https://www.upandcomingweekly.com/


  • 8aIt’s that time of year again for art, gardens and philanthropy. The 10th Annual KidsPeace Auction presented by Re-Store Warehouse is set for Thursday, Sept. 21st at 5:30 p.m. at the Cape Fear Botanical Gardens.

    The price of admission is $75 and tickets can be purchased at the KidsPeace office by calling 910-223-0949, online at www.kidspeacefayettevilleauction.com, or at the door while they last. Those who purchase tickets online can pick them up at the door on the day of the event. KidsPeace has the perfect evening planned for those attending. There will be a live and silent art auction. Mr. Bill McMillan will be the MC and auctioneer for the evening. The live auction will feature art that received the top votes online and all other art will be a part of a silent auction. “Peaces” to be auctioned off were created by local artists including children currently in foster care.

    Photos of “peaces” have been on display around Fayetteville at local businesses courtesy of Raul Rubiera of Rubiera Studios, located Downtown.
    A live DJ and 360 photo booth will be onsite to keep attendees entertained as well as beer, wine and spirits, as they walk around and choose their favorite art pieces to bid on. Heavy appetizers and sweet treats will be served until 7:00 p.m.

    The annual KidsPeace Auction features art created from old items such as chairs, tables, and windows.

    “What do chairs, tables, and windows have to do with KidsPeace,” you might ask?

    “These chairs come to us a lot like the foster kids do… Torn, tattered, scuffed up, banged up, bruised, and broken. The “restoring” of these chairs, tables, and windows represents the foster families helping the kids. Providing a little love, care and special attention can go a long way. We sell these chairs to raise awareness and to put something once jaded back into the world with a new beginning.”

    There are currently six vendor spaces available. Spaces are $300 and come with 2 tickets to the event. Vendors are asked not to make any sales, as this is a fundraising event. This is a great opportunity for potential vendors to get visibility and give out information. Those interested should contact KidsPeace by phone or by email.

    KidsPeace is a private charity organization, focusing on the behavioral and mental health needs of children, families and communities. KidsPeace Fayetteville offers Foster Care, Outpatient Counseling, Intensive Alternative Family Treatment, Therapeutic Foster Care, Psychiatric Services and Enhanced Therapeutic Foster Care.

    There are a host of sponsors for this year's event that KidsPeace would like to recognize.

    Hope Sponsor: Continental Tax.

    Help Sponsors: Longleaf Pines Realtors, and Haymount Institue.

    Healing Sponsors: Steve Foley of Bragg Mutual Credit Union, Guardian Property Management, American Security Mortgage, and Addison Ridge Apartments.

    Paddle Sponsor: Melissa McKinney of Everything Pines Partners.

    Photo Booth Sponsor: CTS Cleaning.

    Beer Sponsor: Southern Pines Brewing Company.

    Wine Sponsor: Healy Wholesale.

    Liquor Sponsor: BGS Services.

    Food Sponsors: Walk-Ons, Dorothys Catering, Southern Coals, Burney’s, Bubbas 33, and Shannon’s Sweets.
    For more information call 910-223-0949 or visit online at https://www.kidspeacefayettevilleauction.com/annualauction.

  • 4Well, let's all hope so. There is no doubt about it: In recent years, the cancel culture has gained prominence as a social phenomenon characterized by public shaming and ostracization of individuals (like me) or entities (like U&CW the media) deemed to have engaged in offensive or objectionable behavior. However, there are signs that this trend may be experiencing a decline in Fayetteville and on a nationwide scale. This is a good thing!

    One contributing factor to the decline of cancel culture is the growing awareness of its negative consequences. While the misguided intention behind cancel culture may have initially been to hold individuals, businesses, or organizations accountable for their actions, it has more often been weaponized and criticized for its lack of fair due process and its potential to stifle free speech, healthy discourse, and the protections afforded us by the First Amendment of the Constitution.

    In my ongoing dealings with residents, business owners, and local elected officials, I am beginning to see a more logical and balanced approach to addressing stressful situations and problematic behavior. Procedures that involve more constructive dialogue rather than immediate condemnation that often escalates into damaging name-calling and intimidation. We can only hope this trend continues. We need more societal empathy, compassion, and understanding when dealing with and addressing sensitive and controversial issues. We must move away from knee-jerk reactions and more towards meaningful conversations promoting goodwill toward humanity.

    While cancel culture and the "blame game" may still exist in some segments of our community, the trend is declining mainly because residents are beginning to realize an increased awareness of its harmful potential and devastating consequences. This is why many Fayetteville citizens hope for big changes come the November municipal elections. As our local leaders, residents, and communities continue to engage in meaningful discussions and advocate for more balanced approaches to addressing issues in our community, I hope that the cancel culture encompassing Fayetteville and Cumberland County will wane even further, paving the way for a more constructive and inclusive form of communication within the community. All in the name of diminishing social discourse and enhancing our community and quality of life. We can only hope.

    Thanks for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

  • Untitled 1The Fayetteville Technical Community College Board of Trustees elected new officers on Monday, Aug. 21, and welcomed a new trustee.

    William L. Hedgepeth II was elected board chair. The retired banker, who joined the board in 2017, had previously been its vice chair. Ronald C. Crosby Jr., an attorney who has been on the board since 2009, was elected vice chair and Caroline C. Gregory, a new appointee to the board, was elected secretary.

    Gregory, an attorney, was appointed to the board by Gov. Roy Cooper to replace businessman William S. “Billy” Wellons, whose term was expiring. Gregory was officially sworn in as a board member earlier this summer but a ceremonial swearing-in was held at the beginning of Monday’s board meeting with Cumberland County District Court Judge Caitlin Evans administering the oath.
    Gregory is a native of Fayetteville and graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill and Campbell Law School.

    Wellons, who attended part of Monday’s meeting, said he has been stepping away from serving on boards in recent years. He said the FTCC board, where he served for 20 years, including two years as board chair, was his last.

    “It has been a real pleasure to be on this board,” Wellons said. As a businessman, he said, he liked bringing a business perspective to board issues and he gained deep appreciation for FTCC’s mission of educating students of all ages and at all stages in life.

    “This is a great place,” he said. “It’s all about the students.”

    Wellons said he is proud of his service on the board and leaves feeling FTCC is in good hands and on a good path. “We’ve done a lot at this school to progress… and we have planned well for the future,” he said.
    FTCC President Dr. Mark Sorrells presented Wellons with a thank you gift for his service and also presented gifts to outgoing board chair David Williford and to two previous board chairs, Crosby and Charles E. Koonce. Like Crosby, Williford and Koonce remain on the board.

    For more information and photos, please visit https://www.faytechcc.edu/news/ftcc-board-of-trustees-elects-new-officers-and-welcomes-new-board-member/

  • 6Spooky things can come in pretty packages. The first part of this column is dry with medical research, but bear with it, as it will get weird shortly. Remember our old friend Alex in the movie “A Clockwork Orange”?

    He will show up shortly to entertain you. A recent report in Neuroscience News about fun times with brain waves seems on its face to be nothing but good news. The University of California at Berkeley has achieved mind reading by recording brain waves. They did experiments where they implanted electrodes in the brains of patients who were having seizures. The implants were to control seizures with a side order of studying the auditory parts of the brain.

    Once the patients’ brains were drilled with electrodes, the Neuros played Pink Floyd’s song “Another Brick in the Wall” for the patients’ listening pleasure. They recorded what parts of the patients’ brains lit up while hearing the song. The Docs wanted to see if they could recreate what the patients were hearing while listening to “Another Brick”. Voila! Eureka! And “Hey, watch this!” It worked! The Docs replayed the brain recordings and not only could they hear a mushy version of the song but also the words of the song: To wit: “All in all, it was just a brick in the wall”.

    Why is this brain/machine interface a good thing, you might ask? Good question. If the electrodes can make out words in a patient’s brain, then patients who had a stroke, ALS, or were paralyzed who could not speak might be able to communicate through brain waves turned into actual normal sounding speech by the use of electrodes hooked up to their brains. The part of the brain that recognizes the “musical elements of speech” uses a talent called “Prosody” which produces “rhythm, stress, accent, and intonation” in speech. The current speech translator used by patients like Stephen Hawkings sounds like a robot speaking.

    With the new Acme brain/machine interface, speech would sound much more normal. For example, texting has no verbal clues, while the voice on a telephone call might indicate someone was joking instead of insulting using the same words. “You stink” in a text could come across as hostile. While “You stink” in a phone call could come across as gentle kidding. Inflection counts.

    Under the current abilities of science, the brain must be impaled with electrodes to think speech into words. However, Neuros are optimistic that given time, they will be able to just attach electrodes to a patient’s head without drilling into their brain to produce speech. Instead of being in a surgical theater, the patient could just put on Tom Terrific’s Acme Brain/Machine Thinking Cap to speak normally. Pro Tip: If you can remember who Tom Terrific was, please do not drive at night.

    The potential for doing great good for nonverbal patients is quite bright. However, this column does not dwell only on the sunny side. Following Lou Reed’s advice: Take a walk on the wild side to see what could go wrong. Not every government function is benign. Imagine what law enforcement could do by putting an Acme Thinking Cap on a suspect to read his thoughts. The old Fifth Amendment goes into the dust bin of history. How efficient it would be to be able to read a suspected criminal’s thoughts and memories. But what if Big Brother wanted to see if you thought that his rounding up of political opponents was a bad thing.

    The new improved Acme Thinking Cap would reveal if you were a thought crime threat to Big Brother. Big Brother might spank. You must learn to love Big Brother to be pure in your thoughts and deeds.

    As promised, here comes our buddy Little Alex from “Clockwork Orange”. After getting caught subsequent to some Ultra Violence, Alex is subjected to mind control techniques where the government messes with his head to cure him from bad behavior. Alex is given a nausea inducing drug and forced to watch scenes of violence in a form of aversion therapy. As Suboxone takes the thrill out of heroin, Alex’s exposure to violence while under the nausea drug appears to cure him. Alex only pretends to be cured. But with Big Brother’s mind reading Acme Thinking Cap, Alex can’t fake his way to freedom. Chiffon Margarine used to say

    “It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature.” With the Thinking Cap it will be impossible to fool Big Brother.

    Once again, one should be careful what you wish for. The brain/machine interface is not going back into the toothpaste tube. All in all, we’re just another brick in the wall.

  • 5RALEIGH — If the federal government had to operate under the same fiscal rule North Carolina has to follow — and it should — then its operating revenues would have to equal its operating expenses.
    Notice that I didn’t say Washington couldn’t issue any debt under this scenario. Balanced-budget requirements don’t work that way. State and local governments routinely borrow money. Unlike their federal counterparts, however, states and localities can’t generally run deficits in their operating budgets. They’re only allowed to borrow money to finance capital investment.

    Here’s a simple way to illustrate the distinction. North Carolina governments can and do borrow money to build schools, roads and water systems. But they can’t use debt to pay schoolteachers, state troopers, or maintenance technicians. The latter expenses show up in the operating budget, appropriately paid for with taxes and other operating revenues.

    Because I write often about the fiscal recklessness of Washington politicians and the need for a balanced-budget amendment to the federal constitution, I get lots of complaints from readers who say it’s impractical to eliminate federal debt instruments entirely — and foolish even to try. I agree! That’s not what a reasonable balanced-budget amendment would do.

    If federal budgeting worked like state budgeting, Congress could in fact authorize debt-funded expenditures on federal office buildings and military bases, infrastructure and capital improvements on federal lands, and the purchase of durable federal assets such as aircraft carriers.

    It would be wise to do so, at least some of the time. Everything else being equal, interest costs make borrowing more expensive than paying cash. But everything else isn’t always equal! If construction costs are increasing rapidly, for example, it can make sense to borrow and purchase needed assets immediately rather than waiting to save up enough money. More importantly, because the benefits of long-lasting assets accrue to future as well as current taxpayers, it can make sense to require those future taxpayers to help shoulder the cost through the use of long-term debt.

    What might such a fiscal strategy look like in practice? We have no need to guess. In its latest budget plan, the Biden administration devoted an entire section to federal investment. Its proposed 2023-24 budget contained $436 billion in expenditures on physical capital, including both direct federal spending as well as grants to states and localities for roads and other infrastructure.

    In the same budget, the Biden administration proposed $6.88 trillion in outlays and $5.04 trillion in receipts. That deficit of $1.84 trillion represents roughly 27% of total expenditures, or nearly 7% of the nation’s gross domestic product.

    Now, imagine the federal government were run like North Carolina. If it maximized its debt capacity and borrowed $436 billion — because it could only use debt to finance public assets — the deficit would represent about 6% of the budget and less than 2% of GDP. Big difference!

    A fiscally responsible Congress and White House wouldn’t max out its debt capacity, though, just as North Carolina uses a mixture of bonds and cash to fund annual investment rather than relying on debt alone.

    And given the hole politicians of both parties have dug for us, they really ought to run some surpluses to help repair Washington’s balance sheet. Still, if deficits stayed below 2% of GDP and the economy kept growing, that would help immensely.

    Yes, I know this isn’t the whole story. To bring borrowing down below 2% of GDP would require real budget savings — eliminating some programs and means-testing others.

    Also, some might argue that federal expenditures for such purposes as education and training are themselves a form of capital investment. True, but there’s a crucial difference. Government roads, buildings, and other infrastructure are public assets. Human capital — the knowledge, skills, and relationships that education helps to cultivate — isn’t a public asset. It’s private. The government doesn’t own us. We own ourselves.

    Making the federal budget more like a state budget is no panacea. But it makes perfect sense. Does that make it politically unthinkable?

  • Fayetteville Logo I was very grateful to read the article written by Lois Kirby two weeks ago discussing the District 5 Special Use Permit. In an age of dwindling readership and lack of non-biased news resources, thank you for your service to our city. Our citizens must know what is happening in our city; Otherwise our government at all levels will run unmonitored and unaccountable.

    As stated previously, it absolutely was an insult to our neighbors when City Council refused to follow protocol by voting twice on the issue and then tableing the matter when they did not get the vote they wanted.

    What is even worse, after the two votes on May 22, we were instructed by the Mayor Mitch Colvin to get together with Mrs. Creecy, owner of Shinelight LLC, and come to an agreeance on how she could build her property that would be in harmony with the neighborhood. He also suggested Johnny Dawkins, as our District 5 Councilman, get involved to help us come to a compromise. There is more to the story and it needs to be told as well…

    Two weeks after the May 26 City Council meeting, the neighbors and Mrs. Creecy met together at Lois Kirby’s home. We were invited for coffee, tea, and to have a civilized discussion on how we could come together as a neighborhood. I was excited to meet my new neighbor Mrs. Creecy, welcome her, make sure she knows we have no ill-will towards her, that she can operate her business however she sees fit, that many of the neighbors currently have autistic family members and love her services. We simply want the building she plans on building not to be a duplex because it doesn’t coincide with the current city planning and the current Haymount District which is a large majority single family homes.

    It is obvious to anyone who meets her that Mrs. Creecy is a wonderful woman doing a great service to disadvantaged individuals. The night at the Kirby’s was fantastic. After much discussion, we all came to an agreement that would benefit the neighborhood. The agreement that Mrs. Creecy signed spoke of privacy hedges, a fence/wall, and most importantly two condominiums or townhomes instead of the duplex. The townhomes that were agreed upon maintain the harmony of the neighborhood and encourages property ownership in the area. After our meeting, our agreement was submitted to the city, and the Kirby’s informed Johnny Dawkins of the results by phone some time later.

    I was so excited to see the matter reappear in front of City Council at the next session on June 26. Thinking they would commend us for working together (since this is what we all teach our children to do in situations like this), maybe they would be proud of the work they gave us to do…but we were hoodwinked! They straight up bamboozled us like a used car salesman selling a lemon. They refused to look at the new submitted agreement, turned a blind eye on commendable community unity, and voted a third time in order to get their passing vote they so diligently sought.

    When the second meeting started and began to unfold, I realized I was about to witness a betrayal. Johnny Dawkins, our own District 5 representative, started out by saying he had a talk behind closed doors with the City Attorney and he now wanted to ask for recusal from the vote on approving the city permit. This was strange? He was told by the mayor the month before, to intercede between everyone in his community, he was supposed to be the figurehead, the man who gets credit for getting everyone together for a win-win. But he was not, we were betrayed. Every Councilman who even spoke to the public about the issue was advised by the City Attorney behind closed doors to ask for recusal, but… only our Councilman actually bowed out. The only councilman, our supposed advocate, played us like a fiddle.

    I have been watching our government from afar for the last few years, especially the Cain Rd. incident, and this was the straw that broke the camels back. I cannot sit by idly any longer, I am now running for City Council District 5 and I want my neighbors and community to know Fayetteville is not for Sale!

    —Justin Herbe,
    Fayetteville resident District 5

    Editor's note: The referenced article by Lois Kirby ran in the Aug. 24 issue. It can be found at https://www.upandcomingweekly.com/views/9947-district-5-special-use-permit-is-an-insult-to-all-fayetteville-residents

  • 10aRebecca Russell, owner of Bee Spoke Vintage and The 10 Dresses Project, walks up almond carpeted stairs to her workshop. Her short brown hair swishes lightly as she goes. Occasionally, she’ll turn back and make a light-hearted comment, her brown circular glasses framing her face as she smiles.

    Just as she rounds the corner of the stairs is a room lined with bookshelves of boxes and papers tucked neatly into plastic bags and stored sideways. It is a small pattern library, an homage to vintage dresses and outfits of times past. Her large table in the middle of the room is covered by partial pieces of patterns, thread and multiple pairs of sewing scissors. It appears that she has stopped mid-creation.

    Against the window are multiple mannequins with lavish silk dresses and a vintage, revolutionary-war era suit for a man. Russell is busy trying to complete some of the dresses, including her own and her son’s, for the Lafayette Grand Birthday Ball & Soiree on September 9th.

    “He’s turning nineteen right before the ball and that was the age Lafayette was,” Russell smiles as she touches the sleeve of the navy blue coat. “… I’ll be toasting youth and the spirit of youth… and what’s possible for youth.”

    Russell’s workshop is actually a room located in her home. What started out as a pattern organizer and a desk has grown into an entire rather large room. It’s packed with papers, patterns, jars of buttons and folded pieces of fabric. Vintage and newer sewing machines sit on surfaces around the room. Attached to the room is a closet packed with fine fabrics, thick lustrous silk rolls, vintage shoes and hats for all of Russell’s events.

    Russell admits she needs more space — maybe a proper workshop or storefront, she says. She gushes as she talks about future plans of a storefront. For Russell, sewing has been a lifelong passion that began when she was only about six.

    “My grandmother sewed all our clothes growing up,” she said. “I was always sitting right at her knee saying, ‘Let me sew. Let me get in there.’ She taught me.”

    For the vintage dresses, from Revolutionary to Civil War and into the 1900s, Russell recalls starting that fascination around her sixth grade year.

    “We moved to Virginia when the 125th anniversary of the Civil War battle started. We were right there in the thick of it. My dad was a really big history buff.”

    At age twelve, Russell went out and bought a vintage pattern for a gunny sack. She took red lace to her parents' basement and worked on the dress all night.10b

    “It was terrible,” Russell laughs. “I don't think I wore it out anywhere because I knew pretty quickly it was not right.”

    The mistakes of her first try didn’t stop Russell. She next tried to copy a dress from “North and South.” Along the way, she recalls getting suggestions from a historian who helped her with making her dresses more accurate by giving her information about what would have been normal during those eras. For one, she taught Russell at that young age that those dresses didn’t have zippers in that time period.

    “She was really kind. I think I was thirteen at that point. I started living in the library then because there was no internet.”

    Russell grabs boxes from the shelves in her workshop and begins to flip through patterns. She seems to love each piece, having a verbal reaction to the patterns as she recalls them.

    When she was a teenager, Russell said she even began drafting her own patterns. She grabs another book and opens it up. Books like this one, with simplistic measurements for dresses from the Revolutionary and Civil War times, helped her learn to draft her own patterns.

    “This woman studied actual garments that were in museums and then she would sketch them out to scale,” she said, turning pages and pointing to patterns. “Basically you could reproduce the pattern yourself.”

    She chuckles lightly and says she’s thankful there are more commercial patterns out now. Russell walks over to another table where jars of buttons have been stored. She picks up a blue glass jar, one she has had for a long time, and talks about all the people that have donated to her buttons and other sewing materials.

    “When people find out you sew, they are like, ‘Hey, I have all this stuff.’”

    Despite the long road in sewing, Russell took a break from the early 2000s until 2021. She worked as a government contractor and spent time with her kids. In 2021, Russell went back to sewing as a full-time business including doing workshops, balls like the upcoming Lafayette Ball, and other events.

    “The time was just right for me. I said goodbye, other job. I’m going to do this full-time.”

    Russell also sells her dresses online, all of which are custom made.

    “I don’t make anything ahead of time then sell it,” she said. “ Things don’t exist until somebody asks to have it made.”

    Her customers usually provide the fabrics for the dresses. The dresses span all eras but she does a lot from the 1930s. The 1940s and 1950s she says can often still be found in the vintage shops so those requests don’t come in as often. The requests though are some of the best part of what she does.

    “The thing that is most fun about it is I get to make all these things I wouldn’t have necessarily made for myself and then I can send them on.”

    In the future, Russell hopes to have a lending library at her store front and host events like movie night with themed dress-up eras. For her, she envisions sharing and helping others on their paths in sewing and keeping the art alive.

    “I just think it’s a great way to keep expanding it and obviously you got to get young people into loving it so it keeps going on.”

    Until the storefront is open, she’ll keep hosting events, bringing remembrance to parts of history through clothing and trying to open other people’s eyes to both history and a love of sewing.

    For more information about The 10 Dress Project, Bee Spoke Vintage or the upcoming Lafayette Ball visit https://www.the10dressesproject.org or https://beespokevintage.com/.

  • 19Diet plays an important role in maintaining healthy cholesterol numbers. Although the level of cholesterol in a person’s blood is partly due to factors related to heredity, the foods one eats also affect cholesterol levels.

    When doctors discuss cholesterol with their patients, they may refer to total cholesterol, bad cholesterol and good cholesterol.

    What does that mean? Total cholesterol is the combined number of cholesterol in the blood, and should be below 200.

    Good cholesterol is known as HDL (high-density lipoprotein) and ideally it should be above 60. Bad, or LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, should be below 100, says the Cleveland Clinic.

    A person who has a poor lipoprotein profile may be instructed to alter their diet. Learning which foods might help is an important tool in managing cholesterol and triglyceride numbers.

    Oats and more. Individuals likely have heard that oatmeal is good for helping reduce cholesterol numbers. Oatmeal has soluble fiber, which lowers LDL cholesterol by reducing the absorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream. Oat bran and other high-fiber grains also are good to enjoy.

    Legumes and produce. Eggplant, okra, kidney beans, Brussels sprouts, pears, apples, and more also can be effective at lowering cholesterol levels. These foods tend to be lower in calories and saturated fats but high in soluble fiber.

    Nuts. Almond, walnuts and other foods high in omega-3 fatty acids can lower cholesterol levels by raising the levels of HDL cholesterol. Nuts like almonds also are high in vitamin E, which is an antioxidant that can keep the body healthy in a number of ways. Since nuts are high in calories, it is important to eat them in moderation.

    Fatty fish. Eating fish over other meat-based protein sources helps reduce caloric intake. It also means the body gains the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids that lower LDL and triglycerides in the bloodstream.

    Sterols and stanols. Sterols and stanols are components of plants that gum up the body’s ability to absorb cholesterol from food, says Harvard Health. Companies add them to foods like margarine and granola bars as supplements.  Roughly two grams of plant sterols a day can reduce LDL by 10%.

    Avocados and olives. Both of these foods are good sources of fiber and also monounsaturated fats that can help improve HDL and lower LDL levels. Substitute olive and avocado oils for lard and butter when cooking to improve cholesterol levels.

    Certain foods can be beneficial for improving cholesterol numbers.

    Focusing on the positive can help people feel less restricted by healthy eating plans.

  • 18bA new school year presents a wealth of opportunities for incoming students. Students returning to the same school can build upon the previous year’s successes, while students transitioning from elementary school to middle school or middle school to high school can embrace the excitement and accept the challenges posed by continuing on their academic journeys.

    It’s not uncommon for all students to experience some first day jitters, but that nervous excitement might be especially pronounced for transfer students.

    The transition to a new school is made simpler for many students when they make it alongside classmates they’ve known for years. Transfer students have no such security blanket, but can embrace the following strategies as they prepare to begin the school year in a whole new environment.

    Attend student orientation sessions. Orientation sessions can benefit any student, but may be especially useful for transfer students. Orientation sessions typically include a campus tour, a rundown of both academic and social activities and a chance to meet the school staff, including teachers and coaches.

    Transfer students who attend these sessions also may meet fellow classmates, who typically serve as guides on campus tours or in other capacities which requires them to interact with session attendees. This can be a great opportunity to connect with individuals who could serve as a familiar face come the first day of school.

    Schedule a visit with a guidance counselor. Guidance counselors can be invaluable resources for transfer students.

    Parents can come along and discuss the student’s interests in a direct conversation with a counselor, who can fill the family in on all that’s available on campus. That can include academics and extracurricular activities.

    Dive in socially. Though it’s not always easy to transfer to a new school that already has its own social networks, the best way to meet new people is to make a concerted effort to engage socially.

    Student-athletes may have an advantage because the team atmosphere provides a ready-made social network. However, extracurricular clubs also provide that benefit and do so without the added pressure of competing for a spot on a team.

    Don’t go it alone. Students should recognize that the transition is not something they need to do on their own. If students transferred because their family moved, then others in the family, including parents, are likely to experience their own ups and downs as well.

    Speak with parents and siblings if the transition does not get off to a smooth start. Such openness can open the door to new strategies and help to alleviate some of the stress that can accompany a transition to a new school.

    A new school year can be a nervous time for transfer students. However, various strategies can help to make the transition go more smoothly.

  • 18aThe year 1963 was a time that reflects many differences when compared to today.

    For example, the cost of a gallon of gas was thirty-one cents. Phones were attached to walls. A computer weighed as much as a small car. Teenagers lit up their bedrooms with lava lamps. The song, “Surfin’ U.S.A.” by The Beach Boys, topped the music charts. The most popular TV show was “The Beverly Hillbillies.” “Cleopatra” was the top grossing movie. The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the New York Yankees in the World Series.

    Many things have changed since 1963, but a few things have remained the same.

    In 1963, the Paul H. Thompson Library at Fayetteville Technical Community College opened its doors for the first time, and for 60 years, the Library has been a center of learning for our community.

    The majority of work that occurs at the Paul H. Thompson Library is serious work, but the Library is about to have some fun, in celebration of the 60th birthday.

    All are invited to drop in on Sept. 6 between the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Paul H. Thompson Library, located at 2221 Hull Road on the Fayetteville campus of FTCC.

    At noon, enjoy the best 1960s-themed birthday party ever held in honor of a library. Participants will win great prizes and be given the opportunity to “strain the brain” to complete a scavenger hunt.
    Guests can also visit archival displays and see if anyone in our pictures from long ago is recognized. We’ll also have a display of 60s-themed books on cooking, culture and history.

    FTCC students, faculty and staff are invited to dust off their tie-dye shirts and platform shoes to enter the 60s costume contest. This free event is open to the public.

    The Paul H. Thompson Library provides access to many campus and online resources that can help students with their classroom assignments.

    In addition to books and periodicals, book displays, study rooms with high-tech white boards for team collaboration, desktop computers, laptops, electronic databases, and much more are available at the Paul H. Thompson Library.

    Open archives are available on Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. where students can look through photographs, yearbooks and other archived materials.

    In addition to the Paul H. Thompson Library, FTCC’s Student Learning Center is available to students interested in receiving additional academic assistance to make the learning experience a successful one.

    Other campus resources include the All American Veterans Center, the Career Development Center, the Fitness Center, computer labs, and disability and accessibility support services.

    The staff members of the Paul H. Thompson Library at FTCC’s Fayetteville campus are pleased to celebrate the 60th birthday and invite you to join the celebration and discover how Fayetteville Technical Community College helps students enrich lives and reimagine futures.

    If you have questions about the Paul H. Thompson Library at FTCC, please contact Director of Library Services, Mary DiRisio, at drisiom@faytechcc.edu or 910-678-7351.
    If you have questions about FTCC in general, email contactus@faytechcc.edu.

  • 17The history and life stories of Black builders and architects in North Carolina are subjects of a traveling exhibit coming to the Museum of the Cape Fear beginning Sept. 6.

    The museum, located at 801 Arsenal Ave., will host Preservation North Carolina’s traveling exhibit “We Built This: Profiles of Black Architects and Builders in North Carolina.”

    On display until the end of the year, the exhibit is part of a multifaceted education program that acknowledges and celebrates the Black builders and craftspeople who constructed or designed many of the state’s most treasured historic sites, according to a museum news release.

    Spanning more than three centuries, “We Built This” provides more than two dozen personal profiles and historical context on key topics including slavery and Reconstruction; the founding of historically black universities and churches; the Jim Crow era and segregation; and the rise of Black civic leaders and professionals.

    The exhibit includes the story of Cicero Richardson, who was a brick mason in Fayetteville. At the age of 13 or 14 years, Richardson was determined to learn brick masonry.

    In 1832, with his Certificate of Freedom, he traveled alone 100 miles from New Bern to Fayetteville to begin an apprenticeship with Fayetteville brick mason Jacob Harris (1799-1847).

    The Harris family was a prominent free Black family in Fayetteville. Richardson later married Jacob’s oldest child, Sarah Ann. The Harris family, including Richardson, migrated to Ohio in the 1850s to escape restrictive laws and increasing hostilities toward free Black people in North Carolina.

    After the Civil War, Jacob Harris’ sons, Robert and Cicero (named after Cicero Richardson), returned to Fayetteville to teach with the American Missionary Association.17a

    Robert Harris would become the founding principal at the Howard School (1867) and the State Colored Normal School (1877), the predecessors of Fayetteville State University.

    For more information about the exhibit, contact David Reid at david.reid@dncr.nc.gov or 910-500-4242 at the Museum of the Cape Fear or Demetrius Haddock at info.rjcaah@gmail.com with the River Jordan Council on African American Heritage.

    The Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. The museum operates under the Division of State History Museums, Office of Archives and History, within the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

    Visit the museum website at https://museumofthecapefear.ncdcr.gov/ for more information.

  • 16The Greater Fayetteville Chamber presents the State of the Community event Aug. 31 at the Crown Expo Center. This highly informational annual event will assemble Fayetteville and Cumberland County leaders under one roof to discuss current conditions and future developments throughout the region.

    During this event government officials, lawmakers, and administrators will present topics such as economic development, healthcare, education, military, local government, and the positive impact of collaborative partnerships such as Cape Fear Valley Health, the City of Fayetteville, Cumberland County Schools, and the Longleaf Pine Realtors.

    Nat Robertson, president and CEO of the Greater Fayetteville Chamber, states “Our goal is to bring the most up-to-date information to our members and the best way we have found to do that is from the representatives themselves. It is imperative that our members educate themselves on the state of our community so they can better prepare themselves and their businesses on what is coming next”.

    The keynote speaker for this event is Josh Dobson, the NC Commissioner of Labor.

    Dobson is the 18th labor commissioner in the State of North Carolina. He served for eight years in the state House of Representatives representing the 85th district covering Avery, McDowell and Mitchell counties in the western part of N.C.

    He also previously served as chair of the house appropriations committee and the chair of the house health committee. Additionally, speakers for the 2023 State of the Community will include: Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin; Dr. Toni Stewart, Chair of the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners; Dr. Marvin Connelly, Superintendent of Cumberland County Schools; Melissa McKinney, President of the Board, Longleaf Pine Realtors; Daniel Weatherly, Chief Operations Officer of the Cape Fear Valley Health System.

    Greater Fayetteville Chamber State of the Community will take place on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Crown Expo Center located at 1960 Coliseum Drive.

    Tickets are $30 for individual general admission member tickets. A table of eight reserved seats is $300. Non-member general admission tickets are $75.
    Sponsorship opportunities are available at www.FAYBIZ.com

    If you’re interested in helping the Chamber to support their mission “to help people live, work, and thrive in Fayetteville” log onto www.faybiz.com to sign up and become a member today.

  • 14The Cumberland County Department of Public Health is partnering with the public school system to hold evening clinics for back-to-school and COVID-19 immunization clinics for schoolchildren and teenagers in grades kindergarten through 12.

    Students who participate will receive free backpacks and hygiene kits, according to a news release.

    Walk-ins will be accepted each day until the clinic reaches capacity. No walk-ins will be accepted after 6:30 p.m. Insurance will be collected, but vaccines are free for children under 18 through the Vaccines for Children program, the release said.

    Students should bring an ID card, a copy of insurance information and immunization records, if available.

    Outreach clinics for students entering grades seven and 12 are scheduled:

    • 4-7 p.m. Sept. 5, Mac Williams Middle School, 4644 Clinton Road.
    • 4-7 p.m. Sept. 7, Lewis Chapel Middle School, 2150 Skibo Road.
    • 4-7 p.m. Sept. 14, Douglas Byrd Middle School, 1616 Ireland Drive.
    • 4-7 p.m. Sept. 19, Spring Lake Middle School, 612 Spring Ave., Spring Lake.

    A late-night clinic for students entering grades kindergarten, seven, and 12 will be held from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sept. 12 at the Cumberland County Department of Public Health, 1235 Ramsey St.

    All students entering seventh grade are required to obtain a Tdap and meningococcal conjugate vaccine before starting school. As of Aug. 1, 2020, a booster dose to protect against meningococcal disease is required for adolescents entering 12th grade or by age 17.

    A full list of immunizations required before entering kindergarten and seventh and 12th grades under state law can be found on the Cumberland County Schools website.

    Anyone 18 or younger who does 0not have health insurance or whose health insurance does not cover immunizations can receive free immunizations through the Vaccines for Children Program.

    For transportation to the Health Department for a walk-in visit to the immunizations clinic, call 910-433-3600.
    State law says parents and caregivers have 30 calendar days from the first day of attendance to present the required immunization record and health assessment form for a child.

    After 30 days, students will not be allowed to attend school until the required immunizations and health assessment form has been presented.
    Anyone who cannot attend one of these clinics can get required immunizations at the Department of Public Health from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Friday, the news release said.

    Visit www.cumberlandcountync.gov/publichealth or call 910-433-3707 for more information.

  • 13Lawn chairs, blankets and cool beverages, oh my! The Gates Four Summer Concert Series is wrapping up its third year of live entertainment and family fun at the club’s pavilion on Sept. 1.

    Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Concert-goers are encouraged to get there early, set up their chairs, and enjoy several pre-concert activities such as door prizes and wine tastings.

    This event is free to the public, but if you’re in the mood to treat yourself, a few VIP options are available for purchase. These exclusive tickets give access to covered seating, food and libations courtesy of On After and H8ters Bar and Grill.

    Anyone interested in VIP tickets can purchase them online at the Fayetteville Dinner Theatre website www.fayettevilledinnertheatre.com or at Gates Four Golf & Country Club. Ticket prices range from $25 for covered seating to $40 for covered seating and drinks.

    According to Greg Adair, GFSCS organizer and drummer for Rivermist, the concert series has grown in more ways than one as one of the only music festivals that runs a six-month season in the Cumberland County area.

    This year boasts a mountain of significant sponsors, including Certified Heating and Air, Beasley Media Group, Jay Dowdy Home Services, and Healy Wholesale, Inc. According to Adair, it will get “better and better” as “word of mouth” of the concert series continues to bring in bigger crowds each year.

    This year the GFSCS is again being presented by the Fayetteville Dinner Theatre, with local businessman Bill Bowman at the helm. Bowman is also the publisher of Up & Coming Weekly. The Fayetteville Dinner Theatre’s mission is to bring a “full evening of fun and entertainment that includes much more than great theater performed by talented professional actors,” a mission that has come to fruition with the continued success of the GFSCS.

    Set to headline the season-ending show is none other than Fayetteville’s favorite hometown band, Rivermist.

    The band is known not only to local audiences, but across the region and have received numerous accolades and awards to include: nominated for the Rising Star CAMMY (Carolina Beach Music Award), named 2021 CCMA (Carolina Country Music Awards) Vocal Group of the Year.

    Starting in 2014 as a classic rock cover band, Rivermist has lost and gained members and even added new genres of music to its repertoire, earning them a whole new audience in the music scene and solidifying what Adair calls “Rivermist 2.0.”

    “It seems like God had a plan for us, and we just kept making a way.”

    The band consists of five eclectic members, all from different backgrounds but united in their love of “God, family, and country.” Adair, drummer and vocalist, is a proud son, father, new grandfather, and an organizer of the Gates Four Summer Concert Series.

    Flowing on the keys and the mic, Allen Pier's raspy voice and melodic work on the keyboard provide the perfect note for the cover band’s classic rock hits and R&B and funk.
    Cliff Bender plays lead guitar, and local music store owner Tony Harrison jams on the bass guitar.

    New to the group, but a natural addition is Rick Starling who joined the group in 2022. Starling brought his experience as band director at Jack Britt High School and John Griffin Middle School.
    Although the band plays secular music, Adair says, “We are all active in our churches,” a reason the GFSCS stays true to its family roots and is strict on making sure all bands that are booked adhere to playing family-friendly music.

    Even though the band has quite a following on Facebook (8,000 followers), Adair admits that doesn’t quantify their success. That comes from their connection with their fans at concerts.

    “When we see people, we are really into them, we hug them … we hug them at the end of every show or when we can see them before the show... and we are really thankful for them.”
    With fans showing up at every show and having original songs on the music charts, Greg says the band doesn’t consider themselves famous. “We are just a humble bunch. We aren’t arrogant at all … we are really thankful and really humble.”

    Despite his musical success, Adair says his favorite role is “grandpa,” but he says his children often pick about having a “rockstar dad.”

    The band maintains a consistent schedule, ensuring fans have the opportunity to rock out and grab a laugh and a hug on the way out. While they consider themselves a cover band, they have a collection of harmonious and inspiring original songs. They just released a new song, “Right Place, Right Time” available on their website, www.rivermistband.com, Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon Music, and Pandora.

    Tour dates, merchandise and booking information can also be found on the band’s website. They have a full schedule for the rest of the year with plenty of opportunities for fans to catch a show.

    At the final GFSCS show of the season, Rivermist will hit the stage at 7 p.m. with a set full of songs to fit everyone’s musical palate, crossing several genres of music over several decades.

    Concert-goers can expect smooth harmonies and electric energy from the band as they end the summer concert series dancing under a radiant Carolina sky.

  • 12bLocal families are heading to Cross Creek Mall after the opening of the Main Event last week.

    With the tagline “The Most Fun You Can Have Under One Roof” Main Event is a 38,000-square-foot entertainment complex that delivers on that promise with a pro-level bowling alley, virtual reality, laser tag, billiards, arcade games and more.

    The founders of Main Event opened their first center in Lewisville, Texas in 1998. In 2022, Dave & Busters, a similar entertainment chain, acquired the company. While Dave & Busters caters more to adults, Main Event has a family-oriented focus. Their goal was to give families somewhere other than traditional bowling centers to spend quality time together. They introduced a place where families could come together and enjoy various activities conveniently located under one roof. They wanted to create a haven for families seeking fun and entertainment.

    Guests will be satisfied with the value they receive from the various activities offered, such as happy hour promotions, eat and play packages, as well as hosting birthday parties, private gatherings, and corporate events.

    Additionally, complimentary Wi-Fi is provided for guests’ convenience. Main Event also offers a comprehensive selection of food items, including burgers, pizza, desserts and other options.

    The operating hours are from 10 a.m. to midnight on Sundays through Thursdays, and from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

    For more information visit https://www.mainevent.com/

  • 12aWith the heat hitting record highs, it’s good to know places to check out that will keep you out of the sun. There are plenty of indoor fun centers, and many of them are locally owned. Here is a list of locally-owned, fun, family-friendly fun centers to check out in Cumberland County.

    Axes & Armor Hatchet House

    Axes & Armor is Cumberland County’s first indoor axe throwing facility. Their mission is to bring the thrill of urban hatchet throwing to the community. They not only offer axe throwing but also a rage room, splatter rooms, and football bowling.

    Axe throwing tickets range from $23 to $36 per person, depending on the day of the week and how long the session is. There are also military, educator and first responder discounts available.

    Axes & Armor have two locations in Cumberland County — one in Fayetteville and one in Spring Lake. The location in Fayetteville is at 4005 Raeford Road and can be contacted at 910-491-1233. The location in Spring Lake is at 409 N. Bragg Blvd. and can be contacted at 910-491-8144. For more information, go to https://www.axesandarmor.com/.

    Bravery Kids Gym

    Bravery Kids Gym is an inclusive indoor play facility that offers a fun, safe and stimulating learning environment to promote childhood development through play. This kids’ gym is geared towards the development and therapeutic needs of children with special needs as well as typically developing children; however, the center is open for children of all abilities. Children and adults will have access to all equipment from

    Tuesdays to Fridays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

    An all-day pass is $15. There are discounts for military members, teachers and therapists with a valid ID. Memberships are available as well. You are recommended to bring your own grip socks.
    Bravery Kids Gym is located at 886 Elm Street. For more information, go to braverykidsgym.com or call 910-779-0623.

    Epic Fun Park

    EPIC is a whole new way to play, party and eat. They bring together a number of attractions for all ages and give something to enjoy for all. They have a ropes course, arcade games, climbing walls, zip lines, dodgeball, a sports court, and plenty of trampolines. With 14,000 square feet of Wall to Wall Inflatable Fun, this is a definite addition to Fayetteville’s bucket list.

    Each individual must sign a waiver before using any attraction. Children 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult, and socks are required for all activities. Ticket prices range from $15 to $30, depending on age and time at the facility.

    Epic Fun Park is located at 1400 Walter Reed Road. For more information, go to www.epicfunpark.com or call 910-759-4744.

    JP’s Jump Masters

    JP’s Jump Masters is a military and locally owned facility here in Fayetteville that offers 20,000 square feet of fun. Half of the facility is a trampoline park. They have a variety of trampolines, such as dodgeball courts, basketball hoops and foam pits. The other side of the facility is a cafe and arcade. They have a gourmet coffee shop and an indoor/outdoor cafe.

    Tickets can be bought online or in person. There are 30-minute jump tickets, one-hour jump tickets, all-day jump tickets, weekend all-day passes and weekday all-day passes available.

    Waivers must be signed by anyone entering the facility. Waivers for minors must be signed by their parents/guardians. JP’s Jump Masters is located at 7005 Nexus Court. For more information, go to jpsjumpmasters.com or call 910-223-0200.

    Stop Button Arcade + Bar

    This hidden arcade is the place to go for drinks, games and fun. The arcade is open seven days a week and offers pinball, arcade games and console games. One of the best things about this place is that it’s family-friendly, so kids are more than welcome. However, on Fridays and Saturday nights after 9 p.m., only people who are 18 and older are allowed to stay. The bar offers local North Carolina beers, nerd-themed cocktails, and a full liquor bar. The only drawback is that food is not served here, but there are restaurants nearby.

    Stop Button Arcade + Bar is open Monday through Thursday from 3 p.m. to midnight. On Friday, they are open from 3 p.m. to 3 a.m. On Saturday, it is open from noon to 3 a.m., and on Sunday, it is open from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.

    Admission is $7 from Sunday through Thursday. On Fridays and Saturdays, it is $10. Anyone under 18 can get in for $5. There are also military and student discounts. To gain entry into Stop Button, you must have a valid ID that proves your age.

    This arcade is over in Hope Mills at 4251 Legion Road #127. To find out more information, go to https://www.stopbuttonbar.com/.

    Omni Plaza

    Omni Plaza is the perfect place to take your family for indoor fun. Omni Family Fun Center is one of the largest fun centers in Cumberland County that is aimed at the entire family. There are over 100 games that people can enjoy, as well as exciting prizes available when you redeem your tickets. Next door is Mountasia Golf & Games, where indoor minature golf is in full swing. There are two 18-hole courses people can explore.

    At Mountasia Golf & Games, children, twelve and under, can get in for $5 for 18 holes and $8 for 36 holes. Adults, 13 and older, can get in for $7 for 18 holes and $10 for 36 holes. One child under 3 is free with each paid adult. You can then finish your day out with a movie and popcorn at Omni Cinema.

    No one under 16 years of age is permitted on Omni Plaza properties after 6 p.m. without adult supervision, and proper ID is required.
    Omni Plaza is located at 3729 Sycamore Dairy Road. For more information about Omni Plaza, go to omnifamilyamusementcenter.com or call 910-864-1307.

  • 11Students are heading back to school, some entering the classroom for the first time. The American Red Cross North Carolina Region offers 10 ways to help make sure your student is safe as they return to school for the upcoming year.

    “There are some special steps parents of younger children should take, especially if kids are going to school for the first time,” said Allison Taylor, NC Regional CEO of Humanitarian Services. “They should make sure the child knows their phone number, address, how to get in touch with their parents at work, how to get in touch with another trusted adult and how to dial 911. They should also make sure the child knows not to talk to strangers or accept rides from someone they don’t know.”

    Here are more steps to follow to help your child stay safe:

    • If your student rides a bus to school, they should plan to get to their bus stop early and stand away from the curb while waiting for the bus to arrive.
    • Students should board the bus only after it has come to a complete stop and the driver or attendant has instructed them to get on. They should only board their bus, never an alternate one.
    • All students should stay in clear view of the bus driver and never walk behind the bus.
    • Cross the street at the corner, obey traffic signals and stay in the crosswalk.
    • Never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars.
    • If children go to school in a car, they should always wear a seat belt. Younger children should use car seats or booster seats until the lap-shoulder belt fits properly (typically for children ages 8-12 and over 4’9”), and ride in the back seat until they are at least 13 years old.
    • If a teenager is going to drive to school, parents should mandate that they use seat belts. Drivers should not use their cell phone to text or make calls and avoid eating or drinking while driving.
    • Some students ride their bike to school. They should always wear a helmet and ride on the right, in the same direction as the traffic is going.
    • When children are walking to school, they should only cross the street at an intersection, and use a route along which the school has placed crossing guards.
    • Parents should walk young children to school, along with children taking new routes or attending new schools, at least for the first week to ensure they know how to get there safely. Arrange for students to walk to school with a friend or classmate.

    Drivers, Slow Down!

    Drivers should slow down as children head back to school. Know that yellow flashing lights indicate the bus is getting ready to stop and motorists should slow down and be prepared to stop. Red flashing lights and an extended stop sign indicate the bus is stopped and children are getting on or off.

    Motorists must stop when they are behind a bus, meeting the bus or approaching an intersection where a bus is stopped. Motorists following or traveling alongside a school bus must also stop until the red lights have stopped flashing, the stop arm is withdrawn, and all children have reached safety. This includes two and four-lane highways. If physical barriers such as grassy medians, guide rails or concrete median barriers separate oncoming traffic from the bus, motorists in the opposing lanes may proceed without stopping. Do not proceed until all the children have reached a place of safety.

    Prepare for Emergencies

    Know what the emergency plan is at your child’s school in case a disaster or an unforeseen event occurs. Develop a family emergency plan so everyone will know who to contact and where to go if something happens while children are at school and parents are at work. Details are available at redcross.org/prepare.

    Take a First Aid Class

    Learn and practice first aid and CPR skills by taking a course so you can help save a life. Download the free Red Cross First Aid app for instant access to information on handling the most common first aid emergencies whether it be before, during or after school. You can find it by searching for ‘American Red Cross’ in your app store or at redcross.org/apps

    About the American Red Cross

    The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission.

    For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or www.CruzRojaAmericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross

  • 10Even after three shootings over the past three weeks, violent crime — except for cases of homicide — is down “across the board” in Fayetteville so far this year, says Police Chief Kemberle Braden.

    Braden shared that assessment with City Council members on Aug. 7, then reiterated it at a special council meeting to discuss public safety on Aug. 16.

    A spike in gun violence across Cumberland County has preceded recent conversations about public safety, including the updates Braden delivered last week.

    Two of the recent shootings occurred Aug. 3. One, in the parking lot of Seabrook Park at 708 Langdon St., resulted in the driver of a Kia Optima crashing into the nearby swimming pool at Smith Recreation Center.
    Braden said the incident followed an altercation that broke out during a vigil for family and friends of Lorenzo McLaughlin Jr., 22, who was shot to death July 29.

    On July 30, police charged Devonte Tyrell McClain, 20, and his brother, Adriane McClain, 18, both of Fayetteville, with first-degree murder and felony conspiracy related to McLaughlin’s death. They are being held at the Cumberland County Detention Center under no bond.

    The other shooting on Aug. 3 was at a Circle K gas station at 8191 Cliffdale Road. Police have not released additional information about the case.

    Braden has said the investigation of the Seabrook Park shooting is ongoing.

    Braden acknowledged preliminary year-to-date data for 2023 “doesn’t match the narrative of what we saw happen at Seabrook Park.”

    According to Braden, homicides have increased slightly this year — 27 homicides last year at this time compared to 33 so far this year. He said last week that police have identified an offender in all but two of those cases and stressed the importance of considering the broader picture.

    “We’re always going to be gauged on our number of murders,” Braden told CityView on Aug. 16. “But as we look at the other things — and murders are bad, there’s no doubt about that — are we having an effect across the board? I think we are.”

    In the data he first presented earlier in the month, Braden cited a 9% decrease in crimes against individuals and 13.4% decrease in crimes against property. There also has been a 30% increase in weapons seized and an 8% decrease in stolen weapons compared to this time last year.

    “When I say violent crime is down across the board … I’m talking about our most serious of events to include our shootings, shooting into occupied dwellings, aggravated assaults — both felony and misdemeanor,” Braden said. “And yes, we’re still out there working, solving every homicide that we can and trying to prevent any retaliatory violence that could result in a potential homicide in the future.”

    At the same time, Braden said, there’s been a 61.5% increase in so-called crimes against society, which includes “victimless” crimes like drug possession and seizure of illegal weapons. He attributes the increase in these arrests to proactive police work that stops a crime from happening, such as by seizing an unauthorized weapon before a perpetrator can use it.

    “I would say this is our officers showing that they’re doing more work out there,” Braden said. “They’re being more productive and more proactive, as opposed to waiting to have someone commit a crime and then go and arrest them for that crime. They’re doing stuff like taking the drugs out of their pockets or taking the gun out of their waistband.”

    Elected officials’ criticism

    Braden’s remarks come in the wake of concerns raised by elected officials about law enforcement’s ability to adequately handle incidents of gun violence, especially among teenagers. Some council members expressed doubt at last week’s meeting about whether the Fayetteville Police Department could single-handedly tackle gun violence, even with the implementation of many new crime-prevention programs.

    “This cannot be solved by your department,” Mayor Mitch Colvin told Braden. “I don’t care how many police officers you get. I don’t care how great a job you are doing — and you guys are doing a good job. You cannot be expected to solve the woes of the problem of gun violence.”

    Braden did not comment directly on the Seabrook Park shooting — it’s an ongoing investigation — but he shared some information about the circumstances that led to it. Officers responded within minutes of shots being fired there. Potential witnesses fled the scene by the time officers arrived, Braden said, but they were able to gather information using video from cameras installed at Seabrook Park.

    According to Braden, detectives confirmed a conflict had taken place before violence broke out, ultimately leading to the driver of the Kia Optima crashing into the pool to evade gunshots.

    “This wasn’t an incident where just out of the blue shots were being fired,” Braden said. “There were things that led up to this incident. People were in the area to celebrate, have a balloon release for a memorial for someone who had suffered violent crime himself. There was an argument on site; tempers were heated.

    “I think there was an opportunity had the police (been) called that an intervention possibly could have deescalated some situations. But not a single 911 call came until the first shots were fired and the car was located in the pool.”

    Braden said his department has been hosting a number of youth engagement programs at Seabrook Park this summer, including camps and activities in which youngsters can play games with police officers and ask them questions during “safe spaces.” Braden said the fact that the shooting happened despite the “proactive police work” in the community indicates more work is needed.

    “So just the mere presence of police didn’t make that place safe,” Braden said. “We’re going to have to change the hearts and minds of the people within that community.”

    Council member Shakeyla Ingram, who represents the community, agreed that a “village mentality” is needed to stop the problem of gun violence. Residents, she said, need to start checking in on one other before things have time to escalate.

    “We have to turn back and start becoming nosy neighbors, being all up in our neighbors’ stuff,” Ingram said.

    In response to a question about how concerned residents should be about recent shootings, Braden said that as long as people are avoiding criminal activity, they should be OK.

    “The average citizen who’s just going out to eat at Mi Casita on a Monday night is going to be safe,” he said.
    Braden said in an interview following the Aug. 16 public safety meeting that he expects to release final crime data for the second quarter of 2023 this week. He encouraged people to refrain from drawing broad conclusions about the crime rate until more data is available.

    “I would wait till the end of the year to see what we end the year at to say that crime is up or down,” he said.

    To report a crime in Fayetteville or Cumberland County anonymously, visit the local government CrimeStoppers page www.fay-nccrimestoppers.org/

  • 9Always the educator, Erica Fenner-McAdoo left the 2023 Convocation and Cumberland County Schools Premier Professionals “red carpet” awards reception with a lesson and a challenge for the hundreds of principals, assistant principals, teachers and teacher assistants who gathered Aug. 15 at the Crown Complex ballroom.

    The moment may have belonged to Fenner-McAdoo, but it was a moment the 42-year-old 2024 Principal of the Year would embrace with all who share a passion for educating young people throughout the county’s public schools system.

    “I want to encourage you to be bold this year,” Fenner-McAdoo, principal at Howard Hall Elementary, would say after accepting the Principal of the Year honor in front of more than 400 educators. “Our students need you at your best. Come back every day united for your students’ success.”

    Others honored were Kristle Rouse of Westover High School, Assistant Principal of the Year; Steven Barbour of Terry Sanford High School, Teacher of the Year; and Sade’ Mangum of Seventy-First High School, Beginning Teacher of the Year.

    “Today, we celebrate the heart and soul of Cumberland County Schools,” Deanna Jones, chairwoman of the Cumberland County Board of Education, would say prior to the awards presentation. “You are the architects of dreams and champions who inspire us all. We celebrate those who make every student rise.”

    For Fenner-McAdoo, teaching is a part of her DNA. Her mother, Linda Bowser, was an educator in Cumberland and Moore county schools. Her sister, Shanessa Fenner, is principal at W.T. Brown Elementary School.

    “I’m so proud,” Linda Bowser would say about her daughter’s selection as Principal of the Year.

    Fenner-McAdoo is a 2002 graduate of North Carolina A&T University with a degree in early childhood education. She earned her master’s in education administration from Fayetteville State University in 2009. She began her career with Cumberland County Schools as assistant principal at Ponderosa Elementary School before becoming a principal at Walker-Spivey Elementary School in 2014 and Howard Hall Elementary School in 2017.

    “I’m overjoyed,” she would say of the honor as the school system’s premier principal. “I’m just honored. This is a major accomplishment, I know, and I’m just humbled.”

    Fenner-McAdoo, according to the school system, qualifies to compete for the Sandhills Regional Principal of the Year title.

    ‘Something I love to do’

    Rouse, 37, would say as much as the Assistant Principal of the Year.

    “I’m honored for being recognized for doing something I love to do,” she would say.

    Rouse is a 2011 graduate of Fayetteville State University with a degree in psychology and a minor in biology. She holds a master’s from Grand Canyon University in Arizona. Rouse has been at Westover High School since 2017, where she began as a biology teacher before being named assistant principal and athletic director.

    Like Fenner-McAdoo, teaching is in Steven Barbour’s DNA. His father, Tucker Barbour, was an assistant principal at South View High School when it opened in 1972 in Hope Mills.

    “I’m humbled,” he told those in attendance. “I’ve been teaching over 20 years, and I see a lot of familiar faces around this room. I’m humbled, and it’s about the joy of working with students.”

    Barbour, 52, is a 1989 graduate of South View High School. He earned his undergraduate degree in international affairs and economics in 1993 from American University and his master’s in social studies education in 2009 from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.

    You don’t have to wonder about his passion for being in the classroom. You can see the passion in his eyes.

    “When I shut the door and have 90 minutes,” Barbour says about teaching students AP World History, “I’m overwhelmed.”

    Barbour is in his seventh year as a faculty member at Terry Sanford High School, where he also coaches the boys and girls soccer teams. And where Barbour also pays honor to Chris Hondros, the American war photojournalist and Terry Sanford graduate who died at age 41 in 2011 covering violence in Libya.

    “Mr. Barbour is an outstanding educator, coach, mentor and overall wonderful person who exemplifies distinguished leadership in the teaching profession,” Catherine Abraham-Johnson, the Terry Sanford principal, says about Barbour, who will compete for the regional teacher of the year title.

    Mangum, 30, came to teaching after owning her own business as a notary public.

    “I’m just very humbled,” she would say, “and excited about being ready to make and tackle being teacher of the year.”

    A 2010 graduate of Seventy-First High School, Mangum earned her undergraduate degree in psychology from Winston-Salem State University and currently is pursuing her master’s in education at UNC Pembroke. She is cheerleading coach at Seventy-First High.

    Mangum will compete in the statewide North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching 2023-24 Beginning Teacher of the Year award.

    Epilogue

    Administering a school isn’t easy, particularly in these times of unrest and social media and where every principal seems to face scrutiny along his or her way.
    Neither is being a classroom teacher.

    But I can tell you that for every successful student, you’ll find a principal and a teacher who made a difference in every student’s life and his or her future to come.

    “Today, we gather to celebrate true champions of education,” Marvin Connelly, superintendent of Cumberland County Schools, would tell those at Tuesday’s reception. “Today, we celebrate your remarkable contributions.”

  • 8Who is the most famous living North Carolinian? Michael Jordan? Stephen Curry? Zach Galifianakis? Dale Earnhardt Jr.? Richard Petty? Franklin Graham? Others?

    My answer today: Greensboro native Rhiannon Giddens, who was a part of my recent column about Omar ibn Said, the enslaved scholar of the Arabic language. Giddens starred in the opera about Omar. She and Michael Abels shared a Pulitzer Prize for writing and composing that opera, which premiered last year at the Spoleto festival in Charleston.

    I first heard about Giddens when she was part of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, a small band that featured music based in the Piedmont region where Giddens grew up.

    All the musicians sang, played, and traded multiple instruments, including banjo, fiddle, guitar, harmonica, snare drum, bones, jug and kazoo. They were enthusiastic performers. For me it was folk music at its best.

    Then Chocolate Drops were gone.

    But Giddens has stayed busy. At Oberlin College she had trained as an opera singer, yet according to NPR’s Anastasia Tsioulcas, Giddens is “best known as an American roots musician, a singer and songwriter who wields a mean banjo and makes her viola croon.”

    An article by Jon Pareles in the Aug. 7 edition of The New York Times further demonstrates Gidden’s growing fame.

    He wrote, “Giddens, 46, was at the home in Ireland that she shares with her two children and her partner, Francesco Turrisi — an Italian jazz musician who explores global traditions and has made two duet albums with her that examine African, Mediterranean, and American crosscurrents. A microphone stand sat behind her, and her latest bit of crocheting was close at hand.

    “Giddens has made it her mission to delve into ‘difficult and unknown chapters of American history,’ she said, and to reveal complicated cultural entanglements. ‘We like to say it’s a melting pot,’ she said. ‘But it’s more of a patchwork. You can see the bits and pieces, but we don’t always know where all the patches are from.’”

    One result is a new course by the Teaching Company/Wondrium. While working on this column, I received an advertisement for a new course: “African Instrument, American Culture: A Musical History-The Banjo: Music, History and Heritage” taught by Giddens. She is everywhere!

    I sampled several of the 13 episodes in which she combined great teaching with dazzling banjo playing. A preview of the course is available at www.wondrium.com/the-banjo-music-history-and-heritage
    Her new album “You’re the One,” which is the first album of her own songwriting, was released Aug. 18. Pareles wrote that the new album is “also her most playful project yet.”

    “I need to make the record that I need to make at that moment,” she told Pareles, “I needed to do something with these songs that I loved. And I wanted to have fun and I wanted to explore different sounds.”
    After the album’s release Giddens will go on tour with a full band. “I know I get intense,” she told Pareles.

    “But yeah, there is also the thought of, ‘Maybe I can bring more people, a new slice of folks, to the fold of what I do.’ Bringing them in with these kinds of songs. And then when they come to what I do, maybe they’ll discover the other things — and dig them.”

    If you can’t wait for the tour and would like to get to know Giddens better, another example of her wide-ranging interests is a program she produced with her partner Francesco Turrisi for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s MetLiveArts program in 2020.

    That program is available on YouTube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ignhso0iv9U

    That demonstration of her multiple talents should convince you that Giddens deserves to be named North Carolina’s most famous living person.

    Editor's note: D.G. Martin, a retired lawyer, served as UNC-System’s vice president for public affairs and hosted PBS-NC’s North Carolina Bookwatch.

  • 6As the representative of the largest Army base in the world, making sure our community’s veterans, troops and their families get the support they deserve is among my top priorities.

    At the end of July, the House passed the FY24 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. This legislation will strengthen our commitment to our veterans by fully funding veterans’ health care programs, benefits and other critical VA programs.

    This legislation is also providing nearly $800 million above President Biden’s budget request for military construction to improve our national security.

    I was able to secure large wins for our community, including over $250 million in funding for critical infrastructure projects that will aid our region’s military personnel, $150 million for barracks, and $36 million for a desperately needed child care center at Fort Liberty.

    I am especially proud this legislation contains my amendment to increase funding for the Veteran Crisis Line by $10 million.

    The Veterans Crisis Line acts as a critical tool to help our veterans in their time of need. In March alone, the crisis line received more than 88,000 calls, texts, and chats — the highest number we’ve ever had in one month.

    The additional funding in my amendment will allow the VA to better serve veterans, and their families, by ensuring the Veterans Crisis Line has the capacity to respond to every veteran in need.

    If you are a veteran or know someone who needs assistance, contact the 24-hour Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255 or 988 and Press 1, text 838255, or chat online at www.VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat.

    We owe veterans our full support and I’m proud of everything House Republicans have accomplished this Congress for our veterans.

    Ensuring our military families and veterans have the resources they deserve are the most important duties we have in Congress, and we must continue to do everything we can to improve their quality of life.

    As we support our nation’s veterans, we will never forget those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Aug. 15 marked the two year anniversary of when our nation lost 13 brave U.S. service members — including our own U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Ryan Knauss — during Biden’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan.

    These brave men and women lost in Kabul put their lives on the line to save our fellow citizens and allies in harm’s way, and will forever be known as heroes.

    I continue to pray for the family of Staff Sgt. Ryan Knauss, as well as the Gold Star families of each of these heroes, whose legacy will never be forgotten.

    I recently met with family members of these heroes, including Staff Sgt. Knauss’ mother. Their pain and loss has been compounded by the misinformation and a lack of transparency by President Biden and his administration.

    These family members deserve to know all the facts and the truth about the mistakes made that put their loved ones in harm’s way. I am working with Committee on Foreign Affairs Chairman Mike McCaul, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers and others to ensure we get the answers they are seeking. We will hold this administration accountable.

    Whether it’s protecting our veterans, shoring up our national security, securing the border, growing our economy, or holding our government agencies accountable, I continue to fight for what matters to you most. I’m proud to be standing up for you.

    My goal is to continue to provide you with high quality constituent services and be accessible to hear your needs, thoughts, and concerns on key issues facing our community and nation.

    My dedicated staff in our Southern Pines and Fayetteville district offices are here to serve you. To find out our office locations and office hours, visit Hudson.house.gov or call us at 910-910-1924.

    Working with my House colleagues on both sides of the aisle to advance common sense solutions that improve your quality of life is part of my commitment to you as your Congressman.

    Editor's note: Rep. Richard Hudson has been serving as the U.S. representative for North Carolina's 9th congressional district since 2013.

  • 5The United States is a big place of distinct regions with — historically speaking, at least — their own unique customs, preferences and ways of speaking.

    My mother worried about what she called the “homogenization” of our nation as technology, especially television, allowed us to take a good look at each other and see how people in other parts of the country look and live.

    She was especially concerned about the loss of regional speech, and she was right to worry.

    To some extent, many of us have begun to sound like announcers on TV with no distinct accent or figures of speech.
    But not everyone, thank goodness!

    The Raleigh News & Observer published a wonderful article last month by longtime culture reporter, Martha Quillin, with the headline “We’re fixin’ to teach you to talk like an NC native: A Guide to Southern Sayings,” which my mother would have loved.

    Quillin rightly points out that North Carolina has 3 distinct regions — coastal plain, piedmont and mountains. Our community straddles the coastal plain and piedmont regions, giving us some speech and culture from both.

    In all regions, speech has elements of Native American language as well as those of European settlers and enslaved peoples from Africa. For those among us who are new to North Carolina and her particular ways of speech, here goes, with some from Quillin and some from me.

    When North Carolinians call an elevator, we “mash” the button. Apparently, everyone else “pushes” it.

    When we want or do not want to illuminate a room, we “’cut” the lights on or off. “Cutting” applies to all electrical appliances, i.e., anything that plugs in.

    If life is going well for you, you might “be living high on the hog,” a reference to a better cut of meat.

    You might also be “in high cotton,” as opposed to low cotton which is hard on the back during picking season.

    “Jeet yet?” You might ask this of a family member to learn whether he or she has already had lunch.

    Toboggans are knitted caps for cold weather, and sleds are conveyances to ride upon over increasingly rare snow.

    “I’m going to snatch you bald-headed” might be said by an exasperated parent or babysitter to a misbehaving child, but I have never heard of anyone actually doing this.

    “May I have a word of prayer with you?” might also be said by a parent or exasperated caretaker to a teenager who needs a bit of behavioral counseling in private.

    I once heard a disgusted judge ask dueling attorneys to step up to the bench for “a word of prayer.” This might also be described as a “come to Jesus” meeting.

    A petite person might not be “big as a minute.”

    A boring person might be “dull as dishwater.”

    A fatigued person might be “tired as all get out.”

    A person with what the Dicksons call “high self-esteem” might be “getting too big for her britches.”

    And, a chronic liar might prefer to “climb a thorny tree and tell a lie than stand on the ground and tell the truth.”

    If I ask you if you would like a ride to the store, you might say, “thank you, but my brother is going to carry me.” He might also carry the groceries inside.

    Some Southernisms may have gone by the wayside.

    I must have told a whopper in early childhood, because my Kinston born and bred grandmother squeezed me by the shoulders, held me eyeball to eyeball, and hissed, “Margaret Dawson, don’t you EVER tell me a teewiddie again!”

    I did not know that word, have rarely heard it since and only in eastern North Carolina, and have no idea how to spell it, but her message came through loud and clear.
    She also said she would do something “directly,” which meant soon, and “much obliged” for thank you.

    My mother was right.

    As our nation and world become more accessible, we are losing some of our regional peculiarities. But North Carolina continues to take pride in what is special here, and welcome to all our newbies.

    We are “mighty glad” to have you!

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