Four bridges on Interstate 295 in the Fayetteville area will undergo preservation work this year, according to the N.C. Department of Transportation.
Crews will sandblast the concrete deck, then treat it with a silane sealant. The work will help keep the driving deck smooth, the release said.

The work will be performed on these bridges:

• I-295 North and South spanning the Norfolk Southern Railroad and Carvers Creek.
• I-295 South spanning Little Cross Creek.
• The I-295 flyover ramp carrying traffic onto N.C. 210 North.

The work will not require detours, but the contractor will need to close one of two lanes on each bridge between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. Monday through Friday.

The N.C. Department of Transportation awarded a $340,000 contract to Truesdell Corp. of Tempe, Arizona, for the bridge work. Work will begin between April and July and last three months, the release said.

The Systel Building in downtown Fayetteville, with its looming aluminum-and-glass facade, has been undergoing extensive renovations since August 2018. Now, it has a new anchor tenant.

Raleigh-headquartered Dogwood State Bank has moved into the first floor of the downtown fixture, which ranks as the city center’s tallest. Listed at 168 feet high, the 11-story building dates to 1973 when it was completed at a cost of $3 million, online sources say.

A half century later, changes are underway, including a new name for the building at 225 Green St. in the Cool Spring Downtown District.
A sign with the name will be unveiled at a ribbon-cutting at 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 6.

“I don't think I can say,” said Jacqueline Smith, when asked about the new name. "But if you call me back Monday, I can tell you."

Smith, whose family owns the building, is the broker in charge for the Systel Building for Allison Capital Partners.
Smith did say that the name is of a new company looking to grow in Fayetteville.

Dogwood State Bank, which is in the process of growing statewide, has the naming rights. The bank's CEO is Steve Jones, a former Fayetteville resident.
Jones could not be reached for comment last week. Dogwood “was a great addition, and it helps us with our goals of making the building a mixed use, having the retail bank in there. And it allowed us to kind of complete our full renovation of the first floor,” Smith said.

She works with the property managers on site. The building has 37 tenants, including a couple on the rooftop, Smith said.

“We’re going to follow that with a complete lobby renovation here shortly,” she said. “We’re now 100% occupied on the first floor with a variation of retail, restaurant and office. We’ve kind of accomplished our goals there.”In a news release, Smith said her family had been looking for an anchor tenant to rebrand the building since Systel — a technology and business services company — relocated to an industrial park 10 years ago.

Formerly known as the Wachovia Building, the Systel property is owned by Fayetteville businessman Keith Allison and his three daughters: Smith, Cara Spencer and Janene Aul. The investment in the building will total about $3 million once all the work is complete, Smith said.

Many of the city's older residents will remember when the Skyline disco club was at the top of the building in the 1970s and 1980s.

“I think that downtown is sort of the hub of the city, and it’s usually the focal area for government and where people like to eat and dine and live,” said Smith.

“We have the largest square footage of leasable space and I think the largest tract of acreage. If needed, we could add a parking deck, or another high-rise building could exist next to us in the parking lot."

Extensive renovations

The family bought the property in 1998 and had been using the building in recent years to house its marketing department and mortgage company.

“We knew it would be a three- to five-year project,” Smith said of the revitalization. “In the process, three floors were gutted.”

A couple of months ago, a fitness center opened on the second floor, Smith said.

“So that was a big part of the revitalization. And we just signed off and have full engineer plans on our fifth-floor renovation that we have to start in the next few months,” she said.

Plans for that space include an “industrial, upscale office space,” she said. A similar renovation on the eighth floor is anticipated.
Smith said a lot has been accomplished on the building since construction began in 2018.

“We’ve completed our restaurant downstairs, and they celebrated their one-year anniversary three months ago,” she said. “We did a big campaign to recruit one, and we did some interviews with a couple of interested parties and did some taste testings and selected one.”

Friend’s Table, whose food is described as upscale Southern, opened in November 2021.

“They’re open for breakfast and lunch. They’ve got a pretty good following on social media,” she said. “They’re always doing something fun and unique in the space. They’re even open on the weekends, as well.”

Besides the bank and restaurant, the property management office and a conference room that can be used by tenants are on the first floor. A state tenant with a lab is also on the ground floor.

Smith said the owners tried to recruit tenants not just to Fayetteville but to downtown.

“We’ve got a couple of floors to go, but we’ve got a couple of things that we’re working on for some of the top floors that we hope come to fruition,” she said.

“But other than that, we’re kind of coming to the ending stages of our revitalization. And leasing out the naming rights was a kind of a surprise component of the revitalization that we weren’t expecting, but it makes sense.”

Renovations on the Systel Building could be completed this year depending on some plans still being worked on for the top floors.

“If that were to come to fruition, it could add to our timeline quite a bit,” Smith said. “We are now exploring options for a residential or hospitality component. We're looking into it.”

Fayetteville City Councilman Mario Benavente is pushing for action on two issues: the long-delayed appointment of a city representative on the Public Works Commission and the cost of gun violence locally.

The City Council will meet in a work session at 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 6 at City Hall.

One of Benavente’s agenda requests is that the council appoint its PWC representative during its regular meeting on Feb. 13.
In early December, council members interviewed four of five candidates for the post: Christopher Davis, William Gothard, Josef Hallastchek and Peter Stewart. Ted Mohn, a fifth candidate, was not able to attend that meeting.

The representative will replace Wade Fowler, the owner of Fowler’s Southern Gourmet restaurant, who is serving his second term on the commission.

According to city rules, no commissioner may serve more than two consecutive terms.
As each appointment on the board expires, according to the city’s website, council members choose a representative on the commission for a term of four years. In addition, the mayor annually designates a member of the council to serve on the PWC as a nonvoting member.

In September, Councilwoman Shakeyla Ingram asked for a delay on the appointment.
Ingram said she prefers to wait until a new CEO for the utility is named. Elana Ball resigned from that job, Mick Noland was named interim CEO.

On Sept. 12, the City Council voted 6-4 to delay its appointment.

In another agenda request from Benavente, the first-term councilman said he is eager to “quantify the economic and societal costs associated with gun violence in the city from 2012 to 2022 and inform policy options and strategies to advance violence prevention."
Councilwoman Courtney Banks-McLaughlin is a co-signer on that request, which asks that the city staff compile data on fatal and nonfatal injuries related to gun violence and gun possession..

“Improving issues of gun violence requires a multisectoral, systemwide response that includes partnerships with communities most affected in addition to legislative and criminal justice action,” Banks-McLaughlin and Benavente wrote in their agenda request.
Neither Benavente nor Banks-McLaughlin could be reached for comment on Sunday.

 Like other cities nationwide, Fayetteville has seen an uptick in gun violence and homicides recently. The Police Department has implemented initiatives in hopes of lowering crime.

Plans to update an historic chapel as a space for public functions will be discussed at the Hope Mills Board of Commissioners meeting Monday, Feb. 6.
The board will meet at 7 p.m. at Town Hall.

On Jan. 23, the town’s Parks and Recreation Department presented commissioners with a report on options for public use of Thomas Campbell Oakman Memorial Chapel.

The chapel was donated to the town and is available for rent.
The church was built in 1889 and suffered a fire in 1931. It was rebuilt the same year, according to town records.

Town officials have said that the number of pews in the chapel limit what functions it can accommodate. They are recommending that all but six pews be removed so “the staff can have a broader range of rental possibilities,” according to a memo from Parks and Recreation Director Lamarco Morrison.

On Feb. 1, the commissioners met with members of the Historic Preservation Committee at the chapel to get input on whether pews should be removed and the best use of the facility.

According to Morrison’s memo, the staff recommends several options for the pews if they are removed, including repurposing them as picnic tables or benches for the future Heritage Park. They also could be donated sold, the memo says.

The staff also recommends removing all the railings around both altars and relocating the chapel’s original furniture.
Residents are invited to speak at Monday’s meeting. Each speaker must register with the town clerk before the meeting and limit their comments to three minutes.

Also Monday, the board will:

• Consider a proposal from CHA Consulting Inc. and authorize the town manager to negotiate an agreement for professional design services related to the Hope Mills Sports Complex.
• Consider a change to a rule that any member of the public who wishes to add a topic to the board's agenda must submit the request to the appropriate department. If the request is deemed by the department to be beneficial to the town, the department will forward it to the town clerk to be added to the agenda.
• Consider a request from Mauricio Melagar Andrade that 1.2 acres known as Park Garden Cour be annexed.

Cumberland County Commissioner Jimmy Keefe wants more “bang for the buck” when using county money to buy homes for the homeless, and he is asking fellow commissioners to endorse a plan to remedy the problem.

Keefe is asking the board to adopt a resolution that spells out specific ways to ensure the county can provide a greater number of affordable homes at more reasonable costs. He will submit his proposal at a commissioners meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 7.

The 1 p.m. session will be in Room 564 of the Cumberland County Courthouse and is open to the public.

The three-page draft resolution will be presented by interim County Manager Renee Paschal.
If adopted, the resolution will be placed on the agenda for the Feb. 20 commissioners meeting, according to Paschal.

The resolution calls for the commissioners to work with affordable housing and workforce housing stakeholders and experts, including area builders who have expertise in the design and construction of low- and moderate-income developments. These experts would develop housing policies that address the availability and affordability of workforce housing in the county.

A key part of the resolution is a proposed board policy that all homeless project funding will not exceed the median cost of a similar dwelling in Cumberland County. Keefe wants to base that figure on the most recent tax evaluation or census data. Keefe says adoption of this policy would ensure the construction of more affordable housing, greater financial oversight, and would be in keeping with the board’s mission statement to provide quality services while being fiscally responsible.

Another component is the creation of a housing coordinator position with responsibilities associated with the homeless situation. That staff member would report to the county manager. Some of the coordinator’s responsibilities would include:

• Drafting and recommending homeless or affordable housing policies and action plans.
• Contacting designers, developers and construction companies about competitive and responsible partnerships on projects.
• Coordinating a process that ensures applicants get into affordable housing and making sure anyone who is not eligible vacate those properties.
• Research funding sources.
• Monitor housing inventory, including identifying compliance violations.
• Community outreach and education programs.
• Marketing affordable housing.
• Helping prepare plans for housing projects.

The county Community Development Department administers federal and local funding to provide affordable homes for county residents who cannot afford proper housing.

At a recent board meeting, Keefe balked at moving $2.7 million from a sewer project to fund another affordable housing project with what he considered unrealistic costs. According to Keefe, the county would pay close to $285 per square foot for construction when the average cost in Cumberland County is closer to $130 per square foot, especially for townhouse-type dwellings that share common walls.

Although the money comes to Cumberland County from the federal and state governments, there are complex rules about how and when the money must be used.

In November, the Board of Commissioners was asked to transfer $2.7 million from the Shaw Heights sewer project to the Robin’s Meadow supportive housing project, which would fund 12 additional apartments and a community resource center.

Each unit would have three bedrooms and 1½ bathrooms. They would range from 1,290 to 1,450 square feet, and two units would be disability-compliant.

The state allocated about $2.5 million in Community Block Grant disaster recovery funding to build affordable housing in the county. In June 2020, the county commissioners approved the design of the Robins Meadow project. In October 2020, the county asked for an additional $100,000 in grants for construction and support services. The total budget for the project rose to about $3 million.

The county sought construction bids, but there were no responses, county Community Development Director Dee Taylor told committee members at a previous meeting. She added that since the initial approval of funding, construction prices have increased.

“Everything increased drastically during the pandemic,” she told the commissioners. “The original budget is no longer sufficient to cover the cost to build this housing project. The current projected cost is $285 per square foot.”

Grant guidelines required that the project close the financing gap by Nov. 30, and the county must have a qualified contractor in place by March 20. If the county does not meet those deadlines, it could lose the state grants.

Another trigger for Keefe came via an internal email from interim County Manager Renee Paschal. It involves a proposed 40-unit high-rise to provide housing for the elderly at 108 Wiley St., off Ramsey Street. The project is a combination of 10 one-bedroom and 30 two-bedroom units. Ten of the two-bedroom units will accommodate inter-generational families, which include families with a child, a grandparent, or a relative raising a child. The estimated construction cost is $14 million.

The Fayetteville Metropolitan Housing Authority is spearheading the project and has signaled to the county that it would eventually ask for partial funding.

The developer is Hillside-Fmha LLC, and most of the proposed funding would be from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Keefe said $14 million for 40 units would equal $350,000 for each.The average home in Cumberland County is valued at about $200,000, he said.
Keefe is suggesting taking a new approach to provide homes for the homeless.

“The old way of doing things is not working. We’re spending a lot of money but not getting much of an impact to help the homeless,” he said. “It doesn’t look like we’re making progress.”

Commissioners Veronica Jones and Michael Boose agreed. Both suggested buying existing housing or apartments and foregoing new and more expensive construction. Commissioners Vice Chairman Glenn Adams suggested creating an advisory committee that could help determine whether the county builds new homes or buys existing properties.

All fly tying starts at Pechmann Center with putting thread on the hook with a jam knot. This consists of making thread wraps over the main thread itself, where the tension holds it in place.

“We suggest starting simple,” Matthew Rieger, education specialist at the John E. Pechmann Fishing Education Center, says. “ … with patterns that do not require many materials or difficult techniques.”

The folks at the Pechmann Center host a variety of classes that aim to educate the community on fishing — whether that be tying flies, cleaning fish or even cooking classes. They hold two types of fly tying forums at the center, one is for beginners and the other for the more intermediate folks who have already done the beginning course or have the basics of fly tying down. The beginning courses take place about four times per year.

During the intermediate forum that takes place on the fourth Thursday of each month (with a virtual portion that takes place a Wednesday before typically), the tyers will tie two different patterns, two times each. The first of each pattern they’ll do as a class together and then the second the course members will do individually. At the Pechmann fly tying forum, they have tied close to two hundred patterns. And there’s quite a few more in the future.

“Oh man, there’s more than you can count,” Rieger says about the possibilities of different patterns. “People are constantly making new ones. Thousands if not tens of thousands.”

These flies are typically lighter and can mimic anything from worms to aquatic fish as lure.

“Most people think that fly fishing is pretty much in the mountains,” Rieger says, “but you can fish in saltwater.”

The courses, as all courses at the center, are free to the public. The center has quite a schedule with more than 300 programs available to the community.

“We are constantly creating new ones,” he says. “Anything fishing related in the state of North Carolina, we teach it.”

The next beginning course will be Feb. 7 to 9. The intermediate fly tying forums take place the fourth Thursday of each month but the center does offer a virtual course for it that usually takes place the third Wednesday of each month.

The John E. Pechmann Fishing Education Center is located at 7489 Raeford Road in Fayetteville. For more information call 910-868-5003 or visit www.ncwildlife.org/Learning/John-E-Pechmann-Fishing-Education-Center.

Photos courtesy John E. Pechmann Fishing Education Center

The Fayetteville-Cumberland Human Relations Department, in partnership with the Vision Resource Center hosted a Dining & Dialogue event at Cape Fear Botanical Garden on Jan. 25 to raise awareness about challenges encountered by people that are blind or visually impaired as they navigate the community.

With more the 110 people in attendance, the VRC emphasized the importance of the topic by having participants without visual impairment wear blindfolds or simulation glasses during lunch.
The VRC’s Executive Director Terri Thomas said, “As people are eating, they will get an idea of what it’s like to be blind or visually impaired.”

Thomas wants more events like this to raise awareness of the challenges and support needed for people experiencing life with limited to no sight to live more independently.

“Hopefully, people leave differently than the way they came, wanting to advocate for people with any disability not just visual impairment,” she said. “I want people to think, ‘what can I do to be more inclusive.’”

Dining & Dialogue is a lunch-and-learn style event where community members can learn from each other about different identities and cultures by having crucial conversations on difficult issues. Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Director Yamile Nazar, who leads the Human Relations Department, said raising consciousness of the experience of others is integral to the mission of the department and Fayetteville-Cumberland Human Relations Commission.

Nazar said, “Our number one focus is heightening people’s awareness around experiences that are not like theirs. Unless we are having the experience, we just don’t know what we don’t know.”
She continued, “So, [with] heightening awareness comes sensitivity to someone else’s plight.”

At the tables, the dialogues were led by community members who are living with visual impairments. Waleed Nuridin and Latasha Smith receive VRC services. They told their stories which included overcoming depression and learning how to re-enter their career.

Other speakers talked about the lack of chirping sidewalk crossings and audible elevators, things that could help them lead more independent lives. Thomas presented the work of the VRC to the Human Relations Commission leading to the Dining & Dialogue on sight limitations.

Semone Pemberton, chairwomen of the Human Relations Commission, is passionate about having conversations that raise awareness of community needs to city and county leaders. Additionally, they encourage community members to learn how to enhance interactions with one another.

“The commission’s role is to facilitate dialogue and bring people together to make impactful change,” said Pemberton.

The VRC’s mission is to enhance the lives of adults and children living in the Cape Fear Region who are blind or visually impaired. As a part of that mission, the Dining & Dialogue was an impactful and educational experience for those not experiencing life without or with limited sight.

“I hope the event urged people to think beyond themselves because that will help make our community and the world a better place,” said Thomas.

Editor’s note: There are a number of ways to help support the Vision Resource Center through donations of time or money. For more information visit www.visionresourcecentercc.org/ or call 910-483-2719.

The new exhibit at the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County is showcasing Black Joy in all of its forms. In this partnership with Ellington-White Contemporary Gallery, artists of African descent showcase a celebration of cultural heritage while also looking toward the future of Black popular culture.

The exhibit is called “Soul & Spirit: Celebrating Black Joy.” The exhibit will be on display through March 4.

This unique national exhibition was curated by two nationally acclaimed artists and educators, Shirley Woodson and her son Senghor Reid. Woodson is an American visual artist, educator, mentor, and art collector most known for her spectacular figurative paintings depicting African American history.

Her work spans a career of 60 years and counting and can be found in the Detroit Institute of Arts collections, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, and the Studio Museum in Harlem, among other institutions. Woodson was named the 2021 Kresge Eminent Artist.

Her son, Reid, develops figurative paintings and films that explore the connections between culture, art, the social sciences and the conservation of our natural environment. He attended the internationally recognized Marathon program at the New York Studio School of Drawing, Painting and Sculpture.

One of the artists featured in the exhibit, David Lee Black, told Up & Coming Weekly that showing Black pride in his piece is very important to him.

“Art is supposed to be a mirror of the world, representation matters and Black pride builds communities. Our society needs to see more color and hopefully, in my own individual way, the vibrance and mystery in my photograph,” Black said.

His photograph, “Guardian,” showcases a man and a woman looking off to the side. Black said that the shoot originally featured just the female model, who was powerful, beautiful and compassionate. But, at some point during the shoot, the bartender from the hotel pub walked by and Black asked him to pose.

“The backstory is, shortly after this shoot, he was tragically lost from us but his spirit remains,” Black said.

“We humans are rather clever animals. We've managed to teach ourselves how to express ideas, as well as emotions through art. It really is amazing to think about. Perhaps the takeaway from this exhibit (and most good art), will be to embrace the emotion felt by the exhibiting artists that worked hard to encode through color, shadow and harmony to be decoded and experienced by the observers.”

Black History Month events

The Soul & Spirit exhibit is part of the Arts Council’s Black Culture Experience series in recognition of Black History Month. The Arts Council is committing to several events that recognize the achievements and talents of local and nationally renowned Black artists from the past, present and future.

The first event will take place on Feb. 4. They will show the almost hour-long film, “Talking Black in America: Roots.” This program showcases the enduring imprint of African heritage on Black American culture, language and identity. Before the film screening, there will be a Spoken Word performance from 3rd Rail from Black on Black Rhyme Carolina. Following the screening will be a discussion and a Question and Answer segment with the producers, Tracey Weldon, Neal Hutcheson and Walt Wolfram. The event starts at 2 p.m.

El'Ja Bowens, the event's moderator, says visitors should expect to see art and history displayed in one of its most natural forms — the art of storytelling.

“I hope that people take away a few things from this. One thing is that I hope they take away the rich history of the African culture and how that culture has been brought to America and still continues to be a part, not only of African history, but American history as well. I also hope that everyone appreciates the efforts that the producers have went through producing this series as this is only one of four films that covers this topic of importance,” Bowens said.

On Feb. 11, the Money Box Workshop aims to engage and teach children about money and the concepts of money. Crystal McLean and co-host Kishanna Heyward, two local best-selling financial literacy authors and advocates, have partnered to educate, empower, and enrich their community.

While the children are creating money masterpieces in their own workshops, parents and guardians can learn about financial concepts, such as credit establishment, budget creation, debt management, and more. This event, scheduled from 1 to 4 p.m., is geared toward children seven to 14 years of age and the parents/guardians of those children. Admission is free, and Black-owned Southern Experience Catering and Meal Prep will provide food.

McLean’s goal is to “transform African American Communities one child at a time.” By investing in programs to help children, particularly those of the African American community, those children can invest in their future with the appropriate tools to be successful.

On Feb. 18 there will be a Vibe & Create Beauty & Horticultural arts workshop from 5 to 8 p.m.

For more information about Black History Month events at the Arts Council, visit www.TheArtsCouncil.com/ or call 910-323-1776. The Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County is a nonprofit organization based in Fayetteville that supports individual creativity, cultural preservation, economic development, and lifelong learning through the ARTS. They are located at 301 Hay Street in downtown Fayetteville.

Keith Dippre, professor of music at Methodist University, would say Yolanda Rabun has high energy. She is a busy woman. From her photo, Rabun is dynamic and soulful, her tipped black hat is pulled over her face and she’s giving off a sort of Alicia Keys vibe. Rabun, who hails from Raleigh, is a jazz and gospel singer and is the next artist in the Friends of Music Guest Artist Series at Methodist University. During most days, however, Rabun is running her own law firm.

Rabun is just one of a few strong, female artists coming to perform at Methodist through the Friends of Music Guest Artist Series. Her concert will take place on Feb. 10 from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. As always, this concert, as well as others through the Friends of Music Guest Artist Series, will be free.

“We want to serve the community that way and bring in quality guests,” Dippre says. “To have access in our community, we need to offer things that are free from time to time and educational. So that people, families and not just adults, but kids from every background can come and see music performed at a high level and see what it means to be at a high concert.”

This year, and in the future, Dippre and the members of the board are hoping to reinvent what the series was before COVID. Like a lot of programs and businesses, they are rebuilding.

“But strong and better,” he says. And this year, the focus has been on bringing female artists into the spotlight. According to Dippre, they have done quite a bit of that this year.

They will also host performer Liz Broscoe, a dummer from Lake Tahoe. Broscoe is known for leading drum circles and “connecting through rhythm.” Typically the board will bring in more local artists. Dippre did not give mention as to why Broscoe was selected to come but admitted that it was unusual to have someone come from so far away. The board does aim for a variety of performers.

“We are trying to find a cross section of different artists. We are trying to find artists of all different backgrounds. We don’t want just one style of music,” he said. “We want to reach many different sectors of the population.”

Part of the outreach for the Friends of Music Guest Artists Series is bringing the performers into the community and into schools before the event. Rabun, for example, will be visiting The Capitol Encore Academy before her concert.

“We escort them to a local school so they can talk to and do a demonstration in front of young people.”

Dippre and others are hoping that the unrestricted access to seeing concerts and performers will help stoke the love of music, and particularly live music, in the community.

“People are less inclined to see live music. Everything is at home. Everything is on your phone. We are getting more and more like that,” he says. “The experience of seeing a live concert is something a lot of people miss out on.”

The Friends of Music Guest Artist Series does this through using local grants and donations from the community.

Rabun will perform Feb. 10 from 7:30 to 9:30 and Liz Broscoe’s concert will be on March 24 from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Matthews Chapel. Admission is free.
Visit www.methodist.edu/about-mu/arts/friends-of-music/ for more information.

Americans of all political stripes were glued to our television sets during last month’s epic fight by California Republican Kevin McCarthy to fulfill his long-held dream of becoming Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

It took the better part of a week and 15 rounds of voting with unknown concessions to right-wing representatives, but McCarthy finally dragged himself over the finish line.
It remains to be seen what his overriding desire has cost him and the American people.

That said, the whole process was riveting, because Americans have never seen anything like it unless we happen to be in the House gallery, where most of us have never been.

Since there was no Speaker, no Chamber rules had been adopted. C-Span, a nonprofit network that airs various government proceedings, including what happens in Congress, was unconstrained in showing us what was really going on, the process of legislative sausage making.

We saw Congressional parents babysitting their children on the House floor, liberal AOC of New York conversing with a House member from Arizona who once posted a cartoon of himself murdering her. We saw Democratic and Republican members conversing pleasantly, and we witnessed a fist fight on the verge of happening between a McCarthy supporter and a McCarthy opponent.
Our own North Carolina Congressman Richard Hudson, himself a Republican, grabbed his aggressive colleague by the chin and held him back, averting actual fisticuffs.

My personal favorite part was newly elected and newly disgraced New York Congressman George Santos not responding to the House clerk calling out his name for a vote — if Santos is indeed his real name since he did not seem to recognize it at all.

The whole thing was quite a show, and Americans loved seeing the real action, not the sanitized version.
Under normal House rules made by both Democrats and Republicans and in effect now that there is a Speaker, C-Span is limited to showing the rostrum, member orating on the floor, and panoramic views of the House with people walking around.

Getting to see what really goes on has, historically, been an electrifying treat available only to those actually present. But now that we have seen it, we want more. Think “how ya gonna keep ‘em down on the farm once they’ve seen Paree?”

To that end, Representative Mark Pocan (D-Wisconsin) plans legislation to allow just that, saying “one of the features of the new Congress that made this debate so compelling was the fact that cameras recording the U.S. House of Representatives were free to broadcast the full Chamber during votes and debates.”

Good for him! Americans should be able to see their elected officials at work, even when they are making sausage. And while Democrats had a difficult time keeping the smiles off their lips during the days-long Republican Speaker voting, rest assured that the glare of public sunshine could and will cut both ways, and both parties will eventually embarrass themselves if C-Span’s cameras are allowed to let the sunshine in.

Meanwhile, back in North Carolina, our own House of Representatives is apparently trying to pull a fast one. Republicans have adopted House rules that do not require advance notice of veto override votes. This means that should someone, likely a Democrat who supports the Governor’s veto on a piece of legislation, step out of the House chamber even for a necessary bathroom break, the Speaker could call for a veto override vote immediately, and that would be that — fair or not.

Yet another argument for transparency in government, including allowing Americans to see the sausage getting made — blood, gore and all.

ABBA is a household name, and for a good reason. With over 400 million records sold, and with the help of the musical “Mamma Mia,” ABBA was and still is one of the greatest pop groups of all time.

And while the band itself is not touring anytime soon, a tribute band from Sweden will be making their first stop in the United States here in Fayetteville. Direct from Sweden, The Music of ABBA takes nine of the best-performing ABBA tribute musicians and puts them together to have an all-star tribute cast.

Todd Bartleson, the Senior Vice President for MPI Talent Agency, told Up & Coming Weekly that the show is 100 percent live and will be different from other tribute shows and productions since they want to continue producing these shows with familiar faces year after year.

“It’s a fairly new show, but I was booking another show for 14 years and I'm just creating a different show with a different cast. That other show got too watered down with different cast members and stuff they put in. So I'll try to get more consistency with the show,” Bartleson said.

The previous show, “ARRIVAL from Sweden,” sold out many venues since 2007. Members of the group have worked with the original band members of ABBA and have been cited as the closest live band to ABBA.

This new tribute band will be made up of a majority of Swedes, with a few American performers as well. There will be solos, musical numbers and a complete live band with backup singers, all of which Bartleson says ensures an extra dimension unheard of in most similar productions.

The show will feature the biggest hits of ABBA that trended the charts here in the U.S., such as ‘Waterloo,’ ‘Mamma Mia,’ ‘Super Trouper,’ and many more. The group will not be performing any of the new ABBA songs from 2021’s album, “Voyager.”

Bartleson says that tribute bands are one of the best ways to experience the music of ABBA since it is fully live and ABBA doesn’t tour anymore.

“For the most part, tribute bands have taken off in the last ten years. Before that, people didn't really want to go see tributes. They wanted to go see the real deal,” Bartleson said.

The band has been touring Europe for the last few months and will be stopping in Fayetteville as part of their debut in the United States. Their next stop will be in Busch Gardens in Tampa, FL. The show is not tailored to just ABBA fans but to music lovers of all ages.

“It’s a family show [so] they can bring the kids. It’s for all ages from, you know, younger kids all the way to teenagers. It's very family-oriented,” Bartleson said.

“Everyone knows the songs. So every song is a hit. So it just builds and builds and builds and builds to the very end. When they do ‘The Dancing Queen,’ the people just go nuts. It's a really good, well-paced all-ages show for sure.”

Tickets, which range from $38 to $78, are available at www.crowncomplexnc.com/events/detail/direct-from-sweden-the-music-of-abba. However, Bartleson says that tickets are starting to sell out, so he recommends buying them sooner rather than later.

The show will be on Saturday, Feb. 11, at the Crown Theatre. The show will kick off at 7:30 p.m. and will be roughly 90 minutes. It is part of Community Concerts, a local non-profit whose goal is to bring the finest in top-notch entertainment to Fayetteville.

Direct from Sweden-The Music of ABBA, will be the second to last concert of the 87th Season of Community Concerts. For more information about Community Concerts, go to www.community-concerts.com/.

Situps work the front muscle in the torso called the rectus abdominis and the classic situp has been proven to be ineffective in the reduction of abdominal fat. We are unable to do any spot reduction exercise to make a difference. Situps provide strength in the abdominals but they do not provide overall core stability. Multiplanar exercises along with diet are beneficial for the overall core.

What is the core? Your core is the central part of your body that includes the lower back, hips, stomach, pelvis, glutes and diaphragm, the muscle groups that are all interconnected.
A conjunction of exercises in multiplanar movements are contributing factors to an overall fitness improvement with diet being a major factor to the elimination of abdominal fat.

You can do hundreds of situps, but the fact is unless you integrate overall fitness regimen into your work out you will not get the deserved benefits.
From a training perspective we do not perform situps the old fashioned way which is hands behind the head, elbows moving the torso into a forward flexion. The biggest mistake that I see on the gym floor is the situp with the head moving forward which puts strain on the neck and spine.

When we do situps, they are with a ball to support the spine, the movement is minimal and the arms are in various positions. The Pilates situp is with the legs straight or in tabletop and a fluid motion of the entire torso with the back flat and flowing with the movement.

Fat does not magically disappear with diet and your targeted areas may be the last to let go. There is no quick fix for a flatter stomach and you may have to put your exercise plan second on your list.
Focus on your diet and begin to cut out foods that bloat or add fat that are high in sugar, salt or unsaturated fat. Begin drinking plenty of water to flush your system while eating foods higher in fiber such as fruit and vegetables.

Diet in conjunction with cardio and core building will begin to strengthen and sculpt your body. The time that it takes to lose body fat varies from person to person and factors that play a role in reduction may contribute to age, sex, height, weight, diet and physical activity. Generally, a person needs to burn 3,500 calories to lose one pound of fat and this can be accomplished by starting to eliminate about five hundred calories per day from your diet or eliminating 250 calories and adding in cardio that burns about 250.

This measure can aid in the reduction of body weight by approximately one pound per week or four pounds per month which is a healthy and sustainable approach to sustained weight.
What are the best ways to engage the core for a flatter stomach with exercise?

Planks burn more calories because they engage the arms, legs and back. Side planks engage the obliques, side core muscles, arms and glutes.

Toe reaches engage the abdominal muscles.

Up right bicycles in a seated position engage the abdominal muscles with a Bender Ball behind the back to decrease pressure on the spine.

In order to see a difference in body composition consistency is the key with diet, strength training, flexibility, cardio and water intake. Patience is the key to success because our bodies did not get the way they are overnight. Sustainability is worth the effort.

Live, love life with movement and fitness.

Mayor Jackie Warner read an apology for blocking people and deleting comments on social media pages she controls during a meeting of the Hope Mills Board of Commissioners on Jan. 23.
The formal apology was part of a settlement agreement in a lawsuit filed against her. The town board met in City Hall. Several people who had been deleted from her social pages attended the meeting.

“Those of you who have been deleted from my mayor’s social page, I thank you for coming out this evening,” Warner said.

She then explained that she controlled three separate Facebook pages, “a mayor’s page, a Carleen’s of Hope Mills (gift shop) page, and a personal page.” Warner said she was under the impression that her Carleen’s and personal pages did not affect her mayor’s page.

“However, we have determined that it does affect you,” Warner said.

Warner explained that she learned that if she blocked a person on her personal page, that person also would not have access to her mayor’s page. The action was determined to be illegal because of Warner’s role as an elected town official.

Duke University filed a lawsuit against the town and Warner. A settlement is now in progress. Part of the settlement requires that Warner was given a statement to read in a public setting, said Warner, who added that the statement was provided by her attorney.

“Over the past several years, I have hidden and deleted posts and comments and blocked people from Facebook pages that I use as a forum to interact with citizens on issues related to the town of Hope Mills in my role as mayor,” Warner read from the statement.

“As a result of my actions, a lawsuit has been filed against me.”

Warner then apologized for her actions and gave her assurance that in the future, her personal Facebook pages would be properly distinguished from her mayor’s page, which will be used as an open forum for residents to freely interact on issues related to the town.

“My statement has always been we’re moving forward in Hope Mills. This is behind us. We are moving forward. There’s a lot of things happening in Hope Mills,” said Warner.

With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching, love is in the air, and it’s being spread all over town by Fayetteville Sound.

The Fayetteville Sound is a talented barbershop chorus, singing barbershop music all over Cumberland County. This Valentine’s day they’re doing “Singing Valentines,” where a quartet from the group comes to sing or record a video personalized for your sweetheart.

Fayetteville Sound is the newest chapter of the Carolinas Barbershop Harmony District, which is 1 of 17 districts that make up the Barbershop Harmony Society.
The group is full of diverse talent, with people from all walks of life. Music teachers, veterans, and everything in between travel to meet once a week on Thursday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m. to sing polecats and different barbershop songs. They go all over the city singing at charity events, holiday celebrations, competitions and other events.

The group was created back in 2015, and they were formerly known as the Cross Creek Chordsmen. It’s been gradually building ever since, and with the BHS allowing women and mixed harmony quartets since 2019, they’ve been able to expand the chapter with more diversity.

They’re continuously looking for new talent to come join them and spread the love of singing. When talking to the president of the Fayetteville Sound, he defines a barber shopper as “anyone who likes to sing and use their God-given voices.”

Barbershop music is unique in many ways. It’s a completely a capella, close harmony style of singing; meaning they don’t use instruments, besides an occasional pitch whistle. Most people are used to hearing three-part harmonies from church — Alto, Soprano and Tenor. A barbershop quartet is four parts, and every part has its position.

There’s a lead, tenor, bass and baritone. When combined as four individuals or the four singing groups together as a choir, the results will blow you away just about every time. Another great thing about barbershop music is that they are usually singing polecat songs, which are top songs that most quartets learn and memorize all over the country. So, if you live in another state then relocate, you can find a chapter and fit right in because you know the same songs they do. They also use these songs to compete at competitions all over the world.

History of Barbershop Singing

The Barbershop Harmony Society was founded in 1939 by Owen Cash in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Cash wasn’t fond of the control that the government had over the country at the time and felt that his main source of liberation was ultimately barbershop quartet singing.

He decided to put together a luncheon for 14 other gentlemen and their guests. Almost twice the number of guests showed up, they sang and harmonized together for several hours. They started having meetings consistently and the society was born.

If you’ve never heard of barbershop music before now, we’re sure your grandparents probably have. The quartet singing style of music grew its roots in the black community between the 1880s and 1910s. African Americans would harmonize popular songs as well as spirituals and folk songs. They would sing in the streets, barbershops, near stores, in churches, among other places.

Barbershop music is also related to early Jazz and is said to be a huge influence on the music, especially in New Orleans and down south. The sound became extremely popular, and started being performed by white minstrel performers, who used blackface, dialect from Black people, and musical inspirations to portray a caricature of a Black person and the Black culture. While the blackface form of theatrical makeup was used to entertain, it was typically demeaning to Black people.

From there the sound grew, and many white male quartet groups, some still using minstrel performers, began flooding the recording studio scene. Black quartet groups didn’t have a lot of access to studios to be recorded. When they did get recorded, it was not often distributed to the public, which created a stereotype of its origins. The Black origins of barbershop music didn’t get full credit until 1992, when a professor named Lynn Abbott published an article titled "Play That Barber Shop Chord: A Case for the African-American Origin of Barbershop Harmony”.

Women get their own society

Women were not originally involved with barbershop music. Shortly after the BHS started, women formed their own society called Sweet Adeline’s International. Though the barbershop music community was progressing slowly, the country was still at a racial and equality divide, which is safe to say affected barbershop music as well.

African Americans were not allowed into some societies until the late 1950s and early 1960s as the Civil Rights movement grew.

In fact, some members of the SAI protested the women-only society because of their policy against women of color. A few members left the SAI and formed Harmony, Inc., which remained a women-only quartet society until 2013, when men were allowed to join.

Heading in the right direction

Today, barbershop music continues to head in the right direction. With BHS, and other societies allowing women in, creating the opportunity for mixed quartets, it gives the music a chance to thrive in ways that were not possible before.

When interviewing a couple of women from the Fayetteville Sound, Up & Coming Weekly asked how they feel women contribute to barbershop music. Jessica Sheri says, “Vocally, there’s a different color and tone quality. I feel like women add a richness to it. It also forces guys to hear themselves differently and teach each other differently, when singing with women.”

Watching and listening to a quartet sing in unison is truly amazing and seeing the growth over the years of barbershop music serves as a reminder that we are better as people when we are in unison with each other.

Fayetteville Sound opens its doors to anyone who is eager to sing and be a part of this passionate group of people. On Valentine’s Day, Fayetteville Sound will be doing Singing Valentine’s from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
It’s the perfect opportunity to give your significant other a unique surprise they’ll never forget. If you’re anywhere within 30 minutes of Fayetteville, you can choose a location, and a quartet will come to you. Your sweetheart will receive a rose, candy and a picture of the occasion. The price of this package is $50.

There is also the option for a virtual singing valentine for just $25. Your loved one will receive a personal message and get it emailed directly to them, so they can keep the memory forever.
For more information call 910-676–1766. You can also follow them on Facebook at Fayetteville Sound Barbershop or email them at Fayettevillesound@gmail.com.

Why aren’t more North Carolina books made into movies? We ask ourselves even though the film, “Where the Crawdads Sing,” based on the popular book set in North Carolina was a great success last summer.

Thanks in part to the movie, the book’s sales continue to make the best-seller list. According to a July 14, 2022, article by Carrie Wittmer and Elizabeth Logan on the glamour.com web site, “as of January 2022, the book sold 12 million copies, making it one of the best-selling books of all time.”

But we miss the days when every Nicholas Sparks book and every John Grisham book was made into a blockbuster film. Sparks lives in New Bern and Grisham has close family connections to Raleigh and Chapel Hill.

Both authors rank high on the list of “The Living Authors with the Most Film Adaptations” compiled by Lit Hub (https://lithub.com/the-living-authors-with-the-most-film-adaptations/). Sparks with 11 was topped only by Stephen King with 34. Grisham had nine and was topped only by John le Carre (10), Ian McEwan (10), and tied with J.K. Rowling (9).

Why are not more North Carolina books turned into movies? One of the reasons is explained by Jen Doll in an article republished on the Atlantic web site.

“But any way you look at it, the movie version of a widely successful book is bound to go wrong. Has any book lover ever truly been fully satisfied with the big-screen adaptation? The relationship we have with the book is personal and special; the relationship we have with the movie is more distanced from that, more passive, and certainly less demanding of us. We sit back and watch it play out, and we do so with a changed eye, having read the books. We're not going in as innocents but as experts; we know how the story goes, and we know what we expect. If we were more naive, new to the plot and characters, things might be different, but since we've read the books, and read them emphatically, possibly more than once, we can't know that for sure. We can only compare to what we do know, and already love.”

Acknowledging these difficulties, I would still like to see more North Carolina books made into movies. At the top of my list would be Wiley Cash’s recent novel, “When Ghosts Come Home,” set near Wilmington in 1985. The action begins at 3:11 a.m. when Sheriff Winston Barnes and his wife hear an airplane crash at the nearby airport. He rushes there, finding only a deserted airport, a crashed airplane, and the body of a young Black man shot in the chest. No fingerprints or other clues can be found, but almost certainly drugs were involved.

Race, small town politics, and international drug trafficking plus the common problems of ordinary people drive a mystery that captivates and leads to a completely surprising ending that would have movie goers holding on to their seats.

A book by respected North Carolina author Nancy Peacock, “The Life and Times of Persimmon Wilson,” had me holding on to my seat just the way a great movie would. The story begins, “I have been to hangings before, but never my own…”

Beloved North Carolina author Lee Smith explains the power of the book, “From this riveting beginning to the last perfect word, Nancy Peacock grabs her reader by the throat and makes him hang on for dear life as the action moves from a Louisiana sugar plantation to life among the western Comanches, bringing to blazing life her themes of race and true love caught in the throes of history. ‘The Life and Times of Persimmon Wilson’ is as deeply moving and exciting an American saga as has ever been penned.”

What a wonderful movie this story would make.

There are many more action-packed North Carolina books. Think of your favorites and how you would adjust them to make great movies.

North Carolina faces many challenges. You and I may disagree with how to rank those challenges, or what to do about them, but we share a belief that our state could be a better place than it is today.
This reformist impulse is proper and useful. But we shouldn’t let it make us unduly and unrealistically dour. Few states can match what North Carolina already has to offer — which is why few states match or exceed our growth rate.

The latest population data from the U.S. Census Bureau, for example, show that North Carolina’s population grew by some 133,000 last year, to 10.7 million residents. Only Texas (471,000) and Florida (417,000) increased more in population during the period. In terms of annual growth rate, North Carolina ranked 9th at 1.3%, with Florida (1.9%) topping the list.

America’s fastest-growing states are primarily in the Southeast and Mountain West. That’s been true for some time now. Similarly, the places with the largest drops in population last year were also rather predictable. There were six-figure population declines in New York, California and Illinois. In percentage terms, the fastest-declining states were New York, Illinois and Louisiana.

As for gross domestic product, North Carolina’s economy has since the beginning of 2020 posted a compound annual growth rate of 2.8%, adjusted for inflation. That’s significantly higher than the national (1.6%) and regional (2.1%) averages. Idaho (4.2%) ranked first in this category. Our state ranked 8th.

Which states are slackers in economic growth? Well, Louisiana’s GDP actually shrank by an average annual rate of 3%. Other places with net negative growth since January 2020 included Alaska, Wyoming, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Hawaii, New Mexico, West Virginia and Maryland.

As should come as no surprise to no one, I believe that the past decade of free-market reforms and fiscally conservative policies made North Carolina a more attractive place to live, work, invest and create new jobs. We went from having one of the worst-designed tax systems in the country to one of the best. Under laws already enacted by the General Assembly, our tax rate on personal income will decline to 3.99% by 2027. Our corporate tax will disappear entirely by 2029. I also credit infrastructure improvements and a series of regulatory-reform measures for improving North Carolina’s business climate.

A Canadian think tank, the Fraser Institute, provides a handy way to track these changes over time. In the most recent iteration of its Economic Freedom of North America index, North Carolina ranked 9th. That represents a marked improvement from its 2010 rank of 19th.

It is important to keep in mind, however, that government is not the primary driver of economic decisions — whether for good or for ill. All other things being equal, states with smaller, less-intrusive, and more-effective governments tend to grow faster than average. That’s the finding of most (though not all) academic studies published over the past several decades.

Where the rubber meets the road, however, all other things are never equal. States differ significantly in geography, natural resources, population density and economic structure. Many factors that determine growth over time can only be modestly influenced by public policy, if at all.

Look again at that list of states with shrinking economies. While some of them are “blue” states with relatively high tax and regulatory burdens, others such as Wyoming and North Dakota don’t fit that description.
North Carolina’s economic portfolio is diverse — and becoming more so over time. Is there room for improvement? Sure. But we already have a lot to be thankful for.

A lack of participation from the Black and Native American communities in planning for a Civil War history center sparked a discussion during a forum on the contents of its exhibits.

The forum was held Monday morning, Jan. 23 by organizers of the $80 million N.C. History Center on the Civil War, Emancipation & Reconstruction. Vikki Andrews of Fayetteville said she was vehemently opposed to the history center when she first heard about it. Andrews, who is Black, said Monday’s forum provided her with additional insight on the center, which has received a lot of criticism among some city residents.

“Because I had heard lots of rumors,” Andrews said.

“I made it my business to come to one of these ’cause I wanted to hear. I wanted to be fair,” said Andrews. “I’m happy to see some of these things I’ve seen around the room because it speaks to the mechanics of the center.”

The forum was held in the multipurpose room at Mount Sinai Missionary Baptist Church, 1217 Murchison Road. Panels outlining the content proposed for the history center were displayed on the wall at the church. A second forum was held Monday evening. The panels will be on display from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Friday at the church to gather written feedback from the public.

“I said in the meeting, my concern is not necessarily with the mechanics, but who gets to decide the stories that are told,” Andrews said. “Everybody is not going to make that extra effort to find the information and what stories they get.

“Who gets to decide?” Andrews asked. “For me, that’s a concern. There’s an effort in this country … an effort to change the past and make it more comfortable. There’s that effort there. When I hear that — when the architects and people in charge say some of the stories are difficult, and we may have to make some decisions — that says to me that’s a problem. We have to make that extra effort."

The N.C. History Center’ exhibits will focus on the time period of 1830 through 1900. The conversation about opposition to the project in some communities started when former Fayetteville State University Chancellor James Anderson noted that American Indian stories are proving hard to gather.

“It’s very difficult,” Anderson said. “All our local historians have made a tremendous effort. It’s hard, for example, to get Native American. American Indian stories.”

Anderson said he is working with Chancellor Robin Gary Cummings of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke to get first-person stories about Native Americans in history.

“It’s just difficult,” he said. “There have been some politics involved in this evolution that we’re trying to overcome, I guess we can say it. And the politics are things that sometimes slow things up. And we’ve done a tremendous effort to try to overcome those politics.”

Spencer Crew, the first African American director of the Smithsonian Museum of American History and a professor at George Mason University, said the center’s staff is talking to people in the community and gathering information. Cheri Molter, an author and research historian with the N.C. History Center, noted that the museum has acquired about 300 stories that are “exhibit worthy.”

Molter was asked whether the center will offer an opportunity for Blacks to research their family history.

“We know there’s been a lot of inequity in genealogical research,” Ann Ashford said.

Molter said she has been gathering stories across the state since 2018.

“All of them have value,” she said.

She said in some communities, journals, diaries and letters have vanished.

“So, what we’ve been doing is, we’ve been working to fill in the gaps whenever possible when someone wanted to share information with me,” she said.

As he was leaving the church, former FSU Chancellor Anderson said he has taken heat for his support of the proposed center. He said he wants to make sure that people include the role of education, noting that Fayetteville State was founded in 1867.

“So, it’s overlapping this discussion,” he said of the Civil War and its aftermath. “Making sure that we do not lose sight of the fact that secondary education, higher education — we’re the second-oldest state institution and (the University North Carolina at) Chapel Hill is the oldest. They’re very different in how Fayetteville State contributed to the development of this narrative vs. Chapel Hill. I hope that it’s reflected somewhere.”

Anderson thanked Pastor Jamale Johnson and Mount Sinai church for stepping forward to become involved in the project.

“You can count on us to make sure we’re still out here trying to get the stories,” said Anderson. “Trying to get first-person narratives, trying to make sure that the representation — multidiversity representation — is there. So, we’ll continue to do that.”

Very few would say Valentine’s Day is on their list of favorite holidays. Between the overpriced flowers and the crowded restaurants, it's sometimes hard to feel the love. Ultimately, it does not matter if you had the most romantic evening. Sometimes all that matters is taking the time to say “I love you” to the people that mean the most.

The CARE Clinic is a nonprofit organization that provides free, quality healthcare to the low-income, uninsured adult residents of Cumberland and surrounding counties. Once a year, near Valentine's Day, the clinic hosts a meal-sharing fundraiser event promoting neighborly love.

People who have lived in Fayetteville for a while may be familiar with the event, while others may have never even heard of the clinic. While past participants may remember this event as the Evening of CARE, since the COVID-19 pandemic, the offering has morphed into the Week of Care — a new name and a new way to support The CARE Clinic.

Fundraiser history

While the Week of CARE event this month is the 26th annual Evening of CARE fundraiser, it is only the third “Week of CARE.”
The CARE Clinic owes much of its success over the years to its connection with the Fayetteville community. When the need for fundraising arose in the clinic's early days, it was settled that opportunities to gather and bond over a shared cause were important.

For the first 23 years of this event, folks opened their homes to guests; patrons purchased tickets for the evening and secured their spot at a dinner table in one of the hosts’ homes. It may seem strange to pay to visit a stranger's home, but it was a perfect opportunity to mix, mingle and meet new friends.

The event today

Since nothing brings people together like a good meal, it was important for the clinic to stick to a similar dinner format when redesigning the event post-COVID.
Instead of offering the event one evening, the CARE Clinic runs the fundraiser for an entire week. Throughout January, participants order “Family Meals” from one of two partnering caterers, Luigi’s Italian Chophouse or Dorothy’s Catering Two.

Not only do supporters choose what meal to order, but they also decide which day they want it. Then throughout the week of February 4-11, guests pick up their meals from the designated pick-up locations. Each meal is large enough to feed 6-8 people, depending on varying appetites. Whether for a special Valentine’s family gathering, a lake or beach trip, or to provide to the elderly who may need extra help, these meals are perfect for sharing with others.

With limited staff, the clinic relies on volunteer involvement to pull off events like this. Fayetteville native Martha Wood has headed the fundraiser event committee for the last 21 years. Of her role, she said, “I learned as a child through my parents’ dedication to my family and community that we must not focus on ourselves but love all people and share our time, talent and treasures with those in need.”

This year she leads a committee of 11 women who have connections to the Fayetteville community.
After 21 years, Martha continues to be enthusiastic about leading the group. Reflecting, she said, “I have been so blessed and realize daily just how fortunate I am to live in the wonderful community of Fayetteville.

My life has been enriched through the countless wonderful people I have met who have cared as deeply as I do about helping others and giving back to the community.”

Why the change?

When it comes to an event that has stood as long and strong as this one, you may wonder why the committee changed the format three years ago. The simple answer is COVID-19. The more difficult answer is that because times are changing, so must we.

COVID altered the dynamic of everyone’s lives. How could we ask people to gather in each other’s homes when we didn't know a thing about this virus sweeping the globe? Like most people, we had to get creative with our “new normal” following the lockdown. The committee brainstormed ways to keep the event’s spirit alive while promoting safe social-distancing practices. The Week of CARE was born.

No one knew what to expect from the new event format, but the outcome was truly mind-blowing. The 2021 event yielded $50,198 to support The CARE Clinic.
After finding such great success, the committee decided to continue with the new format into 2022 and 2023. Even though the world is out of quarantine, this new format still seems the best option.

It is important to update the fundraisers over the years to accommodate busy families who are always moving, and a take-home meal is the best way to do that. The best part is that this event still holds to its purpose. The Family-Style meals allow people to gather in communion over a shared meal for a good cause.

Besides the Week of Care, a golf tournament is held in autumn as an additional fundraiser. The 28th Annual Golf Charity Tournament at Gates Four Golf & Country Club was held on Sept. 9, 2022. Toast of the Town Annual Tasting & Silent Auction is another popular spring fundraiser held at Cape Fear Botanical Garden.

About The CARE Clinic

The CARE Clinic is a nonprofit organization located at 239 Robeson St. in Fayetteville, where it has been since its inception in November of 1993. Their mission is to provide free, quality healthcare to the uninsured adult residents of Cumberland and bordering counties. Services include primary care, simple dental extractions, pharmaceuticals, diagnostic labs and imaging, and referrals to outside sources.

They provide all services at no charge to clinic patients. Since they receive no government funding, financial support comes entirely from grants, individual donations and fundraisers like our Week of CARE. The clinic is grateful to all the sponsors, participants and volunteers who have supported this event for 26 years. Organizers are eager to see where it goes from here.

Learn more about the Care Clinic at www.thecareclinic.org

Editor’s note: Tara Martin is the development and marketing director of The CARE Clinic. This article first appeared in the February issue of Women’s View Magazine.

Each February, the United States commemorates the impressive contributions of Black individuals. Black History Month traces its origins to 1915, 50 years after the Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery in the United States.

In that same year, the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (later known as ASALH) was founded to promote the achievements of Black Americans and others of African descent.

In 1926, a more formal holiday was established by Dr. Carter G. Woodson with a national Negro History Week, which evolved into today’s Black History Month.
February was chosen because it coordinates with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass — two individuals who were essential to the fight for equal rights for Black people.
Black History Month is loaded with opportunities to learn more about influential Black individuals. Local libraries, television channels and schools often focus on such individuals throughout the month of February, providing ample chances for individuals from all walks of life to learn more about people and events that have shaped the nation.

Watch documentaries. During Black History Month, many networks feature documentaries on influential figures who made their marks in the Black community and beyond. Streaming services also may have documentaries or special interview series available that highlight certain Black figures.

Visit a cultural center. Museums and other cultural or community centers emphasize Black history in February. Even in smaller towns one may be able to attend speeches or readings at local libraries.

Watch movies. Curate a collection of films that were directed by Black directors or feature Black actors in lead roles. Films that chronicle the biographies of Black historical figures also can be educational.

Learn about local Black history. There are specific Black individuals in our community's history, such as E. E. Smith, who are notable for their accomplishments. Many might be surprised to learn about other people and events that helped to shape Black history locally.

Read MLK Jr’s famous letter. People can revisit the words of Martin Luther King, Jr. by reading his “Letter From Birmingham Jail.” The letter is considered vital for anyone hoping to understand the Civil Rights movement in the United States.

Black History Month provides plenty of chances to learn about influential figures and historical events.

Tax relief is available to qualified property owners, including exclusions and deferments for the elderly and disabled, according to the Cumberland County Tax Administration.

The owners of qualifying agricultural, horticultural, forestry and wildlife conservation properties may qualify for a “present use” deferment, according to a county news release. The tax is assessed based on the value of the property in its current use rather than its market value. Approval is based on requirements that cover minimum production, acreage, and income, as well as other factors.

The taxes are deferred, not exempted, and become a lien on the property, the news release said.
Applications for 2023 must be submitted during the annual listing period, Jan. 1–31.

Exclusions for the elderly or disabled are for the greater of the first $25,000 or 50% of the assessed value on a permanent residence, according to the news release. Applicants must be 65 or older or totally and permanently disabled with a combined 2022 income of $33,800 or less for the applicant and spouse.
Exclusions for disabled veterans or a surviving spouse cover the first $45,000 of assessed value on a permanent residence, the release said. There is no age or income limits.

The deadline to apply for the exclusion programs is June 1, the release said.
Jan. 31 is the deadline for taxpayers to list property for 2023. Forms must be updated, signed and postmarked no later than Jan. 31 to avoid a 10% penalty.

To request an application for tax relief, contact Cumberland County Tax Administration customer service at 910-678-7507 or www.cumberlandcountync.gov/tax. The email address for tax questions is taxweb@cumberlandcountync.gov.

The county tax office is on the fifth floor of the Cumberland County Courthouse, 117 Dick St.

FantasticRealm is a weekend-long event from Jan. 27-29, and features imaginative films from childhood. The films in the series include animated films like “Watership Down” and “My Neighbor Totoro,” fantasy films such as “Krull,” and sci-fi films like “Hidden Planet.”

“The FantasticRealm films feature the most-cherished movie memories from your childhood,” says the Carolina Theatre’s Director of Film, Jim Carl. “These films are nostalgic, and joyous, and meant to be shared with your family and friends.”

FantasticRealm is part of the theater’s Retro Film Series, which hosts double-features of classic films most Friday nights and includes several sub-series of film including Disney-Quest, featuring classic animated Disney films; MovieDiva, a series focused on strong female leads; RetroNoir, boasting classic hard-boiled crime films, mysteries, and whodunnits; RetroGothic, a gothic horror- based series; and Kaiju-Quest, a Japanese-genre focused on big monsters.

The full series of FantasticRealm films and ticket can be found at carolinatheatre.org.

About The Carolina Theatre of Durham: Carolina Theatre of Durham, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which manages the city-owned Carolina Theatre at 309 W. Morgan Street, Durham, NC 27701. Carolina Theatre of Durham, Inc. is dedicated to presenting vibrant, thought-provoking film and live performances that contribute to the cultural and economic vitality of downtown Durham and the Triangle Region. More information at carolinatheatre.org.