

For more information about Fourth Friday, contact the Cool Spring Downtown District at info@coolspringfay.org or 910-223-1089.

Nobody’s cranking up heavy machinery and clearing land just yet, but the Cumberland County Commissioners recently addressed the idea of some day having to relocate E.E. Smith High School.

Board Vice-Chairman Glenn Adams is closer than any of his fellow commissioners to the importance of the issue. A Smith graduate, Adams has spent the last 16 years as the color commentator for E.E. Smith high school football games aired on local radio station WIDU.

Adams said the final decision on closing E.E. Smith and moving it to a new location rests in the hands of the Cumberland County Board of Education.

But because of declining enrollment at the school, Smith said the commissioners need to consider what the school’s future is before serious decisions have to be made on coming up with money for a new building if it has to move from the current one.

According to the 2019-20 average daily membership figures compiled for the North Carolina High School Athletic Association, Smith’s enrollment of 1,153 students made it one of the smallest public senior high schools with athletic teams in Cumberland County.

Adams suggested the current enrollment at Smith is closer to 900 students.

While the existing E.E. Smith school building on Seabrook Road has been home to the school for many years, it wouldn’t be the first time the campus has relocated Adams said.

Adams believes the school has moved twice previously in its history, once from Washington Drive and a second time probably from a location on Orange Street.

What’s causing the concern, Adams said, is there aren’t enough people living near the current Seabrook Road location to continue providing students to attend the existing school.

“You’ve got to have some kind of alternative and you can’t wait until the end to decide where that is,’’ he said.

Even if the school does have to move, Adams stressed it’s not the building that makes a school. It’s the people who walked the halls and competed on its athletic fields and in its gymnasium.

“That heart will go wherever the building is,’’ he said. “They (the alumni and faculty) are forever going to be there.’’

The big question would be where to put a new building, and Adams said that decision is in the hands of the Board of Education. “You don’t want to go into someone else’s district,’’ he said, noting that Smith is bounded by the Pine Forest, Westover and Terry Sanford districts.

“You have to be cognizant of those other schools,’’ he said.

Adams stressed that any plan to relocate E.E. Smith is years down the road, but now is the time to begin the discussion so as many people as possible who will be affected by the move can offer their opinions on what to do.

“There are always going to be those who are nostalgic and say don’t move it,’’ Adams said. “There are others of the opinion that the school is not the building. I think it goes both ways. People are probably hearing this for the first time.’’

Adams said he has spoken with Dr. Marvin Connelly, superintendent of the Cumberland  County Schools, and said the superintendent is open to all options available.
“He hasn’t put anything off the table,’’ Adams said.

While the school board will make the final decision on what happens with E.E. Smith, Adams said it’s the task of the county commissioners to give the school board as many viable options for what to do with E.E. Smith as possible.

“It’s the county commissioners that fund the schools,’’ Adams said. That’s why he wants to start the conversation now, to provide for as many options as possible to make sure whatever alternatives are on the table will be positive.

Fayetteville Technical Community College has again been ranked among the top five Military Friendly® large community colleges in the nation for 2020-21. The prestigious designation by the national Military Friendly® Schools Program affirms FTCC’s commitment to providing military members, veterans and their families with high-quality educational services that are affordable and convenient.

A wide range of classes and programs are available in a variety of settings on FTCC’s campuses at Fort Bragg and online. The school awards appropriate credits for prior military learning and follows up with comprehensive services to meet the special educational needs of military personnel and their families. FTCC’s All American Veterans Center on the school’s main campus provides educational assistance and support to veterans. A Transition Tech program provides industry-focused training for military members who are preparing for civilian life.

The North Carolina Military Business Center headquartered at Fayetteville Tech works to support the integration of skilled transitioning military personnel and veterans into the civilian workforce.

The mission of the NCMBC is to leverage military and other federal business opportunities to expand the economy, grow jobs and improve quality of life in North Carolina. “FTCC is pleased to be recognized again nationally as one of the best Military Friendly colleges in the large community college ratings,” said Dr. Mark Sorrells, FTCC’s senior vice president for Academic and Student Services.

The Military Friendly® Schools rankings are compiled each year by Viqtory, an independent media firm that promotes economic opportunities for veterans, transitioning service members and military spouses. The 2020-21 Military Friendly® Schools list will be included in the May issue of G.I. Jobs magazine, which is published by Viqtory and is also available at www.militaryfriendly.com. The term “military” refers to all people in the military community, including active duty, reserve and National Guard service members, veterans and military spouses. It’s a trademarked name because there are several copycat military lists and ratings programs that don’t possess the rigor and history of Military Friendly®.

The ratings are based on extensive data from public sources and responses from a proprietary survey. Final ratings are determined by combining the institution’s survey scores with the assessment of the institution’s ability to meet thresholds for student retention, graduation, job placement, loan repayment, persistence and loan default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans. More than 1,000 schools participated in the 2020-21 survey, with 695 earning the Military Friendly® designation.
The rankings distinguish the top 10 Military Friendly® schools in several categories, including large community colleges. Top 10 schools, such as FTCC, are awarded gold status, as are those that score within 10% of the 10th-ranked school. Visit https://www.faytechcc.edu/military-veterans to learn more about FTCC’s programs for the military and veterans.

Fayetteville Technical Community College was established in 1961 and serves over 38,000 students annually by providing over 280 occupational, technical, general education, college transfer and continuing education programs to meet the needs of students and the community. It is the fourth-largest community college in the state and boasts one of the largest Continuing Education departments. Visit FTCC’s website at www.faytechcc.edu.

International Women’s Day 2020 is observed on March 8. This special day celebrates the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.
Yet, women still face gender barriers as they seek to achieve their financial goals.

How can you address these challenges?

To begin with, you need to be awareof what you’re up against. The wage gap between men and women has closed somewhat, but it hasn’t disappeared. Full-time female employees earn about 82% of what men earn, according to the Census Bureau. Over a 40-year career, a woman who worked full time would lose, on average, more than $400,000 because of this wage gap, according to the National Women’s Law Center.

Furthermore, a woman turning age 65 today can expect to live, on average, until age 86.5; for a 65-year-old man, the comparable figure is 84. Those two-and-a-half years can amount to a lot more living expenses.

Plus, by taking time off from the workplace to raise children and care for elderly family members, women often end up with lower balances in their 401(k)s and IRAs than men.

So, what can you do to help eventhe playing field, in terms of building adequate resources for retirement? Here are a few suggestions:

• Contribute as much as possible to your retirement plans. During your working years, put in as much as you can afford to your 401(k) or similar employer-sponsored retirement plan.

Most people don’t come anywhere near the 401(k) contribution limit, which, in 2020, is $19,500, or $26,000 if you’re 50 or older, and you might not be able to reach it, either, but strive to do the best you can. And every time your salary increases, bump up your annual contribution. If you are able to “max out” on your 401(k), you may still be able to contribute to an IRA.

If your income exceeds certain limits, you can’t contribute to a Roth IRA, which offers tax-free withdrawals of earnings if you meet certain conditions, but you may still be able to fund a traditional IRA, although the tax deductibility may be reduced or eliminated.

• Use Social Security wisely. You can start taking Social Security as early as 62, but your checks can be larger if you wait until your full retirement age, which will likely be between 66 and 67. And if you’re married, you may be able to choose between claiming your own benefits or receiving 50% of your spouse’s benefits, which could help you if your spouse has considerably higher earnings. Your spouse does not lose any benefits if you choose this route.

• Look for every opportunity to save and invest. As mentioned above, women often lose out on some retirement savings when they take time away from the workforce to raise families and eventually become caregivers for elderly parents. But even if you aren’t working full time, it doesn’t mean you have no chance to boost your retirement savings. If you can do any paid work, whether it’s part time or as a consultant, you can contribute to an IRA — and you should.

It’s not easy to overcome the structural disadvantages women face when seeking to reach financial security. Taking advantage of the savings and investment possibilities available can help.

Danielle Novak

South View • Softball/volleyball • Senior

Novak has a 3.6379 grade point average. She is a member of Health Occupations Students of America, the Tiger Stripes Club and Buddy Special Olympics.

Davin Schmidt

South View • Soccer• Senior

Schmidt has a 4.5833 grade point average. He is the National Honor Society President, Spanish Honor Society President, a member of the Academy of Scholars and ranks first in the senior class.

According to its Wikipedia page, the Bizarro World “is a fictional planet appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.... In popular culture, ‘Bizarro World’ has come to mean a situation or setting which is weirdly inverted or opposite to expectations.” Many Americans may feel like we are living in a “weirdly inverted or opposite” world.

If you are over 30 years old, you were probably brought up believing our nation was built on hard work and free enterprise. In America, we are free to work hard, study hard and express ourselves in totally uninhibited dimensions. These freedoms bring forth amazing, innovative entrepreneurial ideas and accomplishments —  ideas that give birth to more creative ideas and ventures that create opportunities and jobs that provide wages for families to exist, experience and enjoy America’s unique way of life. In turn, we have more ideas, more opportunities, more jobs and more wealth. And, the more wealth that accumulates the more opportunities for investment. These notions add up to be an abridged definition of capitalism with a capital C.

However, lately, many people in our country have been introduced to an opposing ideology: democratic socialism. Welcome to Bizarro World! It makes no difference what race you are or what your political stances are. Democratic socialism is an ideology that threatens our freedom, deteriorates morality, and just generally negatively affects our nation indiscriminately.
Along with this ideology comes ignoring our own laws. Illegal activities become legal. Good is perceived as being evil. For example, police and law enforcement once looked upon as guardians of humanity are now perceived as the enemy and have become targets of random hostility.  Immigration Customs Enforcement once honored for their valor in keeping Americans safe from outside threats are now chastised, ridiculed and harassed for doing their jobs. In spite of federal law, sanctuary cities are becoming prolific. In Bizarro World fashion, these cities can actually protect and harbor criminals whose mission is to rob, harm and terrorize innocent Americans regardless of race, religion or political affiliation. In Bizarro World, crime goes unpunished, prisoners get to vote, and victims’ voices are silenced or ignored.

 It’s our government allowing this to happen and it’s our apathy that allows the government to continue the lying and mocking of our Constitution. And, while all this governmental dysfunction is going on unabated, much of the media has become a willing partner in creating and disseminating fake news, keeping Americans ignorant and uninformed.

Most Americans have no idea this new political ideology has been created: democratic socialism.

There is nothing democratic about socialism. This unorthodox ideology has radiated directly from Bizarro World for several reasons. Firstly, socialism is anti-capitalist. Secondly, socialism has never succeeded anywhere in the world. Thirdly, the biggest anti-capitalist, pro-socialist advocates are rich, very well-to-do millionaires. It’s easy for them to tout free health care, free college, free this, free that when never offering up a plan on how they are going to pay for these entitlements.

America was built on capitalism and a free enterprise way of life. As a result we have become the greatest nation in the world. We have succeeded where other countries have failed and continue to fail. Why would anyone think a made-up ideology like democratic socialism would work in America? It is my hope that people come to their senses and realize Bizarro World is not the real world. There is no such thing as democratic socialism; however, communism is real. In the real world, hard work, truth, mercy and goodness have always triumphed. That’s the American way!

Thanks for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

Ronnie Holland knows firsthand what a successful organ transplant can mean to someone in need of a second chance at life.

Five years ago, his daughter had a successful liver transplant at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill.

Now, Holland wants to help other people in need of a similar life-saving procedure, or charity for other needs.

After he retired several years ago, he formed a band he named Common Ground. As an outreach ministry of Hope Mills United Methodist Church, Holland’s goal is for his band to help various individuals and charities in need of financial help by holding concerts to raise money.

The first one is scheduled at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 7th, at Hope Mills United Methodist Church at 4955 Legion Road. There is no charge for admission but donations will be accepted after the service.

Holland preferred asking for donations rather than having a set admission price. “We want people to feel led to do what they want to do,’’ he said.

The first concert will benefit the Jason Ray Foundation. The foundation was created in memory of Jason Ray, who wore the Rameses mascot costume for the University of North Carolina before he was killed in a traffic accident.

Ray donated his organs to others, and the foundation was started to raise money for the UNC Hospital Comprehensive Transplant Center Foundation.

“This is something that’s near and dear to my heart,’’ Holland said. “I hope it takes off. Whether it’s one person or 100,000, we’re going to sing.’’

Members of Holland’s group include Belinda Davis, Linda Currie, Janet Beaty, Dave Probus, Morrie Turner and Scott Reese. A special guest at the first concert will be guitarist Brad Muffet, who formerly played with nationally-known artist B.J. Thomas.

The group will perform a variety of music during the event, Holland said. Selections will include gospel, 60’s music, beach music, bluegrass and blues.Light refreshments will be served after the concert.

Holland said the sanctuary of the Hope Mills church will hold about 200. If the sanctuary is full, he said they can stream video of the performance into the church family life center. “I hope it gets too big and we have to go somewhere else,’’ he said.

The event is called the Living Water Benefit, which is illustrated in an original painting by one of the group’s members, Linda Currie.
It shows a waterfall flowing underneath a cross.

Holland said the picture symbolizes that Jesus Christ died to free everyone from sin. Water is included because everyone needs water to live, and water is used to baptize believers.

He sees the transplant as being similar since it gives the recipient a new life.

If anyone has questions or would like to make a donation, they can contact Holland at 910-624-4166 or by email at ronnieholland51@gmail.com.

Dear Thomas Batson, Jeremy Fiebig, Gordon Johnson, Tiffany Ketchum, George Turner, Henry Tyson and Liz Varnadoe,

I recently read an article printed in the Feb. 5-11 issue of Up and Coming Weekly, “Six to one. Mayor wins. Fayetteville loses!” It describes how the current mayor of Fayetteville, Mr. Mitch Colvin, made significant changes to the exterior of his building, the old Kress building, located downtown. These changes were made without adhering to the Certificate of Appropriateness guidelines.

This has a serious consequence, as I see it, in that you, the Historic Resources Commission, would allow this to happen. The guidelines now become moot. What is the purpose of having those guidelines if you won’t adhere to them? After all, a 6-to-1 vote by the Commission allowing Colvin’s changes says that you would rather not even consider the guidelines put into place to protect downtown Fayetteville’s appearance that would apply to any business owner who operates in a building downtown, not just someone in a leadership position. Bruce Arnold, owner of Rude Awakening coffee shop, pointed out that the changes to the Kress building violated the COA guidelines. He voted against approval as each of you could have and should have voted, yet he was made a victim by pointing out the violation. This is appalling and shows a true lack of leadership on your part.

Why have this Commission? As for actions of leadership for a personal benefit, is this another case of being handed the keys to the Ferrari just after obtaining one’s driver’s license? A similar situation with downtown property will come up again with business owners who may want to make changes to suit their personal tastes.

Rick Bryant, Fayetteville citizen

Walt Brinker, 1966 West Point graduate, retired US Army infantry lieutenant colonel and Vietnam War veteran, retired civilian project manager, instructor at FTCC, and Eastover resident, has provided well over 2,000 free-of-charge roadside assists as a hobby. With experience from these assists he wrote a book, “Roadside Survival: Low-Tech Solutions to Automobile Breakdowns,” for the everyday motorist. He also set up a website, “roadsidesurvival.com,"  to help individuals, driver education teachers and law enforcement. This vignette captures one of his many assists along with lessons:

On July 11, 2014, as I was descending from a high level at the large parking garage at Duke Medical Center, I spotted an older Chevrolet pickup with a flat left rear tire and a family standing around. The 40-something year old male driver, whom I’ll call “Willie," looked at my car as I stopped and rolled down my right-side window and asked him, “What do you need?” He replied, “I need air." Turns out his tire had gone flat while his family was in the hospital. He asked if I could pump up his flat tire, and I agreed to. I asked him whether he had a spare tire and would prefer me to mount it. I showed him the plug in the pickup’s rear bumper, which would need to be unlocked with his ignition key and removed in order to insert the segmented shafts to engage the spare’s lowering mechanism. He showed me his ignition key, which was missing ¾ inch off its tip, so it would not unlock the plug. I asked him how he started his engine with that key. He replied, “I have to jimmy it to make it work.”

I also offered to use my jack and other tools to remove his flat tire, find and plug its leak and reflate it. Willie replied that one of his children had a medical disorder that likely would cause him to become upset during such a delay. So I used my compressor to reinflate Willie’s flat tire. I reminded Willie that he needed to get his tire fixed right away, since it soon would be flat again. Smiles, handshakes, lots of thank-yous and we departed.

Walt’s tips:
• Don’t set yourself up to fail, especially with a family in tow: Bad ignition key that would barely start the engine and would not permit access to the spare tire. Cost to replace an older vehicle’s key: $8-$10.
• Without access to the spare tire, it’s just like not having one.
• Stowing a 12-volt compressor permits re-inflating low and flat tires with slow leaks — and spare tires that have gone flat.

Great entertainment. It’s what Community Concerts is known for. This all-volunteer organization has been bringing first-rate productions to Fayetteville since 1935. And well into its 84th season, the streak continues with two of Motown’s biggest groups — The Temptations and The Four Tops. The concert is set for Friday, March 6, at the Crown at 7:30 p.m.

Independently, the groups boast genre-defining hits and fan bases that span generations. Together, they bring an authentic musical experience that has audiences coming back again and again to hear favorites like  “It’s the Same Old Song,” “Something About You,” “Shake Me, Wake Me (When It’s Over),” “Loving You is Sweeter Than Ever” and “I Can’t Help Myself” from the Four Tops and  “My Girl,” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” “I Wish It Would Rain” and “Treat Her Like a Lady” from The Temptations.

While the groups found success independently in the Motown era, they came together in 1983 for a television special called “Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever.” Part of the show featured a battle of the bands between The Four Tops and The Temptations. There was such a great dynamic between the bands that they decided to take their performance on the road, touring off and on together ever since.

Founding member of The Temptations, Otis Williams, noted that even after 60 years, the band still delivers first-rate performances for its fans “For those that have seen us, we will be true to what they know and what we are known for is the high stepping, the sharp clothes and moving in synchronicity. We only know one way to be, and that is the Temptations.”

With six decades of music history behind the band and a bevy of honors to their name, The Temptations are as busy as ever. Williams’ story is the source for the smash-hit Broadway musical, “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations,” which opened on the Great White Way March 21, 2019, and received 12 Tony nominations and won the “Tony Award for Best Choreography” at the 73rd Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York City  on June 10, 2019. On March 24, the audio edition of Williams’ critically acclaimed autobiography, Temptations, written by Williams with The New York Times best-selling writer Patricia Romanowski is set for release as an audiobook. The book was the source for the Emmy-Award Winning television miniseries, “Temptations,” and the current smash hit Broadway musical, “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations,” with the Tony-winning choreography. “Our journey as told through the lens of my life transcends generations and cultures,” said Williams. “There are so many wonderful things happening. The audiobook, the Broadway play, and we are getting ready to go into the studio and do our anniversary album. We have a lot of irons in the fire.”

Also founded in the 1960s, The Four Tops have influenced a variety of genres, including soul music, rhythm and blues, disco, adult contemporary, doo-wop, jazz and show tunes. Like The Temptations, The Four Tops have earned numerous awards including The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Vocal Group Hall of Fame and Grammy Hall Of Fame. Their music is timeless.

The last concert of the Community Concerts season is The Oakridge Boys. It is set for Thursday, May 21.

Community Concerts is definitely about concerts; it’s part of the group’s mission to bring “the finest in top-notch entertainment to Fayetteville, N.C. and the Fort Bragg/Cumberland County Community.” The organization is just as much about community, though, offering opportunities and programs that benefit many.

The organization founded the Fayetteville Music Hall of Fame in 2008 to honor people who bring musical distinction to the community. From performers to teachers to producers and more, Fayetteville’s music community’s story is celebrated and preserved here.

In 2004, Community Concerts started offering college scholarships to local high school students. Since its inception, the program has awarded 32 scholarships.

Local musicians of all ages benefit from the local artist showcase program, which showcases these performers with selected Community Concerts performances. Recently, Voices of the Heart appeared as an opener for Gladys Knight while children from the Linda Kinlaw School of Dance performed with Martina McBride. Local, emerging country music star Trae Edwards also performed at the Ricky Skaggs show.

Making great music available to as many people as possible embodies the spirit of the Community Concerts’ mission. So it makes sense that the organization would offer free concert opportunities to different groups with benefactors ranging from young children to senior citizens.  In recent seasons, recipients have included the Vision Resource Center, Urban Ministry, The Sunshine Center, members of local fire and police departments, high school theater art classes, members of our military, and many more.

For tickets and information about Community Concerts, visit http://www.community-concerts.com/ or search the event on Capefeartix.com.

Westover High School’s Traymond Willis-Shaw has been named to the North Carolina roster for this year’s Carolinas Classic All-Star basketball game.

The contest pits the top senior basketball players from North Carolina and South Carolina. It will be played at John T. Hoggard High School in Wilmington on Saturday, March 28.

Willis-Shaw, a 6-foot-6 wing player for the Wolverines, is a major reason the team rolled to the Patriot Athletic Conference regular-season title and carried a 24-0 record into the opening round of last week’s conference tournament.

Westover head coach George Stackhouse said Willis-Shaw has been with the Wolverine basketball program since his freshman year at the school.
He began to occupy a central role on the team after another Wolverine who played in the Carolina Classic, Damani Applewhite, graduated. Applewhite is currently a senior on the basketball team at South Carolina State.

Through Feb. 17, Willis-Shaw averaged 13.6 points and 6.1 rebounds per game for Westover. He’s made 13 3-point baskets and is hitting 71% of his free throws.
Stackhouse said Willis-Shaw is a major contributor for the Wolverines on the defensive end of the floor.

“When he’s active, our defense is so much better,’’ Stackhouse said. “He’s a very good finisher in transition. Our crowd gets going when he throws down a slam or two. It does a lot as far as giving our guys energy and our crowd energy as well.’’

Willis-Shaw said he’s looking forward to playing in the game and hoping it will increase the looks he’s been getting from colleges. So far he’s had interest from such schools as South Carolina State, Queens, Radford, Mount Olive, UNC-Greensboro, North Carolina Central and Lincoln Memorial.

“I want to stay closer to home,’’ Willis-Shaw said of his pending college choice. “My parents want to make some games.’’

Stackhouse said having Willis-Shaw picked for the all-star team give the school a lot of positive publicity. “Traymond goes out and represents himself and the school well,’’ Stackhouse said.

As far as Westover’s season is concerned, Stackhouse said neither he nor the team is focusing on the unbeaten record and don’t see it as a distraction as they prepare for the conference tournament and state playoffs to follow.

“We’ve been focusing on each day at practice, trying to get better,’’ Stackhouse said. “We try not to look at any game as a big game. All of them are important.’’
Stackhouse thinks the regular season has prepared Westover well for the games ahead.

“We played some tough non-conference teams,’’ he said. “I think we play in one of the toughest conferences, just having to go through that conference and see different styles.

“If we continue to win, we’ll have a lot of home games and hopefully it will give us an advantage.’’

Willis-Shaw said the Wolverines have made it where they are with teamwork. “We help each other with everything,’’ he said. “We play together as a team. We get the work done by everybody playing their role and playing hard.’’

He hopes to do the same in the all-star game. “I just want to play hard, get rebounds and finish in the paint,’’ he said.

Here are some Hope Mills news odds and ends taken from recent reports compiled by Town Manager Melissa Adams:

Work is getting close to completion on the temporary headquarters for the Hope Mills Police Department located in the former Ace Hardware Building on
Main Street.

It is estimated the construction will be completed by early to midMarch. Moving from the current police station on Rockfish Road to the new location will begin as soon as construction has ended and is expected to be finished by the end of March.

The temporary police headquarters will be known as Main Street Police Station. The temporary location will be used during construction of the new public safety building for the fire and police departments at the current location on Rockfish Road.

The town has again been notified by the Department of the Army that it will be conducting training exercises in Hope Mills. The Army held similar training events in the town last year.

The Special Warfare 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) will be holding exercises March 2-27, June 1-26 and Aug. 10-Sept. 4. All Army personnel involved will be in civilian clothes and display military ID. The training should not draw any attention from the public.

Registration for spring sports with the Hope Mills Parks and Recreation Department continues through Saturday, Feb. 29.
Available sports include baseball for ages 5-14, softball for ages 7-15 and indoor soccer for ages 5-12. Registration for wrestling has already concluded because that sport opens its season in March.

Youth baseball and softball will conduct drafts the first two weeks of March. The opening day for baseball and softball is Saturday, April 4, at 9 a.m. at Brower Park on Rockfish Road.

Hope Mills will host district baseball and softball tournaments during the upcoming season.

The tournaments include District 6 Dixie Softball, ages 7-15, six divisions, June 19-21 and District 11 Dixie Youth Baseball, 10U and 12U, June 26-30.

Beginning this fall, the Hope Mills Parks and Recreation Department will add girls’ volleyball for ages 9-17 to the sports program.

The staff is working with the Fayetteville-Cumberland County Parks and Recreation Department and Freedom Christian Academy to coordinate scheduling. Registration for the first season of girls’ volleyball will be held in June.

Because of possible safety issues at the vacant lot where the former Christ Episcopal Church Parish House stood, the Hope Mills Public Works Department has been seeking quotes to install a fence along the parking lot side of the property as well as the rear of the vacant lot.

Prior to the Monday, Feb. 17, meeting of the Board of Commissioners, Adams reported three quotes had been received. After all the quotes have been studied, a decision on who will build the fence is expected soon, with work to install the fence to follow quickly.

In addition to the plans for the fence, the Public Works staff will be grading and seeding the lot when the planting season arrives in the spring.

Parks and Recreation director Lamarco Morrison and Planning and Executive Development Director Chancer McLaughlin will be involved in the process as both have prior experience with landscaping architecture.

Morrison and McLaughlin will work with the town’s Appearance Commission to come up with a basic landscaping design for the vacant lot. The plan is to eventually include the lot in the Heritage Park Master Plan.

The Hope Mills Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta, Inc., will hold a Black History Month Oratorical Contest on Saturday, Feb. 29, in the large activity room at Hope Mills Recreation Center.

The competition will be held from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m., and high school students from grades 9-12 will be competing. Prizes of $150 for first, $75 for second and $50 for third place will be awarded.

The Special Events and Programs Division of the Hope Mills Parks and Recreation Department recently conducted training for the staff in cardiopulmonary resuscitation. As a result, the entire full-time staff of the Parks and Recreation Department is certified in CPR.

If you’ve got an important event coming up in Hope Mills or know of a story you’d like us to pursue, we’d love to hear about it. Please share your Hope Mills news with us via email at hopemills@upandcomingweekly.com.

Community colleges around the globe are tasked with creating a comprehensive curriculum, and Fayetteville Technical Community College is no different. We have created programs and coursework meant to enrich the lives of our students and to help them reach their goals, with the understanding that all students come through our doors differently prepared for the rigors of such study. In the mathematics department, we have developed a new approach to the curriculum under the advice of the North Carolina Community College System. This approach is commonly referred to as RISE, which is short for Reinforced Instruction for Student Excellence.

The RISE program at FTCC places students in a series of courses based on their past experiences with mathematics content. Students exhibiting proficiency with pre-college skills are placed directly into a first-year mathematics course. However, not all students have a skill set that is college ready. Researchers have argued for years that some students do not need a full treatment of pre-college coursework — simply a level of support to reinforce their efforts in a mathematics course, while others may need a deeper treatment. In recognition of these arguments, in the Fall of 2019, FTCC began offering support courses to supplement students needing that little bit of a push, while also creating a new precollege course with content mastery at its core. All courses in the RISE program are taught by our world-class faculty and are offered both on campus and online.

Since the implementation of the RISE program at FTCC, our students have experienced unprecedented success. More students are completing their mathematics requirements at a faster pace while maintaining the standards of excellence espoused by the administration of the college. Students say that the support they get through the faculty working with the RISE program provides “just-in-time” remediation, boosting their knowledge of the material and building their confidence as budding consumers of mathematics. Although we are still in the initial phase of this program, we fully expect to see our students progress into other courses with a firm foundation in mathematics and ultimately leave our institution prepared to use this skill set in the career of their choice.

At FTCC, we strive to make your dreams a reality. Whether you are a seasoned academic or relatively new to higher education, we have a pathway built just for you. Learn more about all the programs we have to offer at FTCC by visiting our website at www.faytechcc.edu. FTCC offers over 280 academic programs of study in the fields of arts and humanities, math and sciences, business, computer technology, engineering/applied technology, health and public service. There’s something for everyone, and your dreams are our mission at Fayetteville Technical Community College.

Women rock! We bring home the bacon, cook it and enjoy eating every piece of it. Women are an integral force in society, and they make a difference in the lives of others. Women deserve to be celebrated,  which is why Cape Fear Botanical Garden presents the 1st Annual 2020 Women’s Summit “Rooted,” Saturday, Feb. 29. from 9 a.m. to
5 p.m. at Cape Fear Botanical Garden.  

“This is our first ever Women’s Summit to happen at the garden, and it is all things women — shopping, fashion, home, health and beauty” said Lia Hasapis, marketing coordinator of the Cape Fear Botanical Garden.  “Anything you can imagine will be here.”

The idea of the Women’ Summit originated from Sheila Hanrick, director of events at Cape Fear Botanical Garden. “She thought it would be something different to do and something that is centered just around women and local businesses in town that support women as well as encourage women to have their own specific event,” said Hasapis. “We loved the idea. This event will be a fun thing because you will be able to renew and energize after a long winter.”

 The event will feature local women speakers, workshops and vendors. The speakers include Dr. Connie Brooks Fernandez, owner of Allure Aesthetics & Medical Spa; Donna Everhart, USA Today’s best-selling author; Alexandra Badgett, Miss North Carolina 2019; Judith Cage, chef, business owner and guest on the Food Network; and Dr. Patrice Carter, Christian Life Coach, author and motivational speaker. The workshops are a pregnant and postpartum fitness workshop with Erica Royster, self-defense with M J Fitness, makeup with MBM and Simply Liz Love, creating a calming space with Monique Tuset, financial goals with Monique Tuset and stunning succulents with Amy Stidham. Vendors will also be on-site.              
      
“We just opened our Garden View Café — Elite Catering owns and operates it, and they will be here serving lunch,” said Hasapis. “We also have a few food trucks who will be coming, they are Hello Crepe and Java Express.”

Hasapis added there will be a travel agency vendor that will share what kinds of fun trips you can go on with your girlfriends or family members. Jordan Essentials will have household products, not just beauty products for your skin. They are made from homemade USA natural products to enhance your health. Total Life Changes with Vivian Baldwin will tell you how you can lose weight using supplements.   

“Dr. Connie Brooks Fernandez will discuss aging gracefully and she will do a live demo of Botox and share all the things you can do at her medical spa,” said Hasapis. “We will have a yoga workshop. It will teach you stretches you can do at home so that you don’t have to attend a yoga class.

 “We look forward to seeing everyone at our first annual Women’s Summit,” said Hasapis.

Ticket cost is $15, and it includes a complimentary mimosa. Tickets can be purchased on Eventbrite and at the door. For more information, call 910-486-0221.

The Pentagon is reviewing whether there needs to be a troop withdrawal in Africa. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and a bipartisan group of lawmakers, united against a Trump administration plan to withdraw U.S. troops from part of Africa, pushed back in an exchange with Defense Secretary Mark Esper during a recent meeting. Graham and Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., led the charge telling Esper that Congress would not support a U.S. troop withdrawal from the Sahel region in Africa, laying out the reasons to keep the troop presence there. At one point, Graham allegedly told Esper that he could “make your life hell.”  Graham denied making the comment.

Several other lawmakers laid out their case forcefully. “From a broad security standpoint, the Sahel is a tinderbox of terrorist activity and where violent extremist organizations look to use the space to recruit, adapt and evolve,” AFRICOM spokesman Air Force Col. Chris Karns said.

Army Gen. Stephen Townsend, AFRICOM commander, is on record saying that violent extremist group activity in the region has increased 250% since 2018.

The Sahel is the geographic zone in sub-Saharan Africa between the Atlantic ocean and the Red Sea. It includes several nations plagued by international terrorist groups, including Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Nigeria. More than a dozen terrorist groups with links to the Islamic State or al-Qaida, like Boko Haram and al Shabaab, are operating there and other parts of Africa.

The upsurge in violence from extremist groups in West Africa is moving south from Mali into Burkina Faso, a former French colony that suffered more than 2,200 civilian deaths in 2019 — a steep increase from the nearly 300 civilian deaths in 2018. Thousands of people in Burkina Faso have been displaced because of the violence. Most recent estimates from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs indicate that more than 500,000 people were displaced between January 2019 and January 2020 in Burkina Faso.

Graham and Coons argued that the number of American troops there is small, the cost to deploy them is low and withdrawal would abandon a major ally in France, whose army is leading the fight against the terrorists there. The U.S. has approximately 6,000 troops in Africa, including 1,000 special operations troops in the Sahel, the region where four Fort Bragg Green Berets lost their lives two years ago. American forces train local troops, provide aerial refueling to French military planes and collect intelligence.
The senators noted that this is the exact model the Trump administration has been pressing for, where another country leads militarily while the U.S. backs the effort. Graham said it would make no sense to abandon an area where that arrangement is working. Esper explained that he is trying to carry out the National Defense Strategy, which cites Russia and China as the biggest strategic competitors to the U.S., and is attempting to shift American troop priorities accordingly.      

Is it really just a fairy tale?

That is what some reviewers of a new book are calling one of my favorite stories. That book is “Big Sister, Little Sister, Red Sister: Three Women at the Heart of Twentieth-Century China” by Jung Chang.

The book profiles and puts in historical context the lives of the three Soong sisters who played important but very different roles in the history of China during the republican revolution and overthrow of the Manchu rule and the later Communist takeover in 1949.

The “fairy tale” began in the 1880s when Charlie Soong, a Chinese teenager, made his way to Wilmington, where he was baptized. Sponsored by North Carolina Methodists, he went to Trinity College and Vanderbilt University to prepare to return to China as a missionary. Back in China, he went into business, became wealthy and fathered three daughters. How they came to be important figures in Chinese history is the subject of the new book.

Soong sent all three to study in the U.S., where they learned to speak and read English as well as or better than Chinese.

The Big Sister of the book’s title is Soong’s oldest daughter, Ei-ling, who married a successful businessman and became wealthy. Red Sister is his middle daughter, Ching-ling, who married Sun Yat-sen, the first president of the Chinese republic.

Little Sister is his youngest daughter, May-ling, who married Chiang Kai-shek, the leader of China’s Nationalist government.

I have always been entranced by the North Carolina origins of this amazing and important family. But now, thanks to the new book, I have had to adjust my story.

First, I learned that the key to the Soong family’s success might have been more due to Charlie’s wife, Ni Kwei-tseng, than to Charlie. Ni came from an important and long-standing Chinese Christian clan and Ni was very devout. May-ling remembered, “I knew my mother lived very close to God... asking God was not a matter of spending five minutes to ask Him to bless her child. …It meant waiting upon God until she felt his leading.”

Thus the Soong family’s solid Christian identity came not so much from Charlie’s North Carolina Methodist training as from Ni’s family background and her longstanding
commitment.

Secondly, I learned that Sun Yat-sen was not the hero I had always believed him to be. In the view of author Jung Chang, Sun was overrated, worked for his own aggrandizement rather than the good of the Chinese people and did not deserve credit for China’s revolution that overthrew the Manchu dynasty that had ruled China for centuries. Although he plotted for the rest of his life to become president of the new Chinese Republic, he served only a few weeks as interim president and spent most of his remaining life opposing those in power and inciting armed rebellion and civil war.

Sun had a mesmerizing power. His sister-in-law, May-ling, explained, “I have noticed that most successful men are usually not the ones with great power as geniuses but the ones who had such ultimate faith in their own selves that invariably they hypnotize others to that belief as well as themselves.”

She was describing Sun’s powers and, those of similar self-focused political leaders. Sun’s wife, Ching-ling, once deeply in love with him, became disenchanted with his self-focus. When Sun sought support from the Soviet Union to fund his efforts to take control of all of China, Ching-ling came in contact with Russians and the Communist ideology. After Sun’s death in 1925, she exploited her connection to Sun and styled herself Madam Sun Yat-sen. She used that connection to support the revolutionary efforts of the Mao-led Communists against the forces of May-ling’s husband, Chiang Kai-shek.

There is no fairy tale ending. Madam Sun Yat-sen and Madam Chiang Kai-shek never reconciled.

Donald Trump ignited one of his now expected and frequent firestorms last week by pardoning or commuting the sentences of 11 mostly celebrity felons, some of whose crimes shocked the nation when they occurred.  Most stunning, at least to this writer, was the commutation handed to former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, a Democrat. Blagojevich went to federal prison for proposing to sell former Senator Barack Obama’s US Senate seat when Obama was elected president, an effort graphically and profanely caught on tape. Blagojevich and Trump knew each other from the former governor’s stint on Trump’s reality show, “The Celebrity Apprentice,” and share an obvious fondness for poufy hairdos. 

Another lucky recipient of Trump’s forgiveness was former Fayetteville police officer Bernard Kerik, who once served as New York City’s police commissioner and was considered for U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security.  He also worked as Rudy Giuliani’s chauffeur and bodyguard. Kerik was serving time for tax fraud among other charges when Trump swooped in to spring from the federal pokey. Plucking Blagojevich and Kerik out of their convictions indicates that Trump is untroubled by public corruption.
Trump’s use of his magic pen in these and other surprising moments of presidential forgiveness pleases some Americans, notably those who benefit from it, and horrifies and outrages others.  It also continues Trump’s relentless and unprecedented drive toward authoritarian leadership unmatched by any other American President.  Not even Richard Nixon attempted to change our fundamental balance of power so aggressively.

Perhaps most importantly, if inadvertently, Trump’s pardons and commutations spotlight our nation’s enormous and deeply troubled criminal justice system. Our nation incarcerates more people than any other country in the world, at this moment approximately two million people, most of whom languish in state prison systems.  Roughly thirty-six thousand people are in North Carolina prisons, another nineteen thousand in local N.C. jails, and another eleven thousand in federal facilities in our state.

One reason for our state and national mass incarceration is a sentencing system that piles on sentences for various offenses, often non-violent ones. This stems from “tough on crime” efforts in the 1970s.  A person convicted of multiple offenses at one time or over time stands to spend years in prison, although the laws may subsequently be changed.  In addition, our parole systems are often ineffective with parole officers too overburdened to make contact with parolees.  In addition, a minor parole violation — a missed court date, perhaps — can trigger long-term re-imprisonment.  North Carolina currently has about twelve thousand people on parole and a whopping eighty-one thousand on probation.

Conversations are ongoing in North Carolina and in other states, as well, about the need for bail reform.  Many people arrested for low-level criminal offenses, and some serious felonies, are unable to come up with resources to meet bail set by the court and find themselves waiting behind bars for months and sometimes years for their cases to be resolved.  People with similar charges but more resources do not face the same situation, which means the bail system is inherently discriminatory.
Trump’s seemingly random use of his magic get-out-of-jail-free pen garners headlines and creates much consternation, but it affects only a handful of the millions incarcerated in our nation.  That we lead the world in this sad statistic is deeply troubling.  The United States and North Carolina are overdue for a criminal justice system makeover both to reduce the staggering costs of incarceration and the human toll it takes on those in the system, their families and the people who work within the struggling system.