https://www.upandcomingweekly.com/


  • 15Buffalo Soldiers PhotoIf you have lived in Fayetteville for any amount of time, you have probably been stuck in traffic while hundreds of motorcyclists jam up the roads in some kind of motorcycle procession. I know times like this may be frustrating, but your patience and understanding help others safely travel to raise money for various charities, groups and individuals in the area.

    One of these charitable groups is the Fayetteville Chapter Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club of the National Association of Buffalo Soldiers & Trooper Motorcycle Club.

    On July 21, Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club presented five checks for $1,000 each to five high school students. The gift was part of the club’s College Scholarship of Excellence awards. The recipients of this year’s academic achievement awards are Nyah Kite, Harnett Central High; Destiny McMillian, Fairmount High; Mailyn Nelson, E.E. Smith; Myles Nooks, E.E. Smith; and Jesenia Ortiz-Ruiz, Cumberland International Early College High School.

    The Buffalo Soldiers’ proud history originally started with members of the 10th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army, formed Sept. 21, 1866, at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. This nickname was given to the all-black cavalry by Native American tribes who fought in the Indian Wars. The term eventually became synonymous with all of the African-American regiments formed in 1866 and still celebrated today.

    The heroic efforts of the original Buffalo Soldiers led to the creation of a motorcycle club named in their honor. The Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club of North Carolina was formed June 1, 2001. The idea was to have Fayetteville and the state of North Carolina represented by some of the finest military and civilian personnel and to also uphold the legacy of the Buffalo Soldiers from the 9th and 10th Calvary.

    For more information about the Buffalo Soldiers motorcycle club, visit www.ncbuffalosoldiers.com or contact their Public Relation Committee chair, Dorian “ShoTime” Brunson at shotime.bsmc@gmail.com.

    If there is a topic you would like to discuss, you can contact me at motorcycle4fun@aol.com. RIDE SAFE!

  • 16Shaun MaherShaun Maher is retired from playing professional soccer in Europe, but he’s still sharing his knowledge of the game with younger players.

    Maher, the brother of Fayetteville Academy assistant soccer coach Jimmy Maher, held a camp for local soccer players recently at Fayetteville Academy.

    A veteran of professional play in England and Ireland, Maher said he brought a different voice and his own perspective of the game to his young students.

    “My philosophy is pass and attack, and I’m just trying to pass that on, help the players with certain tools that will help them in their application (of the game),’’ Maher said.

    Maher said the biggest difference between European soccer and the American game is that American youngsters don’t get enough playing time during their developmental years.

    “They play seven months of the year then move on to other sports,’’ he said. “You need 10,000 contact hours before the age of 18. Kids here aren’t giving themselves the proper chance because they’re not reaching half of that.’’

    There was much criticism of American soccer nationally this year when the United States men’s team failed to qualify for the recently-completed World Cup.

    Maher said he agrees with comments made by national pundits who say one big problem with American soccer is that the nation’s top athletes are generally drawn to play sports like football  and basketball.

    “The population here is vast, the athletes are here, but you’ve got so many sports competing against soccer,’’ Maher said.

    To change the soccer culture in this country, Maher said soccer needs to provide more pathways to develop players. “You need to look at the pathways for American players (into the pro game),’’ Maher said. “The resources are being sent elsewhere.’’

    Two local players who attended Maher’s clinic said he gave them different perspectives on the game.

    One was Terry Sanford’s Talia Parrous, who just days earlier had played and scored a goal for the East All-Stars in the annual North Carolina Coaches Association East-West All-Star game in Greensboro.

    Since Maher’s clinic, Parrous has reported for her freshman season on the soccer team at UNCWilmington.

    “I really like what he does,’’ Parrous said of Maher. “He brings something new I don’t get a lot of the time. He has different creative drills, more technical.

    “He’s big into fitness. I’m trying to step up my fitness, and doing three hours of soccer is one way to do it. It’s like a professional coach, so it gives me something good to get into.’’

    Cortez Herring will be a junior at Fayetteville Academy this fall. Herring liked Maher’s focus on high-intensity training and defensive pressure, trying to win the ball back.

    “He teaches different ways to help us get to the next level,’’ Herring said.

  • 14Dam 4 Aldridge photoThe citizens in Hope Mills don’t just have a new dam and restored lake anymore. Now they’ve got a nationally-recognized one.

    Town Manager Melissa Adams recently received notification that Hope Mills has won this year’s National Rehabilitation Project of the Year Award from the Association of State Dam Safety Officials based in Seattle, Washington. Town representatives will travel there on Sept. 10 to receive the award at the dam safety conference’s award luncheon.

    Katelyn Riley, communications manager for the ASDSO, said the rehabilitation project award is one of several specific dam safety awards the organization presents annually. Founded in the 1980s, the dam safety group has presented this particular award since 1992 under slightly different names.

    Riley put the meaning of the award in the proper context.

    “It is a big deal,’’ she said. “It means the work that they did is state-of-the-art. It means they are meeting really high standards. It means they are an example for other people who are looking into rehabilitation for their dams. It’s national recognition that they did a great job.’’

    Riley said the dam in Hope Mills was first brought to the attention of her organization through a member of their board of directors. Then, Hope Mills was contacted and had to go through an extensive application process to be considered for the award.

    “Our organization, our vision, is a future where all dams are safe,’’ Riley said. She added they work with people all across the nation involved in dam safety to improve safety, education and communication about dams.

    She said the award is for developers who come up with unique and innovative rehabilitation projects that meet the high standards for engineers and dam safety and serve as an example for other people across the country.

    The Hope Mills application for the award was submitted primarily by Adams, Mayor Jackie Warner, former Hope Mills Public Works Director Hector Cruz and Mark Landis of Schnabel Engineering. Adams said the entry included problems encountered, solutions achieved, unique characteristics of the project, plus a description and history of the rehabilitation.

    Adams called the award fantastic and hopes that the community realizes it came from a lot of hard work from many, many people.

    “I don’t believe they realize the magnitude of all the work that went into it,’’ Adams said, “even the daily oversight of the project.’’

    She does feel there is a great sense of celebration and jubilation in the community now that the dam is back and the lake has been restored.

    “People are truly enjoying the property, the park area, the new pier, the water in the lake, being able to boat and sit out there and view the water at sunset,’’ she said.

    “It’s absolutely gorgeous. I think people are grateful for that and enjoying it.’’

    As the town commissioners continue to develop plans for the lake’s future, Adams thinks there’s no limit to what the town can do to benefit from the dam and return of the lake.

    “The different activities we’ll be able to hold down there,’’ she said. “The public functions. The future celebrations. Being able to have that sense of accomplishment and look at how beautiful it is.’’

    Adams said it will add an additional piece to public functions as well as parks and recreation activities.

    “Anybody can come and enjoy,’’ she said.

  • Meetings

    For details about all meetings and activities, including location where not listed, call Town Clerk Jane Starling at 910-426-4113. Most meetings take place at Town Hall or the Hope Mills Parks and Recreation center.

    • Special Meeting of the Board of Commissioners Wednesday, Aug. 1, 6 p.m. in the Bill Luther Meeting Room at Town Hall. The goals are: (1) To discuss rescheduling the public hearing on the Lone Survivor Project until after the Board has received the Comprehensive Parks and Recreation Plan and has had a chance to review it. (2) To conduct a Closed Session pursuant to NCGS  143-318.11 (a) (6) to discuss matters relating to a personnel matter.

    • Festival Committee Monday, Aug. 6, 5 p.m. at the front Town Hall meeting room.

    • Board of Commissioners Monday, Aug. 6, and Monday, Aug. 20, 7 p.m. in the Bill Luther Meeting Room at Town Hall.

    • Lake Advisory Committee Tuesday, Aug. 21, 6 p.m. at Hope Mills Parks and Recreation.

    Activities

    • Hope Mills Area Kiwanis Club at Sammio’s, second Tuesdays at noon and fourth Tuesdays at 6 p.m. For details, call 910-237-1240.

    • Hope Meals Food Truck Rodeo Thursday, Aug. 2, 5-8 p.m. Live jazz, kids activities, vendors. Held in the big parking lot at Town Hall.

    • National Night Out Tuesday, Aug. 7, 6-9 p.m. at Hope Mills Municipal Park.

    Promote yourself: Email hopemills@upandcomingweekly.com.

  • 13Elite Dance 1Victoria Armstrong and Michelle Hurd have both spent the majority of their lives dancing and teaching others how to.

    They’ve brought their enthusiasm and knowledge of dance to their own Elite Dance Center at the corner of Legion and Black and Decker Roads in Hope Mills.

    Hurd, 45, was a dancer and teacher first, training her daughter Armstrong, 27, and transferring her love for dance to her daughter.

    At Elite Dance, the teaching subjects are all children, no adults, ranging in age from 2 to 18. Armstrong said the dance center’s first goal is to give the youngsters a love for dance because often it’s the idea of a parent to enroll children in dance as an activity.

    “Our first priority is to teach them to love the art form,’’ Armstrong said. “We have to pique their interest, and we’re going to try and do some learning along the way.’’

    There’s a major difference in teaching children about something like dance versus sharing the fundamentals and rules of other youth activities like soccer, football or baseball, Armstrong said. Yes, there are disciplines to be learned in dance, she said, but the children also need to be taught to explore what dance is all about.

    “There are rules to sports,’’ she said. “This is a little more creative. We have to open their eyes to feel comfortable to do things like that.’’

    Armstrong said it’s not her mission to dismiss other sports and try to convince parents and children that dance is better. At the same time, she said, dance has a lot of things to offer.

    “It is a physical activity and it’s something I feel anybody can do,’’ she said. “We have children with special needs, physical and mental limitations, and dance is for them.’’

    Armstrong also made the point that dance transcends race, age, physical or mental ability along with being easily accessible. “On different levels, it can be taught to anyone,’’ she said. “It’s important from a positivity aspect. It’s learning to embrace and use your body for different things, artistic purposes.’’

    It’s also an important learning experience for the younger dancers, ages 2 and 3, who may not have experienced time away from their parents in a social situation with other children. “They come here and be away from mom a little,’’ Armstrong said. “It’s a great time to meet children of their own age and develop their own social skills. I can’t say enough about it.’’

    Armstrong is convinced her dance experience as a child helped her develop a great sense of community and team building. “I did recreational dance but I also did competitive dance,’’ Armstrong said. “I was able to learn those valuable team lessons.’’

    Dancers at Elite learn a variety of styles, including ballet, tap, jazz, tumbling and hip hop, to name a few.

    They also participate in two different styles of presentation: competition and performance.

    In competition dancing, teams pay an entry fee to compete in contests against other studios where they are judged and prizes are awarded.

    “We bring home trophies just like you would with any sport,’’ Armstrong said.

    There is also a performance aspect of the training. This comes at end-of-year dance recitals. A select group of studio dancers makes public appearances. Elite dancers served as the official Heart of Christmas Show dancers, performing publicly while patrons paid to see them dance.

    From a cost perspective, Armstrong said, dance is cheaper than some activities. The base price at Elite is $48 a month for four to five classes. There is a discount for boys who sign up because they are not frequent participants in dance for youngsters. Armstrong said if someone has a child they’d like to sign up, she prefers they come to the studio for a visit. “I like human interaction, especially when discussing what’s best for your child,’’ she said. “I kind of get a feel for them and help them look over our schedule.’’

    The classes for dance are broken down both by age group and dance styles, Armstrong said.

    Armstrong said they are pleased with the location because they get a lot of what she called “curb visibility” from passing vehicles. She said many people who wait in line at the drive-thru of a neighboring fast food restaurant call after seeing the studio’s number on the wall of the building.

    “We’re going into our sixth year and it feels like the right place to be,’’ she said.

    You can find Elite on Facebook by searching Elite Dance Center or on the web at www.elitedancecenternc.com. The phone number is 910-425-3524.

  • 12Bert BennettIn 1965, Terry Sanford left the governor’s office and moved down Fayetteville Street from the Capitol into law offices in the BB&T Building. Political insiders started referring to that structure as the Bert Bennett and Terry Building.

    When Bert Bennett died last week in Winston-Salem at 97, old-timers remembered how his vigorous, organized and decisive leadership in the gubernatorial campaigns of Terry Sanford and Jim Hunt was crucial to the success those men achieved.

    Ironically, Bennett’s death came only a few days after the passing of Tom Ellis, the key advisor and organizer for the late Sen. Jesse Helms, the stalwart adversary of Sanford and Hunt.

    Writing about Ellis in “Jim Hunt: A Biography,” Gary Pearce paid Tom Ellis the greatest compliment while describing how Ellis directed Ronald Reagan’s 1976 winning North Carolina presidential primary campaign. He explained, “Ellis was Jesse Helms’s Bert Bennett.”

    In November 1959, Terry Sanford was preparing to announce his candidacy for governor. He had already recruited heavy hitters like Hargrove “Skipper” Bowles to raise campaign funds. When Sanford first called on the successful and wealthy businessman living in a mansion looking over a Greensboro country club golf course, he worried that Bowles might be a Republican.

    But now, Bowles had already raised a bundle of money for Sanford and was hosting the meeting to introduce Sanford’s choice for his campaign manager.

    As Howard Covington and Marion Ellis wrote in their biography, “Terry Sanford: Politics, Progress, and Outrageous Ambitions,” “The newcomer at that meeting was Bert Bennett, a tall, lean businessman from Winston-Salem who had just resigned as Forsyth County party chairman to sign on as Terry’s campaign manager. Some of those present had known Bennett at Chapel Hill, where he had been student body president. Others knew him as a political leader closely aligned with the conservative interests that dominated the party organization in Winston-Salem, home of Wachovia Bank & Trust Co. and R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. Terry had chosen him for those reasons and others, and believed Bennett would add balance to the organization. It was the beginning of a political alliance that would shape North Carolina politics for the next twenty years.”

    As Rob Christensen explained last week in the Raleigh News & Observer, “Bennett was not particularly ideological and was more conservative than Sanford. But he shared Sanford’s sense of wanting to move North Carolina forward and his love of the political game.”

    There was one critical thing that Bennett wanted from Sanford. According to Covington and Ellis, Bennett remembered, “The only thing I asked him was did he want it bad enough.”

    It was the same question Bennett asked every candidate who sought his support, including Jim Hunt. If the candidate did not have fire in the belly, Bennett was not interested.

    But Bennett also had a wry sense of humor. In his book on the 1960 campaign, “Triumph of Good Will: How Terry Sanford Beat a Champion of Segregation and Reshaped the South,” John Drescher tells about the first time Sanford publically admitted that the money for his proposed educational improvements would come from taxes. Walking out of the meeting, he told Bennett that it was remarkable that the audience had applauded. Bennett laughed, “Yes, but I wouldn’t be too sure. They thought you said you’d get the money from Texas.”

    Bennett identified Hunt early on. In Gary Pearce’s biography of Hunt, one chapter is titled “Bert Bennett’s Boy.” He writes, “It was Bennett who decided that Hunt had what it took to be governor, and that the old Sanford group should get behind him.”

    Last week, lots of Democrats were wishing somebody like the tough, businesslike Bert Bennett would get the old group behind the party’s candidates this fall.

  • 11AdultRelive your favorite day in elementary school as an adult. Cumberland County’s first annual Adult Field Day takes place Saturday, Aug. 11, in Festival Park. This is a free event open to the public that is intended to bring people from all communities together through games, food music and more.

    Forty coed teams of four to five will compete in 10 exciting Field Day events for a trophy and bragging rights. There will be an assortment of vendors and food trucks to enjoy as the event is taking place. A great mix of music will play all day, and the night will conclude with a free concert featuring local artists and headlined by North Carolina’s own and Bull City (Durham) native G. Yamazawa. There will also be fun activities for the kids.

    Adult Field Day is a new annual funding event for the local nonprofit organization Our P.L.A.C.E. Proceeds raised will be used to grow the organization and support its future projects and events. Our P.L.A.C.E is known for a host of events and projects, including The Marquis Slam, a monthly spoken-word event held at the Arts Council; after-school programs; community and youth outreach programs; and a Cultural Arts Scholarship program. Most recently, it is gearing up to host the 2019 Southern Fried Poetry Slam in downtown Fayetteville.

    When asked what makes Adult Field Day special, Our P.L.A.C.E. Founding President Eean Tyson said, “I once read, (by David Binder), ‘Festivals promote diversity, they bring neighbors into dialogue, they increase creativity, they offer opportunities for civic pride, they improve our general psychological well-being.’ This is everything we at Our P.L.A.C.E. believe whole-heartedly. We want to bring our community together through sport, food and music.

    “We are a cultural arts nonprofit, and we focus on and are dedicated to the arts, but it’s said that art imitates life, and we want to contribute to our community by making it a better place to live.

    This is the first of many steps we plan to take on this journey, and we hope that you will come along with us.”

    The 10 Field Day events are all the classic favorites, and a few added with a twist: tug of war; sack relay race; three-legged race; balloon toss; memory game; giant Jenga; corn hole; giant “beer” pong (no alcohol); sponge relay with flippers; sprint relay.

    Registration starts at 8 a.m. and the Field Day events begin at 10:30 a.m. An array of food trucks will be on-site and serving food by 11:30 a.m.

    The Field Day competitions are scheduled to conclude at 4 p.m., and winners will be announced by 5 p.m.

    The concert portion of the event will begin shortly after, kicking off with local performers. Headliner G. Yamazawa will hit the stage at 7 p.m. Adult Field Day will end at 9 p.m.

    Register as a team ($75 total) or individual ($20) or learn how to be a sponsor, vendor or volunteer at www.welcome2ourplace.org or www.facebook.com/Fayadultfieldday.

  • 10golfFor 25 years, operating out of downtown Fayetteville, The CARE Clinic has provided free basic medical, dental and pharmacy services to uninsured, lowincome adults. The nonprofit facility is run entirely by volunteers, from physicians, nurses, dentists and pharmacists to board members and receptionists. According to Development & Marketing Director Cynthia Deere, it takes about $44,000 a month just to keep the doors open. One way The CARE Clinic meets this financial need is with its yearly Golf Charity tournament. The 24th Annual CARE Clinic Golf Charity is set for Thursday, Sept. 20, at Gates Four Golf & Country Club.

    “What drives us to do all this, of course, is our patients,” said local attorney Greg Whitley, a longtime CARE Clinic board member who is chairing this year’s tournament.

    Whitley said participants will notice a few changes this year. First, he said, the tournament will change from being a Captain’s Choice, the usual format for charity golf tournaments, to a Texas Scramble. Whitley explained that this will give individual golfers more opportunity to play their own game, no matter their skill level.

    Second, every player will receive a player pack with OGIO golf accessories worth a total of $195.

    The unique Sponsor a Solider option is back, too. Those who wish to support the clinic while blessing a service member can pay for a Fort Bragg soldier’s entry.

    Day-of registration starts at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 20, with a shotgun start at 11 a.m. Dinner and awards will follow the conclusion of the tournament at the Gates Four pavilion. There will be a raffle, prize presentations to the winning teams and time to socialize.

    This mingling, Deere said, can have long-reaching positive effects.

    “We had one sponsored soldier golfer last year who won the 50/50 raffle,” she said. “He didn’t know anything about The CARE Clinic, so he learned a little bit about us that day. Then, ironically, he’s in Fayetteville Young Professionals, and I was having them come (to the clinic) the following week. And so he came, and he heard all about us.

    “He never cashed his 50/50 raffle check, which was several hundred dollars; he gave it back to the clinic because he’d learned about what we do.

    “He was getting out of the military, starting his own small business. He had an employee who got sick and did not have insurance, so he told her to contact The CARE Clinic, and she did. She  got the medication she needed, she stayed well, and she was able to keep working for him and not quit her job. And this all came from him playing in the golf tournament.”

    Deere said this is just one of many similar stories that point to the value of charity events like this one.

    “I think one of the biggest misconceptions is that we are assisting lazy people that expect everything for free,” she said. “That is not who our patients are. Our patients are hard-working people who either own a small business or work for a small business and don’t have insurance, or they are single, raising kids and can’t afford health insurance.”

    For 2018 CARE Clinic Golf Charity registration and sponsorship information, or to learn about other volunteer opportunities, call 910-485-0555 or visit www.thecareclinic.org. The CARE Clinic is located at 239 Robeson St.

    CARE Clinic patient information:

    To be eligible for The CARE Clinic’s services, you must be 18 years or older; have no insurance, including Medicaid; meet an income requirement; and display proof of household income and a valid, North Carolina DMV-issued picture ID card or driver’s license showing your current address.

    Call 910-485-0555 to make an appointment. Appointments are made only by phone; no walk-ins. Medical appointments can be made Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dental appointments can be made Friday from 9 a.m. to noon for the following week.

    The clinic serves patients each Tuesday and Thursday and the second and fourth Wednesday of each month from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Dental clinics are every Tuesday and the second and fourth Wednesday of each month. Appointments are made on a space-available basis.

  • 09Hawkins3The Fayetteville Ladies Power Lunch is a quarterly event that brings local women together to inspire, educate and empower one another. Thursday, Aug. 9, don’t miss the third power lunch of the year, featuring keynote speaker Fayetteville Police Chief Gina Hawkins.

    Like many women, Hawkins is intentional in her quest for a balanced life. “Maintaining balance is definitely the most difficult objective when you are living on purpose,” she said. “I believe people who are living on purpose have a passion for what they do and can get so focused they can begin to neglect themselves or taking care of what is truly important to their health – physically, emotionally and socially.”

    Staying true to the spirit of the event, Hawkins will talk about the theme of the empowerment lunch – inspiring, educating, empowering and celebrating the lionesses of the community. “I will do my best to provide examples of each within my life experience and (will also talk about) the importance of relationships,” she said.

    Hawkins took the helm of the Fayetteville Police Department in August 2017 after serving on the Atlanta, Georgia, police force for almost three decades. She received the We Are Clayton Magazine2016 Living Legend Award and was awarded a place on Georgia’s 100 Most Powerful and Influential Award by Women Looking Ahead News in 2014.

    She is a Peace Officer Standards Training-certified instructor and speaks Spanish as her second language. Hawkins is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives, the Hispanic  American Police Command Officers Association, Atlanta Metropol, Senior Management Institute for Police, the Police Executive Research Forum and the FBI National Academy Associates Georgia.

    Hawkins considers her greatest accomplishments to be her service to God, her devotion to her family and friends, and her two daughters, Italia Danita-Hawkins Hines and Trinity Aminah-Kariamu Yabuku.

    The power lunch starts at 10 a.m. with a shopportunity, which includes vendors as well as a wine bar and tasting. The luncheon and Hawkins’ talk follows from noon to 2 p.m. After the meal, attendees are invited to stay and shop until 3 p.m.

    Vendors at this luncheon include Kids Peace; It Works; Rodan & Fields; Inspired Mache; Randall’s Engraving; Back 2 Eden; Jewels by Park Lane; Mary Kay Cosmetics; ShoMore  Photography; Paparazzi Jewelry; Picture of Health Thermography; Cookie Crafts 4 Crisis; LREEZ Decadent Desserts; Pure Romance with Dee; SeneGence; Christi Lowe Productions, LLC; The Next 56 Days; Girl Scouts of the Coastal Pines; Together As One Bridal Boutique; Trost Therapeutic Massage; Ja Le’Artworks; and Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa.

    The luncheon takes place at the Ramada Plaza at Bordeaux. Visit www.fayettevilleladiespowerlunch.com or call 910-273-2820 to make your reservation. Tickets cost $35. A portion of the proceeds from the event will be donated to the Kidsville News Literacy and Education Foundation.

  • 08James BurmeisterA Minnesota congressman wants full details on what the military knows about extremist activity in its ranks, following news reports detailing at least three service members with ties to a white supremacist group. Rep. Keith Ellison, a Democrat who was the first Muslim elected to Congress, sent a letter to Defense Secretary Jim Mattis asking for information on any investigations into troops’ extremist activities and “steps currently being taken to screen recruits for extremist ties.”

    “Department of Defense guidance clearly prohibits discrimination and extremist behavior,” he said. But, he said, “it appears that some service members are still able to join and actively participate in extremist organizations.”

    Several lawmakers have questioned whether the military has done enough to investigate the issue and root out individuals with ties to extremist groups. The allegation of racism in the Army is  reminiscent of a sensational double murder in Fayetteville 23 years ago involving James Burmeister II.

    The New York Daily News said at the time that Burmeister was weaned on racism. His father, a mechanic, was a bitter, big-talking bigot who fed his son a steady redneck diet about how minorities had stifled white progress. Young Burmeister matured into the apple of his father’s eye – a young man seething with racist phobias and resentment.

    He joined the Army after finishing high school in 1993 and was assigned to Fort Bragg’s 82nd Airborne Division. While driving around town on the night of Dec. 6, 1995, Burmeister and Malcolm Wright got out of their car and walked up behind two African-Americans on Hall Street near downtown. Their names were Michael James, 36, and Jackie Burden, 27.

    Burmeister executed James with two shots to the head. He then chased Burden, knocked her down with a shot to the back and shot three more bullets into her head. A friend, Randy Meadows Jr., the driver, had parked a block away.

    Burmeister and Wright fled in the opposite direction and eventually caught a taxi home. Meadows, meanwhile, got out of the car and walked toward the gunfire. Police picked him up within minutes of the murders, and he gave up the names of his skinhead comrades.

    Meadows led the authorities to the trailer where Burmeister and Wright were sleeping. Police found a 9 mm semiautomatic pistol, a Nazi flag, white supremacist pamphlets and other gang paraphernalia. The State Bureau of Investigation identified the handgun as the weapon that killed James and Burden.

    In 1997, Burmeister and Wright were tried on two counts each of first degree murder and conspiracy. They were convicted and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.  Prosecutors said that the killing of James and Burden was racially motivated and that Burmeister and Wright were neo- Nazi skinheads who chose their victims at random.

    The case prompted the Army to conduct a worldwide inquiry into racism in its ranks. The 1995 investigation ordered by then Army Secretary Togo West found little evidence of organized racist activity but led to stronger policies for preventing it. The probe found that fewer than 100 of 7,600 soldiers interviewed belonged to white supremacist groups. Officials at Fort Bragg identified 21 soldiers who actively participated in skinhead activity. They were later discharged.

    On March 21, 2007, James Burmeister died at the U.S. Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Missouri, said Keith Acree, a spokesman for the North Carolina Department of  Corrections. Acree said Burmeister died of natural causes but said he couldn’t elaborate because of federal privacy laws.

  • 07Illegal gambling machinesMore than two dozen Robeson County people identifying themselves as members of the Tuscarora Indian Tribe face charges of operating illegal gambling houses, money laundering at illegal casinos and the manufacture of controlled substances. Because of their Native American status, they claimed to be a sovereign nation. The men and women ranged in age from 17 to 62.

    “This group openly expressed beliefs that neither the laws of North Carolina nor the United States applied to them, putting law-abiding citizens in danger,” said Terrance Merriweather, head of North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement, the agency that executed the search warrants. “Citizens living near the casinos complained of the illegal activity taking place and notified law enforcement,” he added. The illicit casinos were operated in blacked-out buildings. Officials said they operated 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

    The Tuscarora coalesced nearly three centuries ago as a people and eventually became part of the Five Nations of the historic Iroquois Confederacy in New York. Some of the Tuscarora migrated south and settled in Eastern North Carolina long before European explorers arrived.

    Tuscarora tribal officials in New York dispute claims that anyone in North Carolina has continuity as a tribe with the Tuscarora. They consider any individuals remaining in North Carolina as no longer having tribal status, although they have Tuscarora genetic ancestry.

    The illegal casinos operated in Maxton, Pembroke and Red Springs. Vehicles, currency, marijuana, firearms and over 200 illegal gaming machines were seized during the raids following a yearlong local, state and federal inter-agency investigation. The group operated three illegal casinos located at 1345 Modest Rd., Maxton; 129 Nancy Ln., Pembroke; and 1521 Opal Rd., Red Springs. Indoor and outdoor marijuana growing operations were also found.

    The Robeson County Sheriff’s Office, the State Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives assisted NCALE in the yearlong operation.

    Merriweather said the illegal band operated an unlawful police force with heavily armed operatives who were not only unlicensed but used blue lights in their pickups. The group made threats of  war against law enforcement.

    “Most of the offenders were considered to be armed and dangerous, and many have criminal records,” said Robeson County Sheriff Kenneth Sealey. “People living in those towns feared the  activities taking place around the casinos. At the end of the day, this operation is all about community betterment,” he added.

    Those arrested included the Tuscarora Nation’s leader, Kendall Locklear, and his son, Keaton. Also charged were the armed guards who provided security at the casinos and other employees.

    Since the late 20th century, some North Carolina persons claiming Tuscarora ancestry formed bands in Robeson and nearby counties. In the 1960s, many of their descendants and approximately 2,000 other individuals organized an official Tuscarora political infrastructure. In 1979, the Tuscarora Tribe of Indians Maxton was accepted into the National Congress of American Indians. Then, in 2010, leaders and individuals of the various Tuscarora factions in Robeson County came together to form the Tuscarora Nation One Fire Council, an interim, unincorporated government now claiming to be a sovereign nation.

  • 06wilkie robertRobert Wilkie, who grew up in Fayetteville the son of an injured Vietnam War combat veteran, is the new secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Senate confirmed 55-year-old Wilkie by a vote of 86-9.

    “Robert Wilkie is the right man for the job,” said Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., the ranking member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee.

    Wilkie, who worked as an aide to North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillies and others and at the Department of Defense under two Republican Party presidents, is the most prominent North Carolinian in President Donald Trump’s administration. Wilkie is a reserve officer in the Air Force and previously served in the Navy reserve.

    Wilkie replaces David Shulkin, who was fired in late March. Wilkie, who had been appointed as interim director, was then picked for the permanent post in May.

    Reducing suicide is a major objective of the Veterans Affairs

    Suicide prevention is now the VA’s highest priority for the nation’s 20 million veterans, 2 million of them women, according to a VA National Suicide Data Report released last month.

    An estimated 20 veterans and as many as four active-duty service members killed themselves each day in 2015, the last year for which detailed information was available. Male veterans were 1.3 times more likely than non-veteran adult men to commit suicide, the report said. Female veterans were twice as likely as non-veteran adult women to kill themselves.

    Fayetteville is a little smarter

    Durham and Chapel Hill won’t mind sharing this title: Together they rank among the top five most educated cities in the nation. Durham-Chapel Hill was considered a single metropolitan area and ranked the fourth-most-educated of the 150 largest U.S. metropolitan statistical areas included in a recent WalletHub study.

    Ann Arbor, Michigan, easily retained its position from last year as the smartest U.S. city.

    The ranking process considered educational attainment and quality and racial and gender education gaps.

    Other North Carolina cities deemed more educated this year included Fayetteville (from 102nd to 89th) and Greensboro-High Point (106th to 100th). Raleigh improved from 15th last year to 13th in this year’s report. Asheville surpassed Charlotte as it made the biggest leap forward out of North Carolina cities in the ranking, from 62nd in 2017 to 30th in 2018. Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia showed considerable improvement, jumping from No. 71 in 2017 to No. 54 this year.

    Winston-Salem slipped in the ranking, from 101st to 116th, as did Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, from 143rd to 145th.

    Hot Car Safety

    As people are enjoying summertime activities and vacation, it’s a good time to remember some important safety tips while out in the heat. July is typically the deadliest month for children being left in hot cars. But August weather is equally hot and humid. In North Carolina from 1990 to 2017, 33 infants and children died after being left unattended in hot vehicles.

    To help reduce the chances of this happening, the North Carolina Department of Transportation advised motorists to “look before locking.” Get into the habit of checking the back seats before locking the vehicle and walking away. Women can place their purses in the back seats when they put children in their car seats. Keep keys out of children’s reach. The DMV says nearly three in 10 heatstroke deaths happen when an unattended child gains access to a vehicle.

    These safety tips also apply when traveling with pets. A dog can die of heatstroke in just 15 minutes.

    Arts grant awarded to film festival

    GroundSwell Pictures, a Fayetteville 501(c) (3) nonprofit, has received a grant in the amount of $6,400 from the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County in support of the Indigo Moon Film Festival 2018. Indigo Moon is an annual festival bringing in films and filmmakers from around the world for a three-day event in October. This year, the festival will take place Oct. 12-14.

    Four venues in downtown Fayetteville show films to audiences. The festival includes an opening night film and reception as well as an awards banquet and encore showings of the winning films.

    “GroundSwell Pictures is honored to have received these funds which will help support this exciting cultural arts festival,” according to Board President Pat Wright.

    “The Arts Council is proud to partner with GroundSwell Pictures in support of Indigo Moon Film Festival,” said Deborah Martin Mintz, Arts Council executive director.

    The Arts Council’s Project Support Grants for 2018-19 will help fund 23 projects facilitated by 20 nonprofit organizations.

  • 05john locke“Can I speak to Mr. Locke?” During the quarter-century that I served as either president or vice president of the John Locke Foundation, we got such calls on regular basis.

    Some actually wanted to talk to me and just mistook one twosyllable name beginning with “John” for another. But others thought the John Locke Foundation was a charitable foundation named after a wealthy benefactor and hoped a personal call might get them money for a local project or a school trip.

    Still others believed John Locke was a former government official who had set up a think tank to advance his political philosophy, and wanted to talk to the “big man” rather than settle for a subordinate.

    My standard response to the question was that callers would find it challenging to set up a conversation with Mr. Locke unless they believed in séances. He died in 1704.

    John Locke was, in fact, a former government official who devoted much of his life to advancing his political philosophy of limited government and individual liberty. But independent research institutes didn’t exist in his day. While much of his early career was spent as a scholar at Oxford, Locke did most of his writing on philosophy and government – and performed most of his public service in appointive posts – as an aide to a powerful English statesman and political activist named Anthony Ashley Cooper, the first Earl of Shaftesbury.

    Locke originally joined Shaftesbury’s household and political retinue as his personal physician, and Locke helped save his life after Shaftesbury’s chronic liver condition grew acute enough to require surgery. Later, during the late 1660s and early 1670s, Locke helped Shaftesbury oversee the new Carolina colony, write its constitution and even design the street grids and land-use rules for Charleston and other cities to be founded across the Carolinas.

    When Shaftesbury began contesting power with other English politicians and the Stuart monarchy, Locke again helped him plot strategy and convert abstract philosophical ideas into distinct principles and concrete proposals. Locke would later influence Western philosophy with his own powerful writings, both on questions of how we can come to know the truth of things (epistemology) and how the coercive power of government ought to be used to protect individual rights and serve the public good (political philosophy).

    When the North Carolinians who founded what would open its doors in early 1990 as the John Locke Foundation discussed the potential name of the North Carolina think tank, we considered a variety of options. Some state-based research institutes have simple, descriptive names, such as those of our neighboring peers the South Carolina Policy Council and the Georgia Public Policy Foundation.

    Other think tanks honor American founders or other historical figures from the states in question, such as New Hampshire’s Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy, which is named after New Hampshire’s famous former governor, chief justice and signer of the Declaration of Independence. The president of the Josiah Bartlett Center happens to be a former John Locke Foundation colleague, Andrew Cline.

    In the end, we decided on John Locke. He never ventured across the Atlantic. But as the founder of political liberalism, and with some historical ties to the Carolinas, Locke was just the right fit.

    As our philosophy is usually called conservative, why choose a liberal namesake? Because the classical liberalism of Locke helped to shape what is now termed modern American conservatism.

    During the 17th, 18th and early 19th centuries, when liberals and conservatives competed for office and influence, they were debating the proper balance between liberty and order. But the rise of socialist, populist, and progressive movements in the late 19th and early 20th centuries pushed classical liberals and conservatives into an alliance to defend limited government and market economics.

    One Carolina legacy of John Locke and his patron Anthony Ashley Cooper is the iconic city of Charleston, nestled between the Ashley and Cooper rivers. The other can be found further north, in the think tank whose board I still proudly chair.

  • 04PutinRecent world news events from Helsinki reminded me of Aunt Pitty Pat Hamilton’s great line in “Gone with the Wind” as the Northern army is about to invade Atlanta. Aunt Pitty is getting ready to lam out of town when a large explosion shakes the ground. Pitty shrieks, “Yankees in Georgia! How did they ever get in?”

    Guess who’s coming to dinner at the White House this fall? Putin in the Oval Office. How did he ever get in? As Jules in “Pulp Fiction” would say, “Allow me to retort. What does Vladimir Putin look like?” He looks like the new boss. Same as the old boss. Herein lies my wildly speculative analysis of what’s happening under the rocks in Washington, D.C.

    Unless you have personally been living under a rock at the outskirts of town, you probably saw Our Dear Glorious Very Stable Genius President standing next to Putin in Helsinki after their Double Secret Summit. They agreed to put NATO and Western Europe on Triple Totally Unsecret Probation. Dear Leader stood at attention beside Putin after being questioned about whether Russia had interfered with the American election. Dear Leader announced, “I will tell you that President Putin was extremely strong and powerful in his denial today.” Our Dear Leader didn’t say it, but his thought balloon said: “And in addition, President Putin is a manly man, a thing of beauty to behold, and I really, really hope he asks me to the prom.”

    There has been much speculation about what happened in the Double Secret meeting between Dear Leader and Putin. No one really knows, not even Dan Coats, the director of national intelligence – at least he was the director at the time of this writing; he may be given the James Comey bum’s rush by the time this stain on world literature hits print.

    Some might think the director of national intelligence ought to know what is happening at the highest levels of security in the American government. Some would then be wrong. It’s a secret that only Dear Leader and Putin know. The rest of the world – and we American peons – will have it sprung upon us on a need-to-know basis.

    This does gives rise to the opportunity to imagine all sorts of things that Dear Leader promised to do for Putin in return for Putin keeping his mouth shut about whatever dirt he has on Dear Leader. Let us commence to wildly speculate.

    Despite widespread condemnation of Dear Leader’s failure to stand up for American intelligence agencies and law enforcement while kissing Putin’s ring, Dear Leader invited Putin to the White House for round two of his performance review. Putin is coming to Washington this fall on an inspection tour of his newly acquired property at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. The usual unreliable sources have revealed that in honor of Putin’s visit, Dear Leader is going to have the White House literally turned upside down like the Upside-Down House at Broadway at the Beach in Myrtle Beach. The White House will be painted red in Putin’s honor and will remain upside down and red throughout the rest of Dear Leader’s time in office.

    Another unfounded rumor has it that the reflecting pool in front of the Washington Monument will be drained and filled with Stolichnaya Vodka.

    One of the Double Secret Summit’s deals was to have the Russian Secret Police interrogate Michael McFaul, the former U.S. Ambassador to Russia, for possible crimes against the Commies. Unfortunately, this deal fell through when American public opinion turned against having an American diplomat submitted to the tender mercies of Russia’s intelligence agency. Putin must be mollified for the loss of getting an American diplomat to twist slowly, slowly in the Moscow wind. The rumor mill has it that Dear Leader will send Hillary Clinton, James Comey, Dan Coats and a future undisclosed draft choice to a Gulag in Siberia to be debriefed by the GRU, Russia’s military intelligence service. As a consolation prize for not getting Ambassador McFaul, Putin will absorb Montenegro, Freedonia and The Grand Dutchy of Fenwick into the growth industry that is Russia in 2018.

    Dear Leader has agreed to appoint Rufus T. Firefly as the new director of national intelligence and a hollow log as the director of the CIA, as both appointees have been carefully vetted and approved by Putin. So, keep watching your TV. An exciting fall season of Russian influence is coming to a ballot box near you.

  • 03Melania Trump 27356337I have long been interested in our nation’s first ladies, beginning when I checked out a book on Abigail “remember the ladies” Adams from the library of the late, great Haymount Elementary School where Haymount 700 now stands.

    No matter what stage of our history or what political position she represents, each of our first ladies came to her unpaid position, whether she wanted it or not, only because her husband managed to get himself elected president. Each found herself in an unscripted position that is not exactly a job, but one that comes with high expectations from her fellow Americans.

    Some first ladies are better at “the job” than others. Dolley Madison possessed social skills so strong that her husband, President James, basked in her reflected glory. A North Carolina native, Dolley Madison did not invent ice cream as legend has asserted, but she did serve oyster ice cream at the then-new White House.

    Edith Wilson became our de facto president after her husband suffered a debilitating stroke, allowing few others in to see him and “interpreting” and “relaying” his wishes herself.

    Jacqueline Kennedy became the most famous woman in the world and remains a glamorous fashion and social icon more than two decades after her death.

    Betty Ford and Nancy Reagan helped us understand addiction and cancer. Hillary Clinton introduced us to the notion of policy wonks, and Michelle Obama taught us healthier and local eating habits.

    It is also fair to say that no first lady, at least in my lifetime, has been more mysterious than Melania Trump.

    One of only two first ladies born outside the United States – Louisa Adams, Mrs. John Quincy, was born in London – Melania Trump began modeling in her native Slovenia at age 16 and became a U.S. citizen in 2006, a year after she married “the Donald,” the nickname given our current president by a previous wife.

    Melania reportedly speaks six languages, English among them. Last year, she inexplicably wore a $51,500 jacket on a visit to Italy, a price tag just slightly under the median U.S. household income in 2017. She had a mysterious operation earlier this year and spent several days in a Washington, D.C., hospital. She mysteriously wore a jacket with “I really don’t care do U” emblazoned on its back to visit immigrant children in cages along our Texas border. Her ongoing silence as the world chews over her husband’s conversations about paying off women is extremely curious. Even her signature program as first lady, BE BEST, is mysterious, as no one quite knows what it means.

    North Carolina humorist Celia Rivenbark wrote about our mysterious first lady in a recent column that began with this. “Sometimes I wish I could sit down with Melania Trump over a box of KFC’s new picklefried chicken tenders … and have a real just-us-girls conversation.”

    So do I, Celia, so do I.

    Rivenbark went on in this vein. “Being beautiful and aloof will only get you so far. After a while, people want to shake that empty Valentino suit and see what’s up. For example, why did she look so happy – a first – smiling radiantly while chatting with Obama at Barbara Bush’s funeral? In contrast, when she stands beside her husband, she looks like someone who really has to pee but  has just been told the next restroom is 90 minutes up the interstate.”

    I am willing to cut Melania a bit more slack.

    It cannot be easy just being Mrs. Donald Trump. Layer on the pressures of the presidency, the lack of privacy for an obviously private person and the ill-defined but nevertheless real responsibilities of the first lady, and life has got to be tough for Melania.

    On the morning I am writing this column, the news is full of President Trump in full wackadoodle rage mode after discovering his wife’s Air Force One television tuned to CNN in defiance of his presidential edict that all sets be tuned to his preferred network, Fox. In an unusual show of independence, the first lady’s official spokesperson announced our first lady will watch “any channel she wants.”

    Maybe Melania is not as mysterious as we think.

  • I have been the executive director for Rape Crisis of Cumberland County for over 10 years. I have advocated for thousands of victims, soldiers, men, children, women, Hope Mills residents... thousands.

    Last night, I attended your meeting in support of Lone Survivor Foundation, and honestly, I was embarrassed about what I heard from some of you. It was at times very hard to follow what you were saying – a lake, kayaking for veterans being dropped off at a fire station, a recreation spot, a VFW, the list seemed to volley from one thing to another without making much sense.

    This is what I do know, last year we (Rape Crisis of Cumberland County) served 611 victims of sexual violence, 243 of those were active duty soldiers. That number does not include veterans, National Guard or reservists. Their stories happened down range, in the barracks, in your town, in your county.

    Our resources are extremely limited, and when LSF came to our attention, it was like a dream come true! An organization was actually going to help me help OUR soldiers in a healing way, for free?!

    I was ecstatic, but very cautious. I would not support, advocate (for) or refer my victims to just anyone. So I got involved, met with Morgan Sierra (and) Terry Jung, attended many of their informational meetings and researched LSF. Yet I was still not 100 percent convinced that I could look my victims in the eye and tell them that LSF was OK, and it was OK for them to trust them, share their story and bravely attend a retreat. But, one of my board members for RCCC had told me that she had gone, and it was a lifechanging experience.

    My best friend, a vet, a city cop, a hardass guy, told me he was going (to an LSF retreat). I knew I would base my final decision on what he said. On the way to the airport after leaving the retreat, I got this text from him. “Reference vetting Lone Survivor Foundation, 100% yes...”

    Trust me when I say this, there is no one else out there that is offering this level of care to take care of OUR soldiers who have been raped. No one. To turn LSF away from our community when we so desperately need them is just... wrong and completely unfathomable based on the reasons you gave last night.

    I commend LSF for trying to make this work, I would not blame them if they went to another community, a community who supported them and welcomed them.

    If that happens, I will invite you to meet with my victims, and you can explain to them that although help for them could have been in our backyard, you said no. You said no at a chance for OUR soldiers to heal and get well again.

  • 01coverUAC0080118001

    The commissioners of the town of Hope Mills had a meltdown at their regularly scheduled meeting July 23. Had you been in attendance, you would likely agree that the Hope Mills community has outgrown its elected officials, with only Mayor Jackie Warner and Commissioner Pat Edwards remaining the sole sources of sensibility, common courtesy, integrity and leadership. Together, these two women make serving the residents Hope Mills and looking out for the long-term future of the town their highest priority. For this, we are grateful.

    After that July 23 meeting and the controversy swirling around the Lone Survivor Foundation situation, the remaining commissioners – Jesse Bellflowers, Meg Larson, Mike Mitchell and Jerry Legge – are engulfed in a nonproductive quagmire of trite and tacky accusations, petty jealousies, child-like grudges and chronic miscommunications and misinformation.

    What makes this situation such an atrocity is that, except for the ongoing deceit, misdirection and rampant pettiness of these elected officials, there is no downside to the LSF project. It’s ALL good. However, that is contrary to what Lisa Carter Waring, Meg Larson and others are disseminating on the private Hope Mills Chatter Facebook page. In the spirit of being fair and balanced, here are some facts about the LSF project and the political meltdown as it exists today. I welcome all challenges or debate concerning the information below.

    FACT: The LSF expressed interest and remains interested in the construction of an approximately 10,000-square-foot facility in Cumberland County, preferably in Hope Mills, for conducting therapeutic and wellness retreats for active-duty military service members, veterans, and their families dealing with post-traumatic stress, mild traumatic brain injury, military sexual trauma, chronic pain and related invisible wounds of war. Cumberland County was selected because of the demographics of previous LSF retreat attendees and for its proximity to Fort Bragg. Twenty-nine percent of the 2018 LSF attendees were from North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia.

    FACT: The LSF did its initial due diligence on the Cumberland County location and found that residents, businesses and organizations were wholeheartedly behind the foundation locating the retreat facility here. Despite this growing support, finding the right location for the retreat proved challenging. The initial site in Linden had soil percolation issues and was deeded back to the original owners.

    FACT: The Fayetteville-Cumberland County Economic Development Corporation suggested the property in Hope Mills located at 4562 Calico Dr. This is the site of an old textile mill and dam referred to as Lake Bed #2. The property needed and requested as 19 acres out of about 67 acres of land – all owned by the town of Hope Mills.

    FACT: While only about 4 of the 19 acres are suitable for building – the rest being in a flood plain – the property meets all the needs and is perfect for the LSF retreat.

    FACT: The LSF followed proper protocol, working with the FCCEDC and its associates, Andrew Pennink, Teddy Warner and Robert Van Geons, as well as the town of Hope Mills, including Town Manager Melissa Adams, Town Attorney Dan Hartzog Jr., Mayor Jackie Warner and the Hope Mills commissioners. Initially, when the FCCEDC brought the project to the Hope Mills commissioners in a closed session June 4, the commissioners were enthusiastically supportive of the project.

    FACT: Unfortunately, within hours of the closed session, the information discussed in that session was leaked to Commissioner Meg Larson’s former campaign manager, Lisa Carter Waring – who also manages the private Facebook page called Hope Mills Chatter. Waring also owns property that is adjacent to the land requested by the LSF. She immediately launched a campaign of misinformation that questioned the feasibility of the project.

    FACT: At the next closed session meeting, the commissioners unanimously rejected the entire LSF proposal and flatly turned down the project. Even the self-proclaimed grandest veteran advocate, Commissioner Jesse Bellflowers, who professes an undying patriotic loyalty and dedication to all military veterans, couldn’t muster up the intestinal fortitude for a logical defense for the LSF or his military veteran brethren.

    FACT: The commissioners did not notify the LSF of their decision until weeks later.  At the July 23 town meeting, which the LSF attended, when asked why the project was rejected, the commissioners scrambled to find logical explanations. All their reasoning was baseless. That said, Bellflowers said the process was done “back ass wards.” It was not.

    FACT: All the proper policies and procedures were followed. Commissioner Mitchell surprisingly suggested that because Teddy Warner, Mayor Warner’s son, works for the FCCEDC, there may be a conflict of interest and further insinuated that he and the mayor may have some side deal going on from which they would both personally benefit.

    Larson’s comments and objections were all over the place. She obviously resents the mayor and doesn’t want to see her accomplish or get credit for anything.

    As for Legge’s conduct, he was pretty passive. He seemed distant from the controversy, as if he didn’t know what was going on. And who can blame him? There has been so much bad information, misdirection and misrepresentation put forth by the commissioners and Hope Mills Chatter Facebook page that the average Hope Mills citizen has no way of understanding or finding out the facts about important Hope Mills issues like this – issues that affect their future way of life and quality of life.

    FACT: The commissioners all concurred that the town meeting of July 23 “spiraled out of control.” They may have, but the citizens in attendance did not. I was there. What I saw was a room packed with their constituents – more than 75 enthusiastic and passionate Hope Mills citizens made up of active duty military, veterans, support organizations as well as friends and family – all in support of Hope Mills, our war veterans and the mission of the LSF. Yes, they were passionate. Yes, they were sometimes loud. Yes, they cheered and applauded frequently whenever something positive was stated about the LSF project. They came en masse because they wanted to be heard.

    FACT: Teddy Warner did not solicit or invite the LSF to Hope Mills. He works for the FCCEDC, which was assisting the LSF in finding a suitable site for their center.

    WHY? Because the FCCEDC knows it would be a good fit for Cumberland County to have the LSF locate here. It would enhance the overall profile of the county. Teddy works specifically for FCCEDC President Robert Van Geons. Pennink, also an advocate of the project, is the chairman of the board of FCCEDC. All were involved in bringing the LSF project to Hope Mills. For anyone to even think there was some sort of “inside conspiracy” going on only acknowledges and confirms their lack of knowledge and understanding of how economic development occurs.

    FACT: All standard operating procedures were properly followed by everyone involved. The first closed session was initiated by the FCCEDC and was informational, with a presentation from LSF Executive Director Terry Jung. No proposal was made, just an explanation of the organization, its mission and the project.

    FACT: After that meeting, the board was enthusiastic and optimistic, and all spoke favorably about the project. They led Jung to believe they wanted the project in Hope Mills.

    FACT: The mayor knew about LSF’s interest in Hope Mills. However, before the LSF could present any program/proposal, its representatives wanted to make sure the site was workable.

    FACT: LSF completed its due diligence, a process that included soil and terrain testing and several site visits. The FCCEDC has maps and information about all tracts of land available for economic development, both private and public. It is the FCCEDC’s job to provide information and assist potential investors interested in locating within Cumberland County.

    FACT: It is at this phase of the due diligence that the town’s attorney and town manager assist in the process. There were never any secrets. Nor was information withheld from the Hope Mills commissioners as alleged. Everyone was doing their job for the betterment of Hope Mills and Cumberland County.

    FACT: The McAdams Firm is working on a separate project, the Hope Mills Comprehensive Parks and Recreation Plan. For the most part, the fact-finding and surveys have been completed. Based on the residents’ comments, the project’s primary focus will be on the Hope Mills Lake Park, Heritage Park and the golf course. These were identified as priorities. This is still a work in progress. However, it has been acknowledged that there are many town-owned properties that could be considered for development in the future. However, town management is aware that cost and funding will be a major factor. A comprehensive site plan will be developed soon. Currently, the above mentioned three areas will take priority.

    Recently, a special town meeting was requested by Mitchell and Larson for Aug. 1 at 6 p.m. on the premise of discussing the Comprehensive Parks and Recreation Plan. It will also include a closed session to discuss a “personal matter.” Since the three areas of development have already been determined, this meeting is speculatively being viewed as a retaliatory delay tactic to postpone or scuttle the scheduled Aug. 20 public hearing about the LSF project.

    Even though Commissioner Bellflowers has supported this action, he is concerned. He wrote Mitchell requesting assurance that all discussions and actions regarding the LSF proposed project would take place in a public session. If the Aug. 20 meeting gets canceled, Bellflowers will lose his do-over opportunity to prove he hasn’t turned his back on his fellow veterans.

    In a recent memo, Bellflowers stated “… know, from the July 23rd meeting forward, ALL discussions and actions regarding the Lone Survivor Foundation proposed project will be conducted in open-session, with public input.” His credibility is on the line here after being accused by many of being a hypocrite for not supporting military veterans and advocating for the LSF project.

    The closed session is another matter. At first, it looked like it was shaping up to be an organized berating session of Mayor Warner, but she is an elected official, so that wouldn’t classify as a “personal matter.” So, who does that leave? The town attorney? The town manager? Both have performed their jobs flawlessly with dedication and pride.

    Again, most of this dust-up about the LSF is arising from personal issues each commissioner has against the mayor. And for what? Doing her job? For working hard and staying on top of the town’s business and looking out for what’s in Hope Mills’ best interest? Below are the facts concerning the feasibility of the Lake Bed #2 site. This information was easily accessible to all Hope Mills commissioners had they taken the time to do their jobs.

    FACT: The FCCEDC found the LSF the perfect location in Lake Bed #2, and it had everything to do with the suitability. The property was beautiful, quiet, serene and available. It’s good for Hope Mills, the veterans, Cumberland County and North Carolina as we would become known nationwide as a state that takes care of veterans.

    FACT: The land in question is split by a creek, and most of that is in a flood plain and not suitable for development. The 4-acre area that can be developed is what the LSF is interested in for constructing the retreat center. It even has a PWC lift station on property, sewage and electrical easements. The other needed 14+ acres will provide additional beauty, serenity and seclusion, all of which will be conducive to the therapy and treatments. The remaining 40+/-acres would remain with the town.

    FACT: The LSF offered to pay for the property; it was even willing to lease it. It wanted to work within whatever parameters the commissioners set forth to make this a win-win achievement. To this end, the LSF made an initial good-faith offer and expected further negotiations. That never happened. The project was rejected out of hand even after LSF offered to add a reverser clause so if the town were to ever build a dam in the future, LSF would return the property. With that said …

    FACT: Lake Bed #2 has no possibility of being reinstated as county reservoir. This was a misdirection put forth by Larson, Mitchell and the Hope Mills Chatter. Larson stated that she was “not willing to give it (property) away because of its potential value as a future reservoir.” She didn’t do her research. The records show that PWC, after evaluating the area, stated unequivocally that it would not consider damming up Lake Bed #2 as a reservoir. In addition, it would be financially burdensome with estimated costs of more than $10 million.

    FACT: Larson knew this going into the July 23 meeting. Mick Noland, PWC’s chief operations officer of the Water Resources Division, contacted Hope Mills through Mayor Warner and discussed both the 1999 and 2014 studies. Evaluations conducted by PWC and the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality since the completion of the 1999 and 2014 studies indicated that the Cape Fear River would be sufficient for a water supply well beyond 2050. Again, based on the study, PWC has no plans to recommend construction of reservoirs in the Hope Mills area. On July 18, Larson was advised of this decision to not pursue further evaluation or permitting of a reservoir.

    FACT: What has not been disclosed is that Hope Mills Chatter page administrator Lisa Carter Waring owns property in Cumberland County on Lake Bed #2 and would personally benefit if this development were to change in the future.

    FACT: The Hope Mills commissioners never notified the LSF after rejecting the offer. It was stated that Teddy Warner was told of the decision. Again, Teddy works for the FCCEDC and was never the contact for negotiations. Commissioner Mitchell directed Town Attorney Dan Hartzog Jr. to send a letter of notification to LSF. It was received weeks after the rejection.

    FACT: The LSF’s proposal was rejected in a three-to-one vote with Mitchell, Bellflowers and Larson against the project and Pat Edwards for it.

    FACT: When the open session resumed, the commissioners told the public they had taken no action. The residents of Hope Mills had a right to learn about the LSF project and comment on it.

    The purpose of LSF returning for the July 23 meeting was threefold: To inform Hope Mills residents of the real intentions of the LSF; to defend and salvage its reputation that had been maligned by the Hope Mills Chatter Facebook page; and to get an affirmation of public input. The meeting was democracy in action. The town hall was filled with tax-paying citizens who wanted to be heard. There was no mayhem, no circus, no rudeness or outright displays of outrage. Well, maybe Alex Warner did become a little overly sensitive, but only after his wife and son were maligned and mischaracterized. Honestly, if they assaulted my family like they did his, security would probably have escorted me from the building.

    FACT: The time is now to grow and brand Hope Mills as a renowned and respected Cumberland County community. That takes strong, respected leadership void of rumors, innuendo, suspicions and petty personal politics. It’s time to shed the negative cliché of “Hopeless Mills.” Mayor Warner is Hope Mills’ flagship as was Eddie Dees and Ed Deaver. She’s also a mother, grandmother, business owner and tax payer. Who better can relate to the residents of Hope Mills? Hope Mills does not need a leadership team of boastful braggarts, glamour girls, self-righteous authorities or comatose leaders from the ’70s and ’80s.

    If the Hope Mills commissioners turn their backs on the LSF project, the town and its tax-paying residents, its active-duty military population, the thousands of veterans who support the community, and more importantly, the opportunity to do something significant and really, really good for humanity, then you might as well take the “hope” out of Hope Mills.

    I’ll conclude this editorial piece with this not-so ironic development. On Aug. 9, Cumberland County is hosting the North Carolina League of Municipalities to conduct a session that will focus on ethics in government. In view of what is taking place in Hope Mills, you would think the timing for this event would be perfect. No so. In a strange and unprecedented move, most of the Hope Mills commissioners are boycotting the event and refusing to attend. Despite the opportunity to talk and mix and mingle with other successful state and municipal leaders, they are blatantly ignoring their responsibilities and commitment to represent the citizens of Hope Mills.

    It’s crazy. Even crazier, Commissioner Larson went on the record saying, “Ethics training is somewhat meaningless if it doesn’t transfer into our everyday behavior.” That’s a statement we all can agree on.

    FACT: The Lone Survivor Foundation is an awesome organization, and it does great things for so many. We know it will be successful. We can only hope it is here in our community.

    Stay tuned. Thank you for reading and trusting Up & Coming Weekly.

  • 17 Stephen Mantzouris 2If you’re wondering how it feels to stand across the court from John Isner, 2018 Wimbledon singles semifinalist, waiting for the 6-foot-10 behemoth to unleash a 130 mph serve, Stephen Mantzouris can tell you.

    Mantzouris was the No. 1 singles player for the Terry Sanford tennis team in 2001. His Fayetteville family is city tennis royalty, as the city tennis complex at Milton E. Mazarick Park is named in memory of his grandfather, a huge tennis enthusiast.

    Mantzouris and Isner crossed paths on the tennis court during the 2001 season, when Terry Sanford finally got by perennial power Raleigh Broughton in the 4-A dual team state playoffs and tackled Greensboro Page and Isner in the state finals.

    Dual team tennis is exactly what it sounds like. Just as in a normal high school regular season match, player Nos. 1 through 6 in singles and 1 through 3 in doubles are paired head to head in individual matches. The team that wins the most matches wins the match.

    Terry Sanford lost the final duel with Page 6-3, with Mantzouris bowing to Isner in their singles battle 6-4, 7-5.

    Mantzouris, who now lives and works in Raleigh as a family nurse practitioner after a brief stint in the U.S. Navy, said he faced Isner when the latter was only a sophomore in high school and yet to reach his full height of 6-10.

    “He was about 6-7 or 6-8, but his serve was huge,’’ said Mantzouris, who said he was about 5-7 at the time.

    Mantzouris said Isner’s serve alone took him to another level well above the high school players of his era.

    “You’ve got a 15-year-old kid with a kick serve that goes threefourths of the way up the fence,’’ Mantzouris said. “That’s what I remember the most.’’

    Mantzouris said that left him with a dilemma on how to attack such a lethal weapon. “Do I step back when he serves it at 130 miles per hour so I can have more time, or do I step forward because if I go all the way back he’s kicking it over my head and I can’t even return it?”

    Mantzouris chose to hug the baseline and block everything to get it in play. His hope was to avoid being aced and try and engage Isner in rallies, where Mantzouris was certain he had a definite edge.

    “I knew if I got in a rally we were getting close to even,’’ Mantzouris said. “His backhand was not as good as my backhand. He’s worked on his backhand a lot, and that’s made him the player he is, to strengthen his weakness so it’s less of a weakness and people can’t attack him as much.’’

    Now, Mantzouris said Isner is a 30-something adult who has had years of training at his considerable size and also has better balance and core strength, all reasons why he’s a world top-10 ranked singles player.

    The days of American men leading the pack in the ranks of world tennis are long gone, and Mantzouris isn’t sure why the sport is suffering a swoon here.

    “I don’t know if we don’t put enough money into juniors compared to other countries,’’ he said. “I know it’s not lack of opportunities. We are a very wealthy nation compared to a lot of other ones.’’

    One problem could be the lack of variety for Americans in the surfaces they play. “We pretty much play on hard courts all the time,’’ he said. “We don’t play on grass a lot or red clay. We play on green clay. Americans do best on hard courts.’’

    While Mantzouris and his Terry Sanford teammates lost their match against Page and Isner back in 2001, the 2001 season wasn’t a total disappointment for him. He teamed with fellow Terry Sanford player Bryant Tran to win the state 4-A doubles championship that season.

    “We’ll always be on that board at Terry Sanford,’’ Mantzouris said, referring to a large blue wooden board affixed to the fence at the tennis courts at Terry Sanford. It was created by longtime Bulldog tennis coach Gil Bowman, member of the Fayetteville Sports Club and North Carolina High School Athletic Association Halls of Fame. The board lists past Bulldog state champions.

    After Mantzouris left Fayetteville and entered the military his interest in tennis waned, but he found another channel for his sporting pursuits: mixed martial arts.

    While serving in the Navy in San Diego he was training at a local gym and was introduced to the sport. When friends who were involved in the Ultimate Fighting Championships found he was a nurse, he became involved in that sport doing corner work for some of the UFC competitors.

    But he admits he does miss his tennis days at Terry Sanford, especially his teammates and the camaraderie they shared.

    “You get in that team aspect and it’s fun to have that atmosphere,’’ he said.

  • 16 Weller Foundation 3When former Pine Forest football coach Gary Weller learned his former players Jimmy Keefe and Andy Dempster wanted to name a foundation after him aimed at providing scholarships to Pine Forest athletes, he said he wasn’t given a choice.

    “We are using you just like you used us,’’ said Weller, joking. “I distinctly remember him saying that. I did probably abuse them, but when I saw what they were trying to do, it was a great, humbling experience to get these scholarships out.’’

    Keefe, a Pine Forest graduate and Cumberland County commissioner, said the idea for the foundation started small about four years ago when some coaches at Pine Forest passed the hat to raise $500 for a scholarship for a Pine Forest student who’d been facing difficult times.

    The practice continued informally until Keefe and Dempster decided the project needed to get even bigger.

    “This is too good a story, helping out too many kids,’’ Keefe said. “We want to up it a little bit. We want to be a bigger part of more kids’ lives as far as scholarships coming through.’’

    That’s when he approached Weller about using his name and calling the project the Gary Weller Foundation.

    The choice of Weller to be the face of the project was obvious for Keefe and others involved.

    16 Weller Foundation 5Fourteen years ago, Weller was severely injured when he was run over by a motorist in a stolen vehicle. Multiple bones were shattered in his lower body, and he now uses a motorized wheelchair to get around.

    “That day in April 14 years ago changed Gary’s life, but it didn’t change Gary,’’ Keefe said. “He’s still a coach, he’s still a friend when you need it, and he’s still the first person to help you out when you have a friend in need.’’

    Another reason Keefe and others wanted to name the foundation for Weller was because of the investment he made into the Pine Forest football program when he became head coach some 40 years ago.

    “He really took a personal interest in a lot of kids,’’ Keefe said. “I know there were some kids who would not be as successful as they were today if it weren’t for the personal outreach Gary did as a coach and as a father figure. Doing little things makes big impacts for kids.’’

    Recently, Weller and Keefe presented a pair of $500 scholarships to two Pine Forest athletes, football and basketball player Julian Hill and wrestler Daniel Peede. Hill will attend Campbell University while Peede is going to the United States Military Academy at West Point.

    “It may be only a $500 or $1,000 scholarship now, but that may be the difference for that kid being able to improve themselves down the road,’’ Keefe said. “We hope to be able to be giving some big-number scholarships coming up.’’

    Scholarship winners are chosen by a committee headed by longtime Pine Forest football coach Bill Sochovka.

    The general requirements of the potential candidates are they must be a student-athlete at Pine Forest who has faced some kind of adversity and come out of it successfully.

    16 Weller Foundation 1Keefe mentioned a previous winner, Leah Evans, who was a cross-country athlete before being injured in a car accident and having to go through an extended period of rehab. She recovered and placed 24th in the 2016 Mid-South 4-A Conference crosscountry meet.

    “That’s the sort of criteria we look for,’’ Keefe said.

    Keefe said the foundation committee has set a goal of raising $50,000 in three years. One of the big steps toward that goal is coming on Oct. 13 when the foundation will host the first Trojan Challenge, a 5K military-style obstacle course on the Sturtz Family Farm in Linden.

    The entry fee is $60, and complete information is available at www.trojanchallenge.org. Participants will get a Trojan Challenge T-shirt and receive a medal when they finish the course.

    “We thought the Trojan Challenge obstacle course would be something different,’’ Keefe said. “We like the idea of an obstacle course. Some will have football drills, not to mention real tier-one obstacles.’’

    Keefe called the course a symbol of what Weller has had to go through since his injuries. “It’s not simply running and putting one foot in front of the other, but... addressing obstacles and beating them,’’ Keefe said. “I think Gary has certainly done that in the last 14 years.’’

    For those who may not be interested or able to tackle the obstacle course, you can make direct donations to the Weller Foundation on the challenge website.

    For the last two years, the Weller Foundation scholarship winners have been honored at a senior night ceremony in the Pine Forest gym. Weller presented the awards with Keefe and said it was a memorable experience each time.

    “The principal, David Culbreth, had the awards at night so the parents can come,’’ Weller said. “To be in front of that group and give this award is an awesome feeling. It humbles you to be able to do that.

    “I want to see it grow so we can give a substantial amount of money.’’

     

    PHOTO: Gary Weller, seated, and Jimmy Keefe, standing, present scholarships to Julian Hill (top) and Daniel Peede (middle). (Bottom) The Trojan Challenge, which will debut Oct. 13 at Sturtz Family Farm in Linden, will feature Special Forces-style obstacles.

  • 15 motorcycle BearI just got back from a four-day trip. I wrote this while sitting at Panera Bread eating a bear claw, which has nothing to do with the title of this article, but they are really yummy, and the title of this article is about bears. A few weeks back, my friends Bob, Bill (Harley fellows) and myself met up in Blowing Rock for a week of travel.

    In Blowing Rock, we stayed at the quaint Mountainaire Inn. As the evening rain pounded away, wine was the drink of choice to kill time before dinner.

    The next morning, Bob was up early and had wiped the rain off the bikes. He is such a gentleman. We headed north on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

    The Blue Ridge Parkway is the longest linear park in the U.S. and is 469 miles long. It was established in 1936, is one of the most scenic roads in America and is only four hours from Fayetteville.

    Heading north, we decided to visit the Appomattox Court House in Virginia. We arrived that afternoon. Here, General Lee surrendered to General Grant, an event that is forever engraved in America’s history.

    As we walked the grounds, dark clouds started to roll in, and we decided to head north. We headed to the Natural Bridge Inn at Natural Bridge, Virginia. The inn is across the street from the Natural Bridge rock formation, which is a 215-foot natural arch. The inn is a nice, cozy hotel with a nice bar and restaurant.

    That afternoon, I got word that I was a brandnew grandfather. Mom and baby Jacob were fine. They were at Walter Reed Military Hospital in Washington, D.C. After breakfast the next morning, I decided to take off to the district to see the baby. For breakfast we went to the Pink Cadillac Diner, which is not far from Natural Bridge on I-81. This place has great food and a super cool vibe for a diner.

    We agreed to meet up later that day in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. Bill and Bob headed back to the hotel, and I headed to Washington.

    As I looked down, my tire pressure warning light was flashing. Sure enough, I had picked up a nail in my tire. I was able to plug it (you’ve got to love tubeless tires), and I was back on the road. The baby was so cute (I think I have to say that).

    After a few hours of visiting, I headed out and got stuck in Washington traffic. After a minute in traffic, I said, “Wait a tick, I’m on a BMW, we don’t get stuck in traffic.” I set my bike to its off-road mode and set the GPS for curvy and unimproved roads. In less than half a mile, I was off the interstate and headed through some beautiful little town of western Maryland on my way back to Harpers Ferry.

    The next morning, we spent several hours visiting historical Harpers Ferry. There is so much history there, from the western expansion to the armory attack in 1859. Prior to the Civil War, John Brown lead an attack on the armory to give guns to the slaves so they could fight for their own independence. A few days later, he was caught by General Lee and hung for his crime. By today’s definitions, he would be considered either a domestic terrorist or a civil rights leader.

    Around noon, we headed to Front Royal, Virginia, to ride the Skyline Drive through Shenandoah National Park. The Skyline Drive is 105 miles long and ends at Waynesboro, Virginia, where the Blue Ridge Parkway starts.

    Shenandoah National Park is home to a high concentration of black bears. There, we saw five bears on this single ride. I have ridden the Skyline over 50 times and have never seen a bear. Like deer, one jumped out in front of Bill, then a few miles later, one in front of Bob. I was volunteered to be the official photographer for this trip. While stopping to take pictures, as I was getting my camera out, I was mindful that I did not want to get laughed at on the 6 o’clock news nor for my last picture to be a close-up of a bear’s mouth.

    The last stop for this trip was in Waynesboro, Virginia. We stumbled on a great restaurant called Green Leaf Grill, which was a super find.

    This next morning, our trip would come to an end. I said goodbye to Bob before turning in. He was heading to Nashville and was planning to leave before I planned on getting up.

    That morning, Bill and I headed back. In total, we rode 1,275 miles in five days. This was my third trip with Bill and Bob, and all have been memorable. I have been blessed to have such great friends as riding companions.

    If there is a topic that you would like to discuss, you can contact me at motorcycle4fun@aol.com. RIDE SAFE!

  • 14 helping handGot a simple house cleaning or a real homeowner disaster on your hands?

    Big or small, Aprilmarie Fields of Fields Helping Hands in Hope Mills is ready to take on the challenge.

    Fields, who relocated to Hope Mills from Kentucky about four years ago, brought her Fields Helping Hands cleaning business with her and has many satisfied clients in and around Cumberland County.

    Fields and her crew will tackle just about anything, from standard vacancy and residential cleaning, some commercial cleaning, all the way up to what she calls hoarding situations.

    “That’s when you walk into the house and you can’t walk because there’s garbage on the floor,’’ she said. “It’s just piled up knee-high through the whole house. There are people that live like that.’’

    When tackling that kind of situation, Fields has a simple solution. “You take it one room at a time,’’ she said.

    She’s only had to deal with three hoarding situations in her years in Hope Mills and Cumberland County, she said. The typical job is a residential cleaning. “You go in the house and dust everything, vacuum, mop, like you would clean your own home,’’ she said.

    A vacancy cleaning involves scrubbing down the walls and baseboards along with the mini-blinds, as well as pulling out the refrigerator to clean behind it. “Every surface gets wiped clean,’’ she said.

    Fields also has a lot of requests from people who are connected to the military for what she calls a PCS clean. PCS stands for permanent change of station for someone who’s gotten orders to move out and relocate to a new assignment. “We do a vacancy clean so they can leave for their next station,’’ she said. Fields, who is retired from the military herself, said she also offers military discounts to her cleaning clients. 

    Fields said she normally books about three weeks to a month ahead, but in emergencies like PCS situations, she can try to work a case into the schedule.

    She normally works with her crew of 10 assistants from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. They will rarely work on Saturday but always take Sunday off.

    Fields said she’s willing to do cleaning outside of Cumberland County, but for extended trips there need to be at least two or three homes or places to clean.

    She provides free cleaning estimates. The cost isn’t based on the size of the area to be cleaned, it’s determined by just how big a mess the owner or tenant has left.

    “One person’s house could be the same size as another person’s, but the other person isn’t as clean as the next person,’’ she said. “It’s by the job.’’

    Fields said she’s never come across a hazardous waste situation during a cleaning job, but she’s even equipped to handle that up to a point, with protective clothing, masks and gloves as part of her traveling equipment.

    If you’re interested in talking to Fields about a cleaning job, check her Facebook page at Fields Helping Hands. She’s also listed in the Yellow Pages. Her phone number is 606-425-6117.

     

    PHOTO: Aprilmarie Fields and husband Larry

  • 13 Robins staying 1 of 2The rumors about whether or not the popular Hope Mills restaurant Robin’s on Main is moving have finally been put to rest, said owner Robin Burnum.

    “Robin’s is staying,’’ she said, referring to the restaurant’s current location on North Main Street.

    Burnum said she’ll be signing a five-year lease with property owner John Beasley on Aug. 1, at the same time she’ll be announcing some changes to her weekly hours and the restaurant’s menu.

    Burnum thanked Beasley for offering the extended lease after he had originally considered selling the business.

    “I would have hated to leave Hope Mills,’’ Burnum said. “Hope Mills has been my family for eight years, and I’ve grown a great business here.”

    Now, with the new five-year commitment, Burnum said she’s ready to begin work on some much-needed upgrades to the restaurant.

    The first and most important will be converting to gas for her grilling and replacing her undersized 24-inch grill with a larger model.

    She’s currently getting estimates on the cost for the work to add the new grill and said they are running between $10,000 and $15,000.

    She’s hopeful the process to install the new grill will only take a few days and that the work can take place during normal closings and outside of regular restaurant hours so she won’t have to close while the grill is being added.

    She’d love for it to be up and running when the new lease is signed on Aug. 1 but said the work may extend into September or October.

    The larger grill will allow her to turn orders around much quicker and get larger food orders prepared faster.

    Robin’s can handle as many as 80 customers at one time, and during the busiest periods, Burnum said,people have to wait in excess of an hour for their food.

    The business caters to the breakfast and lunch trade. Burnum said she’s tried to add evening hours, but customers just haven’t responded, so she’ll stick with what’s working.

    But, she’s planning a change in hours. Come Aug. 1, the restaurant will close on Sunday and only be open Tuesday through Saturday from 6 a.m. until 3 p.m.

    Currently, the restaurant is closed Monday, open weekdays 6-2, Saturday 6-1 and Sunday 8-1.

    Burnum said she’ll continue her special Thanksgiving dinner for first responders, and, once the larger grill is installed, hopes to provide other charitable meals for the community. Those plans have yet to be confirmed, she said.

     

    PHOTO: Owner, Robin Burnum.

  • Meetings

    For details about all meetings and activities, including location where not listed, call Town Clerk Jane Starling at 910-426-4113. Most meetings take place at Town Hall or the Hope Mills Parks and Recreation center.

    • Veterans Affairs Commission Thursday, July 26, 7 p.m.

    • Board of Commissioners Monday, Aug. 6, 7 p.m. in the Bill Luther Meeting Room at Town Hall.

    Activities

    • Hope Mills Area Kiwanis Club at Sammio’s, second Tuesdays at noon and fourth Tuesdays at 6 p.m. For details, call 910-237-1240.

    • Fall sports registration through July 28. $30 per child; $15 late fee after registration deadline. Season begins Sept. 8. Call 910-426-4109 for details.

    • Wine-Tasting, Cheese and AppetizersSaturday, July 28, 5-8 p.m. Held at the Boarding House Tea Room, 3903 Ellison St., at the corner of W. Patterson Street across from Hope Mills YMCA. Open to the public once there is a 10-person commitment. Mix and mingle in cozy and quaint surroundings. Tasty hors d’oeuvres and vintage treasures available. Call Carla at 910-527-7455 to make reservations.

    • Hope Meals Food Truck Rodeo Thursday, Aug. 2, 5-8 p.m. Live jazz, kids activities, vendors. Held in the big parking lot at Town Hall.

    Promote yourself: Email hopemills@upandcomingweekly.com.

  • 12 Booster baseball 4 Mark Kahlenberg After making it to the final eight in the state playoffs three of the last four years, the Hope Mills Boosters American Legion baseball team saw their 2018 season come to an earlier and abrupt end this month.

    The Boosters lost two in a row in their first-round playoff series, one by forfeit, to end the season 7-14 overall and 7-7 in Area II play.

    It was one of the earliest exits coach Mark Kahlenberg could remember for the Boosters since he began helping out as an assistant coach about eight years ago.

    Kahlenberg said the team began coming apart in the final weeks of the season because of a familiar problem. Some players were on vacation, some decided not to play the remainder of the season, and others didn’t show up for games consistently.

    “When everyone was there, we put a pretty decent team on the field,’’ Kahlenberg said. “We competed with most of the teams in the conference.’’

    The outstanding season Terry Sanford’s team had, advancing to the 3-A Eastern Regional championship series with Wilmington New Hanover, may have hurt the Boosters in the long run, Kahlenberg said.

    “When you get a team that makes that late run, plays that many extra games, we’re already two weeks into our season,’’ Kahlenberg said.

    After such a long season, Kahlenberg said it was understandable the Terry Sanford players who were headed to college might want a break before reporting to school, so they chose not to play for the Legion team this summer.

    Another problem for the Boosters was a sharp drop in offensive production. Will Rosser of Terry Sanford was the only Hope Mills player who batted over .300, hitting .389.

    The team batting average dropped to .233 this season. After hitting 30 home runs last year, Hope Mills managed just two this season. The 2017 team had 85 extra base hits. This year’s team had 20.

    Matthew Little from Cape Fear was the top Hope Mills pitcher. In 25.2 innings, he had a team-best 2.18 earned run average.

    Kahlenberg said the team greatly appreciated its new association with the Massey Hill Lions Club this season.

    “I had a lot less on my plate for all the home games,’’ Kahlenberg said. “They did the gate, the concessions, announcing and got ice and water for both teams.”

    One big improvement the club has already made for next year is Lion Club’s purchase of an old school bus to take the team to away games. Transportation was a real problem in the playoffs as some players were involved in a car accident en route to the first playoff game at Wallace. No serious injuries were sustained, but the accident resulted in Hope Mills having to forfeit the game.

    “Having transportation is exciting news for our program,’’ Kahlenberg said. “We will be able to get everyone together prior to arriving at the park.

    “This gives us more time together as a team and to talk baseball. I can’t thank the Massey Hill Lions Club enough for what they have added to our program.’’

    Looking ahead to next season, Kahlenberg said he plans to reach out to the schools that the Boosters will draw from to gauge player interest and get firm commitments from players.

    “We’ve got some work to do,’’ he said.

     

    PHOTO: Mark Kahlenberg

Latest Articles

  • Gallery 208: Beyond Surface: Abstractions by Kellie Perkins
  • Kindah Temple No. 62 hosts annual Spring Ceremonial
  • FTCC Foundation invests in students’ futures
  • Unique Easter traditions from around the globe
  • Flawless Touch Detailing celebrates new location
  • CFRT: The Play That Goes Wrong...Again
Up & Coming Weekly Calendar
  

Advertise Your Event:

 

Login/Subscribe