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  • 18 Stadium CeremonyIt took a few years, but family and friends of former Reid Ross High School football coach John Daskal were finally able to celebrate the installation of a permanent sign in his honor outside the football stadium bearing his name.

    It was around 2002 that the stadium, at what is now Reid Ross Classical High School, was named in honor of Daskal, the only coach the school ever knew before it closed as a traditional high school in 1984.

    When Daskal finally retired in 1991, he had 211 wins, at the time the most of any high school football coach in Cumberland County history.

    He was inducted into the Fayetteville Sports Club Hall of Fame in 2006.

    High school football has returned to John Daskal Stadium this season as it has become the temporary home of Terry Sanford High School, which ironically was the last school where Daskal was a head coach before he retired from the profession.

    Daskal’s daughters, Kim Daskal Lee and Kristina Daskal Magyar, led the push to raise money to get a permanent sign installed.

    They held a golf tournament at Gates Four Golf and Country Club in April and had numerous people reach out to make donations toward the project.

    A family friend, Dr. Wally Mohammed, took the lead in the construction of the sign.

    Mohammed operates a restaurant in Lillington, and he and Daskal became friends when Daskal and his wife Carol first visited the restaurant years ago.

    Lee praised the efforts of men who coached and/or played for her father. Among them were Fred McDaniel, Bill Yeager, Billy Starks and Reggie Pinkney.

    “Every planning meeting, they were there,’’ she said. “We made so many contacts with people we would not have been able to reach out to. They have gone above and beyond.’’

    The ceremony for the sign was held at halftime of a recent Terry Sanford junior varsity football game at Reid Ross.

    Lee estimated about 50 alumni of Reid Ross, including some former football players of Daskal, came out for the ceremony. Pinkney, Yeager and Starks were among those attending.

    “He treated all the players like sons,’’ said Pinkney, principal at Ramsey Street High School in Fayetteville. “We played so much harder for him, and that was why we were
    successful.’’

    Yeager, former head coach at Terry Sanford and Gray’s Creek High Schools, works as an assistant coach at Terry Sanford.

    “He was just a fine man,’’ Yeager said of Daskal. “He cared about his players while he coached them and after they got through and went on doing what they do in their lives.
    “He was the real deal, the whole package.’’

    Starks, principal at Pine Forest Middle School, said Daskal was bigger than life and the kind of coach you would run through a brick wall for.

    “He was just a good person,’’ Starks said. “He loved us, cared about us and we would do anything for him. He was just a special human being.’’

    Pictured: Retired Reid Ross High school football coach John Daskal is joined by men who played and/or coached with him during his career at the ceremony. Pictured from left to right: Current Terry Sanford coach Fred McDaniel, retired Cumberland County Schools student activities director Fred McDaniel, Daskal, current Ramsey Street High School principal Reggie Pinkney, current Terry Sanford assistant coach Bill Yeager and current Pine Forest Middle School principal Billy Starks.

  • 17 David SchmidtBrian Edkins was principal at South View High School when he first got to know Davin Schmidt. Although initially he saw him from afar, he was quickly impressed.

    “I’ve never seen a coach as positive and optimistic as he was with kids,’’ Edkins said. “He’s the one you would want to coach your kid. You would hope he would pick your kid because you knew they were going to have a great experience.
    “He was going to treat all the kids well.’’

    Schmidt, who was an assistant soccer coach at South View and Hope Mills Middle Schools and coached many years in the Hope Mills recreation program, died earlier this month after lengthy battles with an assortment of ailments. He was 47.

    “He could get the worst news in the world and somehow find a silver lining,’’ Edkins said. “It was just amazing. He would try to lead as normal a life as he could during this fight.’’

    In his final year at South View, Edkins recalled a time when Schmidt’s oldest son, Davin II, was being recognized for making the A-B honor roll.

    Schmidt was in the hospital at Duke at the time, but got permission from his doctors to come to South View to see his child recognized. “Throughout his battle, he tried to give as much normalcy to his family as possible,’’ Edkins said.
    The battle started early in his life as Schmidt dealt with colitis and Crohn’s disease. In 2005 he was diagnosed with early stages of colon cancer and his colon was removed.

    He contracted a disease that caused his bile ducts to shut down, which led to liver cancer. He fell into a protocol that made him eligible for a liver transplant, which took place in March of 2017.

    Six months after the successful transplant, he was diagnosed with leukemia.

    He went into remission from the leukemia for a year, and then it returned. Chemotherapy was unsuccessful, so he underwent a stem cell transplant, using stem cells from his own body.

    He wanted to try a promising experimental drug, but four appeals to his insurance company to use it were denied.

    His condition worsened. He developed bleeding on the brain, and the leukemia became more aggressive.

    Despite his poor health, he got permission for a day pass from Duke so he could return to Fayetteville a see his twins, Darin and Drake, play soccer shortly before his death.

    “Even until the end, he was not ready to go,’’ said Kelly McLaurin Schmidt, Davin's wife. “He was still fighting. It was just too much.’’

    He died Oct. 3.

    “He’s always coached the boys in everything,’’ Kelly said. “Soccer, basketball, baseball.’’

    When he started his first recreation team in Hope Mills and named it Gators, friends assumed it was because of Schmidt’s love for the University of Florida.

    Kelly said that wasn’t the case. “It’s actually from the time an alligator was found in Hope Mills Lake,’’ she said. “Everybody loved him so much. He never thought he deserved the recognition, but he does.’’

    Pictured: Schmidt, an avid duck hunter posed for a picture with his dog, Jäger, after a successful day of hunting.

  • 14 01 TRUNK R TREAT 1Trunk R Treat announcement: Due to the threat of inclement weather, the Hope Mills Parks and Recreation Department will host this year's Trunk R Treat event inside the Hope Mills Recreation Center from 6-8 p.m. this Thursday, Oct. 31. Doors will open promptly at 6 p.m. 

    The Hope Mills Parks and Recreation Department continues its safe alternative to door-to-door trick or treating on Halloween with the annual Trunk R Treat event at Hope Mills Municipal Park on Rockfish Road.
    This year’s Trunk R Treat is scheduled Oct. 31 from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m.

    Family fun will again be the focus according to Meghan Freeman of the parks and recreation staff. Free music will be provided by Cumulus Media and there will be a costume contest. All costumes are asked to be family appropriate with no drugs, alcohol or profanity.

    Freeman said the Trunk R Treat will be a free-flowing event with no single-file line for people to stand in as they go from trunk to trunk to collect candy. Families are asked to make sure each child has a bag to collect candy in.

    For individuals, businesses or organizations that want to have a vehicle at the event handing out candy, they must preregister by Monday, Oct. 21.

    The form they have to fill out includes information like business, organization or individual name, mailing address, a contact name, phone number and email address, along with make and model of the vehicle and the type of vehicle.
    They also need to specify how many parking spaces the vehicle will require.

    Anyone giving anything away from a vehicle is reminded that no homemade treats are permitted. All food items given away must be prepackaged and sealed when they are handed out.

    Those taking part in the candy giveaway also should not hold any prize giveaways or games that would cause people to have to stop and stay at an individual vehicle, slowing down movement of the participants past the various vehicles.

    14 02 Halloween Vehicles registered to take part in Trunk R Treat need to arrive as early as 4:30 p.m. and no later than 5:30 p.m.

    Gates won’t open to the public until 6 p.m. sharp, Freeman said.

    “There’s no reason for them to come super, super early,’’ she said.

    Parking will be available behind the recreation center, at Rockfish Elementary School across the street and at the nearby public library. The cars giving away treats will be set up in the lot closest to the outdoor basketball court Freeman said.

    For questions or concerns about Trunk R Treat, call Freeman at 910-426-4109 or email her at mhawkins@townofhopemills.com

     

    Picture 1: Mayor Jackie Warner dressed in costume with her car at a previous Trunk R Treat.

    Picture 2: Trunk R Treat, hosted by The Hope Mills Parks and Recreation Department is a safe alternative to door-to-door trick or treating.

  • 13 apple harvestSo long, summer! Though I always tip my hat to greet the warmer months of the year, I genuinely look forward to autumn. There's something about the mornings becoming cooler and the trees shedding their leaves in a blaze of color that evoke a sense of welcome.

    From the cool breezes on the coast to the amazing show of color north and west of us, North Carolina has given my family plenty of reasons to love calling North Carolina home each fall. You might be surprised to learn how many festivals and fall-flavored events there are within reach for a day or weekend trip from the Fayetteville area.

    Without ever leaving home you can take in the North Carolina Fall Festival in Raeford, which kicks off a weekend of small town festivities on Oct. 17, with something to please people of all ages. If you're itching to hit the road for the weekend, you can take in the early color as you head for the hills the same weekend. The Apple Harvest Festival in Waynesville is one of the tastiest trips you can make, and the Fall LEAF Festival in Black Mountain will treat you and your entire troupe to the charm only a small mountain town can offer. If you're ready for the most unique festival of them all, you simply have to make it to the Annual Wooly Worm Festival in Wilkesboro at least once in your life.

    Regardless of whether you go uphill, downhill or stay within a few miles of home, I hope you'll find a way to welcome the fall season. Embrace it and you'll find it's much more than a gateway to winter as it paves the way to shorter days and warm family celebrations.

    One month-long celebration that is worth mentioning is Clergy Appreciation Month. October has been set aside as a time to express gratitude to some of the most selfless and underrated individuals you may ever meet. Too often relegated to someone we think of only on Sunday as we shake their hand and tell them, 'great message!' on our way out the door, most members of the clergy — pastors, ministers, deacons, elders — are frequently the first to respond to family emergencies from illness to injury. They bring us together as we start our journeys in marriage, and see us off as in death we do part.

    I'd encourage you to take a moment to jot a little note of gratitude and send it to your pastor this year. And don't forget the youth leader. They gladly bear the burden of helping our children navigate some rough terrain in some of the most tumultuous years of their lives, and we need to show our gratitude.

  • 02 01 Master PlanThis week, Up & Coming Weekly Publisher Bill Bowman yields his space to columnist Karl Merritt to discuss the challenges faced by the North Carolina Civil War & Reconstruction History Center.
    For over 10 years, a group of volunteers, along with some paid staff, has been working to develop a concept for the North Carolina Civil War & Reconstruction History Center, as well as raise funds, design the building and build it. As of this writing, they have, with the help of extremely capable individuals, started to collect information consistent with their concept for the Center. Even further, millions of dollars have been raised and an award-winning architectural design is complete.

    Beyond what is happening locally, the budget currently being considered by the North Carolina General Assembly includes $46 million for this project. That budget was vetoed by Gov. Roy Cooper, but the House voted to override the veto. At this moment, action by the Senate is pending.

    A study conducted by ConsultEcon, Inc. in 2014 stated about the Center, “The preliminary attendance potential is estimated at 75,000 to 135,000, with a midrange estimate rounded to 105,000 in a stable year of operation.” Considering this assessment was before SEGRA Stadium, the Woodpeckers 02 02 Bill Crispbaseball team, the Prince Charles Hotel resurrection and all the other development coming to downtown, the economic impact of the Center will be substantial.

    With all that in place, and the project moving ahead, Mayor Mitch Colvin, who is black, has now stated he opposes proceeding with the Center under the current concept and name. He explained that his objection is based on input from citizens — not just black citizens — who oppose the project. As best as I can determine, two considerations are central to the opposition by black citizens with whom the mayor has talked: Because of slavery references, they are uncomfortable with discussion of the Civil War and they do not trust that slavery and the Civil War will be accurately addressed. Colvin also argues that the $7.5 million that the city of Fayetteville promised to provide in support of this project can be used better elsewhere. To obtain state support, Fayetteville and Cumberland County were required to commit that they would invest $7.5 million each in the project.

    The summary of Colvin’s position in the preceding paragraph is based on various reportings in The Fayetteville Observer and his comments during a public meeting Thursday, Sept. 26. I attended that meeting. It was organized by Val Applewhite, former city councilwoman, with Advance Carolina and the Fayetteville branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People as cosponsors. Given the content and flow of the meeting, I concluded it was an obvious attempt to build opposition to the Center. Aside from some elected officials, the attendees were overwhelmingly black citizens. 

    Given the amazing progress that has been made to this point by organizers, the reasonable question is what gives Colvin, some City Council members, and a few vocal citizens justification to demand changes to the name and concept of this project? Do the math. Considering price increases, the cost of the Center will certainly be more than $65 million. The state will put in $46 million and forever pay the cost of operating the facility after construction. Organizers are raising millions of dollars. Cumberland County
    will provide $7.5 million. Add the fact that this is a state facility, not just for Fayetteville. For a one-time investment of $7.5 million, Fayetteville receives a tremendous economic return over many years to come.

    02 tisha waddellIn the final analysis, $7.5 million from Fayetteville is minuscule and will be recouped in taxes, not to mention added jobs. This being the case, why would Colvin and his group try to take over, and even risk losing, this project? My thinking is this is more identity politics. Consider the primary population categories in Fayetteville as available at http://worldpopulationreview.com: White: 45.95%; Black or African-American: 41.54%; Two or more races: 5.83%; Asian: 2.88%; Other race: 2.59%.

    Here is my unpacking of that assessment. If Colvin and other black politicians, as well as some like-minded whites, can appeal to the emotions of the 41.54% of black Fayetteville citizens and drive substantial voter turnout, they can easily win elections. Add some of the other nonwhite groups, and the odds are even better. This is the game played across America.

    This is not the first time Colvin has convinced some members of City Council to force a group to make major changes in their program based on an alleged concern for Fayetteville’s black citizens. It also happened in 2016. I wrote about this episode in a column titled, “Dogwood Festival Music Diversity: An Opportunity for Exercising Leadership.” Please read the column at http://www.karlmerritt.com/2017/02/03/dogwood-festival-music-diversity-an-opportunity-for-exercising-leadership/. In my estimation, Colvin, and some other members of City Council, in an atmosphere of total disrespect toward officials of the Dogwood Festival and lack of appreciation for the contributions of the Dogwood organization to this city, bullied festival organizers into adding music genres that are inconsistent with what had been a very successful concept. The Dogwood Festival was “hijacked” and the same thing is being attempted with the Center.

    In preparation for writing this column, I emailed eight questions to Colvin and all nine members of City Council. Councilwoman Tisha Waddell was the only one to answer the questions in writing. Councilman Bill Crisp answered every question during a phone conversation. Councilman D.J. Haire, after some back-and-forth by email, sent one saying that he saw me at the Thursday meeting and what he said there is his position. That is, he is talking with his constituents. Mayor Colvin’s response was to ask if I sent the questions to Cumberland County Commissioners. I responded that I had not sent the questions because I understood they were still on board and asked if he knew differently. There was no further response. I received no response, email or otherwise, from the remaining members of City Council.

    Space will only allow me to share responses to a few of the eight questions. One question was, “What steps are being taken by Council to accurately determine the magnitude of opposition to and support for this project?” Neither Waddell nor Crisp made any claim of an organized process for accurately measuring opposition or support. In the Thursday meeting, Haire indicated that he is holding listening sessions throughout his district. Waddell indicated that she received two phone calls and one email expressing opposition to the Center. Crisp said, from his district, one person advised him of opposition while several indicated support for the project. Given Fayetteville’s population of over 200,000, it is impossible to conclude that there is a fair and effective effort to measure opposition to the History Center. I say “opposition” because I sense there is no effort on the part of the mayor and his cohorts to measure support. If that were the case, there would be serious outreach across racial lines and presentations would be balanced.

    Another question was, “Given that a previous council approved the funding and organizers have substantially moved ahead depending on that funding, do you have concern that pulling the funding will cause future distrust of Fayetteville government?” Waddell and Crisp fully recognize the danger in the wrangling that is going on regarding city support of this project. In my estimation, this discourages citizens, businesses or anybody who might be willing to invest in the advancement of this city; they must be able to trust City Council to live up to its commitments. Even further, our legislative delegation, based on a supportive vote of a previous City Council, fought to get state funding for this project. Now, at the last minute, the rug is being toyed with in what I hold is an indefensible manner. I find it laughable that, given how City Council is handling this matter, anybody would have the audacity to question the honesty and integrity of the Center organizers.

    A third question: “If the $7.5 million is withdrawn, how will it be used? What will be the economic impact of the alternative use?” It has become common knowledge that the $7.5 million city commitment is not budgeted. Consequently, there is no plan for how that money would be used elsewhere. That also means no effort has been made to determine the economic impact of using the money elsewhere and how any return compares with putting it toward the Center. This failure to budget highlights, again, the trust issue with this Council.

    One other question from the eight: “Have you made a public statement regarding the ‘Build it so we can burn it down’ sign that was held up by one attendee during the public hearing on this matter?” The sign referred to in this question shows in a photo accompanying an article in The Fayetteville Observer by John Henderson titled, “Fayetteville mayor: Growing number of black residents concerned about Civil War center.” The person holding the sign is sitting on the front row. Other signs are also being held up in the chamber. In their responses, Waddell and Crisp expressed concern that the sign was there but stated that they had not made any public comment. Waddell wrote: “I have not made a public statement about it, but I find all references to violence and/or criminal behavior abhorrent. I believe that regardless of whether one supports something or not, we should always support civil dialogue and should be encouraging open communication without fear of retribution.” Neither Haire nor Colvin addressed the question. I have no doubt that if such a sign were held up regarding a project supported by, and seen as favorable to the black community, the outrage from Colvin and his cohorts would be deafening. What message is received by white Fayetteville citizens?

    So much for the questions.  As to the concept for this Center, it appears Colvin, and those who join him in thinking there will be an overwhelming focus on slavery and justifying the South’s actions in the Civil War, do not understand the current concept. To be fair with the mayor, I sent him an email asking what he understood the concept to be and how he wanted it changed. No response. A few months ago, I wrote a column titled “Needed: NC Civil War & Reconstruction History Center.” It is at http://www.karlmerritt.com/2019/06/25/needed-nc-civil-war-reconstruction-history-center/. The concept is to focus on the stories that show how all people were affected by, and responded to, the Civil War and Reconstruction. It does not take much effort to get accurate information on this matter of concept or the whole project. Informing and encouraging the black community to do so does not fit with the strategy and tactics of identity politics.

     In the end, due to political maneuvering, short-sightedness and misinformation, Fayetteville will probably lose this project and suffer for years to come because of doing so. That suffering will include even greater racial tension than we know now. That will be because, even though most white citizens are scared into silence where identity politics is at work; frustration, disgust, and even anger, must be present in many of them. If the concept and name are changed and the project survives, the negative impact on race relations will be the same, if not worse. What’s being done here is “treacherous territory.” Yes, another hijacking is underway.

    A study conducted by ConsultEcon, Inc. in 2014 stated about the Center, “The preliminary attendance potential is estimated at 75,000 to 135,000, with a midrange estimate rounded to 105,000 in a stable year of operation.”
    In preparation for writing this column, I emailed eight questions to Colvin and all nine members of City Council. Councilwoman Tisha Waddell (bottom) was the only one to answer the questions in writing. Councilman Bill Crisp (top) answered every question during a phone conversation.


     

  •  
    Now that we’re seven weeks into the high school football season with five left in the regular season, here is how things stack up according to the statewide MaxPreps.com football rankings.
     
    We’ll start with the rankings for all classes, public and private, in North Carolina.
     
    The top Fayetteville school is Jack Britt, which comes in at No. 24. Next is Trinity Christian at No. 44.
     
    South View is No. 57 with Terry Sanford No. 63. Seventy-First is No. 81, Cape Fear No. 85. 
     
    Gray’s Creek is No. 156, E.E. Smith No. 161 and Pine Forest No. 196.
     
    Completing the list are Westover at No. 248 and Douglas Byrd at 284.
     
    Fayetteville Christian, which plays eight-man football, is ranked only in North Carolina, and is No. 7 among the 8-man teams.
     
    Moving to the specific rankings for classifications, among 4-A schools, Jack Britt is No. 15, South View No. 24, Seventy-First No. 31 and Pine Forest No. 63.
     
    Among the 3-A schools, Terry Sanford is No. 23, Cape Fear No. 31, Gray’s Creek No. 54, E.E. Smith No. 56, Westover No. 83 and Douglas Byrd No. 94.
     
    In the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association Class II 11-man rankings, Trinity Christian is No. 1 in the state.
     
    While I respect the work of those who try to forecast who’s going to be in or out of the playoffs, there are too many directions things could go at this point for me to try and make that projection.
     
    We’ll have the answer for sure when the state playoff brackets are announced the second Saturday in November.
     
     
    The record: 40-14
     
    I was 5-2 for the week, putting the season total to 40-14, 74.1 percent.
     
     
    Douglas Byrd at Cape Fear - Cape Fear finally has a winning streak going and is looking to make it three in a row this week. 
    Cape Fear 28, Douglas Byrd 7.
     
    Westover at E.E. Smith - The Golden Bulls continue their rebound from a rough start to the season.
    E.E. Smith 21, Westover 14. 
     
    Gray’s Creek at Terry Sanford - This is a dangerous game for the Bulldogs, who control their own fate in the Patriot Athletic Conference but have played inconsistently in recent games. Gray’s Creek has also had its share of problems, but the Bears are a potent offensive team and the Bulldogs need to take them seriously.
    Terry Sanford 28, Gray’s Creek 14. 
     
    Richmond Senior at Jack Britt - I’d love to keep drinking the Kool-Aid with the Buccaneers this week, but Richmond looks like one of the best teams in the state this season.
    Richmond Senior 32, Jack Britt 18.
     
    South View at Pine Forest - Despite a rugged start, Pine Forest still can control its fate in the Patriot Athletic Conference. But in order to maintain that control, a win against South View is a must this week. I’m not sure the Trojans can make that happen. 
    South View 29, Pine Forest 12.
     
    Lumberton at Seventy-First - I think the Falcons will snap their surprising three-game slide this week.
    Seventy-First 35, Lumberton 8.
     
    Other games: Trinity Christian 30, North Raleigh Christian 8; St. David’s 30, Fayetteville Christian 12.
  • 20 NCHSAAThe North Carolina High School Athletic Association estimates there are over 200,000 student-athletes playing for high school teams across the state.

    Every year,  16 students are chosen to represent their peers on the Student Athlete Advisory Council.

    This elite group of sophomores and juniors represents every region of the state and serves as the voice for all the state’s athletes, reporting directly to the NCHSAA at both a regional and state level.

    This year’s SAAC includes two students from Jack Britt High School, E.J. McArthur and Colin Baumgartner. McArthur plays basketball and is the son of Britt girls’ basketball coach Nattlie McArthur.

    Baumgartner competes in indoor and outdoor track, cross country and swimming.

    Both are looking forward to serving on the committee and are ready to come to the table with ideas to make things better for their fellow athletes.

    McArthur has already had a taste of what the SAAC does. This summer the NCHSAA sent him and some other SAAC members to a national meeting in Indianapolis, Indiana, home of the headquarters of the National Federation of State High School Associations.

    They learned about problem-solving, leadership and the Unified Sports program that is designed to increase interscholastic sports opportunities for special needs students.

    “One of my main goals is to get Unified Sports in all schools, not just Cumberland County, but all of North Carolina,’’ McArthur said.

    While in Indianapolis the SAAC members worked with special needs children. McArthur was moved by the looks on their faces when they got the opportunity to participate in sports.

    Another concern for McArthur is sportsmanship. He and Baumgartner attended the recent Region 4 meeting of the NCHSAA held in Fayetteville. During the meeting they learned that no Cumberland County School managed to avoid having a player or coach ejected from an athletic contest during the 2018-19 school year.

    “We want to form an initiative to get that (the number of ejections) down,’’ McArthur said. “Respect the refs, respect the rules. Do what you have to do as an athlete, but do it accordingly.’’

    He thinks it’s important that the NCHSAA is open to getting input from student-athletes. “Adults don’t really understand what students want the way students understand what we want,’’ McArthur said. “Having this committee is better because they have a direct outlet to student-athletes.’’

    Baumgartner agrees. “I feel like there’s a lot of situations where we might see things going on that might not be seen at a higher level,’’ he said.

    Baumgartner wants more attention to sports not often in the spotlight. One where he has a personal interest is swimming.

    He is concerned about access county swimmers have to indoor pools, noting they practice at times in outdoor pools covered by an inflatable dome that sometimes collapses and causes problems.

    He also has a concern about alcohol abuse by his fellow students and thinks more needs to be done by students to curb the problem.

    “We shouldn’t go to a party one day and a funeral the next,’’ he said. “Having a peer tell you something I think gives it a deeper meaning and a different perspective.’’

    L-R:  Jack Britt students and SAAC members E.J. McArthur and Colin Baumgartner

  • 13 02 HogwartsWizards and dragons and werewolves — oh my! Fans of the wizarding world of Harry Potter run to, not from, such spine-chilling creatures. And, thanks to Cape Fear Botanical Garden’s Wizardry in the Garden event, the jaunt to Hogwarts just got a whole lot closer. Coming Oct. 18 from 6-11 p.m., this popular Harry Potter style attraction is back for its second year, thanks to a rabid-like response last year from locals that garden Director of Events and Marketing Shelia Hanrick affectionately calls, just as true followers themselves do, Potterheads or Potterfreaks. 
     
    And come they will, but in deep disguise. Present and ready for the night’s well-mannered frivolity may include the likes of Luna, Deloris Umbridge, Hermione, Ron, Hagrid, professor McGonagall, Hedwig the Owl, Harry Potter and maybe even “He Who Must Not Be Named.” But of course, they can’t say who that is. There will be robes and wands, scarves and scars, and above all, house colors to show one’s allegiance. Since “Harry Potter,” the only trend that came close to choosing a favorite house was taking up with Team Jacob or Team Edward in the “Twilight” heyday. Decisions, decisions. 
     
    Fast forward 22 years and the CFBG is celebrating the successful saga by bringing a fun-filled night and its own kind of magic to the adult-only attendees. As it turns out, the tale has something surprisingly in common with the botanical garden. According to Hanrick, the Hogwart is a flower that blooms in North Carolina and once grew at CFBG, though not currently. Hogwarts, similarly, is the alma mater of Harry, Hermione and Ron, the three musketeers of the myth, and the beloved school where the once amateur trio blossomed into skilled sorcerers and conquerors of evil, one page at a time.

    13 01 HogwartsUpon entering the garden the evening of Oct. 18, festivalgoers will leave the current world behind as they revisit the Potter epic in the re-created halls of Hogwarts. With activities in nearly every corner of the garden complex and even outside in the garden with the featured Boo-anical lights of October all aglow, there are enough options to satisfy muggles and magicians alike.

    Begin the evening in the Azkaban-like jailcell scene for a “Wizard Wanted” selfie photo for a personal memento. Next up is the garden’s Orangery room, transformed, abracadabra, into the Great Hall at Hogwarts, with suspended jack-o-lanterns, floating candles and other themed trimmings. Guests can participate in a rousing game of quidditch, green-screen style, in the Relyus sponsored photo booth. Photo prints are a complimentary event souvenir.

    Pop in to shop at the duplicated Diagon Alley, located inside the garden’s Grand Hall room, to visit vendors of all kinds. Merchants include Quilt Boutique, BeeHive Yourself, Oh So Southern Designs, the Upcycled Candle Company and Natural Eccentrics, with wares ranging from candles and honey to pottery and jewelry.

    You are sure to work up an appetite with all this action, so it’s food trucks to the rescue with Rookie’s Taco Truck, A Catered Affair and Elite Catering on-site. At dessert time, give in to temptation with LegenDairy Bakes’ famous French macaroons and treats or Gnam-Gnam Gelato’s creamy gelato. Marci’s Cakes and Bakes offers house-color cake pops, chocolate frogs and butterbeer cupcakes.

    13 03 HogwartsAnd speaking of beer, Wizardry in the Garden will have a full-scale bar available with a wide selection of alcoholic and nonalcoholic choices, including the signature drink of the night, butterbeer. Butterbeer, made with cream soda, is rich with butterscotch flavoring and can be consumed with or without a shot of something stronger.

    Cozying up to the bar in costumes of all types, guests can enjoy the rocking tunes of Hawthorne and Holly, a “wizard wrock” band playing original music back in the Great Hall. According to Hanrick, the nearby terrace area will be open for dancing, “if anyone wants to cut a rug.” At some point in the night, the microphone opens to a costume contest with an audience-picked winner and one grand prize.

    New this year, Xscape Factor of Fayetteville plans to set up a mobile escape room with a Shrieking Shack theme. This feature begs to ask: Can you get back from the Shrieking Shack?

    Live entertainment continues with the roaming Magic by David performances and the garden’s creature feature of Herpcentric reptiles from Lumberton. Snakes, aka serpents in the wizarding world, will be available for sight and even touch, if you dare. Not to worry, the beastly basilisks from the books aren’t bred here.

    Ready to win a prize? Harry Potter trivia is another of the night’s attractions, led by professional trivia talent Michael Thrash of Fayetteville. What is the name of Ron’s pet owl? What are the three deathly hallows? Only the right answer wins in this game of knowledge. The fun continues with Quidditch pong and cornhole, a Horcrux hunt and free invisibility cloaks for all.

    Tickets for the official Wizardry in the Garden, Hogwarts and All, event include admission and one signature drink ticket. Tickets for ages 18-21/designated drivers are $20 in advance or $25 at the event. Tickets for ages 21 and up are $25 in advance or $30 at the door. IDs will be checked. To purchase in advance at www.eventbrite.com.
     
  • 18 Soccer and footAbout four weeks ago, we distributed an op-ed suggesting that inappropriate behavior by parents and other adult fans at high school sporting events was causing many officials to quit before they even reached two years on the job.

    Although we received mostly positive support from this article, some people thought we went too far in telling parents to “act your age” and “stay in your own lane.” On the contrary, perhaps we should have been more direct.

    Last week, one of our member state associations shared a resignation letter it had received from a 20-year veteran soccer official who had taken all the abuse he could handle. A portion of that letter follows:

    “Soccer parents: you are absolutely 100 percent the reason we have a critical refereeing shortage and games are being cancelled left and right. And you are at least a part of the reason I’m done here. The most entitled among you are the ones that scream the loudest. And every time you do this, you tell your son or daughter the following:

    “'I do not believe in you, I do not believe in your team, I do not believe in your collective ability to overcome your own adversity and you absolutely will not win and cannot do this without me tilting the table in your favor.'

     “On behalf of myself and so many other referees — and I say this with every ounce of my heart and soul — shut up about the referees and let your kids rise or fall as a team, as a family. Because the vast majority of you truly have no idea what you’re talking about, and even if you have a legitimate gripe about one play or one decision, you’re not fixing anything.”

     And if that wasn’t enough, last week the Eastern Panhandle Youth Football League in West Virginia released the following statement:

     “Unfortunately, it has come to the point that because of the abuse, negativity and utter disrespect shown to our officials from parents, coaches and most recently from our players, the Eastern Panhandle Officials Association president stated today that the association will no longer schedule officials for our league games at any field. This means effective immediately all remaining games are cancelled.”

    This statement is from a youth league, which means the coaches are likely also parents of players, and the players are sons and daughters who are emulating their parents’ behavior.

    So, no, our previous message was not too direct or emphatic. The kind of boorish parental behavior that compels a 20-year soccer official to quit cannot be allowed to continue. While we would hope that parents and other fans would embrace the concepts of education-based athletics by respecting the efforts of those men and women who officiate high school sports, that unfortunately is not occurring in some cases.

     As a result, schools must adopt and enforce a strict fan behavior policy. In soccer, a player receives a “yellow card” as a first warning for unsportsmanlike conduct. If the action occurs again, the player is hit with a “red card” and is ejected from the contest. Some schools have implemented a similar penalty structure for parents and other fans — not just at soccer games but all high school events. If the inappropriate behavior and verbal abuse of officials continues after one warning, the person is removed from the venue. There must be consequences for these offenders before we lose any more officials.

    Most of the 7.9 million participants in high school sports are on the fields and courts every day to have fun and compete as a team with their classmates, and the 300,000-plus officials assist in that process. Now, if parents would let the players play and the officials officiate.
     
  • 19 Brooke BieniekChris Lucas is in his fifth season as head girls tennis coach at Cape Fear High School.

    He inherited a program where most of the players hadn’t played the sport until they went out for the Cape Fear team.

    But five years of pushing his players to perform their best reached a peak last month when Cape Fear defeated perennial Cumberland County tennis power Terry Sanford 6-3 in the second meeting between the teams this season.
    According to retired Terry Sanford tennis coach and local high school tennis historian Gil Bowman, it was the first time since the 2003-2004 tennis season that Cape Fear won a match over the Bulldogs.

    Since coming to Cape Fear from Pinecrest High School, Lucas has been trying to change the tennis culture at the school. It’s a slow process, but the win over Terry Sanford shows Lucas is on the right track.

    Lucas said his primary goal is to turn each of his players into a true tennis player and not just an athlete with a tennis racquet in hand. That means watching professional players on television, understanding the strategy and mental aspect of the game and playing as much tournament tennis outside the high school season as possible.

    19 02 Paige Cameron“My biggest hope is they will fall in love with every aspect of the game,’’ he said. “I’m very fortunate I’ve had coachable girls and ones that have bought into that.’’

    This year’s team has only one player, freshman Brooke Bieniek, who played the sport before she got to Cape Fear.

    Bieniek plays No. 1 singles and won at both singles and doubles in the match with Terry Sanford. Her parents are both physical education teachers at nearby Mac Williams Middle School and got her into the sport at the age of seven.
    “I love just hitting shots and getting all the emotions out,’’ she said. “Like if you had a bad day at school you just hit and hit a ball. It’s fun. Especially with teammates.’’

    She gives all the credit for the team’s success to Lucas. “He’s taught us a lot of stuff and made us what we are today,’’ she said.

    Lucas said that’s part of his philosophy, which he sums up in the phrase, "Sometimes you win and sometimes you learn."

    19 03 Dajia Rucker“Every single match is a match where you can learn,’’ he said. “We broke down why we won that match, what we did right and what we didn’t do before.’’

    Senior Paige Cameron, who plays No. 2 singles, agreed with Bieniek and said Lucas has always encouraged the team, even when they lost a match 9-0.

    “Everything he’s done has pushed us to where we were when we finally beat them (Terry Sanford),’’ Cameron said. “Honestly, that was the best night because that’s what we’ve been looking forward to, beating Terry Sanford, and we finally did it.’’

    Cameron, who is the team captain, said the energy the team got from newcomers like Bieniek was a big boost to this year’s team.

    “The biggest energy is them being positive whether they are playing or not,’’ she said, “showing support for all the girls.’’

    Dajia Rucker, a junior, won at fifth court singles and teamed with Bieniek to win in doubles against Terry Sanford. “Everyone just stepped up,’’ she said. “We knew we wanted to beat Terry Sanford, so that’s what we did.’’

    But the Colts know they must keep working. “I think the main thing is we don’t take this one for granted,’’ Cameron said. “We need to play with the best we have and do the best that we can no matter who we are playing.’’

    Meanwhile, Lucas is looking further down the road, hoping to continue to change the tennis culture not just at the school but in the community.

    “Every summer, we hold a clinic for kids, ages 7-13, and every year it’s grown,’’ he said. “The younger we can get them, the better. We want to be a program that turns in good  team after good team and is a revolving door,’’ he said.

    Pictured from top to bottom: Brooke BieniekPaige Cameron, Dajia Rucker

  • 07 CCSCumberland County Schools are charting a course to reduce out-of-school student suspensions. The school system and the Cumberland County Chapter of the NAACP recently held a forum to review strategies and develop new approaches to embrace restorative justice practices and reduce suspensions. Restorative justice is an approach in which the response to an incident is a meeting between the victim and the offender, the goal being to share their experience of what happened and create a consensus for what the offender can do to repair the harm from the offense.

    Dozens of community stakeholders met at the Cliffdale Regional Branch Library for a School Discipline Forum, according to a news release provided by Cumberland County Schools. The forum, entitled Alternatives to Suspensions: Rethinking School Discipline, provided information on the effects of suspensions, aims to stop the school-to-prison pipeline and how the community can work together to improve academic and life outcomes for students.

    Up & Coming Weekly asked CCS to elaborate on student racial inequities. Associate Superintendent Lindsay Whitley said the most up-to-date information that has been certified and can be released is from the 2017-2018 school year: “Out-of-school suspensions by ethnicity,” involved 6,526 African-American pupils compared to 1,175 whites. Lindsay said 45.09% of the student body was African-American. He did not respond to an inquiry as to what the administration attributed the imbalance, saying that “there are many factors that may contribute to suspension rates in CCS.”

    Peggy Nicholson of the Youth Justice Project and the Southern Coalition for Social Justice acknowledged the work is being done to reduce suspensions and racial inequities, while noting that there is still more work to be done. She provided two major strategies to help CCS move forward — increasing institutional equity while decreasing suspensions and court referrals.

    School Superintendent Dr. Marvin Connelly, Jr. shared a variety of strategies that school officials currently use to reduce suspensions, including conferences with students and parents, restorative justice practices and positive behavioral interventions. “A suspension is not discipline — it is the consequence of an action,” said Connelly.

    The National Center for Education Statistics disagrees saying “suspensions and expulsions are disciplinary actions taken by a school or district in response to a student’s behavior.”

    Connelly added that “when students are not in school, they cannot learn. We’re committed to reviewing policies and procedures through an equity lens, with the goal of reducing the number of out-of-school suspensions and expanding alternatives to suspensions.”

    The NCES notes that grade retention, suspension and expulsion are all associated with negative outcomes, such as an increased risk of dropping out of school. Retention, however, can be related to both disciplinary and academic issues; a student might be retained because of behavioral issues or because the student is not academically ready to progress to the next grade level.

    “The forum was a call to action to create better outcomes for our youth,” said Emily Chapman Grimes, education committee chair for the NAACP. “We’ve talked about racial disparities in school suspensions for far too long. It’s time to do something. School leadership, community members, the NAACP and its coalition partners are ready to collaborate to create better outcomes for the youth in Cumberland County.”

    Dozens of community stakeholders met at the Cliffdale Regional Branch Library for a School Discipline Forum, according to a news release provided by Cumberland County Schools.

  • 05 Aerial ViewThe North Carolina Department of Transportation has begun distributing more than $147.5 million in state aid to municipalities. Powell Bill funds are distributed twice annually to 508 cities and towns across the state. The initial allocation of $73.8 million was sent out in late September. The next allocation in the same amount will be paid by Dec. 31. Powell Bill funds are used primarily for the resurfacing of streets within the corporate limits of municipalities but can also help pay for construction, improvements, repairs of streets and public thoroughfares — including bridges, drainage systems and curbs and gutters, as well as bikeways, greenways and sidewalks.

    “Funding provided through the Powell Bill helps cities and towns pay for needed repairs, maintenance and construction of their transportation network,” said Transportation Secretary Jim Trogdon. The amount each municipality receives is based on a formula set by the North Carolina General Assembly, with 75% of it based on population, and 25% based on the number of local street miles. Charlotte is receiving $20.5 million. Fayetteville’s allocation is $5.2 million.
     
    School bus driver award

    For Ellen Swinson, student safety is always her top priority. As a bus driver for Ashley Elementary School, she is constantly going the extra mile to ensure all students make it to and from school safely — even students who ride other buses. Recently, after finishing her route for the day, Swinson noticed a bus from Vanstory Hills Elementary had pulled over due to mechanical issues. She immediately stopped to help, offering the students an air-conditioned place to wait. After speaking with Vanstory’s administration, Swinson ended up finishing the bus route so that the students would arrive home on time. For literally going the extra mile, Swinson is Cumberland County Schools’ Extra Mile Award recipient for October. She was nominated under the Compassion category by Carolyn Ortiz, a teacher’s assistant at Ashley Elementary, who praised Swinson for putting children first. Swinson received a certificate and was recognized at the October Cumberland County Board of Education meeting.
     
    Getting to sleep isn’t easy for everyone

    Cape Fear Valley Health System has opened a fourth sleep center lab to help area residents get a good night’s rest. The new four-bed lab is now open at Hoke Hospital, located at 210 Medical Pavilion Dr. near Raeford. Cape Fear Valley Sleep Center in Fayetteville already serves a growing number of civilian and military patients in the region. The sleep centers treat a variety of sleep disorders, including sleep apnea, insomnia, narcolepsy, periodic limb movement, restless legs syndrome and more. The new Hoke sleep lab offers a wide array of testing, including Polysomnography, CPAP titration, daytime studies, multiple sleep latency tests and more. Cape Fear Valley also has sleep labs at Health Pavilion North in Fayetteville, Bladen Hospital in Elizabethtown and the main Sleep Center on Owen Drive in Fayetteville. Cape Fear Valley Sleep Centers are accredited by the American Association of Sleep Medicine and The Joint Commission.
     
    The Fayetteville Area Transportation and Local History Museum

    The Fayetteville Area Transportation and Local History Museum is a hub for history in downtown Fayetteville. From the history enthusiast to families looking for fun, there is something for everyone. Deep within the museum collection are artifacts that are a bit unusual. Many of these items are job-specific tools or household items that have become obsolete. Do you think you can identify them? Museum Collection Oddities is an exciting and interactive exhibit that opened Oct. 8 and will run into the 2020 calendar year. The museum is located 325 Franklin St. and is open to the public Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission is free.

    Energy Action Month

    Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin has declared October Energy Action Month in the city. The proclamation acknowledges national Energy Action Month, a federal campaign by the U.S. Department of Energy to increase public awareness about energy conservation, efficiency and technology.

    “Energy is one of our most vital resources,” Colvin said. “Accessible, viable, dependable and affordable energy resources are critical to the city of Fayetteville and to each and every one of our residents.” City employees and Fayetteville residents can support the mayor’s proclamation by being mindful of their energy use — not only during October but throughout the year.
     
    31 Days of Love

    The Cumberland County Public Library & Information Center system is participating in the 31 Days of Love campaign. Each branch is hosting pet-related programs and accepting donations of pet supplies for animals at the Cumberland County Animal Control Shelter. For animals at the shelter, responsible pet owners can make a difference by adopting animals. For those who are unable to adopt, donations are greatly appreciated and needed. The library is working to increase awareness of animal control services and to facilitate the donation drive. Donations can be delivered to any library location. Pet food, cat litter, toys, flea-control products, treats, shampoo, plastic crates and carriers are accepted.
  • 16 AlmsHouseThere’s a calendar day to celebrate just about everyone and everything it seems — even the homeless. But Kenjuana McCray and the people from the Community Awareness Alliance plan to do more with World Homeless Day than recognize the homeless. Their goal is to provide them with tangible help.

    The ALMS HOUSE in Hope Mills will host a feeding and food drive on Friday, Oct. 11, which is actually the day after the official observance of World Homeless Day on Oct. 10.

    The Community Awareness Alliance is a Cumberland County organization that helps promote concern for the homeless locally, according to McCray, who was asked to help bring an event for the homeless to Hope Mills.

    “This is the first time World Homeless Day has ever been recognized countywide in Cumberland County,’’ McCray said. “It is something done all over the United States.’’

    She chose Oct. 11, the day after World Homeless Day, for the observance in Hope Mills because it worked better for the schedules of those she wanted to involve in the event.

    “It was supposed to be something where it’s not just a Fayetteville thing,’’ she said. “They wanted all the municipalities represented, to do something to bring awareness to the homeless.’’

    McCray said she also involved Grilley Mitchell of the Hope Mills Festival Committee in the planning for the World Homeless Day observance.

    The Hope Mills observance of World Homeless Day will take place at the ALMS HOUSE on Ellison Street. The event has been in the planning since last November, McCray said. The ALMS HOUSE was chosen as the site because it is already involved in helping to feed the homeless in the Hope Mills community.

    McCray said representatives of the culinary department from Fayetteville Technical Community College, where she works, will be on hand to provide a free meal of hot soup and bread for any homeless and low income families who would like to eat.

    The free meal is also available to anyone who comes to the event to donate nonperishable food items or toiletries to give to those in need.

    The food items and toiletries will be shared between the ALMS HOUSE and the FTCC Food Pantry.

    As far as toiletries are concerned items like soap, toothpaste and deodorant are always welcome. “Those are sometimes forgotten items,’’ McCray said. “They are things low income and homeless people could really use and need.’’
    The time for the free soup is listed from noon until 1 p.m. but McCray said they will most likely continue to serve those who attend until the supply runs out.

    In addition to the food and donations, there will be information available to those attending regarding services for the homeless and low income families.

    Lindsey Wofford will represent an organization called Seth’s Wish, which supports low-income and homeless people in the county. “They do clothing drives, food drives and all kinds of things,’’ McCray said of Seth’s Wish.

    McCray said Wofford would share information about the various services provided by Seth’s Wish.

    Also present will be Christine Sheets of the Hope Mills office of the State Employees Credit Union.

    Sheets will have an informational table set up to share services that the SECU offers for low income families like low-cost life insurance and nominally-priced income tax preparation.

    “I know a homeless person is not necessarily looking for that, but a low-income family might use some of the advantages the SECU provides,’’ McCray said. “It’s not only feeding the homeless and people that are low-income. It’s showing them other resources that are in the community and that can assist them.’’

    The Students for Social Justice at FTCC will be on hand to help with the collection of the items people bring to donate.

    For any questions about the event, contact McCray at kenjuanamccray09@gmail.com or contact her during office hours at FTCC, 910-494-1352.

  • 12 01 Spooktacular timeIt’s a Spooktacular time of the year for visiting the historic downtown district according to Hank Parfitt, who is on the program committee for the Cool Spring Downtown District. Parfitt would tell potential visitors that any time of the year is a good time to get downtown. There is so much to see and do that it’s hard to know where to start. One option is a carriage ride called Carriage Tours of Old Fayetteville that will take you and some of your friends on a 45-minute to one-hour tour with a professional tour guide through the historic district. Connecting guests with the past as they are pulled by two draft horses in a limousine wagon, this carriage tour engages you in the 250-year-old history of the city of Fayetteville in a fun and entertaining way. The carriage holds up to eight people and has a canopy for protection from the sun and light rain. The carriage rides take once a month. The next one is Oct. 19, and the next one is Nov. 16. Both rides are from 1-6 p.m. and the cost is $25 an hour, or $20 with military ID and children 12 and under are $15. Parfitt recommends that you call in advance, but it’s not required.

    On Oct. 31, get to downtown for a  special carriage ride. Not only do the owners of S&S Carriage Rides, Tina and Gary, provide the historic carriage tour, but they also go all-out during the different holidays. Count Dracula will be steering the carriage this particular evening, and the carriage will be in a Halloween costume, as well. Rides begin at 3 p.m. and end at 8 p.m. These rides last 15 minutes and are a great break from the trick-or-treating many will be participating in downtown already. The cost for this evening is $10 for adults, $5 for children 10 and under. However, if you’re an adult, and you arrive during that first hour, 3-4 p.m., it costs $5.

    All carriage rides begin and end at 222 Hay St. Pay using cash or debit/credit cards.

    For something that is a little more frightful this month, The Dogwood Festival is prepared to deliver. On Oct. 19, enjoy an eerie evening as historians guide you through Cross Creek Cemetery for a stroll among the tombstones. Tickets are $10. Call in advance to reserve a spot for your Historic Haunting: A History Cemetery Tour experience, as the spots do tend to fill up quickly. Visit the Dogwood Festival’s website https://www.thedogwoodfestival.com/fall-festival for more information.

    There is a lot going on in downtown Fayetteville this month, including spooky carriage rides. Photo Credit: VisitFayettevilleNC.com

  • 21 01 SierraSierra Gosselin

    South View•Volleyball•Senior
     
    Gosselin has a weighted grade point average of 4.05. In addition to playing volleyball, she’s a member of the National Honor Society at South View.
     
     

    Jay Benefield

    South ViewCross country•Sophomore

    21 02 Jay BenefieldBenefield has a weighted grade point average of 4.31. In addition to running cross country for the Tigers, he’s enrolled in the International Baccalaureate Academy at South View.

     

    Pictured from top to bottom: Sierra Gosselin, Jay Benefield

     

     

     

     
  • 10 Choral ArtsThe recently rebranded Cumberland Choral Arts, formerly known as Cumberland Oratorio Singers, is set to debut its 2019-2020 concert season with “A Night at the Opera” Friday, Oct. 18, at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, located at 1601 Raeford Road. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m.

     “A Night at the Opera,” featuring opera choruses both familiar and obscure, will be the latest of CCA’s more diversified musical programming. Among the more familiar pieces will be a “Porgy and Bess” medley performed by guest soloist, Dr. Denise Payton of Fayetteville State University. Selections from Gilbert and Sullivan operettas and the chorus popularly known as the “Can-Can” from Offenbach’s operetta will also be among the featured performances of the evening. Less familiar choruses scheduled to be performed are “Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves” from the Verdi opera “Nabucco” and “Chorus of the Servants” from “Don Pasquale” by Donizetti.

     Since CCA Director, Jason Britt, took a leave of absence during this season’s first quarter due to health reasons, Ryan Pagels, director of music at St. John’s Episcopal Church, is filling in as interim artistic director. “I am very humbled to be conducting this concert, especially one programmed with such special music,” said Pagels. “It is no secret that some of the most iconic and memorable melodies in opera come from the choruses. This program is very much a celebration of the art form, and full of melodies that will stick with you as you leave the concert. I am especially excited to feature Dr. Denise Payton from FSU as a guest soloist, as well as some of the members of the CCA.”

     In addition to the CCA choir, there will be performances by the Cross Creek Chorale and the Campbellton Youth Chorus. A pianist will provide the only instrumental accompaniment of the evening.

     Sponsors for “A Night at the Opera” include Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County, Cumberland Community Foundation, Cumulus Media, Up & Coming Weekly and many others who will be listed in the program.

     “I cannot speak highly enough of this ensemble’s dedication to creating beautiful, moving music, said Pagels. “They are a delightful group of people, and you will not be disappointed.”

     Tickets for this concert may be purchased at the door for $15. Also available for purchase at the door will be $45 season tickets, which will cover the four regular-season concerts. Visit www.facebook.com/CumberlandChoralArts for additional information. 

     In addition to the CCA choir, there will be performances by the Cross Creek Chorale and the Campbellton Youth Chorus.

  • 17 CreedPictures and videos of 7-year-old Creed Kolasa don’t show anything unusual except a youngster with an effervescent smile who quickly charms his way into the hearts of anyone he comes in contact with.

    “He is so funny,’’ said his mother, Jessica Kolasa. “He comes up with the most off-the-wall comments. And he has no filter. He loves people and his smile just melts you.’’

    He is a huge fan of dinosaurs, with Tyrannosaurus Rex his clear favorite. His mom isn’t sure why, but she thinks possibly it’s because of the dinosaur’s ferocious roar.

    With his cherubic face and small stature, Creed doesn’t look like a formidable adversary, but he, his family and all the available tools of modern medicine are fighting back with everything they have against a potentially fatal disease that has beset him since birth.

    Creed is among an estimated 200,000 people worldwide suffering from a rare disorder called Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Creed’s body is unable to produce a protein called dystrophin that helps with normal muscle function.

    He was born four weeks premature and suffered issues with breathing and jaundice. At one time, it was thought he would need a liver transplant.

    Creed’s father, Doren Kolasa, was transferred to Fort Bragg not long after his Creed’s birth. Although the family lives in Eastover, Doren is a successful coach in the Hope Mills Dixie Youth program.

    He led his Hope Mills Angels 10U team to the Dixie Youth state title last summer and a berth in the Dixie Youth World Series in Alexandria, Louisiana.

    Creed plays youth sports in Hope Mills, currently competing in the 8U fall baseball league.

    Jessica eventually took the infant Creed to the emergency room at the University of North Carolina after being unable to find a doctor in Fayetteville who would treat a patient as young as Creed.

    It was at UNC Hospitals that a resident who had studied Duchenne made the diagnosis when Creed was six months old.

    She said the family was told at the time there were no treatments for someone as young as Creed. So Jessica Kolasa began her own quest to find a doctor somewhere who would give Creed the weapons he needed to fight Duchenne.
    “I started reading what kind of therapies have helped slow the progression of the disease and the natural history of it,’’ she said.

    Eventually, they turned to Duke University and found Dr. Edward Smith. Smith is an associate professor of pediatrics at Duke in the division of neurology.

    “I’m the doctor here who sees all the kids with suspected or known muscle and nerve diseases,’’ Smith said. “We follow about 140 Duchenne patients now, kids and adults.’’

    Duchenne is unique to boys, Smith said, and in most cases you don’t see outward signs of the disease until two or three years of age. He said they look essentially normal by the age of three or four and then signs appear like not being able to keep up with children their age or having difficulty standing or going up and down stairs.

    Over time, things get worse. They lose the ability to walk by age 10 or 12, then eventually lose arm function. Since the heart is a muscle, it is also affected over time. By the time the patient reaches the age of 30, they are in a wheelchair and can barely move.

    Standard care of Duchenne includes administering steroids, which basically help the patient to walk a little longer. The Kolasas went to Duke to try an experimental therapy that it offers.

    Creed was originally taking a drug called Vamorolone, a newly synthesized steroid molecule. It basically does the same thing the other steroids do, with hopefully fewer side effects.

    Currently, he’s switched to another drug that helps his body with a process called Exon skipping. In layman’s terms, this drug is sort of a molecular patch. The faulty gene in Creed’s body is tricked into producing the dystrophin protein that helps his muscles do their job.

    Smith said it’s not the normal level of dystrophin that the body produces, but any dystrophin that can be created will slow the advance of the disease and help Creed to live as normally as possible for a longer time.

    Research is ongoing into even better ways to get the body to produce the needed dystrophin Smith said. Advanced gene therapy is looking at a way to deliver a micro dystrophin gene through a virus that would carry the gene to the muscles and turn on dystrophin production. “There are currently three trials going on in the United States with three different companies,’’ Smith said. “It looks promising.’’

    Life goes on at a hectic pace for Creed and family. He has regular occupational and physical therapy sessions, along with speech therapy, to help him battle what the lack of dystrophin does to his muscles.

    He makes weekly visits to Duke for an infusion of the Exon, skipping medication he’s currently using. He’s had 115 visits to date. In each one, he undergoes an hour-long infusion of the drug, then has to wait an additional hour to be observed for a reaction.

    Not surprisingly, he’s no stranger to all the folks at Duke. “He is on a first-name basis with half the hospital,’’ Smith said.

    That is likely one of the reasons Creed was front and center at the recent Duke Children’s Gala, an annual benefit held to raise money for Duke Children’s.

    Blue Devil basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski and his family were honored for their support of Duke Children’s. Creed was called to the stage to share his story, and to receive an autographed basketball from Krzyzewski.

    I just loved Creed being able to go up on stage and tell his story, lighten up the room,’’ Jessica said, “being able to bring awareness to Duchenne and raise some money for the hospital.’’

    But while the moment in the spotlight was special, Jessica and her family face the reality of daily challenges seeking the best care for Creed while raising a family of three other children ages ranging in age from 12 to three.

    “It’s a tough balance,’’ she said. “There have been a lot of tears shed by my other kids when they wanted to do something and know they can’t because I can’t pick them up at that time.

    “It really pulls on my heart because I’ve had to see them mature faster, but the love they have for him (Creed) overshadows all of that.’’

    Meanwhile, Jessica says she and her family pray daily for a miracle that will deliver Creed from the grip of Duchenne and allow him to lead a normal life.

    “We also have learned life isn’t about things, it’s about memories,’’ she said. “We try to soak in everything we can, possibly soak in with him and all four kids.

    “That’s what life’s about. Making memories.’’

    And keeping them alive as long as possible.

    Pictured:Creed Kolasa gets autographed basketball from Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski.
    Photo credit: Les Todd for Duke Children’s

  • 03 MargaretCredence Clearwater Revival’s John Fogarty nailed it.

    It feels all déjà vu all over again.

    Presidents Richard Nixon and Donald Trump appear on parallel tracks, nearly 50 years apart.

    Nixon may or may not have known about a criminal office break-in, but he and his administration went to great lengths to cover up that break-in and associated criminal activities. His lies were exposed when a staffer revealed to congressional investigators a secret Oval Office taping system, which recorded Nixon’s lies and duplicity — not to mention his racist and obscene language. Nixon resigned the presidency in disgrace after Republican congressional leaders told him there was not enough congressional support to save him from impeachment in the U.S. House and conviction in the U.S. Senate.

    After a whistleblower came forward about Donald Trump’s requests for political favors from the president of Ukraine, Trump admitted soliciting several other foreign leaders for dirt on American political rivals, and has actually done so on worldwide television. At least one whistleblower, and perhaps more, have reported Trump’s behavior to Congress, and impeachment investigations are underway. Trump continues to threaten the whistleblower(s), insinuating treasonous behavior that may have been punishable by death in earlier times.

    What remains to be seen is whether congressional Republicans, including North Carolina’s House delegation and Senators Richard Burr and Thom Tillis, have enough intestinal fortitude and strength of character to put the welfare of the United States before Trumpian politics. A political cartoon once depicted Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and former House Speaker Paul Ryan as subjects for medical study as they are the only two human beings known to walk upright without having spines.

    To quote Trump, “We’ll see what happens.”
     
        ******************
    Medicaid expansion has been a hot topic in the North Carolina General Assembly for most of the decade, with Democrats pushing for it and Republicans resisting. Democrats rightly argue that emergency rooms are the most expensive way on God’s green earth to provide routine health care to uninsured people and financially burdens local hospitals. Republicans say expanding coverage for low-income uninsured people is just too expensive, even though the federal government picks up 90% of the tab. Last week, influential former Republican North Carolina House member and business leader, Danny McComas of Wilmington, came out in favor of Medicaid expansion. McComas says it would help combat North Carolina’s opioid epidemic and points out that North Carolina ranks eighth from the national bottom in health insurance coverage.

    Wrote McComas in the Wilmington Star News, “Why are we ceding the competitive advantage and sending our federal tax dollars to 37 other states to stimulate their economies, to create thousands of jobs in their communities and to provide affordable health insurance to their citizens?... It certainly is not a good business decision.”
     
     ******************
    And, finally, happy belated birthday to former President Jimmy Carter, who celebrated his 95th birthday Oct. 1. That milestone makes Carter the longest-lived president in American history, eclipsing former President George H. W. Bush, who died last fall at 94. He survived a metastatic melanoma diagnosis in which cancer spread to his brain and continues to do the physical, mental and emotional work of building houses for Habitat for Humanity all over our nation, with an upcoming foray to Nashville, Tennessee. Carter and his wife, former first lady Roselyn Carter, have been married for 73 years and continue to live in tiny Plains, Georgia, where the former president of the United States regularly teaches Sunday school.

     Partisan politics aside, Jimmy Carter is in an entirely different league than Richard Nixon and Donald Trump.
     
    Republicans say expanding Medicaid  coverage for low-income uninsured people is just too expensive.
  • 06 CommissaryMilitary commissary officials have stepped up their efforts to beef up savings, convenience and overall shopping experiences for customers. When are beer and wine coming to your commissary? No answer yet, according to DoD officials. Right now there is a limited test selling beer and wine in 12 military commissaries. Fort Bragg is not one of them. Commissary and exchange officials are “gathering and analyzing all factors related to beer and wine sales,” said DoD spokeswoman Jessica Maxwell.

    The 12 test stores have limited selections and restricted floor space for beer and wine, typically a four-foot shelf space each for beer and for wine. The selections have been purposely kept small at the 12 stores, and are being culled and changed, said one industry source. Beer and wine sales are expected to be rolled out slowly to other stores, he said, as officials evaluate the initial sales and remain sensitive to the needs of customers and the military services’ desires to deglamorize alcohol.

    One industry source said the Fort Myer, Virginia, commissary — the store closest to the Pentagon — has the best sales of all 12 stores. Although its selection is the smallest, its placement near the meat section is key, a local official said. “It’s all about where you put it, and how you stage it.”

    Even with just four-feet of shelf space devoted to each of their beer and wine offerings, that store sold $165,596 worth of libations. Its wine sales brought it over the top: 66% of the sales were wine, which far surpassed the other 11 stores.
    Following a 90-day pilot program in the last half of 2018, DoD decided to continue sales of beer and wine at the 12 test stores while it evaluated whether to expand sales to the rest of the system’s 226 commissaries in the U.S. and abroad. As of December 8, 2018, some $394,315 worth of beer and wine were sold in the 12 commissaries — $190,574 in beer, and $203,741 in wine, according to Lt. Col. Carla Gleason, a Pentagon spokeswoman.

    The spirits industry had been hoping that a test of spirits sales at the commissaries might follow. But the DoD decided it will not move ahead with a pilot test for spirits. “The department has evaluated the sale of alcoholic beverages in commissaries,” Gleason said, “and stands by its original decision to limit sales to a small selection of beers and wines.”

    “Spirits, wine and beer all compete for the same drinking occasions,” said David Ozgo, senior vice president for economic and strategic analysis for the Distilled Spirits Council. “By discriminating against spirits, the DoD is picking marketplace winners and losers and trying to dictate consumer preferences … excluding spirits puts us at a competitive disadvantage.”

    Following a 90-day pilot program in the last half of 2018, DoD decided to continue sales of beer and wine at the 12 test stores while it evaluated whether to expand sales to the rest of the system’s 226 commissaries in the U.S. and abroad.

  • In Munich, Germany, Oct. 6 marked the end of one of their oldest and most celebrated traditions, Oktoberfest. However, at St. Patrick Catholic Church on Village Drive, last Sunday’s celebration of Oktoberfest marked over four decades of food, fun, frolic, music and be02 01womener — lots of beer, sauerkraut, potato salad and sausages. All Bavarian-style. This annual event, hosted by the St. Pat’s Knights of Columbus organization, is a major fundraiser for the church. Traditionally, Up & Coming Weekly rarely writes about programs and events that have already taken place; however, this event was special and so impressive I felt impelled to make an exception and advise our readers to put it on their calendars for the first Sunday in October 2020.

    I guess with this event coming on the heels of the Fayetteville Greek Festival and the International Folk Festival, it made me cognizant and appreciative of our incredibly diverse community.

    Knight Fred Cutter was the chairman of this year’s festivities, and he and his committee went to the far extreme to capture the authentic ambiance and culture of a true Bavarian festival, right down to the decorations, food, music and costumes. Surprisingly, many in attendance dressed in traditional Bavarian attire; the men wore lederhosen, and the ladies wore colorful dirndls — pronounced dern-DULL — which is an ensemble that includes a blouse, skirt and apron. The music was exceptional. Throughout the evening, attendees marched, sang and danced to the Little German Band and Dancers out of Raleigh. They were quite talented, performing songs, waltzes and polkas from the Bavaria region of Germany that energized and electrified the audience. The German word “Gemütlichkeit” describes a state of belonging when being surrounded by good friends, with good music and good times.02 02 Oktoberfest

    So, nothing to do in Fayetteville? What nonsense. There’s plenty to do here. And, the best common denominator all these community events and venues have is the people themselves. We encourage everyone to get involved and get to know our residents and our community. St. Patrick’s Oktoberfest is only one example of the excellent events that define our unique community.

    Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

    St. Patrick’s Catholic Church on Village Drive celebrated Oktoberfest this past Sunday with a fun family affair.
    Picture 1, L-R: Lia, Lexie and Yiotta Hasapis

  • 14 Thats Rufus In this time of political rancor and hate, it is nice to find something that old time politicos agree on regardless of political affiliation, when they answer this question: Who is North Carolina’s most colorful political figure?

    The answer today is clear: It is Rufus Edmisten, Democratic nominee for governor in 1984, attorney general, secretary of state and author of a recent book, “That’s Rufus: A Memoir of Tar Heel Politics, Watergate and Public Life.”

    Edmisten begins his book not with his birth and growing up on a farm just outside the mountain town of Boone but with his favorite story. In 1973, he served the president of the United States with a subpoena on behalf of the Senate Watergate Committee, which was led by another North Carolinian, Sen. Sam Ervin. Serving the president with this demand for the records ultimately led to President Nixon’s resignation. Edmisten’s position as Ervin’s right-hand man made him a nationally known personality that he leveraged into political stardom.

    Edmisten makes the story a good one. He describes the frantic rush to prepare the subpoena document, including a heated discussion about using correction fluid to cover a mistake and a ride to the Executive Office Building where the president’s lawyers respectfully accepted the subpoena. Then the cheeky Rufus reached in his pocket, pulled out his copy of the Constitution and gave it to the president’s lawyers in a pointed message that they should study it.

    This incident and Edmisten’s work with Sen. Ervin were the launch pad for his political career.

    Edmisten’s prelaunch story is set in the North Carolina mountains on a farm near Boone, where he grew up tending cows and pigs and working fields of cabbages and tobacco. He made extra money plowing garden plots for his neighbors and used a tractor to visit his kinfolks around the mountains.

    After success in athletics, Future Farmers of America, student politics and academics in high school, and almost winning a Morehead Scholarship, he landed at UNC-Chapel Hill. From there, he made his way to Washington, D.C., teaching at a Catholic high school, attending law school at George Washington and securing a low-level job on Sen. Ervin’s staff. Edmisten soon became one of the senator’s full-time trusted assistants in the Watergate-Nixon impeachment matter.

    The “That’s Rufus” chapter on Watergate is good background for those following the current battle between Congress and another president.

    He returned to North Carolina in 1974 and mounted a successful campaign for attorney general. His triumph over a host of prominent Democrats gave notice he would run for governor someday.

    That day came in 1984 when Gov. Jim Hunt ran for the U.S. Senate and a host of Democrats lined up to run for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination. Edmisten won in a brutal primary runoff against Eddie Knox and then lost the general election to Jim Martin.

    Some believe he lost because he made disparaging remarks about barbecue. His version of that incident is, by itself, worth the price of the book. But Edmisten says it was Ronald Reagan’s “sticky coattails” that “swept both me and Jim Hunt away from our dreams. We were not alone, either. The sweep was broad and far reaching.”

    Edmisten felt crestfallen and abandoned. “The ache in the bottom of my stomach was so great nothing appealed to me except finding some dark place to crawl away and hide,” he writes. “I swear I saw people cross the street so they wouldn’t have to talk to me.”

    “That’s Rufus” describes how Edmisten came back from that defeat, won election as secretary of state, lost that position in disgrace, came back as a successful lawyer and lobbyist and learned lessons that will be important for every citizen.

    In a future column I will share some of that wisdom.

  • The Fourth Annual North Carolina Fall Festival takes place Thursday, Oct. 17, through Saturday,  Oct. 19, on Main Street in downtown Raeford.

     “This is the fourth year of the Fall Festival, but it is the 35th year of our festival in Hoke County,” said Melissa Pittman, executive director of the North Carolina Fall Festival. “The name was changed five years ago from the North Carolina Turkey Festival to the North Carolina Fall Festival.”

     Pittman added the name was changed because at the time the festival was organized the largest employer and commodity of Hoke County was turkeys. “We changed the name to make it more inclusive of all of the businesses in Raeford,” she said.

     The celebration kicked off Saturday, Oct. 5 with the Second Annual Golf Tournament. Card Tournament Tuesday will be Oct. 15. Senior Day is Wednesday, Oct. 16, with bingo, lunch, health screenings and a guest speaker.

     The parade takes place Thursday, Oct. 17, at 5:30 p.m. “We do the parade every year, and that allows students to show off their band, their cheerleaders, their sports team. Each of our schools and several businesses in town will get a float,” said Pittman. “It’s a huge event that only happens once a year in Hoke County.”

     A “Stuffin’ and Stompin” dinner takes place from 5-7 p.m. at West Hoke Middle School Friday, Oct. 18. The cost is $8. The Turkey Bowl follows at 7 p.m. at Hoke High School in Raz Autry Stadium.

     The last day of the festival is Saturday, Oct. 19, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Live music will be provided by The Dowdy Boys, Dv8er, Donnie Henderson and Winslow Ratliff. The featured band is Soul DeCree, who will perform at noon.  “Our festival sets out each year to bring artists, different cultural events and craftsmen to (the) community,” said Pittman. “Many of our children have seen storytellers that they would have never seen if it had not been for the festival.”

     There will be a Children’s Corner at the festival that features a climbing wall, double slides, obstacle courses, a trackless train ride and games. “They get to come and participate in our Children’s Corner, which is entirely free this year with our county and city governments paying for that area so our local children and any child that comes will not have to pay,” said Pittman. “We will have craftsmen that do their work on the street, cultural dancers and a dance troupe that will perform, the Lumbee Tribe who will perform, step teams and bands.” There will also be a food court and a wine and beer court.

     Also, there will be an art contest between all of the students in Hoke County.  Cash prizes will be awarded, and their art will be displayed from Oct. 18 – Nov. 11. The school that wins the overall display receives a donation from the festival to go toward  the school’s art program.

     The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 910-904-2424 or visit www.NCFallFestival.com.

  • 04 LyreYou are probably asking yourself the musical question, “How did Up & Coming Weekly’s copy editor let such a stupid mistake creep into the title of this stain on world literature?” Or you may even be asking a more profound question, “Why are these annoying columns impinging on my eyeballs before they get turned into fish wrap?” Alas, some questions don’t have answers. But as to the spelling of lyre, it is correct. Today’s visit into the swamp of free media is going to consist of a visit to our old Greek friend, the lyre-playing Orpheus. For those of you who may have missed the class on Ancient Greek Music Appreciation 101, a lyre is a small U-shaped harp.

    We are exploring the story of Orpheus because the talking heads on the news are reporting on everyone calling everyone else liars. You have probably heard enough about Ukraine this week and who is lying about whom. So today, take a break from political liars and ponder musical lyres.

    Orpheus was the Elvis of his day. He could pluck his lyre till the cows came home. When Orpheus sang and played the lyre, trees and rocks would dance, rivers would change course and lions would lie down with lambs. After listening to Orpheus, cannibals gave up human protein and became vegans. Orpheus was that good. Naturally being a Greek god helped as Orpheus had a supernatural musical talent that would have made John Lennon jealous. Like all Greek mythology, there are many versions of Orpheus’ story. Today you will get the version I like best.

    Orpheus’ baby daddy was probably Apollo. The ancient Greeks didn’t have 23 & Me to test their DNA, so the paternity of most gods is a guess at best. As a lad, Orpheus had the old wanderlust. He scratched that itch by sailing with Jason and the Argonauts. On their course on the Love Boat, Orpheus and the Argonauts had to sail by an island populated by the Sirens. The Sirens were a bunch of bodaciously beautiful babes who were singers themselves. The Sirens made Jennifer Lopez look like a boy — if you know what I mean, and I think you do. Sailors would hear the Sirens singing and it was Katy, bar the door. To hook up with the Sirens, sailors would jump into the water and drown or crash their ships into the rocks, ending up in a watery grave. When the Sirens began belting out their songs for the Argonauts, Orpheus whipped out his lyre and played “Fire on the Mountain.” His music drowned out the Siren songs, letting the sailors keep sailing safely onward.

    Like all Greek gods, Orpheus had a troubled love life, sort of like yours. But I digress. Orpheus fell in love with the elegant Eurydice. He proposed to her, and she accepted. Alas, the course of true love never runs smooth. At her wedding, Eurydice was walking around in the tall grass when she was set upon by a satyr. Satyrs have horns on their heads as befits a half goat and half man. Satyrs liked to drink and make whoopee. Eurydice knew all this. She ran to try to escape the satyr. Unfortunately, in her haste, she stepped into a nest of vipers. She sustained a viper bite to her heel, which caused her to expire. Sad.

    Eurydice, being dead, had no choice but to descend into the Underworld, where the dead folks hung out under the watchful eyes of the Underworld’s rulers, Hades and Persephone. Orpheus, being love struck, went down into the Underworld looking for his beloved. Normally, when you go into the Underworld, you don’t get to come back. However, Orpheus rosined up his bow and started playing that lyre to beat the band. The bosses of the Underworld were so taken with his music that they agreed to let Orpheus take Eurydice back to the land of the living. There was one condition. Orpheus had to walk in front of Eurydice without looking back at her until they both got out of the Underworld. Naturally, Orpheus messed up this simple task. Like most men, he couldn’t follow directions. When Orpheus got back topside, he turned around to look at Eurydice, who was still in the Underworld. Yuge mistake! He got one good look at Eurydice, and then she disappeared forever.

    Orpheus wandered lonely as a cloud while weeping piteously after he realized what he had done. He had some more adventures until he finally went to see the Oracle of Dionysus. A funny thing happened to him on his way to the Oracle. The Oracle had a cult following of women called Maenads. These ladies were wild dancers who did all sorts of things about which we cannot speak in a family newspaper. The Maenads were plenty riled up when Orpheus came into view. Unhappy with being interrupted, the Maenads tore Orpheus into shreds — even breaking his lyre.

    What, if anything, have we learned today? To quote Winston Churchill: “If you are walking through Hell, keep going.”

    Gentlemen, if you are lost, ask directions and follow them. If you come upon a crowd of ladies wilding in the woods, turn around. And as Andy Griffith once said, “Don’t ever, ever, mess with the ladies of the Altar Guild.”

    Orpheus was the Elvis of his day. He could pluck his lyre till the cows came home.

  • 09 HAMLITWho knew tragedy could be so funny? The theater company of Sweet Tea Shakespeare did. Imagine if Shakespeare and Monty Python had a child, who was now a teenager; now you have a glimpse into the hilarious, interactive performance of “HamLIT.” You definitely don’t want to be caught taking a drink while you’re enjoying the show, or do you? You may be “voluntold” if you don’t volunteer to be a part of the drinking games in the first and the second act. “HamLIT” premiered at the Fayetteville Dinner Theatre Sept. 27 and 28 and will play at different venues through Nov. 9.

    The evening began with musician Dean Dibling leading the cast members in a few modern tunes to help get the audience in the right mood. Brandon Bryan, who plays Polonius, asked for the audience’s input for his monologue that he would perform later. It’s a sort of vocal Mad Libs group project. This led to an interesting, adult humor monologue that had the audience literally laughing out loud.

    Mary Gainer Mariyampillai is Ophelia and has incredible chemistry with Jacqueline Nunweiler, who plays Ophelia’s brother, Laertes. The blocking of their scenes and the dynamic in their relationship shows the audience the depths of each character’s personal struggles. At the same time, the two expose the comedy within the tragedy of their roles.

    Codirector Traycie Zapata plays Gertrude. Let’s just say if there was a “Real Housewives of HamLIT,” she would be running the show. Traycie engages the audience members in a way that makes you feel as though you alone are meant to be a part of the show. While at the same time, you are there to be entertained. However, her role is not complete without Claudius.

    Nathan Pearce, also a codirector, plays the roles of Claudius and The Ghost, who is Hamlet’s dead father. Nathan brings The Ghost to life with charm and wit. In his role as Claudius, he comes right to you. Really. He’ll sit right at your table, eat your cake, or your popcorn, or even hide behind you. He almost flutters about the audience while still weaving ideas of destruction to Hamlet and Laertes. The audience was so busy laughing at his ability to do this that we wanted to have disdain for him, but couldn’t.

    Nelson Soliva plays the role of Horatio, Hamlet’s Fortnite buddy and best friend. He’s also the friend who isn’t always down for the bad ideas but loves the latest royalty gossip — mostly because he delivers an occasional news broadcast of the recent gossip to the audience.

    And finally, Taj Allen, codirector and Hamlet himself. Taj makes the role of Hamlet appear not only natural but eloquent and hilarious. If both can exist as one, they definitely do with him. The audience feels Hamlet’s pain of losing his father but also sees how dimwitted Hamlet’s choices and behavior are, leading him down a path of self-destruction.

    Sweet Tea Shakespeare takes a classic story, adds impeccable improv, drinking games and audience interaction, for a night of memorable entertainment. Visit www.sweeteashakespear.com for tickets and information.

  • 08 Miki PhillipsMore than 40 years ago, Miki Phillips’ doctor told Miki she had just five years to live. She was 23 at the time and in her senior year at Duke University when the diagnosis of systemic lupus was doled out to her. “I was scared,” Phillips said. “I was put on steroids that utterly destroyed my health.”

    She didn’t let that stop her though. Phillips has Bachelor of Arts degrees in both Chemistry and Biology from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and a Bachelor of Health Sciences degree in Medical Technology from Duke University Medical Center. Today, the mom of two and grandmother of four has had her share of adventures and career successes and conquered enough challenges to last several lifetimes, including six pulmonary emboli, diabetes, fibromyalgia and liver, kidney and stage-four thyroid cancer.

    When it came to her health, Phillips played by the rules and followed her doctors’ orders — for 20 years.  She worked at the VA and later ran clinical drug studies for 25 years. “I loved what I did, but six pulmonary emboli grounded me from flying, and traveled a lot for work,” she said. “After 20 years of steroids, my doctors told me, ‘we can’t do anything else to help you.’”

    With no other options, “I took matters into my own hands,” Phillips said, “I stepped up and took responsibility for my health.”

    That meant being open to a more holistic approach and alternative therapies. During her research, Phillips found the quantum biofeedback machine. After more research, she bought one. “In 10 months, I went from sleeping 14 hours a day and working one job to working two jobs and playing tennis five days a week,” she said. “My doctor has been blown away.”

    She knew she had to share what she’d discovered. Today, Phillips owns Mind Body Seimei and works as a natural health coach, working in conjunction with her patients and their doctors to bring balance to lives and bodies. “Traditional medicine is great, especially for diagnosis and trauma,” said Phillips. “Definitely listen to your doctor. But there is more information and there are other treatments out there for many of the conditions people suffer from.”

    Mind, Body, Seimei offers biofeedback treatments. A frequency-based modality, biofeedback includes a three-minute scan measuring how patient’s body responds to  10,000 frequencies. “It’s not diagnostic,” said Phillips. “It identifies what is out of balance. Then I can help you start addressing them.”

    Seimei is another component of Phillips’ work. Seimei is a Japanese, hands-free pain relief technique that can change/resolve the expression of a person’s pain, for example,  sharp, shooting, burning, tightness, as well as the intensity of their pain.

    She also offers customized Healthy living programs and sells Nature’s Sunshine Products health supplements as well as embracing the benefits CBD oils and other natural products.
    Find out more at http://www.mindbodyseimei.com/.
     

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